Evening star., 1951-09-10
Chemists Find Secrets
Of Powerful Vitumin
Pigment Produced Containing
important Substances of BIZ
By Thomas R. Henry


About four years ago research workers
at the Beltsville (Md) experiment sta
ton Of the Department of Agriculture
made scientific history when they iso-
lated extremely minute amounts Of a
substance in liver which was essential
to the growth Of chickens.
This was vitanin BIZ. 1t opened a
new field Of research with far-reaching
vistas Among the earliest findings was
that it was essentially "cure" for GER
tain forms of human anemia which
previously had been beyond help. More
recently it has been found that. with
certain supplements, it enormously in
creases the growth Of farm animals.
Beef liverS are the chief source OF this
material which is produced only in
amounts calculated in millionths of
Society in New York last week a major
step towards it's synthesis was reported.
Chemists of Parke, Davis Co. reported
the production of a red pigment by
certain bacteria always present in a
cows stomach which apparently differs
from the vitanin only in one respect
it has no potency to promote growth.
But apparently only q single further
step now is essential to duplicate the
all-powerful vitamin in the laboratory.
Cows Aid in Research.
It has been known for some time.
according to the report Of the Parke,
Davis chemists, that animals get large
part Of their vitamin supply from the
fermentation of microorganisms in their
intestinal tracts. The cow is well
equipped for growing large quantities of
ox,ic els hoc
StomachS, all ideally suited for such
growth by temperature, constant mix
ing motion. and the presence Of large
quantities of carbon dioxide.
Some bacteria which normally require
vitamin BIZ for growth, the chemists
found. grew very well without it, in an
atmosphere of carbon dioxide. This
suggested that they might be able to
produce the vitamin. All these were
screened and grown under synthetic
conditions very closely like those Of the
cows stomach.
The result was the production Of
red pigment containing all the sub
stances found in the vitamin. 1t is con-
sidered, according to the report, pre-
cursor which is changed into the active
form by some engine not yet isolated.
There are no snakes in Ireland-nor in
Labrador.
This was one of the findings made in
Labrador waters last summer by the
Blue Dolphin Arctic expedition, an un-
dertaking sponsored by the Arctic In
Stitute Of North America.
The. work this summer was carried
out largely in Labrador waters-eSpe-
cially the area of Hamilton Inlet, Lake
Melville, and Goose Bay, which is the
site of joint United States Canadian
air station.
Among the other findings, as re-
ported by Condr. David c. Mutt of
Dartmouth in letter to the Explorers
Club whose flag the ship carried, was a
14-hour tide cycle at the point where
Hamilton Inlet breaks into the Goose
Bay region. Everywhere else on earth,
so far as is known, the tides are on a
regular 12-hour schedule. Both inconn-
ing and ebbing tides, the expeditions
oceanographers found, required con-
siderably more than six hours.
No explanation has been found for
the phenomenon, and time did not per-
NIT further observations. The tidal
cycle, the scientists suggested, may be
longer or shorter than IL hours on diff
ferent days.
Members of the Blue Dolphin party
made extensive collections of all sorts
of animal life in the Lake Melville area.
They found two species of frogs and one
toad, but nothing remotely like reptile.
Lemming Population Dwindles
Nowhere in Labrador" says Comdr.
Mutt, "have we encountered snakes,
turtles. salamanders or lizards, nor have
any of the inhabitants of this country
reported them to be present"
The expedition reports low ebb in
the great lemming population, whose
cycle is one of the unsolved mysteries Of
animal life. Two summers ago these were
so abundant they could be caught by
hand almost anywhere in the area. THIS
year they seemed almost non-exiStent.
The expedition made large collec-
ton of the white footed mice of the
region which will make possible for the
first time the precise calculation Of
the place Of these little creatures in the
animal kingdom.