Evening star., 1952-12-04

er-an instrument which records
the explosion of the atoms. The
rays released by the disintegratior
of the radioactive material pene-
trate the skin and can be counted
by the Geiger counter. BY passing
the instrument over the body, the
areas to which the tumor has
spread can be exactly located.
In some diseases, radioactive ele-
ments are useful in making q
diagnosis In diseases of the blood
vessels in the feet. the adequacy
or inadeQuacy of the circulation of
the blood can be determined by
measuring the rapidity with which
radiosodium, after an injection,
reaches various parts of the foot
Great Help in Brain Tumors.
Compounds made with radio
PHOSPHORUS or radioiodine are
useful in locating brain tumors ac-
curately. This aids in the delicate
task of cutting out the tumor by
surgery.
In spite of the fact that hun
dreds of different radioactive ele-
ments are now available, only
about Is are being used at the
present time in the diagnosis and
treatment of disease. The impor-
tance of radioactive elements is
not confined to the immediate
practical problem of diagnosis and
treatment. OF far greater impor-
tance is the fact that these new
radiations and radioactive ele-
mentS are new tools in research.
Only as new facts are learned
about how the body operates are
medical advances made. The re-
search now being done with radio
active isotopes was not possible a
few years ago. One case indicates
the usefulness of these tools.
Work in heart disease is a fas-
cinating example. Individuals who
develop heart failure or dropsy are
usually given digitalis to restore
the strength of the heart and thus
restore proper circulation and re-
lieve distress. The chemical struc-
ture OF this drug. extracted from
the digitalis plant, is unknown:
even the mechanism by which the
drug alleviates heart disease is
not understood.
Now. however, investigators are
growing digitalis plants in sealed
containers into which radioactive
carbon dioixde is introduced. The
plant breathes the radioactive
carbon dioxide and builds the ra-
dioactive drug within the leaves
OF the growing plant.
Eventually the leaves are gath
cred and chemically extracted. The
digitaliS is purified and then can
be administered like ordinary nom
radioactive digitalis. AS the digi-
tails has been labeled" with ra-
dioactive carbon, the distribution
OF it in the body can be determined
with Geiger counter.
Personnel Must Be Protected.
No discussion on the medical as
pect of atomic energy can neglect
the problems created when the
atom is used as a weapon of war.
One cannot assume that what hap
pened at Hiroshima and Nagasaki
will not be repeated. Thousands
of lives were lost in these cities
from radiation injury. Others who
survived are developing delayed
radiation effects such as leukemia.
Large sums of money are being
spent in an attempt to find effec-
tive ways and means of combating
the harmful effects of radiations.
If this objective is realized, an i'm
portant civilian defense problem
will be solved. Also, such knowl-
edge could be utilized Immediately
in the vast problems of cancer
treatment.
It may be said that this prob
lem Of the treatment of radiation
injury is we'll on the way to solu-
ton. Scientists have already shown
in experimental animals that a
substance made by normal blood
forming tissue will keep animals
alive even though a dose of IRA
diation double the size necessary
to kill has been given. Identifica-
ton and isolation of this sub
stance is not yet complete. But
progress is always rapid when a
problem Of national Importance is
involved and it can be said that
clues to the solution are at hand.
Such a discussion as this would
not be complete without emphasiz-
ing the dangers involved in work.
ing with these radioactive ma
terials and radiations. Infinite
care is necessary to avoid harmful
effects to research personnel. 1t
is a very costly type of research
because of the intricate instru-
ments necessary for conducting
the experiments and in protecting
the scientists who are doing the
experiments.