This study was undertaken to observe the salivary gland of the white rat when exposed to single and fractionated doses of Cobalt-60 irradiation. One hundred fifty white rats of the experiment were devided into control and 3 experimental groups. In experimental groups, group I receivcd 1200 rads everyweek untill 4800 rads reached, group II received 1500 rads and group III received 2000 rads with single dose. irradiation was carried out using a RAC-120 Cobalt-60 Teletherapy Unit with a dose rate 84.3 r/min, field size 4×5 cm measured at 80 from source.
Rats were serially sacrificed at the following postirradiation time intervals: 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 14, 21, 28, 35, and 42days.
At sacrifice, the parotid and submandibular glands were dissected out in toto, and stained with: 1) hematoxylin and eosin; 2) periodic acid Shiff; 3) toludine blue.