Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-25
DR.. HUDSON TO GET PRIZE
FOR LIFE FUEL" DISCOVERIES
Chemical Society Honor Fol-
lows Research With
so Sugars.
Health Institute Professor to
Speak at Dinner Tomor-
row Evening.

DR.. Claude s. Hudson, professor OF
chemistry at the National Institute Of
Health of the Public Health Service,
wiz receive the Hillebrand prize of the
Chemical Society Of washington at a
dinner at the Cosmos Club tomorrow
evening.
The prize is awarded each year for
the most meritorious contribution TO
chemical science presented before the
society. TIE award to DR.. Hudson Is
for his worA on the ring structure Of
sugars, highly technical but of funda-
mental Importance in chemistry and
biology.
For the past 20 years, DR.. Hudson
has been making almost revolutionary
contributions to the worlds knowledge
of the substance which, in its many
forms and combinations as fats and
starches, is the fuel Of the furnace OF
life. First, as young chemist in the
laboratory of the Department OF Agri-
culture. DR.. Hudson discovered certain
obscure phenomena associated with the
polarization of light by the sugar
molecule, which opened the door to the
internal structure Of the molecule ITSELF
50 Different Sugars.
There are about so different sugars,
each chemically DISTINGUISHING from
all the others. But DIR. HudSou's Work
revealed that each kind Of sugar is
found in two or three different forms,
due to differences In molecular struc-
ture. For example, sucrose, which Is
the principal substance Of ordinary
cane. maple and beet sugar, has been
found In three distinct forms. They
are. says DR.. Hudson, actually three dis
tinct substances. DR.. Hudson followed
his studies of the chemistry OF sugar at
the Bureau of Standards, but the ex-
IRENE biological importance of his work
led to his transfer to the Public Health
Service. where he is laying the founda-
lions for the differentiation Of the sugar
substances in considering their biologi-
cal action. It is the slow work OF ind
ing and describing all the substances In
the sugar family.
The significance Of the work, It was
explained at the National Institute OF
Health, is in the fact that 1t goes to the
very roots of life itself. The original
motive power Of life is the radiation OF
the sun. But this energy is made avail
able to the animal body through being
stored up in sugar, or in starch, which
Is a combination Of sugars, or in lat,
which is a substance interchangeable
with sugar by the chemical processes OF
the body itself.
Six as Human Fuel.
Now. it was explained, only six Of
the numerous sugars can be burned"
as fuel by the human body-levulose
dextyose or corn sugar, maltese, sucrose,
mannose and galactoSe. The other
simply pass out Of the system. Further
more 1t has been found that in the
blood stream only one form OF such
me&V 4G
or burned, but once this Is exhausted
the body begins to change the other
forms into the oxidizable form by some
mysterious process. Exact knowledge
Of such phenomena. to which DR..
Hudson's work is leading, IS Of the
utmost significance in a real under
standing of bodily processes.
Within the past year certain biolog-
icaily created combinations of sugars
obtained from the tuberculosis organism
have been found TO have a powerful
specific effect. Given to a guinea pig
which has been infected with tuber-
culosis there is an immediate acerbation
| of the condition. Given TO normal
| guinea pig there Is no effect It is one
| OF the most promising leads yet OBJ
tanned toward an understanding of the
blo-chemistry Of tuberculosis. But, IL
was explained. only an ex. It knowledge
Of the various sugars which enter the
combination will enable Psychologists tc
/ follow the lead.
The best they can do at present Il
10 resolve the substance into the kinds
Of. sugars whereas its efficacy probably
depends on the different forms Of these
kinds
Prize Founded in 1925.
/ The HilIebrand prize was founded in
1925 IN honor of DR. w. F. Hillebrand
l late chief OF the division Of chemistry
4 Bureau Of Standards. Former re-
lcipients are Drs. r.. +. jackson, q. w
Morey. z. r Bartlett and j. H. Hibben
In addition to the acknowledging
address 70 be given by DR.. Hudson to-
MoETow nialk 1,Es Enoelsas a. levine d