1959 Volume 28 Issue 6 Pages 311-317
The influence of the percutaneous blocking of the reticuloendothelial system with carbon black was investigated in rats which were inoculated subcutaneously with murine leprosy bacilli. Thirty five rats were divided into five groups. Percutaneous blocking with carbon black of subcutaneous leproma was attempted from various points of view. The results were following.
1. Development of leproma was noticed in rats group which, prior to inoculation of bacilli, were injected with carbon black: the leproma of each organ was remarkable, and the formation of fresh leproma seemed easy in weakly blocked regions or the subcutaneous connective tissue free of blocking.
2. The long-time percutaneous blocking with carbon black caused a marked degeneration of the murine leprosy bacilli in the subcutaneous leproma, and the inhibition of the development of fresh leproma and of the dissemination of bacilli into whole organs.
3. As for the development of subcutaneous leproma, the group of rats injected with a mixture of bacilli and carbon black was not different from control group, but in this group the dissemination of bacilli into whole organs was remarkably accentuated.
