ecor U . 5. DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH. EDUCATION. ANO WELFARE December 15, 1964 Vol. XVI, No. 25

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH

PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE

Nirenberg Among Winners of 1964 Science Medal

S\!eden May Exclude Foreign Abortions, Wiesner Delivers Lecturer Says; 56 From U. S. Studied The NIH Lecture

Here Last Night By Karen Levin

President J ohnson recently an­nounced the selection of Dr. Mar­shall W. Nirenberg, reseaTch chem­ist and Head of the Section of Biochemical Genetics in the Lab­

Sweden may soon close the door on the flood of foreign women who come there to apply for abortions, a Washington, D. C., Children's Hos­pital psychiatrist recently reported at a National h1stitute of Mental Health seminar here in the Clini-

oratory of Clinical Biochemistry, Na­tional Heart Insti­tute, as one of the 11 recipients of the 1964 N a t i o n a I Medal of Science.

The 'awards will be presented by the President at a ceremony to be

Dr. Nirenbe rg held early in 1965, according to the announcement.

Dr. Nirenberg was cited "for studies of the genetic control of protein synthesis and, in particu­lar, for deciphering the chemical code relating nucleic acid struc­tures to protein structures."

The 'White House announcement (Seo NIRENBERG, Page 6)

cal Center. Dr. Judith Rapoport, a former

NIMH Research Fellow, said that in a recent group of 56 American applicants, the Swedish National Medical Board granted abortions to only eight.

Appliconts Screened At the 1,equest of the_ Swedish

authorities, Dr. Rapoport screer1ed and studied this group of women at the Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm. She explained that "this offered a unique opportunity to s tudy a relatively unavailable g1·oup in the United States, the abortion-seeking woman."

There arc no studies of women with unwanted pregnancies before the abortion, she noted. In addi­tion, it offered a chance to investi­gate "a major public health prob-

Nearby Areas Join NIH Staff to Bring Spirit of Christmas to Patients Here

The Christmas Season will come to NIH this week with greener_y, religious services, entertainm~n_t and caroling. ~h1·istmas programs ,:111 again revolve a1·ound the Chmcal Center, where the staff and 11ea1 by community organizations are plan­ning to remake this renowned re­search complex into a "home away from home" for the patients there.

The Patients Activities Secticn has lined up a large array of tal­ent and unlimited goodwill to help ease the absence from loved ones dul'ing this holiday season.

Starting with music by the U. S. Navy Band Dance Combo, many will get into the swing of things with a " .Holly Hop" this Friday evening from 8 to l O p. m. in the CC 14th floor assembly hall.

The children patients won't get into the act until Saturday :>.fter- · 110011, when they will_ be enter­tained at a special Chnstmas par­ty to be held in the 14th floor so­larium at 3 p. m., sponso1,ed by

(See CIJRISTMAS, Paoe 5)

Sonta Clous gives Kristen Peery of the Clinical Ce nter Potienls Activitiu Sec­tion o preview of the 6-ft. stocking full of toys which he plans to dis­tribute to children potient,,-Photo by Je rry 11echt ,

!em in this country," she said. It has been estimated that more

than one million Americans secure abortions a year, and a lmost all are illegal.

Only 31 states permit abortions to save the life of the mother. Of these, seven also permit them to save the mother's health.

According to studies by the Uni­versity of Indiana Kinsey Insti­tute, one in ten women have pre­marital pregnancies, of which al­most all are terminated by illegal abortion.

34 Are Single Of the married women, approxi­

mately one in four to one in five have illegal abortions. On theil' wedding day, three percent are pregnant.

Of the 56 women she studied, Dr. Rapoport reported that 34 were single, averaging 23 years of age, and 17 were married, averaging 32 years. The rest were widowed or divorced.

AJmost all came from urban areas, ,v-ere well educated and be­longed to the middle or upper in­come level. They averagd 2.4 years of college. One-fourth were still in college. Nine of the women had at­tended graduate school. On the whole, Dr. Rapoport found them to be "conservative in manner , dress, and reading taste." Occupotions Noted

All but seven of the women had jobs. Twelve were secretaries; two, bookkeepers; seven, grade or high school teacheTs; four, registered nurse.<i; two, airline hostesses; and one each in the following occupa­tions; chemist, architect, business manager, travel agent, social work­er, statistician, foreign seTVice aide, medical technician, journal­ist, and commercial artist.

The fathers and husbands of the women were almost all profes­sional people.

