September 1955] A. MARIAKULANDAI AND P. VENKATARAMAIAH 195
Necropsy had revealed in the present study that only the intestines, the small
one in particular, was badly irritated and congested, while the parenchymatous
organs revealed no abnormality microscopically, though very much shrunk and
undersized.
2. Physiological effect of fluorine feeding: (a) Blood inorganic phosphorus:
Price [1932] noted a general disturbance in the mineral content of blood when
fluorine was fed in high concentrations. With regard to blood inorganic phosphorus,
the results so far obtained by previous workers were inconclusive. In some cases
a rise in blood phosphorus [Shortt et al., 1937; Phillips, 1932] had been noted, while
in some others a fall [Parlovic and Bogdanorice, 1932] and in many cases no change
from normal content of blood phosphorus [Biester et al., 1936; Greenwood et al.,
1934; Hauck et al., 1933; Roholm et al., 1937; Majumdar et al., 1943] had been re-
corded. The present study agreed with the latter finding, as no change from normal
was met with in the course of the experiment.
(b) Serum calcium: This, though definitely noted to be reduced in acute
toxicosis [Gerschmann, 1930; Jodlbauer, 1932; Pavlovic and Bogdanovic, 1932] yet
in chronic or sub-acute toxicosis, was rarely found to vary from normal [Biester
et al., 1936; Greenwood et al., 1934; Hauck et al., 1933; Roholm et al., 1937]. But
in some cases, however, a moderate decrease in serum calcium even in chronic intoxi-
cation had been noted [Phillips, 1932]. A rise in serum calcium in chronic intoxi-
cation had also been recorded [Shortt et al., 1937]. But the periodical estimations
of serum calcium made in this experiment showed no variation from normal due to
fluorine intoxication. Majumdar, Ray and Sen [1943] have since shown from their
work on bulls that there is no change in either Ca, P or Mg content of the serum
due to fluorine feeding. This confirms our findings made in 1941 and presented in
this study.
(c) Blood fluorine: Du Toit et al., [1932] reported that fluorine content of the
blood in bovines varied with the fluorine in the ration, it being 0.17 mg. per 100 cc.
blood in controls and 0.60 mg. per 100 cc. blood in fluorine-fed bovines. Workers
at the Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar [Majumdar, Ray and Sen, 1943],
have reported a blood fluorine concentration similar to Du Toit et al., [1932]. This
investigation on calves, however, showed the normal value for cattle to be nearly
1 to 2 mg. per 100 cc. blood and the feeding of fluorine per os did not increase the
blood fluorine values. This high value in the normal content was probably due
to the high 'native' fluorine in the feeds of this locality.
(d) Musculature: Death occurred in the fluorine-fed experimental animals
in the present study after considerable muscular twitchings, convulsions and
muscular rigidity. The brain and musculature were found to contain only slightly
increased amounts of fluorine due to fluorine feeding but most of the stored fluorine
was concentrated in the bones only. The greater deposition of fluorine in the bones
has also been reported by Wolff and Kerr [1938] in humans, by Majumdar, Ray
and Sen [1943] in Hill bulls of India and by Wadhwani [1953] in rats. Hence this
precludes any possibility of poisoning from the meat, if ingested by man. In fact,
the flesh of the fluorine-fed calves was wholly consumed by the local menials with
no deleterious effect being felt.