Evening star., 1952-10-17
Gudget Devised to Test
Oxygen Contentin Blood
Instrument Will Be Used
By Hieh-AItitude Flyers
By Thomos R. Henry

A gadget that lights red light or rings
a bell when the amount of oxygen cir
culating in the blood falls too low for
safety has been devised by doctors at
the Air Corps Center for Aviation Medi-
cine.
The danger of failing oxygen it seems.
always is present for crews at high al
titudes. Masks, for example, constantly
are getting loose. There is no warning,
except for a strange momentary feeling
Of freedom and exhilaration. The next
instant pilot slumps over unconscious.
The new device was engineered by DR..
Kurt Kramer, German psychologist
who was at the University of Leipzig
throughout the Second World War and
now has returned to Germany. 1t is
about the size Of small portable radio
set.
Built Into Headset.
A minute lamp bulb and photoeleetric
cell are built into the ear cover of the
pilots headset. The bulb sends a ray of
red or infrared light through the artery
in the ears transparent cartilage. The
photoelectric cells pick up the light ray
and transmit an electrical impulse to a
box with an amplif1er and control ap-
paratus. AS the flyers blood oxygen
decreases, less light passes through the
cartilage and when this falls below q
predetermined point the warning light
flashes or the bell rings.
The apparatus is arranged 50 that at
$4,000 feet the warning comes go Sec
ondS after the blood oxygen has fallen
below normal. The flyer has at least
five minutes of full consciousness to find
out what Is the matter. At $4,000 feet
the warning would come Is seconds
after the danger point was reached. but
the flyer still would have about minute
to remedy the situation.
The apparatus has been tested up to
simulated heights of 10000 feet-far be-
yond the altitude it probably ever will
be practical to reach.
World Health Organization experts
are studying the mysterious kwashior-
kor. or "red boy" disease Of tropical
Africa.
It is one Of the most widespread Of
nutritional diseases on the African con-
tinent and probably can be found
throughout the tropics under different
names. It probably Is due to lack Of
some protein in the diet of infants.
which is not contained in mothers milk.
The condition can be cleared up rapidly
with powdered skim milk.
The disease, as described in q bulle-
tin Of the World Health Organization.
has several essential features. First is
retarded growth during the late breast
feeding and weaving periods.
Hair Takes Reddish Hue.
Second and most striking Is the de-
pigmentation Of the skin and hair. The
ordinarily black hair of the African ba-
bies takes on q reddish hue. Third Is
fatty infiltration Of the liver. There is q
heavy death rate when the malady goes
untreated. Mental apathy and anemia
commonly are associated with the NAL
ady. Appearance Of the reddish hair Is
one of the earliest manifestations.
The "red boy disease has been de-
scribed as malignant malnutrition."
In the areas where 1t is most prevalent
breast milk supplemented by thin gruels
is the sole food until after the age Of
6 months. ss
There is little doubt" says q report
of the Nutrition Foundation. that
kwashiorkor is due to deficiency In the
diet of some factor or factors ordinarily
supplied by foods containing protein
from animal sources or vegetable pro-
teins of high biological value. It can
not be cured by any combination Of Vita
minis that has been tried. The remark
able effect of milk protein in the form
of dried skim milk narrows somewhat
the field of speculation.
Whatever the factor is, says the report,
1t is not contained in human milk. In
fants exclusively breast-fed develop the
reddish hair and liver abnormalities be-
fore they are months old.