Evening star., 1950-05-08
Shortest Distance Ever
Measured by Scientists
Nine Tweny-fifths Of BiIlionth
OF on Inch Accurately Marked
By nhomos (. Henry


By Thomos r. Henry
The shortest distance ever measured
nine twenty -ffths Of a billionth of an
tnch-has just been reported by Cali
fornia Institute of Technology scientists
TO the once of Naval Research here.
They were working under Navy and
Atomic Energy Commission contracts.
The measurements are certainly ac-
curate to within one part in 1000. DrS.
Jesse w. NJ. Dumond and David A. Lind
report. This is several hundred times
greater accuracy. 1t is claimed. than ever
before has been achieved in measure
ment of micro distances.
Their measurements are in a new
length measure. the milliangStrom, The
angstrom Is the unit usually used in
measurement of the wave lengths Of
visible light The California physicists
split it into thousand parts. The
method used is extremely complex re-
quiring the development of special In
StrumentS.
The extremely fine length measure
ments are of the wave lengths Of gamma
rays, the extremely powerful radiation
emitted by exploding atoms. They start
where X-rays stop. They constitute the
essential killing radiation OF the atom
ic bomb and only thick lead shields give
any protection against them.
Extensive Plans Made.
1t long has been possible to measure
with great accuracy the wave lengths
Of X-rays and visible light. They are
relatively enormous-from 100 to several
thousand milliangstroms. The millians
strom is a hundred billionth Of CEN
timeter. The gamma ray wave length,
on the other hand. extends from about
100 to one milliangstroms.
With the new technique an extensive
program is planned to untangle the ex-
tremely complex radiation patterns Of
various radioactive iSotopes now being
produced in the Atomic Energy Com
missions Oak Ridge laboratory. Twen-
ty-five such isotopeS now are being
studied. One Of them, form Of tan
talum emitS gamma rays OF about so
different wave lengths.
Eventually, the California scientists
expect, their newly developed measure
ments may make possible clearer pic
ture Of the interior of the atomic nu-
cleus. For this, however. much finer
measurements will be essential. These
will be in terms of barns" A barn is
a l,000, ,000, 900 900 900 900, 900 000th OF a
cubic centimeter.
A new field of medicine which may
have very far-reaching implications -
the So-called universal reaction" - is
being explored under an ONCE Of Naval
Research contract.
81 y
which promises a means of early detec-
ton Of disease in general. is DR.. Reuben
l.. Kahn of the University of Michigan.
best known as the discoverer of the Kahn
reaction for the detection of syphilis.
This is the basis of tests far more accu-
rate than any hitherto used.
The universal test" DR.. Kahn re-
ports. has much in common with the
syphilis test. The latter he says, might
be compared to the part of an iceberg
projecting above water while the uni
versal test represents the whole iceberg.
In the normal life of all organisms, he
explains, certain extremely complex
chemical substances are being released
in almost intellectually minute amounts
into the blood. These are so-called lipidS.
Among them is cholesterol. an oversup-
ply of which recently has been demon-
strated to be a major factor in arteri-
oSclerosis, now the leading cause OF
death in the United States. There are
many other lipids. They may be normal
constituents of the interiors OF cells.
They are released into the blood stream.
DR.. Kahn says, when cells break down
and die in the normal wear and tear OF
life and the process Of aging.
To combat the damage they may do
the system constantly is producing anti
bodies, or substances which neutralize
them. There may be an antibody for
every lipid. Ordinarily, it may be pre-
sumed, the production Of antibodies just
balances the release of lipids.
Changes With Aging.
The rate can be determined by cer-
tain delicate tests, similar in general TO
the Kahn syphilis test.
The astounding fact now revealed
Is that every individual has a distinct
pattern for this protective reaction.
These patterns differ with almost the
certainty of fingerprints. Ordinarily q
persons universal reaction pattern re-
mains constant for about two years. 1t
changes with the aging process. but at
a constant rate.
Any noteworthy change in the pattern
indicates that something has gone
wrong-that something is causing a
greater wear and tear than normal.
DR.. Kahn and his associates now face
the enormous task of checking different
reaction patterns and changes in these
patterns against the onset Of various
disease conditions. changes in diet and
environment, and the like.
All human reaction patterns are very
similar Those Of animals are quite dif-
ferent. indicating that different kinds OF
lipids may be released. The method. DR..
Kahn believes. may provide new tool
for the study Of evolution, quite similar
patterns indicating a quite close evolu-
tionary relationship between species.
In disease, it is quite likely. the reac-
ton pattern changes could be detected
long before any other symptoms ap-
peared