DEMONSTRATION OF CONGENITAL-ANOMALIES IN THE JOINTS OF THE FORELIMBS AND HINDLIMBS CAUSED BY SEVERAL PHARMACOLOGICAL AGENTS

In this study, fetal joint abnormalities caused by cytosine arabinosid e, caffeine, sodium salicylate, and retinyl acetate administration dur ing pregnancy, were investigated. In the cytosine-arabinoside-administ ered group, complete disappearance of joint spaces in the forelimbs, a nd narrowing or complete disappearance of joint spaces in the hindlimb s was highly noticeable. In the caffeine group, in all forelimb joints starting from art. humeri, there were abnormal fusions in bones, toge ther with occasional disappearance of the joint space. In hindlimbs, s imilar findings were observed. In the sodium salicylate group, the com plete disappearance of joint space and surfaces among humerus-radius a nd ulna was striking, and occasional fusions in tarsometatarsal joints were also present. Severe narrowing of the same joint space in the re tinyl acetate group was striking. Total disappearance of the articulat io manus and carpometacarpal joints was observed, together with hindli mb joint and bone findings.