Fission Products and the Dairy Cow

Journal Article · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1961 · Journal of Comparative Pathology and Therapeutics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0368-1742(61)80010-6· OSTI ID:4695090

Garner, R J; Sansom, B F; Jones, H G; West, L C

Pathologic responses were recorded in 24 cows orally given total doses of 1.4 to 140 mC I¹³¹, calculated to deliver radiation doses of 1500- to 290000-rad doses to the thyroid gland. In all 4 animals receiving 10 mC I¹³¹ daily, edema developed in the region of the thyroid gland 11 days after feeding was initiated. The swelling was transient and had disappeared completely in another 5 days. Within 1 to 2 weeks of withdrawal of I¹³¹ the animals became lethargic and apathetic, rising only to feed. Except in one animal, the milk yield was not initially affected. No significant changes were observed at any time in the formed constituents or physical properties of the blood, or in any of the normal chemical constituents determined, other than the plasma protein- bound iodine (PBI). In all animals receiving 10 mC daily, there was a sudden and marked increase in PBI 12 to 14 days after dosing began. In animals sacrificed approximates 2 months after high dosage I¹³¹ administration, no pathological changes were found in any organs or tissues other than in the thyroid gland. Microscopically, almost no functional thyroid tissue remained. Extensive necrosis of the epithelial elements was most pronounced in the central portion of the lateral lobes where persisting connective tissue stroma was the only evidence of the normal follicular pattern. The milk yield in all surviving animals that received a total of 140 mC I¹³¹ was considerably lower and the time of lactation shorter than for the last lactation period before administration of the isotope. It was concluded that the minimum radiation dose needed to damage the bovine thyroid gland sufficiently for general effects on the animal to manifest themselves is of the order of 100,000 rad. Assuming that 20% of ingested I¹³¹ was accumulated in the thyroid gland, the amount that would have to be eaten over a short period to deliver a thyroid radiation dose of 100,000 rad is about 90 mC. It was calculated that, in the case of a nuclear reactor accident, the deposition of I¹³¹ on pastures would have to exceed 240 mu C/m² to allow the cow to ingest this dose.

• Research Organization: Agricultural Research Council Field Station, Compton, Berks, Eng.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-17-028605
• OSTI ID: 4695090
• Journal Information: Journal of Comparative Pathology and Therapeutics, Journal Name: Journal of Comparative Pathology and Therapeutics Journal Issue: C Vol. 71; ISSN 0368-1742
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ACCIDENTS
BLOOD
BLOOD CIRCULATION
BLOOD VESSELS
BRAIN
CATTLE
CONTROL
CORONARIES
CYTOLOGY
DISEASES
FISSION PRODUCTS
FOOD
HEART
IODINE 131
MAN
MATHEMATICS
MEDICINE
MILK
MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION
PHYSIOLOGY
PLANTS
PLASMA
PROTEINS
RADIATION INJURIES
RADIOACTIVITY
RADIOISOTOPES
REACTORS
SCINTILLATION COUNTERS
SEX
TOXICITY