Initial Radiation Syndrome in the Adult Chicken

¹ From the Argone National Laboratory, Division of Biological and Medical Research, Lemont, Illinois

In the adult rooster the dose-rate dependent early mortality that followed x-irradiation was similar to that reported for young chicks. Although a small drop in blood pressure occurred within 30–60 minutes after exposure, a critical hypotension was not seen during the initial postirradiation period. Both 24-hour survivors and nonsurvivors showed an increase in urate excretion during the first 10–12 hours after irradiation. Apparently, the slight fall in blood pressure that occurred after x-ray exposure was not sufficient to affect renal function directly. In addition, the epithelium of the adult kidney is not as radiosensitive as that of the young chick; histopathologic changes are minimal. Although no serious hypotension was observed during the initial postirradiation period in the adult, there was qualitative clinical evidence of a circulatory insufficiency with pooling of blood in peripheral organs. In irradiated chicks a similar condition is accompanied by severe hypotension. However, results of experiments on hemorrhagic shock indicate that the adult can compensate for much greater loss of circulating volume without a decrease in blood pressure than can the young chick.