THE EFFECT OF INORGANIC IRON WITH AND WITHOUT ULTRAVIOLET IRRADIATION UPON THE PREVENTION AND CURE OF NUTRITIONAL ANEMIA

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
In the preventive studies in young rats on a whole milk diet 0.05 mgm. Fe daily caused a fall of 49% in Hb as compared to 18% when 3/4 hr. irradiation was given with this dose of Fe. Under these conditions the red cells decreased 41%; with irradiation they decreased 33%. Doses of Fe alone (0.15-0.3 mgm.) prevented the development of anemia; with and without irradiation, the effect on Hb increase was the same. With 0.15 mgm. Fe and irradiation there was a 50% increase in red cells over that obtained with this dose of Fe alone. The effect of ingestion of irradiated milk with 0.3 mgm. Fe daily was more striking than irradiation of the rat, resulting in a 77% increase in Hb and a 60% increase in red cells over that obtained with this dose of Fe alone. In the curative studies, the effect of irradiation was most marked with 0.05 mgm. Fe, as compared to this dose of Fe alone. Death, which would otherwise have occurred on this dose of Fe, was prevented when irradiation was given. Pure Fe (0.1-0.3 mgm.) gave an increase in Hb in direct relation to the dose fed. The difference in Hb response with 0.05 to 0.10 mgm. Fe daily (7-160%) was striking. A normal red cell count was observed in all anemic young rats fed on doses of Fe 0.1-0.3 mgm. daily. Irradiation (with 0.1-0.3 mgm. Fe daily) had no better effect on Hb recovery than these doses of Fe alone, but there was a definite beneficial effect of the irradiation on the red cells in this connection. A polycythemia occurred in 10 animals on Fe alone and in 22 on Fe and irradiation, which in most cases was still present at the end of the 10 wks. experimental period. It was concluded that irradiation had a much more beneficial effect on red cell, rather than Hb, increase in nutritional anemia of the rat.

This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit: