The Effect of Benzene and of Carbon Tetrachloride on the Concentration of Certain Vitamins, Fat, and Nitrogen in the Liver of the Rat

Thisstudyisconcerned withtheeffects ofshort termmoderate dosages ofbenzene andofcarbon tetrachloride on thecontent oftheliver with respect tovitamins, fat, andnitrogen. Theexperimentswereperformed because ofourinterest in theproblem ofwhether exposures tocertain toxic agentsofindustrial concern alter thenutritional needsoftheorganism. A change intheability of anorganortissue toretain normalamountsofa nutrient isonemechanism bywhichnutritional needsmay be altered. Thatthismechanism actually exists hasbeendemonstrated withcertain carcinogens. ThusGoerner andGoerner (1939) foundthatthehepatic stores ofvitamin A were diminished bydibenzanthracene. A similar effect onriboflavin stores ofliver inanimals treated with butter yellow (Kensler, Young,andRhoads, 1942; Miller, 1947), andwithacetylaminofluorene has