Evening star., 1936-05-12
Ne'u X-Ray Technique Devised
In Capital to Fight Cancer
Filter of Tin Used to Permit Create,
Dosages to Reach affected Areas
Described at Medical Session.


split at least once. Thus each day the
short rays find some cells in just the
right condition to be destroyed most
easily. The tough old cells, just before
dividing, might be able to withstand
almost any amount of radiation which
it would be feasible to direct upon
them.
BY the new method 1t is possible to
reach malignant growths in parts of
the body which cannot be reached by
a surgeon without killing the patient.
They have cases. they say. of per-
sons with inoperable cancer of the
stomach living, apparently without
symptoms. two years after treatment
with their method.
The method holds forth the pos
sibility Of directing even shorter rays
against the cancer. through increase
of the voltage, If this should prove
necessary. There is increasing evi-
dence, it was pointed out, that the ef-
feet of radiation tends to a hitherto
unsuspected speciflcity of action for
short bands of wave lengths and this
may apply TO gamma rays as well as
to ultraviolet, visible light and infra-
red rays.
tuberculosis Treatment Seen.
An apparent antagonistic action be-
tween cortin and the tubercle bac-
cilus, which may point the way to a
new treatment for tuberculosis, also
was reported.
DR.. F. M. Pottenger, jr., head of a
large California tuberculosis sani-
tarium, presented before the American
Society for the Study of Internal
Secretions results of experiments with
both guinea pigs and children which
indicate that the extremely potent
hormone from the cortex of the ad-
renal glands definitely lowers both
susceptibility to the dreaded lung
malady and its development after it
is contracted.
Seven children examined by DR..
Pottenger showed definite evidence of
tubercular infection. He started treat
ing them with small dosages Of the
adrenal extract. In from six months
to year, all the children were re-
examined by much more severe test
and showed no evidence of tuber-
culoSis.
DR.. Pottenger then tried injecting
guinea pigs with the tubercle bacillus
and cortin at the same time. Out of
43 animals so tested IL did not develop
tuberculosis at all. Without the cortin
the infection was 100 per cent. Those
that received cortin and developed the
disease lived longer and in a better
condition that those that did not.
Cortin is perhaps the most sensa-
tional in its effects of all the hor-
mones, but its chief medical use has
been in the treatment of Addisons
disease, a hitherto fatal condition in
which the adrenal cortex is greatly
deteriorated. Victims now can be kept
alive for an indefinite period, but at an
enormous cost.
Value Of Cortin Synthesis.
The synthesis of cortin, 1t was stated
by doctors attending the sessions to-
day, would constitute one of the most
notable chemical triumphs of the age.
Meanwhile, notable progress is being
made, it was reported in papers pre-
sented before the harmone group,
toward a substitute for the extract in
some of its activities. DR.. E. C. Ken
dali of the Mayo Foundation reported
experiments in which dogs, deprived of
their adrenal glands, were kept alive
for long periods by salt solutions. At
the same time, however, 1t was neces-
sary to control rigidly the amount of
potassium in the food of the animals.
Tentatively, similar success has been
achieved with human victims Of Addi-
sons disease.
The possibility that cortin may find
its greatest use In combating gross
bodily infections, including many be-
sides tuberculosis, was expressed be-
fore the meeting.
In another paper presented before
the glandular specialists a case was
described In which one Of the adrenal
glands Of woman was transplanted
into O man suffering from Addison's
disease. The symptoms of the disease
disappeared, but the man died after
eight months, and the cells of the
cortical tissue we're found widely dis
tributed through the system.
(Copyright, 1896. by the North American
Newspaper Alliance, Inc.)