Evening star., 1950-09-11
Use Of ACTH, Cortisone
For Injuries Suggested

NSSSSNS
Powerful Hormones Forestoll
AIlergic Reactions, Doctor Suys
BY Thomos R. Henry
CHICAGO, Sept. 1.-THE powerful
new hormones. cortisone and ACTH,
may be the bodys emergency troops
against any sort Of injury.
They are like soldiers rushed to repel
an invasion until the regular army can
be assembled.
This theory was advanced before the
American Chemical Society here by DIR.
Peter H. Forsham Of Harvard University.
It explains some Of the unexpected ac-
tions OF the two hormones. They first
came into prominence because of the re-
markable results obtained against hitl err
to untractable arthritis. Within the past
year they have been found to benefit al
most everything from infected scratches
to pneumonia and there has been no
adequate theory to account for it.
The mode of action, DR.. Forsham said,
seems to be to increase the production
Of still unidentified cortical hormone,
Compound F, which modifles the re-
action Of body cells to injurious agents
to which they ordinarily would react In
violent and self-destructive fashion.
Burns, bacteria. foreign substances
and So-called antigens," he said, "aIl
may produce either an infiamatory or
allergic reaction. In pneumonia, for ex-
ample, the lung tissue responds to the
invasion Of pneumococci by q violent
lnfiamatory reaction. Fluid and puS flood
the delicate air spaces and breathing
becomes laborious. The patient runs a
high fever.
with either cortisone or ACTH this
entire reaction will vanish. Pneumococci
still crowd the lungs but the cells no
longer react to them. It is obvious that
sickness has been abolished while the
disease is still present. The final con-
quest Of the pneumococcus depends on
the build-up Of specific anti-bodies which
will arise in full strength within ten DAYS
after the invasion.
Infections or allergic conditions of the
eye are stopped in their tracks before
they can destroy the delicate structures
involved and lead to blindness. In the
dreaded sympathecticophtha for ex-
ample, injury to one eye would lead to
an allergic flare-up in the uninvolved eye
and not unfrequently this led to its de-
struction. ACTH or cortisone would pro-
tect the good eye until the other was
completely healed"
An hitherto useless river bank weed
may soon become an important agri-
cultural crop.
1t is the ox-eye, of which three species
grow IN the United States. It has been
found to contain one of the most power
ful OF all insecticides, DR.. Martin Jacob
son OF the Beltsville (Md) laboratory Of
the Department Of Agriculture reported
to the American Chemical Society.
From it is extracted thick, yellow
oil which Is more than twice as power
full fly poison as the commonly used
pyrethrum. he said. A few years ago
Department Of Agriculture observers
noticed that natives in some parts OF
Mexico gathered the plant and used it
to repel flies from their homes. There
was some difficulty in identifying this
plant and when its species finally was
determined, it was found to grow only
in Mexico. Later, however, three closely
related species have been found in the
United States. One. at least, is even
more poisonous than the Mexican plant.
The BeltSville chemists have made q
thorough-going chemical analysts to de-
termine exactly what part Of the plant
contains the insect poison. A compound
has been isolated which is called ''Scab-
rim" 1t constitutes about two-tenthS OF
one per cent Of the dried plant.
The great disadvantage Of the new
insecticide. it was pointed out, is that
it is ordinarily Of short-lived potency.
It Is stable for several weeks, however
when kept in the cold In tightly sealed
containers.
Ox-eye, DR.. Jacobson explained, grows
in damp soil over most Of the United
States. It is perennial weed from two
to i've feet tall, Of the same family as
the daisy and closely related to the sun
flower.
The amount and potency Of the poison
perhaps may be increased by cultiva-
ton. II this proves true, farmers in
most parts Of the country will have q
profitable side crop. The supply Of pyre-
thrum always has been insufficient.