Vol. 60, 1909 - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

EDITORIAL. 315
definite locations, shows that the purely ism, in localities where there is already an
chemical process caused by a superabund- abundance of uric acid, which is conseance
of uric acid in the plasma cannot be quently precipitated,
the decisive factor. The consideration must
be added, to which attention has
stand/\rd
already
oil vs. hookwormbeen
called, that a similar increase is possi- The gift of one million dollars by Juo.
ble in the blood of those who are not gouty. D. Rockefeller, the Standard Oil magnate.
On this account it is important to investi- for the purpose of fighting hookworm disgate
tiie causes for the precipitation of ease offers considerable opportunity for
urates from a solution which contains large speculation and theorizing. Th^at the gift
amounts of uric acid, but is not saturated, 's so huge vastly impresses the popular
This shows the direction for an investiga- mind; but, balancing the money against
tion of the relation between alkalescence ^^^ task of applying it properly and suc-
^nd activity of the blood. Researches along cessfully toward the eradication of Uncinafhese
lines have been conducted by Klemp- riasis, it shrinks relatively to lather small
rer, who employed the method of determning
the COj content of the blood, by
dimensions. During the past decade, thanks
to the brilliant investigations of Dr. Clias.
5trauss, and by Magnus- Levy according to \\'. Stiles, of the United States Public Health
he titration procedure of Loewy. None of and Marine Hospital Service, we have come
hese, however, have brought to light any to know apparently about all there is to
eduction in the alkalinity of the blood, know about Hookworm disease. That it is
Strauss has shown that the human organ- exceedingly prevalent throughout large
sm holds with extraordinary tenacity to a sections of the South is thoroughly demon-
jlood alkalescence within a certain limited strated. That thousands of individuals, of
ange ( .500-.3.5() mg. XaOHto lOOcc. blood), the large working class of people, are affect-
le concludes therefrom that the influence ed and thereby rendered unfit for particif
the alkalis introduced into the body does patingin the great industrial upbuilding of
lot seem of the highest importance in the tli's section can easily be believed. The
olution and hence excretion of uric acid, disease seems to present few or no difiicullowever,
it may be said that Iv Pfeiffer ties so far as diagnosis is concerned, the
las succeeded, by the introduction of alkali symptoms being well defined and the parauring
a gouty attack, in diminishing the site being easily found in the stools. And
mount of uric acid deijosited from solu- the treatment is so cheap, so short, so easily
ion; and tiial, on the other hand, the addi- applied, and so magical in its results that
ion of an acid reacting compound to a solu- its very simplicity has aroused the risibili-
OH containing uric acid, or its salts, does ties of many a lay news editor. A few cents
ot under all circumsta'..ces cause the pre- worth of Thymol and a dose of Epsom Salts
ipitationof uric acid. However, uric acid turns the trick and, presto! the hitherto
an be retained in solution, as has been pale, stunted, anemic, lazy, shiftless,
lownby Min.sowski and extemporaneouslv doless, good for-nothing, dirt-eating Southy
Goto, by means of a chemically pure em white is transformed into a useful and
ucleic acid, namely, thymic acid. These desirable citizen. It is, however, not with
bnflicting reactions can b» explained bv a"y purpose of attempting to detract from
fact that uric acid has been wronglv the worth of endeavors to banish a disease
iified as an acid while the other mem- which has probably for many, many years
ers of the xanthin group are regarded as cast its blighting influence over this sunny
asers. The importance attributed to the land of ours, that we write in this vein.
roducls of local processes in the precipita- There can be no doubt, but that it is enon
of uric acid is not detracted from bv tirely possible to combat the disease so sucle
results of more recent animal experi- cessfully that it may be entirely eradicated.
ents made by van I.oghem, Silbergleit Vet the undertaking is a huge one and will
id others, wiio found that in animals the "ot be carried out without opposition. Mr.
troduction of alkali favors the formation Rockefeller's contribution and the method
urate deposits, while the introduction of he has adopted, by the appointment of a
:ids inhibits it. This can only be explained commission composed of the following emi-
' the assumption of local metabolic dis- »e'>t men:
irbances or changes. The peculiar tela- '^f- William H. Welch, professor of pa-
)n of the lymphatics in cartilages causes thology in Johns Hopkins University; presito
appear, as I>:bsteiii mentioned, that dent of the American Medical Association;
re a local retardation of the circulation I'r- Simon Flexner, director of Kockeuld
generate a condition of fluids over- feller Institute of Medical Research;
flen wilh uric acid. Strauss attributes Dr. Charles W. Stiles, chief of the divisestablishment
of a gouty attack to the ion of zoology. United States Public Plealth
aping up of certain products of metabol- and Marine Hospital Service, and discov-