Evening star., 1949-10-21
Muscle Substance Gives
Hope for Heart Ailments
Method Devised for Large.Scale
Production of New Substance
By Thomas r. Henry

By Thomas r. Henry
New hope for sufferers from heart ALL
ments and possibly from arthritis was ex-
pressed here today by DR.. A. Scent Gyorgyi,
famous Hungarian scientist and 1887 Nobel
Prize winner, who now is research associ-
ate Of the United States Public Health
Service.
He has succeeded. he said. in devising a
method for large-scale production of sub
stance known as adenosine triphosphate
which he describes as "the master substance
of muscle. the cement of the living struc-
ture." The price has been reduced from $50
to few cents gram and sufficient quanti-
ties have been produced to make it available
for everybody.
Its use still is quite theoretical but one of
DR.. Scent -Gyorgyi's associates explains, some
dramatic results have been obtained espe-
cially in the treatment of angina pectoris,
one Of the most common of the heart ma
ladies which are by far the leading causes
Of death in the United States at present.
The disease is accompanied by extreme
paroxysms of pain, so that the victim often
is completely disabled as well as being in
danger of sudden death.
In one case, DR.. Szent-Gyorgyis associate
said, patient who had been hospitalized for
several months was relieved completely Of
the pain attacks after a single treatment
and the condition cleared up to the point
where he was able to return to work. The
relief lasted for about two months. Then
second intravenous injection of adenosine
trlphosphate was necessary, and presumably
such procedure could be repeated indefi-
nitely
The existence of this substance, called
ATP. was first recognized in 1927, DR.. Scent
Gyorgyl says in his report, but there has
been only gradual recognition of it's sig
nlf1cance. 1t apparently is essential for
muscle contraction and must be considered
one OF the most significant chemicals in the
structure Of the human body.
Possible uses are far from having been
thoroughly explored. says the report to the
American Association for the Advancement
of Science.
Says DR.. Szent-Gyorgyi: "Cardio-vascu-
lar diseases, which take such a horrid toll,
are mostly diseases of muscle, be it heart
muscle itself or muscle of the artery wall.
1t should not be forgotten that the immedi-
ate cause OF most human death is failure Of
muscle. 1t is imperative to try the clinical
application OF ATP in degenerative diseases,
Ike arthritis, and in all conditions In which
dlsfunctioning of muscle is concerned
The ATP now available, it was explained,
is extracted from horse muscle and is always
given by intravenous injection.
tuberculosis, once the scourge of youth,
has shifted to middle age.
For the American population as whole,
according to statistics just issued by the
Public Health Service 50 per cent of all
tuberculosis deaths now occur at the age of
IS or over while So per cent come at the age
of IS or over.
The trends differ somewhat for white and
colored races and for male and female. For
the total population and for the white race
as whole the proportionate mortality rate
advances with age. On the other hand, the
rate for white males increases only up
to IS. after which there is sharp decline.
For non-white females the peak is reached
at 20. after which there Is steady decline.
The findings are based on an intensive
statistical study Of death rates in 1947, the
last year for which complete statistics are
available. In that year the rate for all
males advanced from about two per 100000
for the ages between and to rs per
900 for those over Is. For males the
rate increased from 7.8 per 100, 600 between
birth and 4 years to Ill per 100000 at rs
and over. For females the advance was
from 7.2 to 58.6. The population estimates.
1t Is emphasized, are speculative and some
revision may be necessary with the compile
ton Of the next census,
With modern case finding methods, 1t is
pointed out in another Public Health Serv-
ice report, enormous advances have been
made in the cities toward final eradication
OF the disease. The same does not apply
to the country districts and the possibility
Is faced that eventually the old white
plague" predominantly an urban disease,
will become exclusively rural. In the farm
areas 1t is more difficult to launch case
finding campaigns.