The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-09-09
SERUM RUSHED
BY PLANE TO
SAVE MOTHER
Gland Compound Only Cure
for Woman Dying of
Rare Disease.
900 CATTLE ARE USED
Extract From Livestock
Hurriedly Prepared for
Race With Death.
United Press

BUFFALO, N. Y. Sept. 8. - A
shipment of cortin, rare fluid which
is the only cure for the little known
Addison's disease, was started early
this afternoon from the laboratories
of DR.. F.. A. Hartman, Buffalo spe-
cialist, in a plane race with death
to the bedside of Mrs Andrew Mel
son OF Chicago, mother of six.
The 200 cubic centimeterS OF cor
tin. the supply of which is exhaust
cd in the middlewest, was packed
in two small cartons and taken by
a United Press staff correspondent,
escorted by Buffalo police, to the
Buffalo municipal airport, where it
was placed aboard an American
airways plane for Cleveland and
Chicago.
The cortin was placed in micro
scopic filter, leaving it ready for
instant use, Dr. Hartman said.
1t vas learned that the 900 cattle
from which the cortin was taken
the serum is an extract from the
cortex of the adrenal glands of live
stock--originally had come from
Chicago.
Informed of Offer
DR.. Richard Torpin, Mrs. Nelson's
physician, was in the operating
room of the Edgewater hospital,
Chicago, on another case, when
word came that DR.. Hartman, noted
scientist, had offered three days
supply of the compound.
He was summoned from the OPP
Grating room to receive the infor-
nation. He Immediately arranged
with DR.. A. T. Kenyon of the Albert
Merritt Billings Memorial hospital,
the University of Chicago clinic, to
have Mrs. Nelson transferred there
this afternoon.
DR.. Kenyon emphasized today
that while the Buffalo supply of
cortin will reach Chicago at vital
stage in the treatment of Mrs. Nell
son, additional quantities of the
compound will be necessary to keep
her alive.
The American Anyways will take
the package to Cleveland, where it
will be transferred to national air
transport plane arriving in Chicago
at Col p. m.
Mrs. Nelson, meanwhile. lay al
her home in Chicago in danger OF
a second crises in the disease, dis
patches from Chicago quoted DR.
Torpin, her physician, as saying.
DR.. Torpin sent out an appea.
from Chicago this morning for cor
ton to treat his patient, but had nc
response until Dr. Hartman offered
to send the valuable substance il
necessary.
Supply Spoken For
"All of our available supply of
cortin has been spoken for" DR.
Hartmann said, but since Mrs. Mel
son is the mother of six children
we are willing in this particular
case to make special arrangements
temporarily"
Dr. Torpin appealed to scientists
and pharmaceutical companies over
the nation for further aid.
THE preparation of cortin is
comparatively simple and can be
undertaken by any scientist" he
said. THE difficulty is in obtain
ing enough animal glands for the
extract. 1t requires glands from
$50 cattle for one days supply.
Pharmaceutical companies have
the knowledge and equipment to pre-
pare cortin, but have been unable
to make arrangements to keep up
with the demand for the compound
1t is a critical situation in which
aid from any source may help to
save lives"
Although Mrs. Nelson has not
been receiving the cortin treatment
since it was discovered she was il
of AddiSon's disease, Dr.. Torpin de-
scribed her condition today as IA
vorable.
Father Out of Work
The Nelson household in River
Grove hustled with preparations tC
remove Mrs. Nelson to the Univer.
sity of Chicago clinic. She is help
less as a result of the disease, which
weakens the muscles and lowers the
blood pressure, and will be taker
across two-thirds of the city in ST
ambulance.
Nelson, carpenter, who has beer
jobleSS for two years, and was with
out funds to finance his wife's treat
ment, was grateful to learn that
arrangements had been made tt
bring the cortin to Chicago.
Mother is pretty low" he said
1--WE want to take her to the hos
pital this afternoon so that she car
get the benefit of the treatment as
soon as the compound arrives. ]
don't know how to thank everybody
.rl-n occfcfoI