Evening star., 1942-08-20
Of Stors, Men
And Atoms
Notebook Of Science Progress
In Laboratory, Field
And Study
By Thomas r. Henry.

By Thomas r. Henru.
new epidemic disease-apparently
hitherto unknown type of influenza
has just been reported to the United
States Public Health Service.
1t appeared for the first time, accord
ing to the reports of Drs. J. W. Oliphant
and T. R. Dawber "flu" specialists of
the Public Health Service staff, among
the personnel Of the Coast Guard train
ing station at Manhattan Beach, Long
Island. Men were packed in small
crowded barracks, where approximately
200 cases broke out in few weeks.
The general course of the disease is
that OF influenza but none of the or
ganisms known to be responsible for
this disease can be found. Men first
complain Of bad cold which lasts for
week or more. This is followed by sore
throat and cough, with chills and
fevers. Sputum frequently is tinged with
blood-an alarming symptom for the VIC
Tins who think they have tuberculosis.
The fevers are alarmingly high.
x-rays OF the lungs, the Public Health
Service doctors say. have been uniform
ly negative and nobody yet has died
from the malady. In spite of the high
fever, the pulse rate remains close
to normal.
The germs may be spread from man to
man through the air. The Public Health
Service investigation indicates, however,
that personal contacts must be required.
Coast Guard enlisted mans sweetheart
developed the malady after a weekend
visit from him, while sailors who did
not actually eat or sleep at the station,
although in frequent contact with the
others, remained we'll.
The fever usually subsidies after two
or three days Of rest, Drs. Oliphant and
Dawber found. but the bloody sputum
and the cough may persist for eight or
ten days. The victim is left with a
feeling Of slight fatigue for a week or
nore-but this Is not 30 pronounced A
that which follows other types of in
nuenza.
No organism was found in all the cases
which can be blamed for the malady.
The theory for the time being is that 1t
Is some aberrant form OF the influenza
virus.
One Of the most significant steps yet
made In the study Of cancer-produc-
ton Of malignancy for the first time
outside = living body-has been re-
ported by the National Cancer Institute
OF the United States Public Health
Service here.
1t promises to reorient much OF cancer
research. Normal body cells of mice
were kept alive in q test tube solution.
Each cell was an independent organism.
In the body Of the mouse it had been
associated intimately with every one of
the countless billions of cells which made
up the living animal.
Then DR.. Carl voogtlin, chief Of the
Institute, placed in the test tube small
amounts OF = powerful cancer-produc-
ing chemical, methyl cholanthrene. It
has long been known that this would
cause cancer in a living animal. Now
for the first time 1t made independent
normal cells malignant. When they
were injected into the bodies Of mice
they caused cancers which were quickly
fatal
The significance, 1t was explained. is
that for the first time Is has been DEM
onstrated that the cause Of cancer-at
least some kinds Of cancer-is to be
found inside the cell itself rather than
IN the body as a whole. It would seem
to wipe away the widely held theory
on which vast amount OF research
work has been done that the disease
is constitutional, that some persons are
born with a hereditary disposition to
maligancy which affects the body as
whole. It may, however, affect certain
individual cells. The finding comes at
the end OF eight years OF experimental
ton.
1t Is probable, 1t is explained, that
some forms Of human cancer, especially
forms OF breast cancer in women, are
due to an excess Of certain hormones,
internal secretions Of the body, which
are similar in chemical structure to some
OF the coal tar chemicals which produce
the disease in living animals.
The present experiments make 1t clear
that the effect must be on each affected
breast cell, per Sc.
While the effects of the experiment
may be very far-reaching, there is no
evidence that they can be applied to all
sorts Of cancer, now considered as a
variety OF diverse diseases having COM