(Sec ABORTIONS. Pa//6 V

Dr. Jerome B. Wiesner, former Special Assistant to t he President for Science and Technology and Dean of Science at the Massachu­setts Institute of Technology, was

scheduled to de­liver the 28th Na­tional Institutes of Health Lecture last night in the Clini­cal Center audito­rium. His subject was "Research in Education."

A renowned edu­cator and scientist,

Dr. Wiesne r Dr. Wiesner is a recognized international leader in t he field of electronics, radar, acoustics and theory of communi­cations.

Appointed Special Assistant to the President for Science and Technology in 1961 by the late President Kennedy, Dr. Wiesner served in this high-level post until late 1963 when he resigned to re­join the MIT faculty.

Holds Other Positions While serving as the President's

top science advisor, Dr. Wiesner also was Chairman of t he Federal Council for Science and Technol­ogy, Director of the Office of Sci­ence and Technology, and Chair­man of the President's Science Ad­visory Committee.

Born in Detroit, Mich., Dr. Wies­ner received his B.S. degree from the University of Michigan and his M.S. and Ph.D. in engineering from the same institution.

Two Issues Are Combined; See You Next on Jan. 12

As in prior years, this issue of the NIH Record combines the pre-Christmas and New Year's issues. The next issue will be off the press J anu­ary 12.

To each of our readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Page 2 December 15, 19S4 THE NIB REcORD

Record Published bi-weekly at Bethesda, Md., by t he P ublic Information Section, Office of Research Informa t ion, for the informa tion of employees of the Nat ional Institutes of Health, principal research center of the Public Health Service, U. S. Depart ment of Healt h, Education, and Welfare.

----N IH Record Office .............................. Bldg. 31, Rm. 4Bl3. Phone : 49-62125

Editor ............................. ....... ................................ .... ........ ...... E. Kenneth Stabler Associate Editor .................... ......... ... ............. ....................... George J. Mannina

Staff Corresponde nts Georgiana Brimijoin, NCI; Tony Anastasi, NHI; Bryson Fleer, NIAID; Mary Anne Gates, NIAMD; Bob Callahan, NlDR; Bill Kleven, NIMH; Frances Dearman, NINDB; Frank Smith, CC; Faye Heil, DBS; Mike Canning, NIGMS; Helen Neal, DRFR; Dick Turlington, DRG ; Bob Wal­ters, DRS; Helene Devay, OAM; Dan Rogers, NI CHD.

The NIH Record reserves t he right to make corrections, changes or deletions in submitted copy in conformity with t he policy of the paper and the Depart ment of Heal th, Education, and Welfare.

NEWS froni PERSONNEL

ANNUITY INCREASES Civil Service personnel who are

planning to retire by the first of next year are reminded of the an­nuity "cost-of-living adjustments" provided by the Pay Act of 1962. Under that law, annuities which start by December 31, 1964, will be increased by three percent, but those which start after that date will be increased by only two per­cent.

To receive the three percent, the prospective annuitant must be sep• a rated on or before December 30, 1964-. Separation on December 30 will accord a full month's service credit for December. Accordingly, PMB recommends that retiring personnel consult with their super­visor and I/D personnel officer in arranging the effective date of their separation to obtain the max­imum benefits.

RIDE GREATLY NEEDED PMB has been requested to pub­

lish the following appeal for as­sistance ft-om an N IH employee:

A daily morning ride is needed desperately by wheelchair-bound woman from Rockville (Ritchie Parkway) to NIH, Building 31. She must be at work by 8:30 a. m. but is willing to come earlier. Needs some assistance to get in and out of the car but is willing to pay very nicely for it. Please calI Miss Dorothy Yellon 762-7316 ( evenings after 5 : 45) or 49-63345 (daytime). ------FOUND: A package of 68 3x5 index cards containing what ap­pears to be a bibliogi·aphy on ge­netics. Most references are of lit­erature published in 1963 and 1964. The cards were found in the Mail Room of Building 31. Owner please call Mrs. Matthews, Ext. 62266.

Fire Marshal Issues Safety Do' s, Don'ts For Holiday Season

'Tis the season to be joll}', but before you deck the halls with boughs of holly, check the follow­ing safety do's and don'ts issued by NIH Fire Marshal Kenneth W. Gettings. These regulations apply to all NIH offices, including those in rental buildings.

• No trees or decorations should be displayed before December 21 and all decorations must be re­moved by 4 p.m. on January 4.

• Trees will not be permitted in any laboi-atories.

