Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-06-02
Powerful New Drug
To Restore Heartbeat
Found by3 Doctors
Persons Subject to Some
Kinds of Attacks Can
Safeguard Themselves
BY THOMAS n. HENRY.
Star Staff Correspondent.

CLEVELAND, June "A new
and powerful heartbeat restorer, by
means of which persons subject to
certain types of heart attacks can
protect themselves throughout their
lives, was described before the
American Heart Association, meet
ing here, by three Los Angeles doc
tors, Morris H. Williamson, Hyman
Engelberg and Julius Hirsch.
The new drug is paradine. 1t Is
a synthetic substance about half
way between the extremely powerful
hormone of the adrenal glands,
adrenalin, and the Chinese drug,
ephedrine now widely used in medi-
cal practice. Adrenalin injected in
extremely minute doses will start
the heart beating after it has
stopped. 1t effects, however, the
entire system in complex way,
is very painful, and causes bad
psychological effects. Some per-
sons after an injection have all
the symptoms of extreme terror,
without actually feeling fear.
Adrenalin is practically worthless
when taken by mouth. In any case,
its effect is very short-lived.
Epredrine can be taken by mouth
but very large amounts must be
used to have the same effect as
an adrenalin injection. 1t has bad
side effects in heavy doses and is
not safe for self administration.
One advantage is that the results
are more prolonged.
Advantages of New Drug.
The new drug, DR.. Nathanson
said, retains most of its potency
as heartbeat restorer when taken
by mouth, is effective in consider
ably smaller doses than ephedrine,
and so far as can be determined
has none of the injurious side
effects.
1t is of special value for victims
of syncopes-sudden fainting spells
caused by temporary stoppage OF
the heart. One of the most COM
mon reasons. is pressure on the
carotid artery in the neck, producing
an effect known as heart stand
still" Another is the so-called
'heart block" due to lack Of SYM
metry In the action of the heart
itself. Spells may come on at any
time and victims are in constant
fear of fainting at the wheel OF
car or in the street..
With paradine pills taken two or
three times a day under the direc-
ton of physician such attacks
will not occur. DR.. Nathanson
described many experiments with
heart standstill produced IN eX-
perimental animals. The so-called
"blackout' of dive bombers at the
instant of the turn upward is sup
posedly due to this same heart
standstill due to pressure on the
carotid artery, but the efficacy OF
the drug in preventing this has not
been determined.
May Have Other Uses.
Quite aside from its heart action,
DR.. Williamson said, is its effect a
producing an almost immediate
raising of the Blood pressure which.
stays up for a long time. This
promises to make it an important
emergency war medicine in the
treatment of shock.
A common result of the shock fol-
lowing surgical operation or a
wound is the profound drop in the
blood pressure and unless this can
be raised there is serious danger Of
death. The best remedy used thus
far is a substance extracted from
the secretion of the cortex of the
adrenal gland. This is difficult to
secure in quantities sufficient for a
war emergency, and its action is
neither so pronounced or so pro-
longed as is that of paradine, Dr.
Nathanson said.
So far as can be determined from
experiment, he said, the new drug
has no effects on the brain or the
central nervous system.