Evening star., 1951-07-30
New Plastic Produced
By Gamma Roy Action
Material Better Than Lueite
Developed at Acc Center
By Thomas R. Henry


Production of high-class plastic by
bombardment of liquid with super
x-rays from radioactive cobalt-one Of
the most remarkable results yet achieved
in the Governments atomic energy
programmes just been reported from
the Brookhaven Il. l., laboratory Of
the Atomic Energy Commission.
The material obtained is quite SINH
lar to lucite, perhaps the best known
and most useful of present plastics, but
is described by those who have seen
samples as stronger, superior in appear
ance, and having other desirable prop
critics.
Lucite is the material used for the
transparent hoods and windows of air.
planes. A very similar product pro-
duced by another company is plexi-
glass. used widely in autos. 1t is nota-
BILE for the fact that it will not shatter.
Produced From Chemical.
This plastic is now produced from
chemical known as methyl methacry-
late. With this is mixed so-called
catalyst. a substance which produces
chemical reactions without itself en-
tering into the final product. Then
the mixture is subjected to mild heat
1t has long been known that methyl
methacrylate could be turned into a
plastic-or at least considerable prog
ress made IN that direction-without
the use of heat or a catalyst, by the
prolonged action of the invisible ultra
violet light from sunshine. This proc
ess, however, never has been used COM
mercially.
No Details Available.
Although no details of the new proc
ess have been given out from Brook
haven. chemists here explain that the
gamma ray reaction must be of the
same nature as that from ultraviolet.
The final product. however, would be
quite different, and it is quite likely
that no further steps would be required.
Under intense gamma radiation
gamma rays are super X-rayS-Some
molecules break into parts and then
recombine in different way.
There is as yet no information on
the commercial feasibility of the new
product but it appears. at least, that
an important new field has been opened
and that it will be possible to produce
other forms of plastics which cannot
be obtained by any present methods.
Weird cases of apparent sex reversal
are being treated successfully at Johns
Hopkins University with cortisone, the
adrenal gland hormone with which such
dramatic results have been achieved in
the treatment of arthritis and various
other diseases.
These cases are due to abnormalitieS
in the adrenal secretions. There is one
disorder which in girls causes develop
ment of male characteristics and In boys
leads to precocious sexual development
which at five years of age is similar to
that of an adult man. The condition
develops before birth. It becomes pro-
gressively more pronounced with growth
and persists throughout life Hitherto
it has been impossible to control.
DR.. j. Lawson Wilkins, associate pro-
feSSor of pediatricS at Johns Hopkins,
has reported on 10 cases to date. These
involve six youths between and 10
years old and four infants. The longest
treatments have run for 10 months.
During this period four of the older
girls appear to have been definitely
feminized while others are progressing
toward normal sexual development The
results with boys have been somewhat
uncertain and it is not yet assured that
the girls will not have occurrences Of
masculiZation.
Reasons Are Not Clear.
Reasons for the improvements are not
entirely clear. The cases ordinarily are
associated with adrenal gland tumors
which result in increased secretion Of
certain hormones. It is known that
cortisone, which itself comes from the
adrenals, does not decrease the secre-
ton of so-called steroids like itself. On
the other hand it results in a marked
suppression of other types of overac->
tivity.
In the same clinics, methods are be-
ing perfected for more accurate dag
nosiS of adrenal tumorS through analysis
of adrenal hormones in the urine.
At the Johns Hopkins tumor clinic the
effect of sex hormoneS in arresting ad-
vanced breast cancer in women is being
studied. 1t is known that these will not
produce actual cures but there are con-
siderable benefits for patients who can
obtain relief in no other way.