Evening star., 1952-10-15
Fish Eye Product Found
To Aid Sight Of Humans
Treatments Are Described
On Cutoroct Sufferers
Ry Thomas R. Henry


A preparation from the lenses of the
eyes of fish is restoring sight to persons
nearly blind with cataracts. hitherto
seldom treated successfully except with
surgery.
This has been reported to the Ameri-
can Association for the Advancement Of
Science here by Drs. r. F. Shropshire,
Jacob r. Ginsberg and Mendel jacob
of the Cataract Institute. South Kort-
right, N. Y.
They first experimental for two years
with rats in whose eyes they found they
could produce cataracts at will. Such
remarkable regressions of the eye con-
dition were found with the fish lens
preparation that, since there appeared
to be no bad reaction, it has been tested
with humans.
"The first group of II patients" says
the report, has now had four or more
subcutaneous injections of this extract.
The degree Of visual impairment has
ranged from that of patients who have
been unable to carry out their normal
household duties for several years, or
had been unable to walk about the
streets unattended, to patients mani
testing only visual Jogging In all cases
after four injections, patients have re-
ported subjective improvement.
Elderly Persons Benefited.
"Objectively, after six or more injec-
tions administered three times weekly,
diminution of lens opacity has been
observed with the opthalmascope. AS a
result of this treatment in several cases
who have had 80 injections, the progress
has been from completely incapaci-
tated individual to one with practically
normal visual acuity.
Most of the patients have been be-
tween so and 70 years old, and in most
cases the cataractS have been those Of
senile people. Several had cataracts as
sociated with diabetes. In all cases there
has been clearing of lens opacities and
details of the retina. which previously
could not be seen, can now be studied
with the opthalmascope."
A womanless world may be one Of the
very remote possibilities Of excessive
radiation Of germ plaSm in the age Of
atomic energy, cyclotrons, and x-radia-
ton into which the world seems to be
passing.
This is possible. however far-fetched
at present, implication Of experiments
with mice at McGill University, Mon
treal. reported to the American Associa-
ton for the Advancement of Science here
by Drs. H. Kalmus. j. D. Metrakos and
M. Silverberg.
Sex Control by Radiation.
They mated pairs fro ma highly in
bred strain Of mice. The sex Of the Off
spring was approximately equal. as is
generally the case in nature.
Then the male parents were given
high, although not disabling, doses of
x-radiation.
In the next generation the percentage
OF males was about so per cent greater
than that Of females.
In control groups where there was no
radiation the sexes Of the offspring re-
manned about equal.
Previous experiments cited have shown
that radiation Of either male or female
parents in mice tends either to total
sterility or great reduction in the size
Of the itters.
Sixty pairs Of mice were used in these
experiments and, the Canadian doctors
report. the number is altogether too
small to warrant any detailed analysis.
The difference between the different lit
ters is significant enough. however, to
postulate that the radiation had q def
mite effect in increasing the number
of males over females.
In these experiments. they point out,
only the male parents were irradiated
and there Is no data on the possible
effects Of irradiating the female par
ents.
There also Is no evidence whether tho
same effect would b produced in other
animal species.