Evening star., 1942-04-18
Of Stors, Men
And Atoms
Notebook Of Science Progress
In Laboratory, Field
And Study
By Thomas K. Henry.

RecoverleS from typhoid fever in from
"a to 50 hours by a new treatment have
just been reported to the Pan-American
Sanitary Bureau here by Mexican ply
sician. DR.. George Bayardo Madrid.
The treatment consists OF repeated
intravenous injections OF combina
ton of sulfanilamide and the vitamins
thiamin chloride. nicotine acid and
aScorbic acid.
Altogether. he reports. he has treated
l3 cases in the city of Etzatlsn, Jalisco
The results have been Unexpectedly
swift, the speed of recovery apparently
being directly related TO the time the
treatment is started. Thus five persons
recovered in "a hours and one in SO
hours when seea at the start of the ILL.,
ness Two recovered after four days
fifth day.
The treatment. SAYS DR.. Madrid, is
perfectly tolerated. There is gradual
drop in the temperature. the living
skeleton" appearance due to long fever
and the usual prolonged convslescence
are both avoided, and the therapy is
quite cheap.
The sulfanilamide and the vitamins
are mixed in the same syringe. Usually
two injections are given each day and
in severe cases double doses are admin
istered morning and night
AT first, DR.. Madrid reports. he got
some untoward reactions-chief1y red
dening of the cheeks and sensation
of warmth in the stomach-probably
due to the NICOTINE acid the vitamin
which is recognized as an antidote for
pellagra. This has been avoided in most
cases by using another form of the
vitamin.
In the past sulfanilamide alone has
been indifferently successful against ty-
phoid fever There is a well-supported
theory, DR.. Madrid says in his report,
the aScorbic acid, the anti-scurvy vita
min. strengthens the action of the sulfa
drug. The NICOTINE acid acts as an anti
dote to the poisons which may be re-
leased in the system as result of
sulfanilamide treatment The thiamin
chloride maintains the general tone of
the body.
A person with high fever. he holds,
burns up vitamins faster and hence,
even with a full diet, does not get
enough Of them. This, he believes, is
largely the reason for the long period of
weakness which follows such disease as
typhoid. Even with the specific germ in
activated there can be no rapid recovery
unless the food deficiency is made UP.
*
Sulfur and arsenic are probably the
Oldest insecticides on record, according
to DR.. H. L. Haller of the Department
OF Agriculture's Bureau of Entomology
In report just made to the American
Chemical Society.
Sulfur was mentioned by Homer about
1000 BIC. A variety of other materials
such as hot water, brine, lye, whitewash,
soapsuds. vinegar, petroleum, turpentine,
fiSh oil and decoctions Of aloes, pepper
SCOT, tobacco and wormwood also have
been used insecticidal agents for a
long time, he continues.
An arsenic and honey mixture was
recommended more than $50 years aro
for the control of ants" DR.. Haller saws
Tobacco dust was advocated In France
Tor use against plant lice in 1890.
Peter Kahn, Swedish scientist who
visited this country in 1748, refers to the
insect pests encountered by him and the
materials used for their destruction.
Among these are decoction Of white
mullen for the control of worms infect
ing the wounds of cattle, burning of
sulfur for control of bedbugs, an extract
OF hellebore root to be used when chill
dren are plagued with vermin' and shaw
lngs and chips Of red cedar distributed
In clothing to protect 1t against being
worm eaten.
Little progress in the systematic con-
troll OF insects was made, however until
ABOUT 1857. when paris green, available
because OF its use as a paint pigment,
was tested against the potato beetle.
The results were so satisfactory that for
many years 1t was the standard treat
ment for this pest and about 1000 900
pounds year still are used.
In 1892 lead arsenate was introduced
for the control of gypsy moths, against
which 1t was particularly effective. In
a short time 1t had largely replaced paris
green and still is used more extensively
than any other insecticide. About eo,-
100000 pounds were used in 1910.
Other arsenicals used in large
amounts are calcium arsenate and white
arsenic, The former. developed about
1915 for control of the boil weevil. is
used in approximately thirds the
quantity of lead arsenate. White arsenic
owing to its caustic properties, cannot
be applied directly to foliage, but 1t is
used in large quantities for killing grass
hoppers and for dipping cattle to eradi-
cate ticks. Two or three thousand tons
are used Annually"