Evening star., 1950-04-26
Animal Tissues Mixed
Successfully in Tests
Significant to Coneer Study
And Understanding Of Cells
By Thomcs Z. Henry

by lhomcS K. Henry
Two living animals have been mixed
successfully for the first time
This accomplishment. which may bs
Of considerable significance not only in
cancer research but for q better under
standing of the basic mechanism OF
growth. was reported to the National
Academy of Sciences here yesterday by
two University Of Chicago phySiologiStS.
They ground up embryonic tissue OF
one species Of chicken and injected Il
into the blood streams Of chick embryoS
of another species. The injected cells in
a few cases passed through the blood
streams and hearts of tfe hosts without
killing them and appeared as part Of
the chickens when they were Matched.
reported Drs. Paul Weiss and Cert An-
drewS.
Tissues Traced.
The tissues of the Plymouth Rock en-
bryos could be traced in the bodies Of
the White Leghorns in which they were
injected because they formed dark
patches of skin and feathers as the
chickens matured Some of them caused
tumors and other unnatural formations
in the hosts.
The cells. after being injected into q
vein. passed through the heart and out
into the arteries of the host. In passing
they caused acute circulation disturb
ances and killed about a quarter of the
hosts. Out of $40 injected chick embryos
only % survived past the Matching stage
The experiments prove, DR.. Weiss said.
that injected cells can survive In the
blood stream. escape into the tissues,
reach their normal sites. and multiply
and differentiate there in normal fash
ion. Like cancer cells, they can crowd
out the normal cells where they localiZs
and grow at their expense.
The result, it was stressed is Of much
more significance than a mere scientific
curiosity. 1t offers for the first time q
controlled method for experimenting
with other cells. including those of can
Ger. which may be carried through the
blood stream and lodge in selected Or
gans. 1t also is important for further
research in administering hormones and
other drugs to the body.
More than million people between
Is and 81 are too sick to work every day
of the year.
SicknesSes range from bad colds, such
as may keep a person home for one day.
to illnesses lasting for years. However.
the figure does not include those In in
stitutions. such as psychiatric hospitals
or homes for the permanently disabled.
The estimate is based on the latest sur
vey of illness on a nationwide scale car
ried out by the Census Bureau at the
request of the Public Health Service. 1t
was the first such survey undertaken in
l3 years. Although the net results were
about the same as those of the previous
survey. the study Is considered more
thorough.
House to- House Canvass.
A house-to-house canvass in selected
localities showed for an average workday
in February total of as million at home
because of sickness. February admittedly
is the worst month of the year because
of the prevalence Of colds. Public Health
Service statisticians made the arbitrary
assumption that an average February
day would show 20 per cent more illness
than an average day for the year as
whole.
When allowance is made for persons
in institutions, and in the armed forces,
which were not included in the survey.
the number away from work on one
February day reaches the grand total
of $4,000.
The statisticians estimate that some-
what more than IL million outside OF In.
stitutions were Ill of chronic diseases
which would keep them out Of work for
a period of 10 years or more. Many. Of
course, will be kept away only for few
days or a few weeks.
Women appeared to have a slightly
better record than men. They showed q
somewhat lower disabling sickness rate
between the ages of As and 64. The rate
was about the same between IA and 10.
1t was slightly greater between 20 and 81.