THE TOLERANCE OF LARGE DOSES OF SODIUM BORATE INTRAVENOUSLY BY PATIENTS RECEIVING NEUTRON CAPTURE THERAPY

¹ Medical Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York

Clinical observations of the effects of intravenously administered borax in doses up to 20 grams (2.12 gm. boron) are reported. Immediate symptoms observed were intense gastro-intestinal stimulation leading to nausea, vomiting, retching, urgent defecation and diarrhea; mild peripheral vascular collapse; mild mental confusion; and a flushed violaceous discoloration of the skin of the face not attributable to respiratory embarrassment. Later symptoms were drowsiness, lethargy, variable degrees of continued gastro-irritability and in a few instances a scarlatinaform rash. These effects usually terminated by the third to fifth day.

No deaths occurred in these patients as a result of this borax administration and a poor general condition of the patient was not found to be an absolute contraindication to boron administration.

Dramamine exerted no significant effect on the early symptoms of nausea and vomiting.

Two successive administrations of 20 grams of borax (2.12 gm. boron) at. an interval of two weeks and four successive administrations of the same dose to four pat. ients at an interval of four weeks did not lead to enhanced toxic effects.