Fourteen dogs were used to measure the relative rates of phosphorus-ion exchange from autogenous, boiled, frozen, and merthiolate bank bone. Comparing the rate of uptake of P32 by boiled and frozen inlay grafts in the tibia to that of autogenous inlay grafts at one, two, three, and four weeks, three days after subcutaneous injection of radio-active phosphorus, the authors have shown that autogenous bone becomes more radio-active than the other varieties. The same has been found true for autogenous, boiled, frozen, and merthiolate hone when placed intramuscularly for two, three, and four weeks.
We do not believe that this is evidence of the viability of autogenous bone as compared to types of preserved bone. Neither do we feel that this is proof that all free grafts are dead. It corroborates the clinical impression that autogenous bone best serves the purpose of a free graft. We feel that the increased uptake of P32 by autogenous over other types of free grafts indicates that the recesses of these grafts are more easily reached by the perfusing solutions, due perhaps to the lesser alteration of the protein matrix.