THE ERYTHROPOIETIC ACTION OF GERMANIUM DIOXIDE. II. Trm SOtmCE O~ TaE ERYa~mOCYTEE~r.A PRODUCED BY GER- M.ANII~ DIOXIDE IN THE ALBINO l~AT. BY FREDERICK

In a previous publication it has been shown that germanium dioxide is non-toxic to the mature female albino rat when injected subcutaneously in amounts up to 180 mg. per kilo of body weight. This is a quantity equivalent to a dose of nearly 11 gin. for a 60 kilo man. The measure of the toxicity was survival after the administration of the compound. In no case did any animal receiving the germanium dioxide succumb or even present obvious symptoms of disturbance. 1 A systematic study was then made of the effect of the compound on the erythrocyte and white cell content of the normal rat blood. ~ I t was found that, regardless of sex, a marked and valid increase in the red cells in the circulation followed the injection of relatively small amounts of germanium dioxide solutions. In view of certain gross findings at autopsy of the rats used in these experiments, and because of the persistence of the effect for many days after the injections, we considered ourselves justified in concluding that germanium dioxide is an erythropoietic agent of remarkable potency. In this report we propose to present the completed evidence on which that belief is based. The material used was obtained from the rats serving as subjects in the preceding paper. 2