Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-30
PROGRESSION ON ALL FOURS
BY HUMAN BABIES IS STUDIED
DR.. Hrdlicka Tells Science Association
Meeting in Cleveland, Results of
Observations of Children.

analyzing the mysterious stable COM
bination of sugars, extracted from the
bacteria, which has been found highly
toxic when injected into tuberculous
animals and non-toxic when injected
into normal animals. The purified sub
stance turns out to be a snow-white
powder, containing several Of the rarer
sugars, two Of which have been iden-
titled.
The discovery Of the acid, which has
been named phthioic acid, because Of
its evident close relationship with
phthisis, or tuberculosis, came through
| the discovery that all the fats obtained
from the tubercle bacillus had COM
mon biological effect. When injected
into healthy animals they caused great
increase of monocyteS, epithelioid cells
and giant cells, and led to the forma-
ton Of tubercular tissue in the absence
Of any tubercle bacilli. 1t was evident
that these fats had common property
responsible for these effects.
Unknown Acids Brought Out.
Further reduction brought out two
hitherto unknown acids. The first,
called tuberculoStearic acid was shown
to have no effect as cell stimulant,
while the companion phthioic acid had
very specific effect.
Attacking the problem Of tuberculosis
from the chemical front, DR.. Anderson
explained, has shown that the fats,
which form from 20 to 40 per cent of
the total composition of different strains
Of tubercule and related bacilli, are
much more complex than the fats OF
plants or animals.
"At present." he said, at appears to
be impossible to assign any rational con-
Stitutional formulas to any of the bacil-
larry hpoids." He said that lone or
more additional acids analogous to
phthioic acid may be found"
The still birth of one of the strangest
human monsters ever known to science
was reported by DR.. r. A. Muttkowski
and Leo E. Buss of the University Of
Detroit. This child had two heads and
brains, two hearts, two stomachs, three
arms, two legs and two complete SpineS,
but only one pelvis. The attending
physician, 1t was explained, accidently
broke one Of the spineS at birth, so
that the monster was born half dead"
The other half was alive, however, and
breathed several times.
Ancient Civilization Evidenced.
Evidence of an ancient Maya civili-
alton long before the Aztecs in Central
Mexico was presented to the anthro-
biological section by Benjamin L. Whorf
Of the Social Science Research Council.
About 40 miles south of Mexico City,
he said, there is an isolated village
where the Aztec language is still
spoken, and which iss the site Of a
ruined temple to the Aztec god Tepoz-
tecatl. He found that on the walls
were carved not only known Aztec cal
endar signs but, parallel with them,
signs known to represent the same
thing which were used by the Mayas
1000 years earlier.
This discovery, he said, adds sub
stance to the tales Of an ancient king
dom of Xochicalco, to which the sur
rounding country was tributary, but
which eventually was incorporated in
the Aztec empire.
The growth of the living nerve at
last has been seen under the micro
scope, it was announced by DR.. Carl c..
Speidel of the University Of Virginia