Evening star., 1947-06-11
New Isofopes May Aid
Treatment Of Cancer,
Medical Session Told
Ey Thomos R. Henry
stor Stuff Correspondent

ATLANTIC CITY, June IL
Three new radioactive isotopes
which, may have value In the direct
treatment of cancer were described
before the American Medical Asso-
citation here yesterday by DR.. Stat
ford Warren, wartime medical di-
rector of the Manhattan Engineer
ing District.
These are Cobalt go, a new form
Of the rare element tantalum and
Q form Of exploding gold"
Present indications are that the
three elements can be made in the
form Of needles which can be In
serted in cancerous tissue as radium
needles now are inserted. All three
give radiations more powerful than
those of radiun1.
DR.. Warren warned that neither
these nor any other Of the new ra-
dioactive elements produced In the
great uranium piles at Oak Ridge,
Tenn, and Hanford, Wash, are
suitable for use without extensive
experimentation under carefully
controlled conditions.
Only Two Actually Used.
Until now ony two actually have
been used as medicines" Radio
active phosphorus has been en-
ployed In the treatment OF leukemia,
or "cancer of the blood" and radio
active iodine, for which some re-
markable results have been claimed,
has been used in treatment Of tu-
mors OF the thyroid gland.
Secretary of War Patterson said
Yesterday there were only 1,100
Regular Army doctors on duty today
among the 10000 medical officers
now in service.
At a news conference after his
address to the American Medical
Association, Secretary Patterson set
minimum requirements for the
Regular Army as 5000 doctors with
a minimum of another 5000 as
Reserves who could be called to duty
or civilian officers who would be
available for service.
He said thai of the 10000 medical
officers, 5000 were officers on tenn
porary duty who wanted to be re-
leased. The number Of Regular
Army doctoss is 200 less than it was
before the war, he said.
In his address to the ANA, Sec
retary Patterson said the War De-
partment is determined to improve
the professional status Of its medical
officers.
Support of Army Bill Asked.
Secretary Patterson asked the as
sociation support of bill recently
introduced in Congress to improve
the economic status Of medical Of
ficers and "to make service in the
Medical Corps a stimulating expe-
rience from a professional point OF
view"
He said the five main points Of
this pending legislation are:
/. Payment of 500 a month extra
to all medical officers with less than
80 years service.
2. Payment of an increase Of rs
per cent of base and longevity pay
to medical officers designated by a
recognized American speciality board
as specialists.
3. Establishment in the Medical
Department Of positions for four
chief consultants who would hold
professorships in the Army Medical
Center and Walter Reed Hospital in
medicine. surgery, neuropsychiatry
and preventive medicine. They
would have the assimilated rank Of
brigadier or major general.
4. Original appointments in the
Medical Corps Of outstanding spe-
cialists from civilian life in higher
grades and at later ages than are
authorized at present;
S. Employment, without regard to
civil service requirements, Of civil
ian physicians in six grades, at
salary range from $3.50 to $1,000.
In addition, specialists would re-
ceive rs per cent extra, up to $1l, 900
a year.
New Disease Described.
A strange new disease of dogs,
rats and men-almost invariably
fatal to the latter-was reported be-
fore the association today by DR..
9. w. Emmons and his associates
Of the National Institute Of Health
at Bethesda.
Thus far, there have been less
than 100 human cases in history