DOSE-DEPENDENT EFFECTS ON LYMPHOID ORGANS FOLLOWING A SINGLE DERMAL APPLICATION OF SULFUR MUSTARD IN MICE

The effects of a single dermal application of sublethal doses [15.5, 7 .75 and 3.88 mg kg(-1)] of bis(2 chloroethyl)sulphide [sulphur mustard , SM] on body weight, organ/body weight ratio, haematology, histology and cellularity of spleen and thymus were studied after 7 days, in Bal b/c mice. A progressive fall in body weight was noticed from the fifth day onwards after SM treatment, A dose-dependent decrease in the rela tive weights of spleen, liver and peripheral lymph nodes, and an incre ase in adrenal weight were also seen. An increase in red blood cell co unt, packed cell volume and haemoglobin concentration following SM int oxication were also dose dependent. These changes, together with a sig nificant reduction in the cellularity of the spleen and thymus and deg enerative histological changes, show that a single sublethal dermal do se of SM can cause considerable dose dependent systemic effects in Bal b/c mice.