Evening star., 1952-12-31
Boffling 'CoId' Studied
For Possible Causes
Two Good Leeds Followed
In Big Research Project
BY Thomas R. Henry

"A manc1OuS Wlll-o -tne-WlSp ~ -
common cold.
II often feel as il was Don Quixote
fitting with a windmill" remarked q
National Institutes of Health doctor di-
recting current research on the most
frequent of human maladies which, in
some form or other. nearly every
person alive suffers four or five times
a year.
The "cold" itself is elusive. Even
more elusive is whatever is responsible
for 1t.
The word now means very little.
There are Score-perhaps hundred
or more-kinds of mild illness which
are popularity diagnosed as "colds."
Doctors are dropping the word. Now
the family physician looks wise and
solemnly says "virus." This word seems
little more professional, but it's equally
meaningless.
There is little question. say the Ma
tional Institutes doctors. who are carry
ing out some of the most important
research in this field, that the re-
sponSible agents for a great many. If
not all, conditions diagnosed as "colds"
are members of the f1lterable virus
family, the most minute of living things.
compared to which bacteria are like
elephants to fleas. They cause influ-
enza, polio, mumpS, measles, and a
host of other ailments. among which
are some of the most deadly to which
man is subject But, SO far as the Ma
tional Institutes doctors can determine.
there is no one kind Of virus or family
Of viruses to which the majority Of colds
-. oh NNfA 6nn
ming to give up what seems q hopeless
quest.
Two Good Leads Followed.
Two good leads now are being fol-
lowed by the National Institutes doctors.
Very widespread is the Influenza virus.
There are four or five species and the
subSpecies. or varieties, probably are
uncountable. Sometimes they cause in
fluenza and, it is now probable. some
times various other respiratory diseases
which ordinarily would be called colds
or. if serious enough. grippe.
A major part of the research now Is
being given to the role played by these
influenza viruses in the causatlon OF dis
eases other than influenza.
A few years ago in the little city OF
~
isolated which appeared to be causing
among children a malady apparently
closely allied to poliomyelitis 1t now has
developed that it Is very widespread
throughout the human race. 1t has been
found in 10000 persons examined this
year, and more than 400 varieties have
been distinguished. Many harboring the
virus had no illness Of any kind.
National Health Service doctors have
determined that there is no relation be-
tween the illnesses 1t causes and polio.
On the other hand, 1t has been found.
various varieties cause mild epidemics Of
aches, fever and malaise which ordinar-
lily would be called "colds."
Some Coxsackie varieties have been
shown to be responsible for "herpangia."
1t is a mild, grippe-like condition en-
countered in summer, particularly in
children, all over the country. Such at
tacks used to be called summer colds"
Probably every child has one or more
attacks.
It is considered highly probable that
other varieties of the same virus are
responsible for other "cold-like" mani
festationS, just as are varieties OF the flu
virus.
But nobody knows on which ones to
put the finger.
Cold Virus Never Isolated.
A possibility kept in mind throughout
the present experiments Is that there is.
after all, real cold virus" which never
has been isolated and which may act
with the others to produce the symptoms
considered characteristic Of colds. There
have been several claims in the past that
the virus has been isolated. These have
been sustained by inoculations OF human
volunteers. who promptly came down
with colds.
But 1t never was possible to DEM
onstrate incontestably that the material
used, obtained from the noses of cold
victims, was causing the colds. And 1t
has not been possible to keep any of the
virus alive in cultures.
The city of Norfolk. Va, at present Is
the scene of a major experiment being
conducted under the direction Of DR.. Jo-
seph Bell of the Public Health Service.
All reported cases will be examined in
an effort to find If any particular virus
can be found in an epidemic which runs
through single household. There would
be some reason to assume that the same
kind of organism was responsible for
series of similar colds in persons in close
proximity.
The same could not be assumed for
colds running through school or office
where the victims have many contacts
and where dozen or more viruses might
be responsible for superflcially similar
conditions.