Evening star., 1947-09-19
stors, Men and Atoms !
Fluorescent Blood Cells
Found in Anemio Study.
Discovery May Lead to New Means
Of Combating the Disease
By Thomas r. Henry

VI Combating the Disease
By Thomas r. Henry.
Finding Of fiuorescent red blood cells n
pernicious anenia victims-a hitherto unknown
phenomenon which may lead to a clearer
understanding Of this mysterious and usual
ly fatal disease-has just been reported to the
American Association for the Advancement Of
Science here
When red cells of person known to have
this disease are exposed to invisible ultraviolet
hgnt Few OF them take on a strange greenish-
yellow glow which is characteristic Of the NAL
ady. report Drs. D. H Hamley of the University
OF Toronto and George j. Hummer and Charles
Sheard Of the Mayo Foundation.
This Is quite evanescent phenomenon thew
report, the longest duration of the fiuorescence
was 120 seconds and in some cases 1t lasted
only about four seconds 1t could be detected
only with special techniques which they ds-
vised and is SO faint that hitherto 1t has been
impossible to detect.
Significance Of Finding.
The significance Of the finding is that GER
tain OF the red cells in pernicious anemia have
undergone subtle chemical change-pre-
sumably modification in the hemoglobin, or
red pigment which Is the carrier Of oxygen to
oAaS WY CSllos 4IC SlOW Is GQeY SAID.
to that obtained from the rare mineral willie
mite.
The nature Of the chemical change is un-
known. but the discovery opens up an entirely
new field Of investigation and an understand
ing Of the chemistry of the modification may
lead to means Of combating the disease ITSELF
The change presumably is extremely minuts
and could not have been detected In any other
way. The fuorescing phenomenon also pro-
vides an entirely new tool Of diagnosis. I'm
general" the discoverers report In Science, or
gan Of the American Association. "the number
OF huorocytes Huorescing cells) which can be
observed may be taken to indicate the severity
Of the disease"
The fuorescent phenomenon hitherto has
had no place in medicine. The phenomenon Of
huoresc1ng blood cells in anemic conditions was
suggested six years ago by German investiga-
tor, K. A. Seggell, who claimed to have seen q
red glow in the blood Of experimental animals
in whom the disease had been produced by
drugs. At the time many efforts were made In
European laboratories to confirm the finding,
but most Of the reports were negative.
Refinement of Methods.
At first only negative results were found BY
the Mayo Clinic investigators and 1t was only
after a great deal Of refinement Of their meth
DDS that the first glowing cells were observed
The red glow Of Seggell appeared in the blood
Of experimental animals but only the greenish-
yellow huorescence in the samples taken from
the human patient
Only few cells are seen to be affected and
intensity and duration vary enormously from
cell to CELL 1t Is probable. the investigators
believe, that this intensity is in direct proper
ton to the extent Of the chemical change which
has taken place. Probably the process is going
on in most Of the cells but at too low level
to be observed.
Fluorescence Is due to arrangement Of
atoms in molecules by ultraviolet light and in
some cases is the simplest method Of chemical
analysis. 1t has found its greatest use hitherto
in the science Of metallurgy