Germ cell population of chick and quail embryos from DDT treated eggs.

Chick and Quail eggs were treated for 30 seconds, before incubation, with diluted aqueous suspension of commercial DDT. During the early stages of development, the germ cell population of treated embryos increases progressively and is only slightly lower than the control one. For each stage, the difference between the number of germ cells in controls and embryos contaminated by DDT, is not statistically significant. To exert its sterilizing effect on the germ cells, DDT must be administered before the beginning of incubation. At a later stage, when the gonocytes have colonized the gonads, the germ deficit becomes significant.