REJUVENATION TESTS

Taranaki Daily News, 25 September 1930, Page 9

REJUVENATION TESTS

USE OF MONKEY GLANDS. AUSTRALIAN DOCTOR’S PLANS. Sydney, Sept. 4. Dr. H. Leighton Jones, of New South Wales, who has suddenly sprung into prominence in Australia because of the announcement that he has arranged to Wiry’ out rejuvenation treatment jin Sydney with the' aid" of monkey glands —following the famous Dr. Voronoff — is a man of 62 years ,of age. Dr. Jones has the appearance of a man of 50,. and it would be fair to assume that he had already had the treatment which he is going to give to others. This, however, is not the case. He says that he is good for another 10 or 15 years, and maybe when that time has expired he will have a gland grafted, in the. hope that he will-live until he is 100. ' Dr. Jones says he thinks that the time 7 will come when the normal span of: life, will .be 100 years and when it will be possible. to. develop in 20 years the mental and physical powers which are now attained at 60 years. He considers that the Voronoff gland treatment is one of the discoveries of the age. He says it is still in its infancy, but its possibilities are immense. Contact . with the man makes it obvious that lie has complete faith in the efficacy of the treatment which h.e hopes to begin in three months’ time. - . : Something'of a recluse,.. Dr. Jones has certain eccentricities, but he is bound up in the study of the Voronoff treatment. Some tiffie ago he ..visited Dr. Voronoff, and he says he hopes to in? duce Dr. Voronoff to come to Austra-.l lia, especially if his experiments in Syd-J ney are a success. He lives on the shores of Lake Macquarie, some miles from Sydney, and three imiles from the nearest township, which he seldom visits. . Dr,. Jones spends mpst.pf .his ..days- in his garden, but UiU'ing refebht weeks has been superintending the. erection of the monkey house. He has secured from the Commonwealth authorities permission to jmport a number of Rhefus monkeys from Indo-China.. These are due-' in a few weeks’ time and their quarters will be. ready for them. Dr. Jones is of a kindly disposition, but is generally regarded as a man who would not permit anything to interfere with his plans. He is described as being “not a poor man.” . ; , The doctor’s first .patients will be an aged couple in New South Wales who have offered themselves for treatment. The cost of tho operation has not yet' been decided. It will depend on howthe idea is received.- In some quarters there was a prejudice against the operation, and it might be difficult to break that down. It is explained that Dr. yoronoff has treated 1000 people, including 50 doctors. Dr. Voronoff keeps 100 monkeys, and these alone cost him £2500 a year. Dr. Jones anticipates that he will require 21 monkeys. The proposed experiments will not be a novelty in Australia' as far as animals are' concerned. For nearly a year now about 40 sheep, which have been gland grafted on the Voionoff principle, have been under observation at the Sydney University, and it is hoped shortly to. disclose, the results of the experiments. . At the Veterinary Science Museum at the university is to be observed the peculiar effect of. the gland treatment on a number of fowls. One. hen, for instance, is shown to have assumed all the qualities of a rooster. It lias the comb, spurs and characteristic'tail fea-' thers. A rooster, on the other hand, appeared to have contracted effeminate qualities. So far as the sheep are concerned the authorities have an open mind and they are still awaiting the full results of the experiments. It was not the monkey gland that was applied, but the gland of younger sheep. It is considered that while the gland treatment might have beneficial results as far as individual animals are concerned it has yet to be fully tested on a grand scale,. to see whether it will increase the weight of sheep and induce more wool to grow.