Effects of Antibiotics in Mice on Weight and Thorium Dioxide Uptake of Spleen and Liver. ∗

Summary

The antibiotics penicillin, streptomycin, aureomycin and chloramphenicol were studied for their effects upon weight and ThO₂ uptake by spleens and livers of mice. These antibiotics were studied singly in the case of spleens and singly and in combinations of two in the case of livers. Aureomycin singly and in combination with other antibiotics caused a significant reduction in the weight of spleens and livers. The combination of streptomycin + penicillin caused a reduction in liver weight. The uptake of ThO₂ was expressed as weight of Th02 per unit weight of tissue. Apart from the organ weight changes produced there is no evidence that any of the antibiotics in the concentrations used, had a significant effect upon the ability of either spleens or livers to take up ThO₂