Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-18
Hot-Nutured Bucteriu
Now Aid Biochemists
Heterogeneous Cont Live
In Heut Under 100 Degrees
By THONGS R. Henry

Hot bacteria" micro-organisms
which cannot live at temperatures lower
than about 100 degrees Fahrenheit,
are providing biochemists with new
tool by which it is possible, for example.
to detect the vital vitamin B-l2 in
concentrations Of less than one part
in 100 billion.
Experimentation with these so-called
Therapeutics. still in its infancy, has
Just been reported to the Office of
Naval Research by Drs. II. Baker and
H. Sobotka Of Mt. Sinai Hospital. New
York.
Their peculiar value for biochemical
work, the Mt. Sinai doctors say, Is due
both to the simplicity of the media in
which they can be grown and the heat
required, which acts as q sterilizer.
One or more of them require all the
known vitaminS, in infinitesimally
small amounts, in order to survive.
Obstetrical Use.
Probably the chief practical value to
date, the report points out. comes from
the great precision with which 1t is pos
Sible to determine the vitamin folio
acid in the body secretions of expectant
mothers. The vitamin in extremely
small quantities now is believed to have
considerable effect on miscarriages and
on malformationS of unborn children,
and extremely delicate means for its
detection are necessary to gynecologists
and obstetricians.
The shot bacteria" they point out,
may be of even more value in reveal
ing some of the secrets of living tissue
especially the heat stability of the en-
Zymes necessary for building up pro-
teins, the building stones of the animal
body.
These hot bacteria are fairly common
in nature. They are found In the boil
ing water of hot springs. Other strains
have been unwelcome intruders in
canneries where they have resulted in
heavy losses.
Flowers with poison odors may be
among the curiosities of nature found
in the lower Himalayas.
While their poisonous properties have
not been demonstrated they have been
reported by scientifically trained ex-
plorers and are greatly feared by the
Sherpa natives Specimens described are
members of the aconitum, or buttercup,
family.
They are cited by George Moore.
United States Public Health Service
doctor, chief of the health service Of the
United States operations mission to
Nepal.
A much more immediate peril than
the poison scented flowers met along
the way from the Nepal capital Of
Kathmundu to the Helembu mountains,
DR.. Moore says, are the hosts Of leeches
along the jungle trails which must
be traversed.
Ambush by Leeches.
''These little segmented worms about
two inches long," he says, "were par
ticularly provoking until the team
reached an altitude Of $4,000 feet. They
would lie in the shade and moisture
along the trails on each ridge until
nearby footsteps vibrated their sense
organs. Then they would inch from rock
to rock at incredible speed, travelling
their entire length toward the sound
in about q second, and stopping to
perch on rock with their front ends
waving in the air.
Immediately they touched human
body they Immediately would fasten
themselves to it and search for warm
skin. Often they would drop from trees.
They could penetrate eyelets Of shoes
and pores Of socks by frightening their
entire body. Huge clots Of dried blood
would be found on the skin where the
greedy worms had filled themselves to
the fragile bursting point.
'"The possibility that flowers with q
poisonous scent would menace the med
ical expedition was first learned about
in an account by group Of Scottish
climbers. They had failed to find speci-
mems. Fearing the scent of these flowers
one of the interpreters carried camphor
ice for protection"