• The base of natural trees should be placed in wate1· or water­soaked sand. Trees must be held securely in place.

• Glass, asbestos, mica or metal ornaments are preferred. If paper or cotton are used, they must be flame-proof.

• No lights are to be placed on aluminum trees.

• Lights must be turned off at the end of the day or whenever the area is not occupied. All light sets should bear the seal of the Under­writer's Laboratodes and be in ex­cellent condition. All other electri­cal equipment must be cut off be­fore leaving the area.

• All trees and other large ar­rangements must be placed out of traffic patterns away from room exits and stairways.

• No decorative lights are per­mitted in Building 10. Lights will be permitted in public and office areas of all other buildings. No candles are to be used in any buildings.

After the Christmas trees or other arrangements utilizing dec­orative lights have been erected,

New Hourly Rates Become Effective for Regular, Laundry Schedules on Dec. 6

New wage schedules for regular and laundry pay rates went into effect at NIH December 6.

On the regular schedule, the av­erage increase for grades WB-1 through WB-10 is 8 cents per hour; for grades WB-11 through WB-21, the average increase is 13 cents per hour.

On the laundry schedule, there is practically no change in rates for grades WB-1 through WB-8. This occurred because the wages for these grades were adjusted up­wards last year in recognition of the new Federal minimum wage of $1.25 per hour, and the recent sur­vey (on which the new schedule is based) showed that present rates are still current. For grades above WB-8, the average increase is 14 c.ents per hour.

Safety Film Showings Scheduled This Week

"Winter Driving," a 22-minutc safety film in color, will be pre­sented by the Employee Health Service this week. Safe winter driving techniques will be shown, includjng a demonstration of an easy method of installing tire chains and tips on how to avoid skids and how to recover from a s kid if it does occur.

Jack Leach, Chief of the Safety Section, Plant Safety Branch, will speak at the first Clinical Cente1· presentation and his introductory discussion will be taped fo1· other showings.

The film will be shown at the Clinical Center auditorium tomor­row, Wednesday, December 16, at 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.; on Thursday at the North Bethesda Office Cen­ter #2 Conference Room 113 at 1:30 and 2:15 p.m.; and on Friday at the Westwood Building in Con­ference Room A at 1, 1:45 and 2:30 p.m.

198 Pints of Blood Donated By NIH Employees in Nov.

During November, the Clini­cal Center Blood Bank reports, 198 pints of blood were re­ceived from NIH donors.

Within the same period, 1,652 pints were used by Clini­cal Center patients.

Under terms of an agree­ment with the Red Cross, NIH employees are required to give 2,000 pints of blood per year. This amount is needed to help meet the needs of about 4,000 patients adnutted to the CC annually.

please call the NIH Fire Marshal on Ext. 65771 and request that he inspect the ~rea.

The new schedules are shown below.

REGULAR WAGE SCHEDULE WB Hourly Rates of Pay

Grade Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 1 1.56 1.64 1. 72 2 l. 78 1.87 1.96 3 1.99 2.09 2.19 4 2.20 2.32 2.44 5 2.41 2.54 2.67 6 2.53 2.66 2.79 7 2.64 2.78 2.92 8 2.76 2.90 3.05 9 2.87 3.02 3.17

10 2.98 3.14 3.30 11 3.14 3.30 3.47 12 3.28 3.45 3.62 13 3.43 3.61 3. 79 14 3.68 3.77 3.96 15 3.73 3.93 4.13 16 3.88 4.08 4.28 17 4.03 4.24 4.45 18 4.18 4.40 4.62 19 4.32 4.55 4.78 20 4.47 4.71 4.95 21 4.63 4.87 5.11

LAUNDRY WAGE SCHEDULE WB Hour ly Rates of Pay

Grade Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 1 1.25 1.32 1.39 2 1.31 1.38 1.45 3 1.36 1.43 1.50 4 1.41 1.48 1.55 5 1.45 1.53 1.61 6 1.55 1.63 1. 71 7 1.64 1.73 1.82 8 1.74 1.83 1.92 9 2.07 2.18 2.29

10 2.41 2.54 2.67 11 2.75 2.89 3.03 12 3.09 3.25 3.41 Rates for grades above WB-12

on the laundry schedule are identi­cal with the rates for the corre­sponding grades on the regular schedule.

Construction to Elevate Center Drive Roadbed

Are you wondering why the new construction on Center Drive is sev­eral feet higher than the existing roadbed? According to the Divi­sion of Research Services, the new lane of Center Drive is being built to coincide with the future eleva­tion of Old Georgetown Road.

