Evening star., 1942-07-30
Of Stors, Men
And Atoms
Notebook Of Science Progress
In Laboratory, Field
And Study
By Thomas r. Henrv.


Two new attacks on cancer which
promise to be of far-reaching Importance
have been announced by Memorial Hos
pital research workers
Neither it is explained IN the annual
report on the hospitals experimental
work, has reached the status where 1t Is
of actual value in treatment.
First is the discovery of chemical
certain type of cancer of the breast in
women without injuring the surrounding
normal cells.
The theory is essentially the same as
that of the action of the sllfa drugs in
bacterial infections. Released in the
blood stream, these chemicals kill such
bacteria as pneumococci and strepto-
cocci without as rule, doing serious
damage to the normal blood cells.
Ever since sulfanilamide was first in
troduced, cancer specialists have been
intrigued by the possibility of finding
some drug which would have the same
preferential action against malignant
cells. 1t required testing compound after
compound in test tubes.
Up to the present about 10 different
chemicals have been tried by the Memo
rial Hospital workers. One small group
has been found which, when mixed in
test tube with cancer and normal
breast cells, kills the former and does
not injure the latter when used in the
same concentrations.
This particular class OF compounds
does not appear to have the same effects
against cells of other types of cancer. 1t
has not yet been used in treatment of
human beings. The experiments open
the door, however, to vast new field
of medicine. If one chemical has such
a strong preferential action against one
type of cancer cell 1t is reasonable to
hope that others may be found with
similar preferences to other types, and
eventually complete cancer therapy
may be achieved.
The other line Of attack is still more
theoretical at present, although quite
promising.
1t proposes to kill cancer cells BY
starvation while at the same time not
interfering seriously with the nutrition
Of other cells. 1t may turn out, for ex-
ample, that cancer growth requires
excess amounts of certain vitamins.
Suppose it were found, for example
that normal liver tissue contained a
given number of units of a certain vita
min, whereas cancer tissue of the same
liver contained or required a larger
amount. There would then be posi-
bilty that the cancer would be destroyed
by instituting deficiency in that vita
min.
The fact already has been established
that patients with cancer of the stomach
have strikingly disordered reserve of
the fat-soluble vitamin A contained in
cod-liver oil. 1t appears that with the
growth of cancer of the stomach the
ability of the body to store and dis
tribute this vitamin to its tissues is i'm
paired seriously.
* +
Homemade gasoline for remote mill
tary posts is being investigated by the
United States Bureau of Mines.
An experimental laboratory soon will
be in operation to determine the feasi-
bility OF making motor fuels from any
kind of coal in small plants. according
to German process first announced in
1925.
1t may prove OF extreme military
value, Bureau of Mines experts claim,
for posts in regions like Alaska where
there is no petroleum but plenty of
coal and where transportation dificul-
ties are likely to become acute.
Up to the present there has been lit
tie concern over synthetic gasoline in
the United States, with its enormous
petroleum reserves. But how long these
will last is problematical-some say not
more than Is years. If the tests under
taken for the military services prove a
success they may have far-reaching sig
nilcance for future civilian motor fuel
supplies
Hitherto the Bureau Of Mines engi.
neers have studied the So o-called hydro
genation process of turning coal into
petroleum products. This also was de.
veloped in Germany and, it is believed
| has contributed much of the Reich's
! war gasoline. Powdered coal is turned
into liquid by mixing with hydrogen
IN hlgh-pressure chamber. This liouic
Is put through chemical process which
produces gasoline, diesel Oil, paraffin wax
and two or three of the light gases. Tht
process requires large plants for eco.
nomical operation.
The process now to be tested uses a.
raw materials hydrogen and carbon mo.
noxide gases produced from coal or coke
mixed with steam.
The great advantage is that it car
be employed economically in small plant.
such as might be set up on remot.
military reservation cut off from ordi.
nary gasoline supplies. Such plants also
1t is stressed, will offer more difficult
targets for enemy bombers or saboteurs
Both Germany and Japan are relyins
on the process for much of their presen,
gas supplies. In Germany alone. &C.
cordlng to latest reports, nine plants art
producing more than half million tons
OF high-grade gasoline year.
Derides British Control of India
u