The action of radium radiations upon some of the main constituents of normal blood

The following experiments were undertaken with a view to determining the effectin viro of the different radiations from radioactive substances upon some of the main constituents of normal blood. The observations have so far been extended to the hæmolytic action of theα -rays on red corpuscles, to the effect of these rays on leucoytes, and to their action on opsonin and complement. Numerous experiments have also been made with theβ - andγ -rays, but, generally speaking, the results have been of a negative character.The Hæmolytic Action of the Emanation . When radium emanation is mixed with citrated human blood, hæmolysis results. The liberation of hæmoglobin is a gradual process, as is evidenced by the following experiment, which is typical of several:-A glass bulb of volume 30 c. c. contained 2 c. c. Citrated blood and emanation equal in quantity to the equilibrium value of 26.5 mgrm. RaBr2 . The blood was examined at different times and a count made, by means of a Thoma Zeiss apparatus, of the percentage of completely hæmolysed corpuscles. The results are indicated in Table I.