[Effect of arsenic on the developing brain of rat (author's transl)]

An experiment was conducted in an attempt to determine the effect of arsenic on body weight, brain weight and brain chemical composition in suckling rats. Four hundred and ninety-nine young rats from Wistar albino mothers in a closed colony (TAMURA, 1950) were grouped into four according to the treatment given. Group 1 served as control. Rats in Group II were treated with As2O3 1.5 mg/kg, those in Group III 15 mg/kg and those in Group IV arsenic compounds (corresponding 15 mg/kg of As2O3) for 7 to 21 days after birth. Measurements were recorded for 3 to 15 weeks. The mortality of groups I and II was approximately 10%, while that of groups III and IV was approximately 50%. Regarding body weight, brain weight and brain chemical composition of provision of the same, there was no significant difference between controls and the arsenic treated males and females under conditions Oriental feed diet and powdered milk.