Evening star., 1950-04-12
By Thomos R. Henry
Seisnes Editor Of The S,ar.

SeteneS Editor OF The Sfof.
PHILADELPHIA, April IL. -
Vitamin B-12 Is a keystone OF
the bridge of life.
Remarkable properties Of this
substance. including Its effect on
unborn generations, were reported
to the American Chemical Society
meeting here today.
For example. less than a goth
Of millionth Of an ounce means
the difference between an egg
which will not hatch and q healthy
chick. Or. Herbert r. Bird Of the
Department Of Agriculture Lab
oratories at Beltsville. Nd, re-
ported.
When minute amounts are fed
to brood sowS their litters are
healthier and heavier. according
to DR.. Albert c. Hogan. Of the
University Of Missouri, and the
weight of hogs can be increased
materially by tiny additions of
B-12 to their feed.
Discovered at BeltsvilIe.
It has already been demon
strated that this vitamin, discov-
cred about three years ago by
drug company chemists and work.
ers at Beltsville. comes close to
being a specific cure for the hith-
erro almost invariably fatal per-
nicious anemia. It is the most
potent biological chemical In ma
ture. some Of its effects being
produced by less than a billionth
OF q gram.
DR.. Bird reported experiments
In which eggs laid by hens kept
on a diet deficient in B-l2 were
given needle injections of the pure
vitamin. These not only caused
most Of the eggs to hatch. but
notably affected growth for II
weeks. When chicks were fed q
deficient diet those from the
treated eggs averaged approxi-
mately a quarter pound heavier at
five and at eight weeks than did
those from untreated eggs.
DR.. Bird emphasized that nee-
ding eggs is not q practical way
to get the vitamin to unborn
chicks. 1t is cheaper and better to
feed 1t to the mothers.
Or. George H. Briggs Of the
University Of Minnesota reported
that chicks now can be raised
on all-vegetable rations with
slight supplements of the vitamin.
The system already Is proving
itself commercially.
Unknown Vitamin Needed.
Despite the remarkable results
attained by using B-l2 in pig ra-
tions. Or. Hogan said. there is
apparently still unknown vita
min, probably existing in liver,
which is necessary for an ideal
diet.
Pigs, chickens and men alike
must get the precious vitamin in
their diet. Microbes synthesize it
in the stomachs Of cows and few
other animals.
Development Of a drug which
opens up a new approach to the
treatment Of peptic ulcer. one of
civilizations ills which seems
rapidly on the increase. was re-
ported by DR.. John w. Cusic and
DR.. Richard A. Robinson Of Chi.
cago. the compound, q form Of
methobromide. curbs stomach
spasms, they reported.
The drug. which can be taken
orally. apparently makes a double
barrelled attack on the ulcers.
First 1t inhibitS the nerve impulses
which cause the secretion Of acid
by the stomach. Second, it re.
lakes the smooth muscle Of the
stomach. One method of treat
ing peptic ulcer In the past has
been to sever the vagus nerve
fbers which control the stomach's
secretions and muscular contrac-
tions by surgery. This drug ap-
parently accomplishes the same
purpose. 1t was described as an
"anticholinergic agent" acting
against body chemical known as
acetylchlorine which transmits
nerve impulses across nerve juno
tionS.
Plun IsrueI Homes