Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-05
Atom Medicine Takes
Long Strides Ahead
New Radioactive lsotopes
Hold Therapeutic Promise
By Thomus R. Henry

Three new radioactive isotopes -
products Of atomic piles at Government
laboratories have been brought
into the field of medicine. These are
germanium. arsenic and the very rare.
greenish metal, thulium.
This extension Of the still quite lin
tied field Of atomic medicine has Just
been announced by the Atomic Energy
Commission.
One of the isotopes of arsenic prom
iseS to be Of considerable value in To-
eating brain tumors. according to
investigations being carried out at
Massachusetts, General Hospital. When
injected into the blood stream, it con-
centrates to certain degree in can
cerous tissue. The slightly higher con-
centration in the tumor mass makes it
possible to determine the location of
the diseased tissue by special detection
instruments. 49,,
Germanium Needles.
The Brookhaven National Laboratory
Is studying the use of germanium
needles injected directly into malignant
growths. The radioactive isotope of
germanium can be incorporated in such
a needle in any desired amount and will
remain there through life in the
needle. The material is slowly dissolved
in the body fluids and eventually van
iSheS
Preliminary investigations at the Ar
gonne National Laboratory at the Uni
versity of Chicago indicate that radio
active thulium may have properties
which will make it valuable as a source
OF radiation in portable units. operation
OF which will require no power supply.
While therapeutic use of radioactive
isotopeS still remains much less than
was predicted in the early days of
atomic energy, use of these materials
as "tracers" of physiological processes
is making possible much better UNDER
standing of the phenomena of life.
Thus, the commission announces, a
group Of University of Chicago investi-
gators have uncovered evidence of the
existence in the blood stream of "anti-
body precursors" which are not identical
with any of the known blood elements.
When germs invade the body, cells
known as anti-bodies are formed to
combat them. These anti-bodies are
specific for different diseases. Their
formation is the basis for all immuniza-
ton procedures.
Synthesis Explained.
It has been assumed in the past that
they were modified white blood cells.
The new findings suggest, however,
that they are not formed from existing
blood cells but are synthesized indie
pendently. The synthesis appears to
begin almost at once after injection of
a foreign protein into the blood stream
so that considerable amount has
been formed before it is first evident
in a blood examination. A search is
being made of various tissues to locate
the anti-body during the early period of
production. or to demonstrate the posi-
blllty OF an anti-body precursor.
Also through use of tracer isotopes.
the commission announces, consider
able information is being accumulated
on the mechanisms of edema, or swell
ing of the body and on the relation of
mineral content of the diet to the con-
troll of high blood pressure and COM
plications in kidney diseases. Other
Investigations deal with the movement
OF substances from the blood stream
through the capillary walls into the
fluids bathing the various body cells.
and from there through cell walls into
the cell itself.