Evening star., 1951-06-04
Rheumatic Fever Tests
May Save Many Lives
Air Force Uses PeniciIIin
To combot Streptocoeei
By Thomos R. Henry

Probability Of successful prevention
Of rheumatic fever Is indicated in an
experiment Just reported by the medical
services Of the Defense Department.
II the findings prove valid and there
is wider application Of the method, 1t
promises to save many lives now cut
short by heart disease. Rheumatic
fever usually is the aftermath Of some
streptococcal infection, most commonly
OF the respiratory organs. 1t often
leaves the heart in a badly weakened
condition.
The experiment referred to was car
ried out with soldiers who reported on
sick call at the Francis e. Warren Air
Force base in Wyoming. When the
streptococcic organism was found pres
ent. essentially every other man was
given an tntramuScular injection of
penicillin. A total of 1,l78 received
this treatment while 1852 got none.
OF the first group only two subSe-
quently developed rheumatic fever, while
28 Of the untreated group became vic
tins Of the malady.
Doctors Gratified by Results.
The Army doctors Of the streptococ-
cal diseases laboratory at Fort Warren
do not consider their case entirely
proved, but they believe the difference
is far greater than could be attributed
to chance.
They recommend that all patients re-
porting to an Army dispenSary or hos
pital showing symptoms of streptococcic
infection receive penicillin at once. Such
infections usually are associated with
sore throat, fever and enlargement Of
the lymph nodes in the neck In areas
where streptococcal infections are epi-
demic, all patients with tonsilitis or
pharyngitis should receive the treat
ment, regardless of specific findings.
If there is a history of rheumatic
fever. the treatment should be greatly
intensified, they say.
Frenchmen Find Anti-Vitamin A.
Finding of an anti-vitamin A has been
announced by three French scientists.
Although among the first discovered,
A is still perhaps the least understood
of all the vitamins. 1t Is necessary for
the development of normal vision: it
also appears to have some effect on
growth, and deficiency in the diet may
produce symptoms similar to those Of
Scurvy.
The anti-vitamin appears almost COM
pletely to Offset the effects of the vita
min, according to the announcement of
Drs. P. Meunier, j. Jouanneteau and
G. Zwingelstein In the journal Of the
French Academy of Sciences. It is OBJ
tanned by treatment of the vitamin tt
self with the element vanadium.
An experiment was conducted with
three groups of rats. One was given a
diet supplemented with vitamin A, an
other a diet from which this vitamin
had been removed, and third received
supplement of the new substance.
Varied Results Shown.
The first developed normally, as was
expected. The second had an average
survival time of "a days and showed all
the classical signs of vitamin deficiency
The third survived only 10 days. The
deficiency symptoms were proportion
ately accelerated.
When vitamin A and the anti-vitamin
were given together, 1t proved impossible
to overcome the poisonous effects Of the
latter It seemed to inhibit the storage
Of A in the liver.
. Anti-vitan1ins in other cases have
proved of great value in determining
how the substances work in the body.
At the same time a new vitamin, or
growth factor, which is essential to the
normal growth Of bacteria has been an
nounced by the British bacteriologist,
DR.. B. D. Davis. At present. it appears
to have no significance for human or
animal growth. but In the past this ap-
plication has quite frequently developed.
The new factor is para -hydroxybenz
acid