RESUMEN
Seven hundred and forty-six mice, weighing 30-35 grams, were divided into four groups randomly. The animals of the first three groups were inflicted with radiation injury (12 Gy total body irradiation from a Co60 source) , burn injury (15% of third degree burns), and combined injury of radiation and burns(12 Gy total body irradiation and 15% of third degree burns) respectively. The fourth group worked as normal control.The mortality and the dynamic changes of the intestinal epithelium of the experimental animals were studied. It was found that the clinical course of the combined injury group was quite different from other two. The mortality of the combined injury group was higher and the damage on the intestinal epithelium was more severe than those of the radiation injury group in the first 48 hours after injury. In the second 48 hours, the mortality of the combined injury group became lower and the recovery of the intestinal epithelium faster.The reactions of the experimental animals to the combined injury of radiation and burn were-very complicate. Further investigation is essential to elucidate the mechanism and to formulate appropriate therapeutic measures.