The changes of several immune functions were observed in rats after they were inflicted with 6 Gy gamma rays irradiation

15% TBSA full thickness brun and the combination of the 2 injuries. It was found that the functions of thymocytes and splenocytes suffered the most severe suppression in the 24th to 72nd hour after radiation injury and began to recover on the 7th day. In the rats with burn injury

the suppression on thymocytes and splenocytes were significantly less severe than that after radiation and recovered more rapidly. The effects of combined radiation-burn injury showed several characteristics. The suppression on the thymocytes was more severe with slower recovery as compared with that after single radiation injury only. The suppression on the splenocytes as a whole was similar to that after single radiation injury

but in the early stage after combined injury

the suppression was far more severe than that after radiation Escharectomy and skin grafting on the burn wounds on the lst day after combined injury could accelerate the recovery on both the thymocytes and splenocytes. Our findings indicated that the severity of the suppression on the immune functions due to combined radiation-burn injury might depend on the size of the burn wounds.