The Stunting of Growth in Young Rabbits Injected with Strontium 90

Summary

The effect of an injection of ⁹⁰Sr on the growth of young rabbits was studied. Two levels of injection were used, 100 µc of ⁹⁰Sr per kilogram of body-weight, and 600 µc/kg. The animals were killed at various time-intervals after injection, up to 180 days later.

Measurements were made on the terminal body-weight, weight of the femur and tibia, and length of the tibia, both for injected animals and controls. All the four measurements on the animals which received 600 µc/kg showed significant stunting of growth, while the animals injected with 100 µc/kg were not significantly different from the controls. The growth of the proximal epiphyseal cartilage plate of the tibia, during the first few weeks after injection, was also measured radiographically: the animals with 600 µc/kg again showed significant stunting of growth.

Some observations on the radiation dosimetry and pathology of the animals are discussed briefly.