BIOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL EFFECTS OF IONIZING RADIATION. II. THE REACTION OF THE ORGANISM IN X RADIATION

Therapeutical deep x-ray irradiations effect changes in the organism which, in their kind and their coarse, conform to the reactions observed after nonspecific irritations. This leads to the conclusion that the effect ionizing radiations on the organism must be considered as a nonspecific stimulus in the way of a stressor, though up to now it has been impossible to clear up the mechanism of the reaction in detail. It may be assumed that, on account of the local radiogenic reactors, the organism forms so-called secondary, or endogenous, stimulants which, in turn, provoke the described reactions. (auth)