Evening star., 1950-04-25
Scientists Told
CortisoneFiIIs
Ear|yPronises
But Amounts AvuiIubI,
Are Less Than Tooth
Of ! Per Cent of Need
By Thomos R. Henry
Science Editor Of The Star.

The minute amount of the hor'
none cortisone now available
far less than Tooth Of per cen
of the country's needs fulfilling
all it's early promises in the treat.
ment of rheumatoid arthritis
rheumatic fever. Addison's diseas,
and bronchial asthma.
It's value in leukemia, cancer
Bright's disease and hyperthyroic
conditions still is quite question
able.
This was reported here yester-
day to the annual meeting of the
National Academy of Sciences
after six months of investigation
under the academy's own aus
pices.
Situation Called Tragic.
When the remarkable expert
mental effects of this product OF
the adrenal glands first was re-
ported from the Mayo Clinic last
year there was every indication
that the discovery was a mile
stone in medical history.
But for the many thousands OF
arthritis sufferers the situation
was tragic. A way had been found
which promised pain-racked
helpless cripples complete relief
but 1t was like mirage in the
desert. The richest man in the
world couldn't get enough for
complete treatment.
The little amounts available. 1t
was obvious, must be used for ex-
perirnental work rather than dis
sipated on few patients. In this
critical situation all patents OF
clinics and drughouses which in
any way concerned the substance
upon which work had been in
progress for nearly 10 years, were
pooled in the Research Corp. OF
New York, a non-prof1t organiza-
ton, which in turn requested the
National Academy to handle the
distribution of the few grams OBJ
tainable.
$50 Grams Available.
This amounted to a total of $50
grams which have been allotted ts
127 investigators in that number
OF institutions. The distribution
has been in charge of DR.. Chester
s. Keefer of Boston, appointed tt
act for the Academy. Previousl,
he had handled distribution of the
far more abundant streptomycir
when the supply was far below the
demand.
A deaf ear had to be turned to
all personal pleas, however worthy
in the interest of scientific deter-
mination Of the new drugs value
and the best methods for admins
terlng it.
DR.. Keefer reported yesterday
on the results to date. Cortisone
continues to show its most striking
effects in treatment of rheumatoid
arthritis with the administration
of so to 300 milligrams a day
Tests have been made on "a pa
tients. The most striking case re-
ported yesterday was that of an
attorney. 43 years old, who had
been completely bedridden for Is
years. He could not even turn
over in bed without assistance and
was constantly in excruciating
pain.
Within two days he could turn
over without help and was able
to sit up and read for a few min
utes. In three weeks he could
stand up and walk 20 feet. In
six weeks he could walk unassist-
ed. This was at total cost OF
less than three grams.
Some Permanent Improvement.
There is always a relapse when
the treatment is stopped, but
sometimes there seems to be some
permanent Improvement. When
the arthritis victim also has dia-
betes the problem becomes quite
complicated because sugar in the
blood increases and there is need
for more insulin.
In rheumatic fever, the test:
have shown, the hormone has
great value. but there is consid.
cradle question whether the fun.
damental pattern of the malady is
changed. Doses of 100 milligrams
a day in bronchial asthma result
in slow improvement for about sis
days and a maximum improve.
ment in about 10 days, The re.
suits in the previously fatal Addi.
sons disease, due to failure of the
adrenal gland to secrete variou;
hormones, have been very prom.
ising.
The considerable claims made
for cortisone in cancer treatment
apparently have little foundation
In leukemia, So-called cancer OF
the blood" in which there is ar
enormous increase of white cells
there is considerable temporary
benefit, especially in the acute
forms met in children. No case
has been brought back to normal
DR.. Keefer reported.
Some bad side effects have beer
found, he said, but they are small
and always disappear when treat.
ment is discontinued.
Unique in Effects on Tissue.
This hormone apparently Il
unique in its effects on tissue, i
was reported by DR.. Edward c
Kendall of the Mayo Clinic, whit
isolated the substance. The re-
search started as early as 1928
when it was found that some arth
ritic patients showed temporar.
improvement when attacked b.
other maladies, especially Of tn
liver.
Search for some responsible
substance in the liver itself wa
fruitless and the quest was thel