Evening star., 1941-12-16
Of Stars, Men
And Atoms
Notebook Of Science Progress
In Laboratory, Field
And Study
By Thomas r. Henri.

By Thomas r. Henru.
A new shock treatment" for dementia
precox, most prevalent type of insanity,
has been devised by United States Vet
Grams Administration doctors.
Victims, for the most part soldiers and
sailors of the first World War, are given
heavy doses Of a substance known as
desoxycorticosterone acetate, which
causes quick rise in the blood pressure.
This is a synthetic chemical very sim
liar to, although probably not identical
with, one of the substances secreted by
the cortex of the adrenal glands above
the kidneys.
1t has proved effective, according to
a report by Drs. Harry j. Haynes and
Chester L. Carlisle of the Veterans
Administration Hospital at Palo Alto,
Calf, just published in the administra-
tons medical bulletin, in the treatment
of the weird mental malady known as
catalonia. The victim seems to lose all
interest in life, becomes motionless and
speechless, and usually must be force
fully fed. A catatonic may stand mo-
tionless and speechless for days, but is
capable of sudden, murderous outbursts
of energy.
Catalonia is regarded as q form of
dementia precox. Usually disease of
young people, it still affects World War
veterans after lapse of nearly a quarter
of century. Up to few years ago
the whole dementia precox syndrome was
regarded as essentially hopeless Occa-
sionally somebody recovered, but no type
Of treatment seemed to do any good.
Then, out Of Austria just before its
conquest, came two treatments which
have been quite successful in selected
cases. Patients are thrown into a long
period of inconsistencies, usually with
epileptic-like convulsions, by heavy doses
OF insulin or by drug known as metra-
zol. Why either should do any good
doctors do not know. The commissions in
some way stir up the cells OF the brain.
Some say that they bring the victim so
near death that the subconscious brain
is scared" into getting well. Persons
who come out of the convulsions mani
fest ell signs of extreme terror, although
they remember nothing
Lately there has been a modified treat
ment Of the same sort with a powerful
electric shock.
Drs. Haynes and Carlisle noted, they
report that most catalonia victims had
extremely low blood pressure They are
fatigued very easily. Their blood, in
jected into the brains of dogs, causes
muscular spasms. The animals tend to
take strained positions and show an
extreme apathy. Normal blood has none
of these effects. Persons with insuff-
cheney Of the adrenal cortical hormone
also show extreme apathy, but without
the mental abnormalities of catalonia
The two Veterans Administration doc
tors decided the seat of the trouble was
in synapses. the functions between the
nerves, which are easily fatigued, espe-
cially If they do not get a good blood
supply.
The effects of the blood pressure
raising synthetic hormone, they report,
seem to be at least as good as those
obtained from the various shock treat
ments. There is not the same danger
The patients do not undergo the same
terrifying subconscious experiences.
Moreover, they report, the benefits
seem to be prolonged They believe that
the chemical in some way stimulates to
prolonged action the center in the floor;
Of the midbrain which induces con-
traction of the blood vessels. 1t also.
they feel, causes an easier flow of nervous
impulses between the thalamus, brain
center of emotions, and the cerebral cor
tex, where are located the nervous CEN
ters of conscious life.
The net effect, they believe, may be
much the same as that OF the shock
treatments, brought about in a different
way.
Can men live on grass?
This has become a practical question
requiring serious scientific study in
hunger Europe.
At q meeting of the American Chem
ical Society a year ago evidence was
presented that young grass contained
most of the known essential vitamins
and possibly several others still un-
known. Pills of powdered grass now have
q considerable sale in American drug
stores
But Europe's needs may 60 much
further. The possibilities and dangers
are weighed in Nature, official publica-
ton of the British Association for the
Advancement of Science.
A little more than two-thirds Of the
newly grown grass leaf such as one gets
in lawn cuttings, it is explained, almost
certainly is digestible by the human
stomach. Almost half consists OF carbo-
hydrates-sugars and starches which are
the fuel of the human body and are
essential In any diet to keep up body
heat and energy. Almost a fourth con-
sists of proteins, nitrogen-containing
substances essential to growth and the
building up of the body. There are
small amounts of various oils.
This leaves, Nature points out, about
one fourth in the form of cellulose, basic
material of cloth and paper, which is
undigestible by man. Human beings
haven't the same kinds of stomachs as