Evening star., 1950-12-18
Brewery By-Product
Is PIosmu Substitute
Dextron, Sugar Material,
Even Proves Superior
By Thomos R. Henry

BY Thomas R. Henry
brewery by-product, an extremely
complex form of sugar, was described
here yesterday as substance that may
replace and excel human blood plasma
in treatment of shocks from surgery,
accidents or battle wounds.
1t is known as dextran. The chief
development to date has been in Sweden,
where it was first introduced during the
last war and where it has been perfected
to the point where the use of blood
plasma itself almost has been abandoned.
The National Research Council Com
mittee on Blood Substitutes has ap-
proved the substance to the extent Of
giving the Navy a green light to stock
pile it, and half the available Swedish
supply has been purchased. 1t will be
used in three Navy hospitals and in
several research projects.
The history and use of the material
were explained before a group Of naval
medical officers and research personnel
by DR.. Gunnar Thorsen, Stockholm
surgeon, who has been one of the chief
figures in it's development.
Early Work Discouraging.
Early work with experimental animals
during the war was quite discouraging.
Most OF the creatures died. One major
difficulty, it was found, was the enormous
size of the dextran molecule. It had
molecular weight of four or five million
that is, that many times the weight
OF hydrogen atom. 1t also appeared to
be contaminated by bacteria from the
brewing process. The first human patient
reacted very badly; but when, with blood
plasma temporarily unavailable, DR..
ThorSen used it a second time as
desperate lifesaving measure, the results
amounted to little short of a miracle
The man was a telephone lineman
who had fallen so feet. 1t seemed as
If almost every bone in his body was
broken, and he was in very serious
state Of shock. The dextran proved
completely adequate to save the mans
life. But the next time the material was
used the patient became unconscious
in few minutes.
From this point on there has been
q gradual improvement. The size of the
molecule, which caused sludging and
clotting of the blood, has been cut
down, by various cracking and straining
processes, to molecular weights of from
$4,000 to 10000. The sizes of the dextran
molecules greatly differ.
There apparently is little limit on the
amount that can be used or the speed
with which it can be placed in the
clrculatory system. In one of DR..
ThorSens cases this resulted in the
apparent miracle of bringing the dead
to life. A tree fell on woodchopper,
caused serious injuries and left the man
unconscious. He lay in the snow for
several hours in freezing weather before
he was found. When he was brought to
the hospital he was, from every indica-
ton, dead. There was no discernible
pulse, heart beat or blood pressure.
Death was not absolutely certain, how
ever; and dextran was tried as a
desperate resort.
Revived Quickly.
In less than half an hour, during
which the mans system was flooded
with the material, he recovered con-
sciousness, a normal heart beat returned
and blood pressure went up to normal.
Color frightened the patients cheeks.
and he seemed well on the way to re-
covery. However, he died shortly after
from causes in no way connected with
blood supply. -r ..
Usually one or two quarts is used in
TRANSMISSION. The material can be kept
without deteriorating for at least two
years. Thus far, more than 25 900 cases
have been treated with the refined prod
uct in Sweden. There have been bad
reactions in only fifth of l per cent,
DR.. Thorsen said. This is far better than
either the Swedish or the American ex-
perience with blood plasma Use Of
plasma has been almost completely
abandoned in Sweden
There still is good deal of mystery
about dextran. For example, the Navy
doctors want to know what becomes Of
it. Less than half of it. tests show, IS
normally eXcreted 1t must be gotten
rid of some way, DR.. Thorsen said, be-
cause he has given experimental rab-
bits five times their own weight of the
complex sugar over the course of few
weeks.
Il haven't seen any of them change
into candy rabbits" he commented.
In some way, Navy doctors believe, the
dextran molecules must be split up by
the body into molecules of blood sugar.
the fuel of the body.
Cost of the material is still quite high.
so that such use as that of replacing
plasma for whole army on an active
front would be close to prohibitive.
There is some hope that improved
methods of American industry greatly
may reduce this expense. That is what
happened with penicillin, the supply
Of which went up from thimblesful to
hogsheads during the war. Techniques
for producing the two substances have
much in common.