Evening star., 1953-11-09
Disease Which Caused
Gehriq's Death Studied
IncurubIe MuIudy Probed
On Two Pacific Islands
By Thomas R. Henry


Most dreaded of all nerve-muscle
diseases, is -amyotrophic lateral sclerosiS
better known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
1t was the incurable malady which
caused the death of the great ball
player.
1t recently has been found that the
condition is more than 80 times as
prevalent among the native population
of Guam and Saipan as anywhere else
in the world. This has led to an all
out effort of the National Institute of
Neurological Diseases, in cooperation
with the Navy and with the Interior
Department which governs Guam, to
get at the bottom of this mysterious
illness with plenty of material for study.
Some neurologists have claimed it is
hereditary. The prevalence on the two
Pacific islands gives support to this
hypothesis, but is by no means ac-
cepted as proof. The major effort will
be to find some factor in the local ways
of life, not present on other Pacific
islands where there are no unusual
numbers of victims which may in some
way account for it.
Combination Of 2 Paralyses.
1t is a combination, explains DR.,
Pierce Bailey, director of the Neurolog-
ical Institute. of two quite distinct
kinds of paralysis. One is the type
commonly encountered in polio. The
motor nerve of muscles fails to func-
ton. The muscle itself becomes weak,
flabby, and gradually wastes away.
The other kind of paralysis is due
to muscular rigidity-inability to con-
tract when stimulated This is the con-
dition encountered in muscular dys-
trophy. There is no flabbiness or vast
ing of muscle substance
Both types of paralysis are present
in amyotrophic sclerosis. The disease
usually strikes in middle life and pro-
crosses rapidly to a fatal conclusion.
The longest duration to be expected is
about three years. When the BREATH
ing muscles are affected the victim suf-
locates.
The cause is completely unknown.
1t has been attributed to a deficiency
Of vitamin E. An actual deficiency,
however. would be quite improbable in
an American with a normal diet such
as would be furnished an athlete like
Gehrig. There would be no reason for
such a deficiency in the diet of either
Guam or Saipan.
There is possibility, DR.. Bailey ex-
plains, that the real deficiency is in
something necessary for the body's
utilization of the vitamin, or a defect
in the general metabolic system. Ad-
miniStration of vitamin E brings no re-
lief to victims.
Heredity. DR.. Bailey explains, is "just
an easy explanation" There may be
hereditary factor. but it is difficult
to prove. Even If it can be demon
strated in the Guam population-where
presumably everybody is in some de-
gree related to everybody else-there
would be no real advance towards an
understanding
More Common Than Supposed.
1t has been assumed that the malady
is very rare in the United States and
Western Europe. 1t very seldom ap-
pears on death records. This really
proves nothing, however, because a
physician would be likely to report the
actual cause of death as pneumonia.
The disease per sc is not reportable.
Recent evidence indicates that it
is much more common than is gen.
orally supposed, although it is hardly
possible that the incidence is as high
as in Guam. Veterans hospitals
throughout the country, however, now
are reporting about three cases week
and there is no reason to suppose
that the incidence should be greater
among veterans than among other
men of the same age group. These
cases, however. are widely scattered,
whereas the disease seems concentrated
among relatively small populations on
the two Pacific islands.