Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-07-16
Radiation Fights Bugs.
In Food Sterilization
Great Savings Are Seen
For Quortermuster Corp

A major program to get the "bugs''
out Of food sterilization by atomic
radiation is being launched by the.
National Research Council and the
Army's Quartermaster Corps.
After surveying the field Research
Council committee is recommending q
So million program to extend over i've
years and to be carried out chiefly In
university and industrial research
laboratories.
Possible savings, especially to the
Army, which must supply food to SOL
diers In all parts Of the earth under
all conditions of heat and cold, are
enormous. Not only is the process itself
cheaper than the customary heat steri-
lization but effects may be more lasting.
Lethal effects Of radiation on micro
organisms, such as those which cause
food to spoil, have been known almost
since the discovery Of x-rays but only
within the past decade has there been
any move to use the phenomena for
sterilization Of foods and drugs, says
DR.. s. Al. Goldblith Of Massachusetts
Tech In a Research Council announce
ment. It began to appear practical
powerful sources Of germ-killing energy
from the by-products OF atomic piles.
One Deterrent Found.
There has been to date. says DR..
Goldblith, lone deterrent to CONNER
cial application development Of unde-
sirable side effects due to the radiation,
These include changes In color, odor
and flavor. The bulk Of the research
effort for the first year has been to
isolate and identity the compounds pro-
duced by the radiation process which
are responsible for the off-fiavors pro-
duced and investigate potentialitieS Of
reactions"
At the same time, he stresses, atten-
ton will be given to development of new
sources Of ionizing energy.
A long step toward better UNDER
standing Of ivy poisoning, bane Of suns
mer picnicker and gardener. has been
achieved by a Columbia University
chemist.
DR.. Charles Dawson, the University
announces, has isolated the poisonous
agent in ivy sap and broken 1t down
into four parts-one solid and three
liquid. After determining the chemical
structure Of these substances DR.. Daw-
son has succeeded In synthesizing two
OF them which now are being tested
clinically to learn how they operate.
DR.. Dawson is proceeding on the
theory that one or more Of the four
toxic elements may act as sensitizer.
preparing the ivy victim for the attack
Of the other producing elements. II
this proves to be the case 1t may be pos
sible to synthesize range of similar
compounds which can be used to irnmu-
nize sensitive persons.
Some Are Insensitive
Newborn babies, Eskimos and some
Europeans are insensitive to the plant
poison, DR.. Dawson points out. This
probably means that some preliminary
contact with poison ivy is necessary to
render people sensitive to it, -
The research project now is being
supported by the Lederle laboratories
OF the American Cyanamid Co. Al
though particularly important for North
America 1t may have a worldwide
significance since close relatives of the
noxious vine are found on all con-
tinents. In Japan. for example, the lac
tree which provides the raw material
for lacquer, causes similar itch. Nearly
so years ago Japanese chemist
isolated the poisonous substance from
this tree and called it 'urushiol." This
name now has been given to the toxic
agent in ivy.
At the best. skin poisoning by urushiol
Is uncomfortable and in extreme cases
1t can be fatal. AS in the case of severe
burns, If too large portion of the body
is covered by blisters excretion of poi
sonous wastes through the pores is i'm
peded. These may lead to serious tox-
ennia.