An Experimental Study of the Effects of Roentgen Rays on the Gonads of the Developing Chick

Abstract

Introduction OUR knowledge concerning the effects of roentgen rays on the gonads of the developing and adult birds is very limited. Such data as are available have been obtained from studies dealing with x-ray effects on the chick embryo as a whole, and not on a specific study of the gonads. Further, a larger part of the work on birds has been done without standardized x-ray equipment and without adequate correlation of the age of the animal, dosage of x-rays, and results obtained. We have undertaken to investigate further the problem of the effects of x-rays on the gonads of the bird under standardized conditions. The problem was divided into two parts: (1) The effects of roentgen rays on the developing chick, and (2) the effects on the adult male and female bird. The results of the first experiment are recorded in this paper. Materials and Methods The x-ray machine1 used was mechanically rectified and provided with a Landauer roentgenometer. A Universal Coolidge therapy tube was used. The set-up of the ...