State Road Commission plans for the widening of Old Georgetown Road call for the raising of the road approximately 5½ feet in the vicinity of the intersection of Cen­ter Drive.

This work is due to start in the spring of 1965. When the widening of Old Georgetown Road is carried out, the State will raise the road­bed of the remaining portion of Center Drive and taper this work back into the reservation over a distance of 350 feet.

The end result will be a very slight grade to be negotiated by cars leaving the reservation and entering Old Georgetown Road.

THE NIH RECORD

Lamont-Havers Becomes N IAMD Assoc. Dir. for Extramural Programs

Dr. Ronald W. Lamont-Havers, an eminent rheumatologist, re­cently was appointed Associate Director for Extramural Programs of the National Institute of Arthri­

tis and Metabolic Diseases.

Before joining NIAMD, Dr. La­mont-Havers had been N a t i o n a 1 Medical Director of the Arthritis and Rheumatism Foun­dation since 1958. N o w called t h e

Lamont-Havers Arthritis Founda-tion, it is the principal volunta1·y heal th agency in the field of arthri­tis.

In his new position, Dr. Lamont­Havers will be responsible for di­recting the NIAMD programs which administer Federal grants­in-aid for resea1·ch, training, train­eeship, fellowship and other extra­mural activities within the province of the I nstitute's responsibility.

Program Areas Listed These areas of responsibility in­

clude the arthritic and rheumatic diseases, metabolic diseases such as diabetes, endocrinology, gastroen­terology, hematology, urology, or­thopedics, nutrition, and the basic sciences underlying these clinical fields.

Dr. Lamont-Havers is well known for his work in the field of rheumatology and is recognized in­ternationally for his contributions in exposing fraudulent claims in the treatment of arthritis.

He has also played key roles in numerous research conferences and symposia on rheumatic disease which have been held under the aegis of NIAMD and the American Rneumatism Association.

Born in England, Dr. Lamont­Havers received his higher educa­tion in Canada. He was graduated with honors from the University of British Columbia in 1942, and re­ceived his degree in medicine from the University of Toronto in 1946.

Interns at Vancouver After interning at the Vancouver

General Hospital , Dr. Lamont­Havers served successively as Act­ing Medical Director of the Uni­versity Health Services at the Uni­versity of Brit ish Columbia, and as Assistant in Medicine at Queen Mary's Hospital in Montreal.

In 1954, he served as Medical Director of the British Columbia Division of the Canadian Arthritis and Rheumatism Society, and the following year was appointed As­sociate Medi•~al Director of the Arthritis and Rheumatism Founda­tion.

December 15, 1964

Nation's largest Aging Research Center To Be Constructed by NH/ in Baltimore

Architects' drawing of the 4-story, $7 .6 million Ge rontology Building ta be constructed ne xt spring an grounds af the Baltimore City Hospitals.

A new center for aging research-the largest of its kind and the first to be financed by a Federal agenc}' (the National Heart Institute)- will be constructed soon in Baltimore, Md., on the grounds of the Baltimore

City Hospitals.

12 NIH Staff Members Attend Conference on Antiviral Substances

Professional staff members of two NIH Institutes and one Divi­sion were among participants of a Conference on Antiviral Sub­stances, sponsored by the New York Academy of Sciences at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City, December 9-11.

Those participating from NIH were Dr. William R. Green, Nation­al Institute of Neurological Dis­eases and Blindness; and Dr. Ber­nice E. Eddy, Dr. C. P. Li, and E. C. Martino, all of the Division of Biologics Standards.

NIAID Members Participate Also, Dr. Leon Levintow, Dr.

Benjamin Prescott, D1·. Norman B. Salzman, Dr. Arthur J. Shatkin, Dr. Kenneth Takemoto, George Caldez, and Edwin D. Sebring, all of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Dr. Randall L. Thompson, who helped plan the conference when he was with NIAID, also partici­pated. Dr. Thompson is scheduled to leave today on his new assign­ment as Scientific Representative in New Delhi for the Office of In­ternational Research.

Other Pape rs Presented Papers presented by NIH re­

searchers included: "The Use of FUDR in Studies of

Vaccinia Virus Replication," Dr. Salzman; "Effects of Natural and Synthetic Sulfated Polysaccharides on Viruses and Cells," Dr. Takemo­to; and "Antiviral Activities of Paolins from Clams," Dr. Li.

