Lethal Retardation of Growth by Electric Shock

Abstract

IT has been shown that electric shock retards regeneration of the corneal epithelium of rabbits¹ in a manner similar to the depression of mitotic activity of the skin epithelium by other forms of shock². Between the cells of various tissues, there seem to be some differences in susceptibility to antimitotic action. This may depend, among other possible causes, on the speed of multiplication of the cells. In order to obtain a first impression of what is going on, it was considered very important to investigate the effect of repeated electric shocks on the weight of growing animals and their organs. The animals (rabbits) were divided into two groups each consisting of six animals of both sexes. Experiments with the first group were started on the eleventh day after birth, with the second group on the eighteenth. In each group three animals served as controls. The animals were treated by electric shock once a day with the exception of Sunday in the same manner as described earlier¹.