Evening star., 1939-02-17
6. W. .U.C|inic 10 Show
Cancer Virus SIeuth
At Work
Dr.. Helen Dyer Hopes
To Isolate Type
By EIectrophoresis

A new chemical method by which
extracts from the posterior lobe of
the pituitary gland already have
been obtained with 400-fold their
initial purity and by which 1t is
hoped to isolate a filterable virus
known to be responsible for one
form of cancer in birds will be eX-
hibited at the annual postgraduate
clinic of the George Washington
School of Medicine tomorrow.
The method, to be demonstrated
by DR.. Helen M. Dyer is known as
electrophoresis. A powerful electric
current is passed through d series
of beakers filled with distilled water
and connected by syphons. In one
of these beakers, close to the center
of the series, is placed the substance
to be analyzed. The molecules of
this substance proceed to migrate at
different rates toward the positive
or negative pole of the apparatus
the speed depending on the electrical
nature of the material Thus the
different materials tend to be COL
lected in different beakers along the
path.
Hopes to Isolate Substance.
The apparatus was designed orig
inally by DR.. Vincent du Vigneualt,
former professor of biological chem
istry, for the pituitary hormone
work. With it, DR.. Dyer believes,
she may be able to isolate for the
first time the actual substance which
causes Rous sarcoma, the one form
of cancer definitely known to be
due to a virus. 1t occurs only in
hens and can be transferred from
one bird to another. Hitherto all
attempts to get it in pure form
have failed, although laboratories
all over the world have worked
on it.
In another demonstration meth
Cd devised by DR.. Joseph H. Roe for
obtaining an accurate assay OF the
excretion of Vitamin c in human
beings will be shown.
Vitamin C, the anti-scurvy vita
min, is contained in nearly all fresh
fruits and vegetables and until re-
Gently it has been supposed that the
average diet would contain plenty
of it. During the last few years,
however, evidence has accumulated
that very large element OF the
American population may be suffer-
ing from loW-grade scurvy due to
deficiency in this substance.
Tests Raise Question.
q
been impossible, DR.. Roe says. Pre-
liminary tests on healthy medical
students presumably with an ade-
ouate diet have revealed, he said,
that in some cases there is no ex-
cretion of the vitamin at all and this
may point to an hitherto unknown
capacity for storing it in the body.
Preceding the post graduate clinic
symposium on obstetrics was
held at the medical school to-
day under the direction of A. F. A.
King Obstetrical Society. Alumni
members were welcomed by DR.. Wal
ter A. Bloedorm, acting dean OF the
medical school, and the functions of
the society were described by DR..
Samuel NJ. Dodek, instructor in
obstetrics. ToXemias of pregnancy
were described By DR.. William j.
Dieckmann, associate professor OF
obstetrics at the University of Chi
cago. Some causes of human steril-
ity were the subject of paper of
DR.. Emil Novak of the University OF
Maryland School of Medicine.
The session ended with a round
table discussion of the papers led
by DR.. Howard F. Kane, George
Washington professor of obstetrics.