Abstract

It is a well known fact that the skin of rats, with a few exceptions, refractory to polycyclic hydrocarbons. The authors tried to observe whether or not the response to dimethylbenzanthracene of albino rats which are widely used in various experiments in our country is similar to that of mice as reported by Mider and Morton (1939) and Clamor and Stowell (1942) in early changes. It was confirmed that the skin reactions consisted of atrophy of the epidermis, elongation and proliferation of hair follicles, increased rate of mitotic division and squamous metaplasia of epithelial cells of the hair follicles, and cystic dilatation of the skin appendages.