This Gerontology Center will also be the first in this country to be built within a hospital complex. It will cost an estimated $7 .3 mil­lion and will serve as a regional focal point for gerontology r e­search. Dr. Shock to Direct Ce nte r

The National H eart Institute has conducted aging research in Baltimore since the Institute was established in 1948. Dr. Nathan Shock, a pioneer in the field of Gerontology, has headed the NHI Baltimore Branch and will direct activities at the new center.

Ground-breaking is planned for next May, and construction is scheduled for co~pletion by 1967.

The 4-story building, with 210,-000 square feet of floor space, will house 500 researchers. The exterior ,viii be brick and concrete. F loors will have vinyl asbestos covering. Interior masonry block walls will be painted or mastic-coa.ted, and ceilings will be mastic-coated.

Culminates 3 Years' Planning Recent announcement of accept­

ance of design by the General Serv­ices Administration culminates more than three years of planning by NHI officials.

The new facility will enable ger­ontologists to study the biology of aging, ranging from investigations of the single cell to studies of cen­tenarians.

Investigators will be able to strive for full creative capacity not only by working individually and together but also by partici­pating in seminars, attending lec­tures, and studying a wide range of publications available at the new center.

Page 3

Heart Conference Lists Priorities for Attack on Cardiovascular Diseases

Seven hundred of the country's leading experts in heart and circu­latory disease concluded discus­sions at the Second National Con­ference on Cardiovascular Dis­eases, held November 22-24 at the Sheraton-Park Hotel in Washing­ton, D.C., by placing on record a sweeping perspective of priorities to be tackled in the next decade.

The conference met to summa­rize progress against heart and circulatory diseases since the First National Conference in 1950 and to prepare a status report as of 1964.

The conferees outlined the unmet needs in the fields of research, edu­cation and community service and made detailed recommendations on approaches to filling the gaps.

Reports Prese nted Summary reports were presented

to the conference by Dr. Irvine H. Page, Cleveland, who outlined re­search needs and opportunities; by Dr. Charles E. Kossmann, New York, speaking on education; and by Dr. J. Gordon Barrow, Atlanta, community service.

The three reports presented at the closing plenary session were prepared following two days of group discussions.

Full proceedings of the confer­ence will be published later, includ­ing three volumes of comprehensive reports on progress and the current state of knowledge of heart and circulatory disease prepared in ad­vance of the conference by more than 400 participating scientists.

Like the First National Confer­ence in 1950, the present conference was co-sponsored by the American Heart Association, the Heart Dis­ease Control Program and the Na­tional Heart Institute.

Dr. Abe l Walman, Professor Emeritus, Sanitary Engineering, Johns Hopkins University {right), is congratulated after delivering the final remarks at the plenary session of the Second Na­tional Conference on Cardiovascular Diseases by Dr. Irvine H. Page, Direc­tor of the Cleveland Clinic (left), who presented the summary an research, a nd Dr. Ralph E. Knutti, NHI Direc­tor, who was Ca-chairman of the con­ference.

Page 4

ABORTIONS (Continued from. Page 1)

The fathe1·s of the single girls included one airline pilot, thrc..: college professors, three engineers, twelve business managers, one gov­ernment official, one high school teac.her, one insurance salesman, one lawyer, one orthodontist, one research scientist.

The husbands included three doc­tors, two pharmacists, three law­yers, three college professors, six business managers, two Army offi­cers.

Invariably, the single women were afraid to ask their families for help.

Psychologicol Tests Give n Dr. Rapoport interviewed the

women for one to two hours and gave them psychological tests. She found that most of the single wom­en sought abortions because of th.e fear of social disgrace.

Five did not want their child be­cause they were in the throes of a divorce; eight said their preg­nancies resulted from rape; two said the pregnancies were incon­venient; one said she could not af­ford the chlld. Ten asked for abortions for medical reasons. None of the women admitted to previous abortions.

A number of studies have point­ed to a domineering mother, grief over a lost relative, or emotional maladjustment as the basic reason for the woman's p1·edicament.

Dr. Rapoport found, on the other hand, that most of the women she studied were normal, "not neurot­ic," with unremarkable and con­ventional childhoods, little or no rejection of their feminine role, and little guilt over seeking an abortion. Most felt it was their l'ight to refuse to have the child.

Male Portner Described The composite of the male part­

ner showed him to be "a sociall:r ambitious man one to two years older tl1an the woman, in the mid­dle of a Jong course of professional training, upwardly mobile and not yet able to support a family under present professional plans."

