THE CARCINOGENIC EFFECT OF A PAPILLOMA VIRUS ON THE TARRED SKIN OF RABBITS

Abstract

A considerable variety of tumors, both benign and malignant, result from the localization of the rabbit papilloma virus in skin which has been prepared by repeated tarrings. They appear only in individuals highly susceptible to the action of the virus, and are more likely to be engendered by highly pathogenic inocula. No evidence has been found that differences in the potentialities of the virus entities are responsible for the diversity of the growths. This is referable to changes in the epidermal cells; and much more preliminary tarring is required to produce these changes than suffices to cause localization of the virus out of the blood stream with a resulting papillomatosis of the ordinary sort. The character of the individual anomalous tumors depends in some degree upon the extent of the preparatory changes in the cells, malignant growths being more frequent when the epidermis has been tarred for a relatively long period. All are focal or punctate in origin, and they exhibit their peculiar characters from the first, none being due to secondary alterations in ordinary papillomas. Tarring after the virus has localized in the epidermis does not significantly increase their number. They are the outcome of the state of the cells at the time of virus infection. Tarring exerts important influences in addition to changing the cells in such a way that unusual tumors result from the action of the virus. The procedure is notably effective in determining localization of the virus out of the blood stream; enables it to produce growths when otherwise it would not do so though present in the tarred skin; stimulates the proliferation of the tumors engendered; makes them disorderly and aggressive; and hastens the anaplasia of such of them as are malignant. It has similar effects upon the tar tumors, as will be demonstrated in a subsequent paper.