Evening star., 1950-10-03
Vaccine CurtaiIs
tuberculosis in
Indian Tribes
Medical Society Told
Of Tests in Alaska
And United States
By Ted Mcdowell

cAAsCl Shy VI ICAl1ISylFdIll& pIly-
sician said today.
DR.. J. u Aronson, professor of
bacteriology, outlined to the Dis
trict Medical Society's 21st an
nual annual scientific assembly
the results of an 11-year study on
the effectiveness of a vaccine
known as BEG. The study,
financed by the. Office of Indian
Affairs Interior Department, was
made on 5000 Indians.
He said nine times as many per-
sons in the unvaccinated group
died and the number of tubercu-
losis LESSONS was much greater
than in the vaccinated group.
Developed 40 Years Ago.
BEG vaccine was developed in
France about Is years ago and
won vice acceptance. It consists
of a weakened tuberculosis germ
which produces immunity without
causing the disease. BEG vac
cInations are widely accepted in
Europe, but are used only to a
limited extent in the United
States.
DR.. Aronson said use of BEG
for mass immunization in this
country is questionable because of
the decreasing tuberculosis rate
brought about by disqualification
and use of streptomycin. He said,
however, it could be useful for
immuniZation of newborn babies
in certain areas with a high dis
ease rate. 1t also could be used
to immunize medical personnel
and members of households con-
tanning tubercular
DR.. Aronson's talk was one of a
series as the three-day scientific
assembly entered It's second day at
the Hotel Statler.
Cancer Treatment Seen.
Another speaker said discovery
Of new body hormones by spectre
scope method could eventually lead
to cancer remedy.
DR.. C.. P. Rhoades, director of
the Memorial Center for Cancer
and Allied Diseases in New York,
said infra-red spectroscope exam
ination of urine over a period of
years has shown the existence of
hitherto unknown hormones. Since
cancerouS growthS of certain sex
organs have been shrunk by hor-
none therapy, DR.. Rhoades said it
is possible that newly discovered
hormones may prove effective
against other types of cancer.
Spectroscopic examination, he said.
has shown a hormone inbalance in
cancer patients.
DR.. Rhoades, discussing present
cancer treatment, said cancerous
organs are being removed by sur
gerry more frequently than in the
past because of the development
of new Infection preventing drugs
and methods to prevent extensive
blood loss. He termed such sur
gerry commando" technique and
said it is used only when cancer
Is localized in a particular organ.
Eye accidents caused by parents
who smoke while feeding or cloth
ing their babies were stressed in
a public health exhibit presented
by the District Society for the
Prevention of Blindness. A society
spokesman said several children
here suffered eye burns when
their parents accidentally jammed
cigars or cigarettes into an infants
eye.
New Insulin Described.
A highlight of the assembly was
a speech last night on New In
sulin" by DR.. Priscilla White, in
structor in pediatrics at Tufts
College Medical School. She spoke
at dinner for women physicians
at the Mayflower Hotel.
DR.. White told of type of in
sulin known as NPH developed
four years ago which soon will
be produced commercially for dia-
betes treatment. She said it re-
acts more quickly than the usual
insulin and it's effects last %
hours, making it ideal for a pa
tient to have an injection once a
day. Usual insulin takes eight
hours to react and lasts 70 hours,
DR.. White stated. Diabetes is due
to a lack of insulin in the body.
Because of this lack, sugar is not
utilized by the body and the pa
tient literally Starves to death
without insulin injections, DR..
White explained.
Included in the assembly ex-
hibits, which occupy most of the
hotels second floor, is one deal
ing with a sugar mixture for in
travenous feeding which takes
less than half the usual time. A
pioneer in the recent develop
ment of this mixture is DR.. Jacob
Joseph Weinstein, an associate in
surgery at George Washington
and Gallinger Hospitals.
Speaker at yesterdays luncheon
program was Eric Johnston, pres
ident of the Motion Picture AS
sociation of America, who stressed
the role the United States must
take in demonstrating the bene-
fits of capitalism to the rest of
the world. I
DR.. Richard Gerstell, consultant
to the Civil Defense Office of
the National Security Resources
Board, will speak on "You Can
Survive an Atomic Attack" at a
public meeting at 8:15 o'clock to-
night in the Statler. The as
sembly's scientific and public
health exhibits will be open to the
public from 7:15 to 8 o'clock to-
night.
Thomas GiImer Resigns