Edna K. Marks

The Hematological Effects of Ionizing Radiations

The objectives of the Health Division of the Plutonium Project were essentially (a) to study the fundamental and comparative biological action of external radiations and internally administered radioactive materials, (b) to apply the findings for the protection of individuals who worked in the Project, and (c) to use the findings generally for the protection of the public which was potentially in danger of exposure to these physical hazards. The hematologic studies2 conducted on the Plutonium Project were divided into four main categories, namely, the effects of acute3 whole-body exposure to externally administered penetrating radiation, the effects of chronic4 whole-body exposure to externally administered penetrating radiations, acute toxicity of parenterally and enterally administered radioactive compounds, and chronic toxicity of parenterally and enterally administered radioactive isotopes. In order to correlate properly studies on the peripheral blood effects with those occurring in the hemopoietic t...

The Effect of X Radiation on Antibody Formation.

Conclusions These experiments corroborate Hektoens original classic findings that antibody formation is suppressed by total-body X radiation. It has been demonstrated, in addition, that if the spleen or appendix of the rabbit is protected by lead shielding during total-body irradiation, the capacity to produce antibodies to an injected particulate antigen is retained to a marked degree even though lymphatic tissue elsewhere in the body is temporarily destroyed.

The hematological effects of ionizing radiations in the tolerance range.

The inadequacy of the experimental and clinical data upon which the “tolerance dose” of various ionizing radiations is based became quite apparent to those of us charged with the responsibility of protecting the personnel working on the atomic bomb project from “overexposure” to these agents. It was also apparent that no clinically applicable tests were known which would detect biological alterations in an animal or human being exposed to doses of radiation in the “tolerance range.” Many facts were known regarding the biological effects of ionizing radiation before the war. The adverse effects of radiations upon the blood-forming tissue and the reflection of such effects in the peripheral blood were recognized with the pioneer work of Reineke in 1903 (1). Innumerable investigators had studied other biological and clinical effects. The purely experimental data available, however, were confined largely to animal studies in which lethal or near-lethal doses of externally applied roentgen and gamma rays or fa...

Effect of BAL on Cobalt-induced Polycythemia in Rats

Conclusions BAL in a dose of 0.2 mM/kg given 3 times weekly fails to prevent, cure, or materially alter cobalt-induced polycythemia in rats. The general toxicity of BAL appears minimal when given in this dosage over a 3½-month period.