Evening star., 1950-12-05
By Thomas R. Henry
Science Editor of The Stor

CLEVELAND, Dec. 5.-A med
ical miracle-complete recovery
in 100 days of man, II per cent
of whose body was covered with
second and third degree burns
was reported before the clinical
session of the American Medical
Association meeting here today.
Hitherto burns covering as
much as so per cent of the body
have been almost invariably fatal.
Such injuries on the battlefield,
received in plane crashes or when
tanks were hit by shells, were
among the most hair-raising
sights of the last war. Medical
officers could help the victims
only with shots of morphine to
ease their dying agonies.
This miracle recovery from
near-fatal burns was accom-
plished with ACTH alone. This is
the new wonder drug which
stimulates the cortex of the
adrenal gland to secrete cortisone,
the hormone which has proved so
effective in the treatment of
arthritiS.
Used in Other Cases.
1t was given the victim for no
eood reason except the natural
desire Of the physician to try any,
thing in hopeless case. 1t now
has been used in a dozen other
severe burn cases with equally
good results-nobody knows why
and 1t looks as if military medi-
cine had received one of it's great
est boons.
No other case, however, has ap-
preached the first in drama and
as an example of the toughness
of mans body. It was complicated
by pneumonia. later by appendi-
citis, each treated separately. The
victim was married as soon as he
was released from the hospital
and is expected in Cleveland with
his bride later in the present
meeting.
The patient. T. c. Gains, is the
son Of an Arizona rancher. Last
May while he was filling a tractor
gas tank a ranch hand dropped
match nearby and Mr.. Gains
clothing went up in flames in the
explosion which followed. He ran
in terror, tanning the fire. Com
panions caught him and extin-
guished the flames but the damage
had been done. He was in intense
agony.
Drove Truck Himself.
The nearest doctor was 40 miles
away at an Indian reservation
hospital. No one else knew how
to drive Mr.. Gains truck. With
almost unparalleled fortitude he
drove himself to the hospital and
collapsed at the door. AS soon as
the extent of his burns was seen.
it was realized there was prac-
tically no hope. But Mr.. Gains
was given blood plasma, the su-
preme war rem@ay for lesser burns;
penicillin to stop infection, and
morphine.
These had only a brief effect
and the man began to sink rapid
ly. Literally in dying condition
he was flown to hospital in
Phoenix. $50 miles away, reaching
there "a hours after the accident.
There DR.. M. James Whitelaw
tried the ACTH treatment as a
last hope.
The response was quick and
dramatic. The state of shock dis
appeared. Fever went down. Mr..
Gains became, as one doctor ex-
pressed, "a normal man without
much skin.
Improvement was steady and
continuous. Pneumonia in the
second week caused no setback.
On the 42d day islands of new
skin began to appear in the most
severely burned areas. Healing
was essentially complete on the
92d day, in the face of an emer-
gency appendicitis operation early
in the second month.
Only one part of the body
failed to show new skin, the back
of the right leg. Skin gratis were
tried from his brother and broth