Evening star., 1949-09-05
Ch|oromycetin Proving
Valuable Against Cholera
Army Medical Experiments on
Mice Are Showing Results
By Thomas r. Henry


Chloromycetin. potent new germ killer
first obtained from the secretion of Vene-
zuelan mould about four years ago. has a
powerful effect against cholera germs and
might prove an invaluable protection in the
face of an epidemic.
This has been demonstrated by tests with
mice reported from the research school Of
the Army Medical Department. 1t was here
that some of the earliest experiments with
chloronlycetin were made. These demon
strated that science had, for the first time.
potent drug against typhus and possibly
against such typhus-like diseases as parrot
fever. Later it was demonstrated that the
substance was equally effective against ty-
phoid fever.
Cholera spreads in much the same way as
typhus, but is even more. virulent. The death
rate in an epidemic runs about so per cent.
1t is confined largely to tropical and semi
tropical countries.
In the Army Medical School experiments,
mice were innoculated with fatal doses of
the cholera bacteria. All died within "a
hours. With injections of chloromycetin,
however, there were only two deaths in 100
If the drug was administered from an hour
before to two hours after the innoculation.
Cholera in MICE the Army investigators
warn. is much milder than in man. One Of
the characteristic human symptoms is ex-
treme drying out of all the tissues. Once this
has taken place, the drug could be expected
to do little good until the water balance was
restored.
But, the researchers stress, chloromycetin
might be given to large populations once
there was a cholera outbreak, with a fair
likelihood that it would give high degree
of protection.
Isolation from soil of mould which causes
the usually fatal lung disease, histoplas-
mosiS has just been reported by a Public
Health Service scientist.
This indicates that part of the organisms
life cycle is passed in the earth and offers
for the first time a logical explanation of its
spread.
There are two forms of the malady One
is like vlrulent tuberculosis. Very few VIC
TINS ever recover. 1t is known to be due to
this particular fungus. The other, whose
relation to this particular mould is some
what hypothetical, causes Qualifications in
the lungs which often are mistaken for tu-
berculosis remnants, but it's existence may
be unknown to the victim
In either case the means of transmission
has been mystery, says DR.. w. c. EN-
mons OF the Public Health Service It is
known that rats are subject to the same
Infection. but with these animals the dis
ease is much milder than in man. No
possible means of transmission from rodent
to human ever has been found
Dr. Emmons and his associates made the
assumption that man and rat might get
the mould spores from a common source
and he proceeded to make an exhaustive
analysis OF soil samples from a northern
Virginia area where it was known that the
malady existed among the animals. Typical
forms OF the mould were found. 1t prob
ably is inhaled by both men and rats in
wind blown dust.
The forms found. DR.. Emmons reports,
are such as virtually to eliminate the rat
as carrier of the disease. They represent
stages in the life cycle of the mould which
never have been found in an infected animal
or man.