Radiology Vital to Public Health of Nation Source

Radiology Vital to Public Health of Nation Source: The Science News-

Letter, Vol. 24, No. 651 (Sep. 30, 1933), p. 221 Published by: Society for Science & the Public Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3908730 Accessed: 29/11/2009 14:42 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use, available at http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp. JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use provides, in part, that unless you have obtained prior permission, you may not download an entire issue of a journal or multiple copies of articles, and you may use content in the JSTOR archive only for your personal, non-commercial use. Please contact the publisher regarding any further use of this work. Publisher contact information may be obtained at http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=sciserv. Each copy of any part of a JSTOR transmission must contain the same copyright notice that appears on the screen or printed page of such transmission. JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org. Society for Science & the Public is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The Science News-Letter. http://www.jstor.org
SCIENCE NEWS LETTER for September 30, 1933 221 BIOCHEMISTRY Blue Dye May Be "Antidote" To Cancer-Causing Substances METHYLENE blue, the dye which is reported to have saved victims of carbon monoxide and cyanide poisoning by counteracting the effects of these poisons in the body, may play a similar role in cancer. This suggestion that methylene blue may counteract the cancer-producing ac- tivity of certain coal-tars has been made by Dr. Maurice Copisarow of the Re- search Laboratory, Manchester, Eng- land, in a note to Science. Of course it is understood that Dr. Copisarow's theory is still in the realm of scientific speculation. Neither he nor any other scientist suggests buying a bot- tle of methylene blue and taking a dose to prevent or to cure cancer. Because methylene blue can protect the respiratory enzyme from attack by carbon monoxide or cyanides, thus keep- ing these substances from interfering fatally with the supply of oxygen to the tissues, Dr. Copisarow reasons that the now famous blue dye may also be able to protect the respiratory enzyme from the coal tars. It is his opinion that malignant growth is based on suppres- sion of the activity of this vital respira- tory enzyme. This suppression may re- sult either from a depletion of dietary enzyme supply or from inhibition of the enzyme activity by factors in the environment. In the case of cancers resulting from prolonged exposure to coal tars, the res- piratory enzymes are found to be in- fluenced by definite cancer-producing substances such as 1:2:5:6 dibenzan- thracene, 1:2 benzpyrene and 1:2 ben- zanthracene. It is against this influence that he suggests methylene blue may be active. Science Yews Letter, September 30, 1933 hospitals without a single mortality." Dr. Cumming paid tribute to the pi- oneers in radiology who often suffered and died in their efforts to give man- kind the benefits of X-rays and radium. "An ardent group of devoted work- ers have in slightly over thirty years developed a toy into a machine, won- derful in construction, precise in op- eration, awe inspiring in its effects," he said. "The X-ray embodies the accumu- lated ideas, the best thought, fearless enterprise, and untiring devotion of a large number of physicians, technicians and other scientific men and women. In this great American Congress are the men who have raised this wonder child from infancy to helpful manhood. In a single generation we have seen this miracle develop before our eyes." Dr. Cumming also pointed out that the U. S. Bureau of Standards played an important part in bringing about an international standardization of thera- peutic "dosage" of X-rays, and that the Bureau, represented at the Congress by Dr. Lauriston S. Taylor, head of its X- ray laboratories, has rendered valuable service to manufacturers in standardiz- ing X-ray equipment. Science News Letter, September 30, 1933 PUBLIC IHEALTTH Radiology Vit8l To Public Health or Nation THE VITAL part played by X-rays in guarding and improving the health of the people was described by Surgeon General Hugh S. Cumming of the U. S. Public Health Service at the meeting of the American Congress of Radiology. "To no branch of medicine does the public health of the nation owe more than to radiology," declared Dr. Cum- ming. In fighting cancer and tuberculosis, in protecting industrial workers from the dangers to their lungs and health of certain industrial dusts, in giving ac- curate diagnoses of tumors of the brain, the X-rays have played a leading part, he pointed out. "Upon radiology perhaps more than any other single science except surgery we depend for aggressive and defensive measures against cancer," he said. "In connection witlh the fight on tubercu- losis, I know of nothing more valuable than the diagnostic and prognostic means thus placed at the disposal of the specialist. "In connection with the study of in- dustrial diseases the Public Health Serv- ice has for several years investigated the kinds of dust in quarries, mines, and grinding establishments. We have found that the best defense against 'dusting' the lungs and respiratory tracts of the workmen in such occupations to a point that is dangerous to their health, is pe- riodic examinations of them by the use of X-ray. Thus we become able to ex- clude from such occupations those in- dividuals who are most susceptible to the dusting process. "Another contribution of the Public Health Service came about through the efforts of Dr. Liberson, a roentgenol- ogist serving the three New York Ma- rine Hospitals. Dr. Liberson was first to perfect a method for use in diagnos- ing tumors of the brain and since his findings 248 operations for encephalo- graphy have been performed in these The Highlights of MODERN KNOWLEDGE for Alert Adults Compact, condensed, illus- trated, authoritative books for individuals and groups of readers Menzel Stars and Planets Reeds The Earth Bazzoni Energy and Matter Sheldon Space, Time, and Relativity Gager The Plant World Needham The Anim I World Dunn Heredity and Variation Calkins The Smallest Living Things Crampton The Coming and Evolution of Life Lull Fossils MacCurdy The Coming of Man Bean The Races of Man Unit Studies, including four books and a Reader's Manual each, or single books, or combinations of books with reader's outlines, are available at little expense Write for intformation to THE UNIVERSITY SOCIETY INC. 468 Fourth Avenue New York, N. Y.