“EYES OF SCIENCE"

Evening Star, Issue 22955, 12 May 1938, Page 1

“EYES OF SCIENCE"

MOST VALUABLE AMERICAN INDUSTRY The mythical title of most valuable American industry goes to a little .£20,000 business whose public benefit# were added up by the League of Nations recently. This industry makes annually the £20,000 worth of dyes known as “ biological stains.” Here is just one of the reasons why the midget industry rates top title. If) . you are on an operating table in ai hospital, and it should happen the hospital didn’t at that moment have on hand a pennyworth of the right “stain,” all the medical skill in the world might fail to save your life. That is the extreme example. It applies in cancer. Even though cancer is the second greatest cause of death, and despite the fact that tuberculosis, another of the “first ten” deadly diseases, also depends on these ” stains,” the greatest value of the midget easiness lies elsewhere. It took- 19 years to. build, and. th# storv was told for the first time by Dr H. J. Conn, of the New York State Agricultural Experiment'Station. He i» an agricultural bacteriologist of the station. The dyes are only his “ night work.” ' v ' v., , . , He does not make tlieiii.' But lie is the scientist designated by the National Research Council to see that dyes of the right sort are available. Diphtheria is an example of the problem. Its germ is identified by methylene blue. The germ, rod-shaped, stains blue at its ends. The colour is taken by two or three tiny grannies. If tho dye is not perfect, the granules fail to stain —the evidence of diphtheria is The dyes are made by a few small American chemical firms. There is not much money in it. One pound of basic fuchsin, a red dye used in tuberculosis diagnosis, would last the average hospital 10 to 20 years. One pound poorly made could risk many lives, bo the commission on standardisation of biological stains, of which Dr Conn, is the head, makes tests and issues labels. The labels are small bits of paper that cost dye manufacturers £lO a pound. They are used on small packages, usually a few ounces of dye; and to users of stains they are guarantees of quality. - Outside the direct medical value,' these dyes are the “ eyes ” of science Their staining powers are the only way to see most germs. They also make visible many of the secrets of living tissues. The present knowledge of heredity and many of th© hopes of biologists for future progress depend on the accuracy of dye eyes.