Evening star., 1940-08-13
Of Stars, Men
And Atoms
Notebook Of Science Progress
In Field, Laboratory
And Study
By Thomas r. Henri.

AePoi lCu Iouoy Wy tIlc OIllIeQ states
Public Health Service
The discovery, which promises to be
one of the major developments in medi-
cine this year, was that the so-called
filtrate factor in the vitamin B complex
is essential to the health of the adrenal
glands and that without it rats will die
in few weeks of a condition basically
like the dreaded Addison's disease in hu-
man beings, but much more complicated
in its symptoms. There is little ques-
ton but that men and women have the
same general reactions as rats.
The Nitrate factor" has been known
for about five years. 1t was isolated by
group of workers at the University of
Wisconsin. Its only function, however,
appeared to be that of preventing a
malady of chickens similar in general
symptoms to the widespread pellagra of
the Southern States. 1t is very closely
associated in most diets with NICOTINE
acid, now accepted as essentially a spe-
ciflc for pellagra in man. When the two
are separated, however, the filtrate fac
tor has no effect on pellagra and nico-
tinic acid does not cure the condition
in chicks.
A little later the factor was identified
with pantothenic acid, which was being
used as growth promoter of yeasts in
some laboratories. 1t had about the
same effect on them as vitamin B one
has on higher plants. 1t is found in a
great variety of foods. chiefly in liver,
yeast, rice bran, alfalfa, peanut meal,
soy beans, peas and egg yolk.
Considerable doubt was felt as to
whether pantothenic acid had any func-
tion at all for mammals or man. Some
physlologlsts believed, however that it
might have something to do with the
functioning of the adrenals. This was
impossible to determine until the pure
acid, free Of contamination with any
other possible vitamins, was obtained.
The first synthesis of the substance was
reported at the meetings of the Union
OF Biological Societies at New Orleans
last April. 1t was seized upon by Drs
Floyd s. Daft and w. H. Sebrell of the
Public Health Service staff and Drs. S.
H. Babcock, jr, and T. H. Jukes of the
University of California for the critical
tests the results Of which have just been
announced. With the material removed
completely from the diet of their rats,
but with all other food essentials pro-
vided. they report. in from to 10 weeks
the animals began having nosebleeds
hair began to fall out around the nose,
dark rings appeared around the eyes
and the victims grew weaker and weaker
until they died.
Autopsies revealed great degeneration
in the cortex, or outer covering, of the
adrenals. From the cells of this cortex
are secreted at least two hormones. One
is cortin, essential for the salt metabol-
ism of the body. deficiency of it
causes Addison's disease. invariably
fatal malady of man up to the past few
years, when it has been possible to OBJ
tain potent, but far from pure, extract
OF 1t from the adrenals of cattle. Upon
this the life of victim absolutely de-
pends. 1t is extremely expensive. Given
to persons with normal adrenals cortin
is probably the greatest pep" drug
known to medicine. 1t is of course. al
together too costly and rare ever to be
used for such purpose
The corteX of the adrenals also Sc
cretes hormone of some kind which
has direct effect on the secretion of
sex hormones. In cases of tumors of
the adrenals, bringing about abnormal
secretion of this hormone, such weird
anomalies are produced as infants with
the voices and boards of adults.
In some of the most advanced cases,
DR.. Daft explains, the degeneration had
progressed to the medulla of the adrenal,
which secretes adrenalin, the emergency
regulator of the body.
When pantothenic acid was given
again in considerable doses to rats in
whom the strange malady had made
great progress they recovered rapidly.
The significant discovery of the public
health doctors is that without panto-
thenic acid rats, and almost certainly
men also, will die in a short time It's
use in medicine still Is obscure. Un-
fortunately most cases of Addison's dis
ease are due to degeneration of the
cortex due to tuberculosis. The new
hormone hardly can be expected to
stop this process, DR.. Daft explained.
1t will be tried, however, in the hope
that it will stimulate the cells to height
en- their resistance.
In the average American diet there is
not likely to be total lack of panto-
thenic acid. This is also true of nico-
tinic acid and of vitamin B one, lack of
which causes the Oriental nerve and
heart disease, beriberi. 1t has been
found, however, that subclinical stages
Of both pellagra and beriberi are very
common in the American population
and it is highly probable that there is
also a subclinic Addison's disease, which
never is diagnosed as such.
In the rats, Dr. Daft explained, the
actual condition was much more COM
plex, leading to the conclusion that
pantothenic acid has other functions
besides its effect on the adrenal cortex