Evening star., 1952-12-05
Endurance Vitumins
Still UnisoIuted in Liver
Can Give Rots Strength
To Swim in Cold Water
By Thomos R. Henry

BY IhomdS X. nenry
There is a still -unisolated survival or
endurance 'vitamin in liver.
It increases at least fourfold the time
ratS-perhaps men-can swim IN fairly
cold water.
This finding has just been reported
to the Office of Naval Research here by
DR.. Benjamin H. Ershoff of the Univer-
sity of California, who has carried out an
extensive series of experiments on the
relation of nutrition to food under
Navy grant.
The astounding results obtained with
experimental animals will not necessarily
hold true for man, he warns. He COM
ments, however, that men and rats fire.
quently respond in the same way to
changes in diet.
He split his experimental rats into
three groups. The first group was given
an ordinary rat diet supplemented by
supposedly adequate amounts Of all the
known necessary vitaminS in synthetic
forms. The second group got the same
ration with increased supplements OF the
B vitamins. The third group got the
same as the first with the addition OF
small amounts of liver each day.
After the animals had become estab-
tank of water at temperature of 68'
Fahrenheit, about what one could expect
in the sea at middle latitudeS. The
animals of the first and second groups
were able to keep swimming for an aver
age of 13 minutes The range. due to in
dividual differences was from 10 to %
minutes.
Submergences Timed.
Preliminary studies had shown that
swimming rats rarely remained sub
merged for more than five seconds and
almost never for more than 10 seconds.
But as the limit of endurance was
reached these submergenceS became
more frequent and longer, and the ami
mails had to struggle more to get their
heads above water again. Rats remain
ing below the surface for more than Is
seconds almost invariably were unable
to get their heads up again, and drowned.
But the rats given the minute amounts
of liver each day were all still swim
ming strongly at the end OF two
hours, when the test was discontinued.
They seemed no worse of for the ordeal
they had undergone.
These experiments were an approach
to the problem of human survival in cold
water after shipwreck or falling over
board.
The liver-fed rats also showed in
creased ability to Withstand overdoses OF
X-rays given repeatedly and to pro-
longed administration of drugs such as
atabrine and cortisone in poisonous
amounts. There is as yet no clue as to
the nature of the mysterious substance.
It is contained in few other foods
besides liver DR.. ErshoH says.
Mysterious endurance drugs obtained
from plants have frequently been re-
ported in use by various South American
Indian tribes but. so far as known. none
of these have been tested by scientists.
Rats Also Tested by X-Ray.
In the same laboratory, according to
the report, it has been found that the
ability of rats to survive low tempera-
lures or excessive X-ray doses is mark
edly cut down If the diet is deficient in
riboflavin, one of the B vitamins, or the
infection resisting Vitamin A. When an
animal is kept on an A-deficient diet it
was found, the ability to Withstand
unusual physical stresses remains below
par for months after the diet has been
restored to normal. There Is some evil
dence that the same Is true for man.
he says.
It may be WELL he holds, to screen
soldiers and sailors in the future as to
past nutritional deficiencies before Civ
ing them unusually hazardous duties.
because the weaknesses incurred. al
though there is no longer any overt sign
of them, may remain for months or even
years.
Nazis recognized at least part OF this
story during the war, DR.. Ershoh points
out, and made a systematic effort to strip
occupied countries of foods rich IN
vitamins of the B complex. This was not
because the conquerors themselves were
deficient in such foods but because the
will to resist was undermined and under
ground activities and organized sabotage
were less likely.