Evening star., 1912-03-10

the knowledge he sought. The neces-
sary- experiments were made and it
was established that in the presence of
living cells these salts arc reduced to a
metallic form and are precipitated as a
black or red sediment
Prof. Won WaSsermann at once seized
upon Gcsio's observation and applied
1t to dst ermine the vitality of cancer
cells. lie tried 1t with cancer cells in
the blood serum OF healthy persons as
we'll as with cancer cells I'M the blood
serum of cancer patients
No difference was observable of the ac-
tion in the two media but at that mo-
ment our fanciful star of science arose
and shcne upon Wassernann and Berlin.
The Investigator made the startling and
astounding discovery that the reduced
seienium and teliurium were thrown
down on the cancer. cells This means
nothing to the laity, but it meant much
to the scientists. In plain language, the
experiment showed that there Is spe
cfal selective affinity between the reduced
salts of selenium and tellIrium and can
Ger cells. Further observation demon
strated beyond dispute that solution of
these salts actually destroyed cancer tis-
sue. and without harmns the healthy It's
sue. This was more than hint and for
your real scientist Il hint is sufficient to
clear the path of many difficulties.
Wassermann lost no time in making the
practical application of his discovery. He
SoihoihSu SciSIlulIi Will eOSiIt anu
duced a solution of the preparation into
the viens in the tails of mice affected
with cancer. Here was the application of
chemotherapy to actual tunOrs. The ami
mails We're treated for. some time. from
seven to ten injections being made. At
the expiration of the treatment all local
symptoms had disappeared and the mice
were pronounced cured They were then
killed. but no trace of cancer could be
found as the result of microscopic or
other examina tiOnS
There was only one possible reasonable
conclusion for Wassermann to reach "a
the result of these tests, namely, that by
preparing a suitable combination of eosin
and seleniEm and introducing it into the
blood stream it would cause actively
growing cancer in mice to become soft
ened through disintegration of their cells
and to be absorbed, and to heal without
recurrence. provided the tumor is not too
large in proportion to the body weight of
the animal treated
The view had been widely held by in
vestigators that it was impossible for
chemical substance to be introduced into
the blood and then pass out of the blood
vessels into tumor and destroy it. Was
Sermann's results quite effectually dis
posed of this theory.
AS stated earlier, human beings have
not yet been subjected to this method Of
treatment. 1t Is not known if these
chemical agents have selective affinity
for the cells of human cancer But it
cannot be. denied that DR.. kiliani and
other visitors to Wassermann's workshop
have learned that the German scientist
has established a solid foundation from
which progress may be made in the di-
rection of the alienation of human suf-
fering. Such hope undoubtedly reposes
in the breast of Wassermann himself.
1t is cot intended. of course. to have
the public believe that Wassermann and
his fellow-workers jumped in day from
the discovery that reduced selenium and
tellurium were thrown down" on can
Ger cells to the knowledge that a sOlu-
ton of these salts destroyed cancerous
tissue. On the contrary. there were many
intermediate experiments. No difficulties
dismayed them, however, and they
shrank from no labors
At first the solutions We're too weak to
affect the cancer cells. Stronger solutions
produced the effects Of a poison. 1t was
thought that the chemical affected other
cells. Then experiments were made with
at least two hundred different chemical
combinations before the sought-for result
was obtained. The eosin-selenium COM
bination finally proved to be the one de-
sired. Many animals died in the course
Of the initial experiments.
DR.. Kiliani said that he had no thought
of attempting to duplicate Wassermann 8
experiments. He went to Berlin to in
vestigate the cancer studies simply be-
cause of his interest in the matter as
surgeon. The chair of clinical surgery at
the College of Physicians and Surgeons
and his work in the German Hospital
leave him no time for research work.
1t may be added that Dr. Kiliani is well
known in the profession for something
else besides his labors in the medical
Clinical Surgery He is one of the
foremost exponents of the method of
treating facial neuralgia by the injection
Of alcohol and has published several re-
ports on the subject in the medical
Journals