Influence of temperature on the response of frogs to X irradiation.

I N A preliminary note, we reported that low temperature treatment of frogs after total-body exposure to x-rays greatly prolongs their survival (I). The present studies were initiated to determine: I) whether this altered radiosensitivity is due to a decrease in the rate of development of radiation injury or actually reflects a more rapid and complete recovery from the effects of irradiation and 2) whether body temperature during exposure influences the radiation reaction. Since the overt response of the frog, a poikilotherm, to x-radiation appears to be rather similar in many respects to that observed in the mammal, it was thought that these studies might be of practical as well as theoretical interest.