Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-08-29
STARS, MEN AND ATOMS
Notebook of Science Progress in Field,
Laboratory and Study.
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.

Allantoin, a substance introduced into
medicine by Department of Agriculture
entomologists, Is arouSing attention all
over the United States as one Of the
outstanding pharmacological advances
of the past few years.
It is the principal material by means
of which the almost miraculous cures
effected by placing blow-fly maggots
about, and appears to work as sort
of reverse antiseptic in the prevention
Of infections. 1t has, per Sc, no lethal
action against invading organisms. but
promotes healthy cell growth faster
than the bugs" can prevent it.
The finding by DR.. William Robinson,
Bureau of Entomology chemist. was
in effect q rediscovery Of what may be
one of the chief growth promoting prin-
ciples in nature-long known and used
as a folk remedy. but entirely unknown
to medical practice. Since an exhibition
Of allantoin and its properties at the
convention Of the American Medical
Association in Kansas City q few weeks
ago the Department of Agriculture has
received hundreds of inquiries from
physicians and hospitals seeking more
information.
As healing agent it promises to be
. life-saver. Its scope is very wide, how
ever, and 1t has been put experimentally
to such divergent uses as that Of
mouth wash and q clearer of muddied
compilations.
The finding Of the remarkable proper
ties Of allantoin involved a lot of clever
cN{aNffAN AnfoNftua coftAn0v
effects of the maggot treatment Of
wounds had received much attention,
but it seemed certain that the real
curative agent was something produced
by the maggots, rather than the bugs
themselves.
DR.. Robinson found numerous state
ments in medical literature to the effect
that wound healing was stimulated by
secretions or macerated tissues Of en-
bryos. The rapid growth Of the animal
organism before birth in itself would
indicate that 1t possessed some potent
cell-growth promoter.
Secondly, he found that all the en-
bryos reported to possess this property
were those Of animals having Q well.
developed allantois-an embryonic organ
common to mammals below man and
the great apes out Of which the kidneys,
bladder and some other internal organs
are formed.
The characteristic fluid secreted from
the allantois is allantoin-a chemical
substance which is formed by the break
ing down Of uric acid by. action Of an
engine. It occurs widely in nature. It
can be obtained from some plants. 1t is
. notable constituent Of the excretions
of insects, including maggots. 1t can
be synthesized In the laboratory and
gotten into q water solution.
BY this chain Of reasoning DR.. Robin
son came to the conclusion that allan
tom probably was the chief agent by
which the maggots were exercising their
healing function. Biological experiments
showed that this was undoubtedly the
case. As DR.. Robinson describes its
action:
1.-THE application Of allantoin appears
to stimulate local. rather than gen.
eralized, granulation. This is fortunate,
as the extent Of the new growth can be
controlled. In . deep wound, where
it Is necessary to promote healing from
the boetew UPWARD end % resFsct