Pulmonary Edema in Leucemic Mice Following Treatment With Urethane

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Abstract
The effect of urethane on transplanted myelogenous leucemia produced in F-NH hybrid mice was studied. Three groups inoculated with suspensions of a leucemic spleen were studied when their leucocyte counts rose to about 200,000/ c. mm. Urethane was given intraperit. to the first group in daily doses of 0.5 mg./g. body wt. It was given similarly to the 2d group in doses of 1 mg./g. The 3d group was divided to 3 subgroups: A received 0.75 mg./g. daily; B received 1 mg./g. every 2d day; and C received 1 mg. /g. every 3d day. Urethane was also given daily to normal C strain mice in amts. similar to those given to the 2d group of leucemic mice. The life span was greatly affected in the first series of animals by pneumonia in 3/4 of the treated mice. This was secondary to a mild pulmonary edema which occurred in all treated animals. In the 2d series, the edema was more severe and more rapidly fatal. This occurred in both leucemic and normal C strain animals. In the 3d series, doses which reduced the total leucocyte count with a shift to the right and reduction in size of the liver, spleen, and lymph nodes, produced pulmonary edema in all cases. Even ineffective doses produced edema of lesser degree in many animals, and death resulted later from pneumonia. At autopsy, animals with edema showed frothy material about the nares and mouth. Fluid was seen in the thorax, and the lungs were always tense, filling the thorax. Petechiae were often seen. On sectioning the trachea and lung parenchyma, large amts. of fluid exuded. Microscopically, the alveoli and bronchi were distended. There was considerable capillary engorgement with evidence of rupture and release of red cells into the alveoli. Areas of bronchopneumonia occurred in animals in which the pulmonary edema was less severe. The axillary and inguinal regions were areas of subcut. petechiae and often of localized anasarca.

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