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CAMPAIGN AGAINST CANCER.

MARVELS OF PHOTOGRAPHY. LECTURE BY.MR J. H. BARNARD. LONDON, Sept. 3. Mr J. H. Barnard, who has been associated with Dr Gya in cancer research, was one of the' lecturers at the British Association Conference. He gave a very interesting discourse on filter-passing viruses. Filter-passing viruses, Mr Barnard said, were extremely small bodies. They were so small that they would pass through any known porcelain filter or membrane impervious to any ordinary medium. It was unsatisfactory that at present there was no method of standardising filters, but work in that direction was now in progress. During- the last few months work had been done which enabled them to see bodies less than one-third of the size they had previously been able to see by the best microscope available. He hoped that the Avork on Avhich they Avere. noAV engaged would make it possible to prepare a cinema film Avhicli Avould show the lifecycle, of these small organisms. Already, Mr Barnard said, they were able to photograph viruses magnified 3000 diameters in one-tenth of a second, a.nd to make, a series of such photographs in rapid succession. Later he hoped) they Avould be able to photograph bodies equivalent to one hundredth-thousandth of ail inch. At present they could photograph down to one tAvo-hundred-and-fifty-thousandth of an inch. hoav it Avould be possible to prepare a cinema film of extremely small organisms, such as the anthrax baccilli, one hundredth-thou-sandth of an inch in diameter..

One probable development in the near future Avas the use of a microscope, Avorking in a vacuum, and details of such an instrument Avere now being Avorked out by the National Institute of Medical Research. ' This would enable them to Avork Avith rays smaller even than, the ultra-violet rays. Mr Barnard demonstrated Avhat would be observed with the new microscopy in photographing hundreds of divisions in one tiny spec of poAvder from a gnat’s head and the hairs on the tongue of a bloAvfly. ‘'Within the last few xhonths,” he continued, “we have endeavoured to improve microscopical methods, so that we. could see doAvn to a certain order or size, and that has brought us doAvn to rather less than one-third- of the smallest we have been able to see in the best microscopes hitherto available. ’ ’ A fascinating description of the method by which the cancer germ Avas kept and fed in colonies Avas giA-en by the lecturer. “We greAv these microorganisms on a thin film of quartz slides,” he explained. “Nutrient agar —a kind of jelly known to microseopists —-was spread out in a perfectly even layer on a quartz slide. When this is examined very intensely under the light of a microscope it is seen the agar is really a spongy material, Avith a number of channels running through it containing fluid. “We discovered the virus A\ r ould grow better on the banks of these running streams. The wonder of this Avas almost appaling. Here were continents in a tube under observation by some mighty giant, with nations living by the sides of brimming rivers. The discovery was so helpful to us that Ave introduced the method by which we supplied the virus Avith this fluid material, and' Ave only attempted to photograph these colonies when they were hanging over the. edge of the. crevasses of the agar and Avere being fed by the fluid.” At last came the photograph of the cancer germ itself. “We belieA T e, Mr Barnard declared, “that Ave are really shoAving you that filterable virus which is actually associated Avith malignant tumour growths of human beings.”

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/HAWST19251026.2.62

Bibliographic details

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 26 October 1925, Page 9

Word Count
599

CAMPAIGN AGAINST CANCER. Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 26 October 1925, Page 9

CAMPAIGN AGAINST CANCER. Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 26 October 1925, Page 9

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