About half of the single women said they had been "jilted." The z-est said they had left the man. Five of the men were married to someone else.

Dr. Rapoport emphasized that the Swedish authorities interpret their abortion la\vs most conserva­tively and require documented, medical reasons for the abortions. " I n Sweden," she said, "an un­married pregnant girl knows she can't just go to the Board and get an abortion."

Of the eight successful Ameri­can applicants for abortion in the study, five were marri,ed. The mar­ried women's cases were based mainly on records of previous psy­chiatric difficulty, or records of

Decemb'er is, 1964

Scientists Report New Developments in Search for 'Biological Clock' Mechanism

New developments in the search for the controlling mechanism of the "biological clock" have been reported by National Institute of Mental Health scientists.

The clock concept postulates a clock-like mechanism which regulates daily body functions of mammals in the absence of external stimuli.

Among these functions are mo­tor activity (caged rats begin to nm on their treadmills at the same time every night) and adrenal se­cretions.

There is significant evidence for such a mechanism but little is known about how it operates. There are indications, however, that light has some effect on the rhythm, since the cycle persists in undisturbed day-night conditions and in continuous darkness, but is suppressed by continuous light.

Cycle Is Re peated One of the most striking among

these circadian (24-hour) rhythms occurs in the serotonin content of the rat pineal gland. The level of serotonin, a compound abundant in the pineal gland, varies from a low at 10 p. m. to a peak of three times as much at noon. This cycle re­peats itself regularly every 24 hours.

Scientists at NIMH's Laboratory

At luncheon meeting honoring the f ive recipients of the Rockefelle r Pub­lic Se rvice Awards for 1964, hefd De­cember 3 at the Shorehom Hotel in Washington, D. C., Dr. Robert F. Go­heen, Preside nt of Princeton Univer­sity (left), whose Woodrow Wilson School of lnternationol Affoirs admin­isters the owords, presents Dr. James A. Shonnon, NIH Director (right), with his Aword. John D. Rocke feller 3rd (cente r) estoblished the owords, regorded os one of the highest forms of recognition given Federal career e mployees for outslo nding c,chieve­me nts.-Photo by Som Silverman.

previous children with congenital defects.

Dr. Rapoport believes that many of the unsuccessful applicants re­ceived abortions, probably illegal ones, elsewhere. Twelve have a l­ready written her that they se­cured abortions. Only three wrote to say they delivered the child and put him up for adoption.

of Clinical Science have shown that the mechanism responsible for this rhythm is a true biological clock, persisting under normal conditions and in continuous darkness. lt was also found to maintain itself in rats which had been blinded.

This rhythm is contTOlled by in­formation relayed from the cen­tral nervous system to the pineal gland over the sympathetic nerves, a rhythm that is elimfoated when some of the sympathetic nerves (superior cervical ganglia) are removed.

Thus it would appear that there exists a "clock" mechanism in the centl'al nervous system which con­veys its information to the pineal gland via the sympathetic nervous system.

Evidence Supported The fact that blinded rats con­

turned to exhibit circadian rhythm for at least two weeks after blind­ing fu1·ther supports evidence that sympathetic innervation is re­quired, while intact retinae are not 1tecessary, to maintain the cycle.

The investigators offer three possible explanations:

1. The rhythm may be controlled by environmental lighting medi­ated through the sympathetic ner­vous system and photoreceptors other than the eyes.

2. It may be endogenous and in­trinsic to the pineal gland but re­quire sympathetic innervation for its expression.

3. It may be endogenous but controlled elsewhere in the body by information communicated to the pineal gland through the sym­pathetic ganglia.

Knowledge from these studies on the se1·otonin circadian rhythm in the pineal gland may have general importance for all mammalian bio­logical rhythms.

Rhythm Similorities Noted Since the daily serotonin rhythm

in the pineal gland is similar in many of its characteristics to daily rhythms which exist in all other bodily functions which have been studied (e.g., motor activity, adre­nal secretions), it would appear that all circadian cycles are con­trolled by the same central nervous system clock and communicated to the different organs by the sympa­thetic nervous system.

Additional investigations aTe un­derway to determine the location of this ce11tral clock mechanism.

These findings by Drs. Solomon H. Snyder, Mark Zweig, and Julius A..xelrod were reported in Life Sci­ences.

