Abstract
Summary
1. The effect of total-body x-irradiation (825 ir in air) on the cecal flora of rats has been studied. Numbers of lacto-bacilli, coliforms? and azide-resistant organisms in rats fasted 24 hours before and after irradiation were compared to those in pair-fed control rats fasted for the same 48-hour period. The normally predominant lacto-bacilli decreased in number while the coli-forms and azide-resistant bacteria increased. 2. A fasting period of 48 hours elicited no proportional change in bacterial types when the counts were compared with those of normal fed rats. 3. Irradiation itself was responsible, at least in part, for the observed changes.
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