Evening star., 1941-09-13
Of Stors, Men
And Atoms
Notebook of Science Progress
In Laboratory, Field
And Study
By Thomas r. Henry.

| fore the American Chemical Society
meeting at Atlantic City this week.
1t is para -aminobenzoic acid hitherto
suspected of being the substance which,
perhaps in combination with other men,
bers of the famous "B complex" pre-
vents hair from getting gray.
This may prove its least important
functions, according to evidence pre-
sented to the chemists by DR.. Gustav J.
Martin of the Warner Institute of Thera-
! peutic Research, New York.
He cited at least five other physio-
logical actions demonstrated by expert
mentS with rats in his own and other
| laboratories.
1t makes the fur of the young darker,
| long before the normal graying process
| sets in.
1t protects the preserving hormone
adrenalin from the adrenal glands from
destruction by one of the amino acids,
| tyrosinase.
1t promotes growth of bacteria and 1t
nullifies the killing action of sulfanila-
mide and related drugs on these micro
organisms.
1t promotes normal fertility and lacta-
ton.
The anti-gray hair activity of the Vita
min remains somewhat confused, DR..
Martin pointed out.
There is no doubt, he said, that gray
ing of the fur or hair can be brought
about by several dietary deficiencies.
One of these is in the newly Synthesized
vitamin, pantothenic acid.
Rockefeller Institute experiments have
shown that mice receiving pantothenic
acid and most other elements of the B
complex develop curious kind of
badness which can be prevented by feed
ing them the rare sugar-like substance,
inosltol DR.. Martin has been unable to
confirm this, he said, but has found that
when para-aminobenzoic acid is fed to
animals on diet free of inositol thev
develop the same sort of badness. This
means, he believes, that the new vitamin
prevents the synthesis in the body Of an
anti-baldness complex of vitamins.
Para ra-aminobenzoic acid, he said, has
been known for more than a year to be
capable at certain levels of nullifying the
bacterlacidal effects of sulfanilamides.
But recently data have become avail
able which show that small amounts of
this compound enhance the activity of
the sulfanilamide drugs.
DIR. Barnett Sure of the University of
Arkansas has just reported that this
acid reduced the number of still births
in rats receiving all well-knoWn B COM
plex factors, and permitted these rats
to nurse their young until weaned.
With respect to the anti-gray hair
potency of the vitamin, it is of interest to
record that most investigators have been
unable to obtain CRAVING in animals
reared on diet containing calcium
pantothenate. We have been able to do
So however on such diets with or with
out the addition of inositol. 1t also could
be produced by feeding hydroquinine.
Both types Of graying were found to be
favorably influenced by -aminoben-
zoic acid.
Recent data obtained with mink seem
to show that the acid has a tendency to
darken the fur of these animals and to
increase their appetites so that they con-
sumo about a quarter more than their
regular daily feed
"Clinically very little is known as vet.
But a marked darkening and new ma
turally colored hairs have been observed
in several patients treated solely with
para -aminobenzoic acid"
The spices of the Indies, the lure of
which first brought Columbus across the
Atlantic, are being transposed to the
Western Hemisphere.
At the same time a native American
crop, delicacy on the table of Monte
yuma, is being brought home, together
with quinine and rubber, after a long
exile.
The w. P. A. under a Federal appropria-
ton and the sponsorship of the Puerto
Rico experiment station of the Depart
ment of Agriculture, Is making large ex-
perimental paintings in that island of
allspice, nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon.
This is intended both to provide a new
agricultural industry for the natives and
at the same time insure spices for the
American kitchen in case troubles in the
Far East should prevent present ex-
ports.
The vanilla vine, a species of orchid,
came originally from Mexico and north
ern South America and still is cultivated
there to large extent. But couple of
generations ago plants were introduced
into the Dutch East Indies, cultivated
and bred scientifically, and superior pro-
ducts produced.
There Is every reason to believe, the
Department of Agriculture botanists be-
Ieves that Puerto Rico will produce su-
perior vanilla. The vanilla fruits grow
on slender vine which does not pro-
duce satisfactorily unless it is given
strong support. One of the failures in
the East Indies has been in getting suffi-
GENTLY strong support trees to bear size
able vanilla vines.
Up to the present most processing of
vanilla beans has been done in a hap
hazard and insanitary fashion. Chemists
of the Puerto Rico experiment station
are now studying the fundamental pro-
cesses which take place when the bean is
cured and are trying to develop them
on a commercial basis. An experimental
curing unit, stated by w. P. A. workers,
has been set up.
The worlds chief source of quinine
now is the East Indies. Early expert
mentation with the source plant of this
DRUG has Welded what aDnears To he 81