Evening star., 1953-11-27
Startled Goots Help
Nerve-Diseuse Study
Rare Ailment Makes
Contracted Muscles Hold
By Thomos R. Henry

By Thomas R. Henry
Some years ago distinguished physi-
ologist was passenger on train in one
of the Southern States.
side the track. Just at that moment
the train was approaching crossing.
The engineer blew the whistle. The
startled goats leaped in the air. But
instead of landing on their feet like
normal goats, they toppled over on their
sides when they hit the earth and
couldn't get up.
The physiologist left the train at the
next station. hurried back to the cross
.ng and purchased the animals. Four
of their descendants have just been
added to the experimental setup of the
National Neurological Institute of the
Public Health Service. Others have
been scattered rather widely through
out the world.
Members of this particular goat fam
;ly are victims Of a Strange-but not
rare-hereditary nerve-muscle disease
found In humans which is one of the
outstanding puzzles of neurology. This
disease Is myotonia, or frozen muscles.
Once a muscle has contracted, it can
not be relaxed by effort of the will. A
victim, for example, will have no diff
Guilty shaking handS-but he cannot
relax his grip. Told to move his tongue
from side to side, he cannot stop wag-
ging it. The goats, once their muscles
were contracted to Jump, could not re-
lax them to stand on their feet.
MetaboIic Defect.
This disease apparently is due to some
defect in the potassium metabolism OF
muscle. In animals it can be produced
by administration of drug known as
adenosine triphosphate. which inter-
feres with this metaboliSm. 1t is not
known whether similar effects could
be produced in man.
The goats will be used at the Neuro-
logical Institute under the direction of
DR.. Milton Shy in an effort to determine
what happens to the muscle potassium.
For this purpose it is planned to use
radioactive potassium, whose course in
metabolism can be followed through its
beta and gamma radiationS.
Other Investigations now are being
carried on in England. where other
members of the afflicted goat family
have been sent.
Near the top of the earth's atmos-
phere, at attitudes between 10000 and
80 900 feet, man will be subjected to
a hitherto inexperienced kind of radia-
ton from which there appears to be
no practical protection.
This radiation consists Of the heavy
particles in cosmic rayS-nucleii OF the
atoms of oxygen, nitrogen. carbon. cal
cium, magnesium and iron.
While such attitudes still are far
beyond reach, the problem already Is
getting consideration at the NavyS
school of aviation medicine at PEN
sacola. It will be serious only at high
latitudes, mostly over the polar regions
but there 1t may be very serious,
indeed.
In this region, according to the calcu-
lations of DR.. Hermann ]. Schaefer Of
the Pensacola staff, man will be hit
in second by about 1000 protons,
375 alpha particles. 10 nuclei of the
lighter elements and one or more nu-
cleii of iron. All these, it is known.
are found in the cosmic radiation.
Dangerous Nuclei.
Protons and alpha particles cause
no concern. They are extremely mi
mute, everybody is being hit by them
all the time, and the extra dose at high
attitudes still is far below calculated
tolerance. The magnesium, calcium
and iron nuclei also need cause no
particular worry because they are SO
few that man could be exposed to
them for a very long time without
noticeable effects.
The carbon, nitrogen and oxygen
nuclei are a different proposition. They
are gigantic, compared to protons or
alpha particles. They will tear through
tissue. causing trail of local destruc-
ton which. If it happens to be in
the right place, may cause permanent
damage.
The living cells along their paths, DR..
Schaefer says in report issued by the
school, will be exposed to q dose of
several thousand Roentgens In a mil
lionth of q second or less" which
exceeds by far anything natural or
artificial terrestrial sources can supply"
The problem of shielding man from
such radiation appears almost unsolv-
able. preliminary calculation is that
q shield of aluminium about 8 inches
thick would be required. Other ma
terials could be thinner. but the weight
would remain about the same. Such
a weight obviously would be impossible
for any man to carry for any long
period.