Evening star., 1951-08-03
Antidote Held Possible
For Radiation Injuries
Scientists Report on Tests
Seeking Shield in Blood
By Thomos R. Henry

There appears to be an "active princi-
ple'' in normal blood which may be a
partial antidote for injuries from radia-
tion such as would be experienced by
thousands in case of an atomic bomb
attack over an American city.
This has been demonstrated, according
to an Atomic Energy Commission an
nouncement. at the New England Dea.
conesS Hospital in Boston.
Rats of the same species were made
into Siamese twins. Their bodies were
Joined together by surgery so that blood
flowed from one to another. Then both
were subjected to normally fatal radia-
ton. The body Of one, however, was
protected by lead shields. The other
was left unprotected. Animals joined
in this fashion, it was calculated, ex-
change about four per cent Of their blood
and other body fluids every hour
The unprotected rats in these physi-
illogical partnerships were able to survive
twice the radiation which normally
would have been fatal. The protected
animals suffered no injury, as was in
tended.
Saved by Unknown Substance.
The only tenable explanation, 1t is
held, is that the unshielded animals
were saved by some unknown substance
in the blood Of the protected animals.
Presumably this same principle existed
in their own blood but was insufficient
to overcome the radiation injury to
blood cells.
A similar conclusion Is supported by
different lines of experimentation at the
nScciN Are N
Laboratory at the University Of Chicago,
where embryo animals were used and
the spleens protected with shields.
There is, as yet, no clue to the
nature Of this protective substance
which must constitute a. very minute
fraction of the total blood. 1t is likely
to prove elusive to chemical analysis. ~
Radiation injuries hitherto have not
entered into animal evolution, except in
a very minor way, and the amount of
protection built up in any species might
be expected to be small.
If this active principle could be iso-
lated it might prove invaluable for in
lection into the blood streams Of radia-
ton victims.
How a COW makes milk out Of grass is
being studied with exploding atoms.
Four American State universities
California. Maryland, Minnesota and
Missouri-are conducting the research.
Another angle of the same problem is
under study at the British Institute for
Dairy Research.
Milk chemically, is a highly complex
product. It is far beyond any human
ability to synthesize. This can be done
only by the animal body. The process Is
at least 50000000 years old, having
started when the first mammals ap-
peared on earth.
In these studies II Of the chemical
constituents of milk are used. Each is
tagged" with atoms Of Carbon IA, ex-
ploding isotope Of the element which is
the foundation stone of all life on earth.
At appropriate intervals in the milk
making process these radioactive sub
stances are injected into the COWS. The
resulting milk is radioactive. 1t is pos
sible to follow the Carbon IA atoms
throughout the physiological process,
until they finally are Incorporated into
the milk itself.
Important Findings.
The problem is far too complex to be
solved in any short period, but impor-
tant findings already have been report
ed. 1t has developed, for example. that
acetate. an acetic acid compound, is
used very rapidly in building up milk
constituents. Two important constitu-
ents of milk sugar have been found.
Several compounds of the same mate
rials go into the structure Of various
fatty acids of milk.
Both radioactive carbon and an ex-
ploding form of phosphorus have been
used to study the formation. of casein.
the major element of milk. which is
also the chief component of cheese. Ex-
ploding casein is being used to study the
rates of digestion and absorption of milk
casein by calves, pigs and other animals.
AS further aid to agriculture, the
Atomic Energy Commission announces,
exploding atoms are being supplied to
tag fertilizers so that their utilization by
various types of plants can be studied.
OF considerable Importance is the de-
pendence Of crop plants on trace ele-
ments in the soil, such as iron, zinc, sui
fur and copper. Radioactive forms Of
all these elements are being produced.