THE NIH RECORD

Carl R. Brewer Accepts Associate Deanship at University of Texas

Dr. Carl R. Brewer, Chief of the Research Grants Branch of the Na­tional Institute of General Medical Sciences, has accepted an Associate Deanship at the University of

T ex a s Graduate School of Biomedi­cal Sciences at Houston, effective January 1.

In this position, Dr. Brewer will be associated with Dr. Paul Weiss, Dean of the Graduate School of Biomedi-

Dr. Brewer cal Sciences, in the development of research and train­ing in the biomedical sciences.

In addition to his post as Asso­ciate Dean, Dr. Brewer will a lso serve las Deputy Director of the Institute of Biomedical Sciences and as Professor of Microbiology at the Houston institution.

Dr. Brewer leaves NIH after five years as RGB Chief, where he has piloted the expansion of the re­search gi-ants program from a $22.8 million budget in 1960 to its current $51.5 million budget.

Formerly With Army Before joining NIH, he was for

four years Chief of the Research Division, U.S. Army Chemical Corps Research and Development Command in Washington, D. C. Prior to that he served for eight years at Fort Detrick, Md.

A native 'of Indianola, Iowa, Dr. Brewer received his Ph.D. degree from Iowa State College, Ames, in 1939. He received a War Depart­ment Award for Exceptional Civil­ian Service for World War I[ re­search activities.

Foster Parents Needed For Homeless Children

The Child Welfare Division of the District of Columbia Depart· ment of Public Welfare reports that hundreds of homeless children need foster parents who can offer them the kind of loving care all children need in order to grow into well-balanced adulthood.

Although the need is primarily for homes for Negro children, white families who can offer care to two or more white children a1·e encouraged to do so.

The District of Columbia's Child Welfare Foster Care Program pays $70 a month to board chil­dren under six months of age and $60 for those over six months of age. Medical and dental services and some clothing are provided.

Interested couples may write to Child Welfare Division, F'oster Home Study Unit, 1291 Taylor Street, N.W., Washington 11, D. C.

THE N IH RECORtl

Drs. Tripp and Wagner Named Ass't Directors Of Biologics Standards

Dr. Roderick Murray, Dit·ector of the Division of Biologics Stand­,i rils, has announced thl! appoint­ment of Dr. John T. Tripp and Dr. John C. Wagner as Assistant Di­rectors for the Division.

Dr. Tripp, Chief of the Division's Laboratory of Blood and Blood Products since 1955, has been named Assistant Director in charge of licensing, inspection and the co­ordination of enforcement activi-

Dr. T ripp Dr. Wagne r

ties, including investigations of violations of the Biologics Act and regulations for biological products.

Dr. Wagner, who has served as assistant to the Director since June 1960, has been appointed As­sistant Director in charge of con­trol activities. Dr. Wagner will also serve as Acting Chief of the Laboratory of Control Activities, one of the Division's seven labora-

CHRISTMAS (Continued from Pane 1)

the Clifton Patk Citizens' Asso­ciation. Saint Nicholas will be the honori!d guest.

That evening at 8 o'clock a musi­cal treat will be presented for both adults and children. In an atmos­phere of extravagant sets and beautiful costumes, the Virginia Ballet Company will perform the Nutcracker Suite in the CC audi­torium.

In a do-it-yourself venture ihe patients and their ree.i'eation lead­ers will form :;he c.ast of a Pa­tient's Playhouse n1·escntatio11 next Monday evening, Dceembcr 21, at 7 :30 p. m. Their production will be titled " Holiday Merriment."

'Sing ing Sergeants' to Ente rtain

On Tuesday, a week from to­n ight, the "Singing Sergeants" oi the U. S. Air Force will do their part to make everyone feel at home. One of the must highly es­teemed armed s~rvice chm·al groups, the "Singing Sergeants" will present a full concert of Christmas music at 7: 30 p. m. in the 14-th floor assembly hall.

On Wednesday, December 23, the 14th floor assembly hall wi!I again be turned over to the patients so that they can hold Open House for

December 15, 1964 Page 5

Fund Accepts Contributions For Patients at All Times

Employees who are inter­ested in making a contribution to the Patients Welfare Fund may do so at any time.

It is recommended that checks be sent in sealed enve­lopes by inter-office mail to Room l-N-250, Bldg. 10.

However, cash may be sent from areas served by the pneu­matic tube system to Tube Station AU-1, same room number.

tories. Both appointees are Public

Health Service commissioned offi­cers. D1·. Tripp has been with the Service since 1950 and has been actively engaged in the field of bio­logics products since that time.

