Evening star., 1951-07-25
Most Potent AIIerqen
Found in Castor Bean
Producer Of Hay Fever
Extracted by Chemists
By Thomos R. Henry

The most potent allergen-"hay fever"
extracted by Agriculture Department
chemists from the castor bean, while at
the same time the long-detested castor
oil has had cinderella like transforma-
ton from the bane of children to an
article of great industrial Importance
with considerable significance for ma
tional defense.
Up to now the chief source of the cas-
tor bean has been Brazil. There both
blossoms and beans were known as aller-
gy producers. Extreme Sensitivity re-
suited very short time after contact.
Relatively small amounts were imported
by the United States and the oil proc
eSsed for medical purposes.
With the last World War the part of
castor oil in world economy suddenly
changed. Its role as nostrum for chill
dren sank to insignificance compared to
its value as lubricant and as liquid
for hydraulic equipment which remained
unchanged in its properties through
great extremes of temperatures.
Can Be Grown in United States.
For some years efforts have been made
to encourage the cultivation of the cas-
tor bean in the United States, in order to
make this country independent OF i'm
ports. The plant can be grown in Cali
fornia and through most Of the South
west.
The extreme potency of it's allergen
has been bad deterrent. Farmers
started Sneezing as soon as it blossomed,
Apparently, 1t produced almost i'm
mediate sensitivity. Once this word got
around, there was great reluctance to
plant castor beans.
Yet. 1t was pointed out, Brazilian
planters had been able to live with the
allergen for generations and simple pre-
cautions could be taken for self-protec-
ton. Castor beans were a rather
profitable crop.
Hitherto 1t was grown in the United
states chiefly as an ornamental plant
IN the South. A single plant would
start a neighborhood sneezing, without
the sneezers having any idea as to the
cause.
There was minor furry a few years
ago when allergies began to develop
among professors of coffee beans from
Brazil. Propaganda was spread that this
was due to the coffee.
But the Agriculture DEPARTMENTS Bu-
reau Of Agricultural and Industrial
Chemistry soon was able to prove that
any such possible effects would not be
passed on to coffee drinkers. Later, they
showed that they were not due to coffee
at all but to slight contamination, a
few thousandths of a per cent, In the
dust from green coffee shipments. This
was due to castor bean dust. Coffee and
castor beans are grown in much the
same localities.
Finding Was a Revelation.
This finding was a revelation, how
ever; it meant that the allergen of the
castor bean is effective when present in
only few parts in million.
This need prove no real deterrent, it
is explained, to the growing of castor
beans In this country. But farmers
should know the dangers of contact
with the crop and be advised of pre-
cautions to take. The real significance
lies in the extreme potency-hundreo
OF times greater, for example, than the
potency Of the ragweed allergen which
causes so much distress over the country
every summer
Isolation of the active principle by
the Agriculture Department chemists
is big step in advance, although it
has not yet led to an actual preventive.
The present demand for the oil in
this country greatly exceeds the Bra
lillian supply. New and even more i'm
portant uses are believed to be on the
horizon, which will increase the demand,
Only in country districts, it is believed,
are children tortured much any more
by the castor oil treatment and, in case
another Mussolini should arise, he would
be in some difficulty getting enough to
dose his enemies.
The changed role of the castor bean
from an old hag of medicine to fair
young maid of industry has been
emphasized in connection with the ap-
proach of new hay fever season, with
the Pollen Survey Committee of the
American Academy of Allergy again sur
veying the country for the location and
abundance of specific allergens.