NEW CANCER AGENT

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 55, 29 November 1937, Page 11

NEW CANCER AGENT

Important Discovery In United States

MYSTERIOUS SUBSTANCE By Telegraph.—Press. Assn.—Copyright. (Received November 28, 6.30 p.m.) New York, November 27. Mr. William L. Laurence, .science editor of the "New York Times,” reports that (lie 'discovery of a mysterious substance, so far unidentified and found to be the most, powerful agent known, which is producing malignant tumours in the stomachs of rats, thus promising to yield an important new (due regarding the origin of cancer, was announced before the American Philosophical Society by Dr. Leonard Rowntree, director of the Philadelphia Institute for Medical Research, and four associates. The substance was created when crude germ oil was extracted from germs of wheat and two other unnamed cereals by the use of ether. It was emphasised that tlie substance is not found in commercial w’heat germ oil or other cereal oils. These oils are not extracted with ether, but are obtained by expression, or squeezing the cereal germs. The latter process produces a substance harmless to animals. The discovery is most important because it is the first plant product foun'd capable of producing cancer by feeding. At present cancer-causing substances produce the disease only after prolonged injection. Only certain living parasites were hitherto known to produce cancer in animals by feeding.

It is pointed out that the available evidence indicates that the new cancer agent is neither vitamin E nor associated with its compounds Whether tho ether creates a new chemical substance no*' naturally present in the cereal germs or releases p malignant substance otherwise held in check by a combination of other substances is not established. The tumours so induced in 100 albino rats invariably proved fatal.