Evening star., 1948-08-11
io-Chemistry's New Day
Scientific Research With Sulphur Isotope Atoms Opens Way
to Exploration of Body Processes
By Thomas X. Henry


ginning of inconsistencies will resume the
count when coming out of the anesthetic
without being aware that there has been any
interruption. Nobody knows the mechanism Of
its action on the brain. There has been q
widely held theory that this Is not due to the
pentothal itself but to some degradation
product obtained when the molecule of the
anesthetic Is broken up in the body. This
thesis has been tested at the Mayo Clinic OF
Rochester, Mimi, with pentothal, in which
some of the normal sulphur is replaced with
the radioactive isotope. 1t has been estab-
lished beyond doubt that the brain action is
due directly to the pentothal itself and much
light has been spread on its distribution in
brain liver, kidney and muscle.
One of the most significant of all the prof.
ects using S35 is being carried out at the Ma
tional Institute of Health laboratories at
Bethesda in an effort to determine how peni-
cillin, and by inference other biotics of the
same class, work against bacteria. Pen1cillin
Is secretion of mold. Its complexity has
defied synthess. 1t has been found, however,
that when the mold is grown in medium
containing radioactive sulphur, some atoms OF
this enter every molecule of the resulting
secretion. Thus a radioactive penicillin has
been produced which can be traced second by
second through the body.
Bacteria Growth Studied.
At Northwestern University amino acids es-
sential to the growth of bacteria have been
synthesized to determine how they are utilized
by these one-celled dsease-causing organisms.
The effect of various drugs, particularly the
sufa drugs on this utilization Is being studied.
The process of utilization, it has been found.
is extremely complex-probably as much so IN
bacteria as in men. The amino acids con-
stantly are being changed from one form to
another
Smallest of living things, and probably tho
worst foes of the human race as disease
causing agents, are the filterable viruses. But
like bacteria, men. trees or elephants, expert.
ments with S35 at the Rockefeller Instituts
laboratories at Princeton have shown, they
must have sulphur to live. Their methods OF
absorbing it being investigated.
Plants as we'll as animals, must have their
amino acids to keep alive. Three of these
and two vitamins are known to be essential.
The plants must synthesize these themselves
and the way in which they do it is being
investigated by means of tagged sulphur atoms
by plant psychologists at Purdue University,
Physiological Changes Probed.
Chemically, sulphur is an extremely active
element as the ease with which it breaks
into fame by combination with oxygen-the
basis of the old-fashioned sulphur tipped
kitchen match--bears witness. Theoretically
the chemical reaction of any of the seven
isotopes should be precisely the same. This
is not quite true, 1t has been found in S35
experiments at the University of Wisconsin.
With any of the stable forms of the element
found in nature the atoms are combined in
heavy eight-atom molecules. But in the iso-
topes produced out of chlorine by atomic trans
mutation the separate atoms retain their in
dependence and as a result the element Is
much more reactive.
One of the most far-reaching experiments
with S35-whch it is expected will be con-
tinued for some years-is being carried out
at the University of California. 1t is an at
tempt to determine the effects of any physio.
logical deviation from the normsl-such as
starvation or injection of various hormones-
on the processes by which amino acids are
built up into the essential proteins. These
processes depend upon the presence Of So
called enzymes-themselves very complex pro-
tens-which initiate biochemical changes
without themselves taking part in them. II
this process is thoroughly understood 1t may
be possible to synthesze the essential proteins
outside living tissue.
cThe sixth article in this series will appear in this