Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-02-12
Radioactive
Elements Aid
Study Of Body
Called Most Useful Tool
Since Microscope
BY DIR. LOGAN CLENDENING

A DECADE or more ago Or.
"A Graham Lusk announced
that he would not try 10 prepare
another edition of his textbook
on nutrition and dietetics. be-
cause he believed that inveSti-
CATION of the subject had gone
about as far as il could along
the lines of chemistry and that
it awaited the development of
something probably in the field
Of physical chemistry.
His prediction is coming near
to fulfillment in the use OF
radioactive elements TO study
living processes.
Probably the most useful tool
for research since the discovery
OF the microscope" is the way
this new method is described
by DR.. Joseph G.. Hamilton Of
the University OF California.
If so it is epoch-making indeed,
because the introduction of the
microscope gave US the sciences
of pathology-the science Of
disease - of bacteriology, the
cause of infectious diseases,
the fertilization Of the soil, Of
embryology. the development Of
living creatures from the time
of fertilization, Of heredity. Of
minute anatomy, a third Of the
science Of diagnosis, and through
the study Of unicellular forms
Of life clinched the evidence for
evolution.
TIVE idea of the new tool is
l. not easy 10 explain in
popular way.
In fact, I am not sure /
understand it myself from just
reading about ii, but | am going
to have a look at some of its
operations next month.
It is sort of tracer which
identifies chemical elements with
far more sensitivity than ordi-
nary chemical analysis.
] A chemical in the body which
Is not ordinarily radioactive is
made radioactive.
In this process ii does not
cease to act just as it ordinarily
does.
Iron. for instance, enters into
blood cells, attracts oxygen. etc.
The radioactivation does no
harm TO the body tissues but
makes them luminous. or at
least luminous in a radioactive
way so that their functions can
be watched.
For instance, the element phos-
phorus which is present in all
cells of the body has been so
studied.
The cells can be seen giving
off and taking up the radio
active phosphorus.
The old saying that fish is a
brain food is based on the fact
that both the brain and fish con-
tain a somewhat large amount
Of phosphorus.
THE new tool again refutes
l. the idea about the brain
food value Of trout Il under
stand that on a QUESTIONABLE
several school teachers thought
that was true) by showing that
the exchange Of phosphorus in
the brain is far less than in the
muscles and away far less than
in the bones, which use 70
per cent Of the body's phos-
phorus in the form Of calcium
phosphorus.
Some trials have been made
in the use of neutrality-suspicious.
in leukemla, a form Of blood
disease
Fascinating is the thought
that insect metabolism can be
studied this way.
The beating OF an insects
wings must indicate an astonlSh-
ing release Of energy and of how
IL is done we know nothing.
QUESTIONS, ANSWERS
L. h: Are hot EPSON Salt
baths harmless for reducing
weight?
Answer: Hot Epson Salt
baths often cause very severe
state of mild shock and low
blood pressure in some people.
If you are not subject 10 this
kind of result they will do YOU
no harm, but they do not reduce
weight.
All you lose is the water and
salt in the perspiration.