Evening star., 1949-11-28
New Spleen Hormone.
Siunificunt in CIottino
Acts As Brake on Formation of Too
Many Blood Particles.
Bv Thomas r. Henry


Many Blood Particles.
By Thomas X. Henry
new hormone from the spleen which
may be of basic significance in blood clot-
ting and thrombosis, one Of the major medi-
cal problems Of the age, has just been
reported to the Association of Military Sur
geons here.
It is thrombocytopen and, according to
experiments presented in an exhibit by Drs.
Sylvan E. Moolton and Leo Kroman of st.
Peters Hospital, New Brunswick, N. j., acts
as a brake against the formation of too
many particles in the blood stream known
as patelets.
These act like grains of sand in brook
let Under certain conditions, as yet not
fully understood, they tend to stick to the
walls Of the blood vessels and eventually
build up a clot which often is fatal when
carried to the heart, lungs or brain.
The patelets. DR.. Moolton explained, are
produced from certain large cells in the
bone marrow known as megakaryocytes.
After attaining a certain degree of maturity
one of these cells "explodes," releasing hun
dreds of the microscopic blood particles.
These, in normal numbers, probably are es-
sential to life. They play an important part
in the essential blood clotting necessary for
healing a wound.
The new hormone keeps their numbers
in normal limits. There is disease Of the
spleen known as idiopataic thrombocyto-
penic purpurea in which the output Of
thrombocytopen is about ten-fold normal,
with the result that no patelets are formed.
Victims often bleed to death from slight
wounds.
Lack Of the hormone results not only in
more but "stickier" patelets, DR.. Krooman
said.
The hormone actually was first isolated
at Johns Hopkins University about 1885,
but in such minute amounts that its func-
ton could not be determined and there
was little possibility of experimental work.
At St. Peters Hospital means have been
developed for extracting it in considerable
amounts from beef spleen, but there still
are insufficient quantities for medical use.
The body also probably has another hor-
none secreted by fat, DR.. Krooman said,
which acts normally as an antagonist to
thrombocytopen. This is known as throm-
bocyticin. Its output is increased with any
injury to fatty tissues, as in surgical oper-
ations, and this is major reason for fatal
tiles from blot clots after surgery. This
material also is found in egg yolk.
Thrombocytopen lack, with resulting ex-
cessive production of patelets, probably is
not alone responsible for clotting, DR.. Kroo-
man explains. The particles must stick to
the blood vessel walls which ordinarily are
almost frictionless. This seems to be due
to some secretion of the walls themselves.
An automatically opening parachute has
been developed by the Air Force.
It is unnecessary for the parachutist to
pull the rip cord. He will be safe-theo-
retically-even if he loses consciousness in
leaving the plane or becomes too confused
to act.
This has been reported to the Associa-
ton OF Military Surgeons by Comdr. H. A.
Smadel. At present, however, it represents
more Of an ideal than practical device. It
has worked well experimentally with
custom made parachutes, every detail of
which has been supervised. With large
scale production, such as would be neces-
sary for eQuipping paratroops, there has
been high degree Of failure.
The automatic opening. 1t was reported,
Is brought about by certain "barometric
devices" These have not yet been brought
to sufficiently high degree of reliability.
parachute can be made to open at a
specified time by attachments within the
plane, such as were used extensively during
the war. But, DR.. Smadel said, for a variety
Of reasons the free fall is considered best
II it can be certain that the parachutist will
be in condition to pull his rip cord at the
right time.
Considerable experimental progress has
been made he reported, in reducing the
shock when the parachute opens. In present
designs this is taken up largely by the
thighs, which can stand more than the rest
of the body. The blow" however, Is dis
tributed over a small surface. Impact forces
have been found to be better tolerated when
applied over larger area. New designs
call for part Of the shock to be taken by the
shoulders. -
Another new parachute design, he said.
insured gentler opening and IS per cent
slower descent.