Evening star., 1948-08-11


describing the progress being made tn er-
perimenting NTH radiotsotopes.)
The fifth most abundant of the elements IN
protoplasm, the viscous fluid from which all
living things are made. is sulphur.
1t enters complexly into the chemical struc-
ture of the amino acids, the nitrogen-contaln-
ing substances in foods which the body COM
bines into the b. fIiin2ly complex protelns-
the bricks" of muscles. glands and nerves.
The way these pro.eins are made is probably
the most important field of bio-chemistry. In
this field, it is fair to say, will be made many
of the most significant medical advances OF
the future But science stands on the edge
of a nearly impenetrable wilderness. There is
a long list of known amino acids In the
process of body building they are split up,
their elements recombined into intermediary
products. changed from one to another, and
pieces of them fitted into the structure OF
proteins. All this goes on in secret in the
dark interiors of body cells where no micro
scope can lock.
Tagged Sulphur Atoms.
A new day has come to bio-chemistry with
the availability of tagged sulphur atoms now
being supplied by the Atomic Energy Com
mission. Already some quite significant re-
suits have been obtained
The element sulphur now is known in seven
forms or isotopes. Four of these differ only in
the weight of the atomic nucleus. Ninety five
per cent of all the elements in the world is
Sulphur 81, with a nucleus composed OF ID
protons and Is neutronS. 1t remains in this
form forever The remainder of the element
in nature is composed Of equally stable isotopes
with one or two more or less neutrons.
OF the three radioactive forms the only one
OF signifcance-and 1t appears to be one OF the
four or five most important of all the new
isotopes-is Sulphur IS, with three extra neu-
irons in its nucleus. 1t has conveniently long
half-life OF 81 days and II hours. In this
period half of any given number of atoms will
have elected an electron and thus have be-
come transmitted into chlorine. The two other
radioactive isotopes have too-short half-lives
to be of any present significance.
Amino Acids Synthesized.
At the Cornell University Medical School
Sulphur IS is being used in syntheSizing
methionine one of the amino acids which ap-
pears to be among the most important con-
stituents of diet. 1t has four or five known
functions. In the chemical laboratory OF the
body some of its sulphur is taken away and
used to synthesze another amino acid, cystine,
which is a jor constituent of hair, horn and
number Of eventually fatal diseases, among
them the notorious cirrhosis of the liver, which
used to be laid to bad liquor. The carbon and
hydrogen of methionine are rearranged into a
simple molecule which enters into the struc-
ture of many other amino acids and inter-
mediate products. Any disturbance OF this
function results in a breakdown OF the build
ing up processes OF the body.
Certain chemicals are believed to have
particular affinity for cancer tissue, among
them substance known as acetylaminofuor-
inc At the University OF Cincinnati this is
being synthesized with Sulphur IS in an effort
to obtain a cancer detector. 1t might be pos
sbe by detection Of the radations to deter
mine, for example, how widely cancer had
spread to other parts of the body. The ex-
perimenters report that some success has been
had with this method of diagnosis in animals
They still are a long way from being able to
apply it to humans .rz-
At Johns Hopkins University the isotope Is
being used to determine how rapidly sulphur
in the diet is being taken up by various body
organs and how fast and in what form 1t is
being eliminated.
Among the most notable Of the newer
anesthetics is sodium pentothal. Given by
injection it is dramatic in its effects. For ex-