He received his Ph.D. in bio­chemistry in 1931 from Purdue University and an honorary Sc.D. from the State College of South Dakota in 1961.

Dr. Wagner came to NIH from Lima, Peru, where, on Joan from PHS to the International Coopera­tion Administration's Division of International Health, he had served as Director of Peru's National In­stitute of Public Health for two­and-one-half years.

Dr. Wagner received his Sc.D. in immunology and virology from the Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health.

their doctors, nurses, relatives and friends. And Santa Claus has al­ready accepted an invitation to be there. In fact, he made reserva­tions for two, with the e:,..planation that his 6-foot ;;toe king· full of toys will take up at least as much room as another person. •

On Thm·sday, December 31, a children's party at 6 p. m. and an­other from 8 to 10 for adult pa­tients wil l help usher in the New Year.

Other Events Scheduled

Other events on the patients' holiday agenda include downtown window shopping, a visit to the National Christmas Tree at the Ellipse, groups of carolers making the rounds of all Nursing Units on Christmas E~, and the opportu­nity of an faiths to worship in the Clinical Center Chapel.

Regular Protestant services will be held Sunday, December 20, at 10 a. m. Later that evening, at 6 o'clock, there wiJJ be a Christmas Carol service.

Members of the Catholic faith will be able to attend a Christmas Carol service on Christmas Eve at 11 :30 p. m., followed by Midnight Mass. On Christmas Day, Mass will be observed at 7: 15 a. m. and 8:30 p. m.

A special Cham1kkah celebra-

Welfare FuncF.Needs Help From Others To_ ,Bring:Home Life to CC Patients

Happine;~ is helping someone Jess fortunate, especially at Christ­mas time.

Many NIH employees are now having this experience. Instead of exchanging Christmas cards with their coneagues, various groups of NIH staff members have made joint gifts to the Clinical Center Patients Welfare Fund this year, thus assuring that something extra can be provided for individuals who will be spending the holidays in the hospital.

This custom was started by

Dr. Jack Masur, Directar of the Clini­cal Center, thanks James B. Davis, Chief of Supply Management Branch (left) and Dr. Harold Stanley, Chief af the Oral Medicine and Surgery Branch, NIDR, far their branches' contributians to the CC Patients We l­fare Fund, given in lieu af Yuletide parties.- Phata by Jerry Hecht.

OAM's Supply .Management Bt·anch when James B. Davis, Chief, origi­nated the idea several years ago.

"When I figured out how much it was costing me to send tards to 200 people in our own Branch, I realized that the $25 would accom­plish a Jot in human value if it could be added to the Patients Wel­fare Fund," Mr. Davis explained. Recently when he presented a sub­stantial check to Dr. Jack Masur, CC Director, he said it represented contributions from the entire Branch.

SMB Fund Traditional

Sending Christmas Fund money rather than Christmas cards has now become as traditional as Christmas itself in the Supply Management Branch, and the prac­tice is spreading through OAM and to other areas of NIH.

Last year, groups in the Na­tional Cancer Institute and the Di­v1s10n of Biologics Standards adopted the " Davis Plan."

This year, for the first time, Dr. Harold Stanley, Chief of NIDR's Oral Medicine and Surgery Branch, presented a check to Dr. Masur for the Fund from an the members of

tion, the Festival of Lights, also was held for those of Jewish faith on Friday, December 4.

his Bran~h. Other offices may have their own

plans under way, but only scattered returns were available at this writ-ing.

The Patients Welfare Fund was established 10 years ago to assist Clinical Center patients and their families who are under serious fi­nan~ial and emotional stress. It is main cained entirely by voluntary support.

The greater share is provided by contributions from the Recreation and Welfare Association of NIH. But a significant part comes. irom NIH employees, individually and in groups, and from former patients and their grateful relatives and friends.

Others Se nd Contributions ' During 1964, for exampl'e, a

check for $900 was received from a small community in Ohio. It repre­sented contributions from citizens there who were friends or relatives of a CC patient. Many times con­tributions are made without ex­planation, such as weekly checks for $5 from one couple.

Some business firms send group collections from their employees because they want to do something to help medical research. NIH em­pl_oyees, too, find novel ways of helping. Recently the balance of a discontinued Coffee Fund in the Clinical Center was given to the Fund, as was the sizeable balance of a discontinued Sunshine Club in NIMH.

The Welfare Fund helps in many ways to provide for patients' needs that regular appropriations cannot cover. At Christmas it helps par­ents faced with financial problems in purchasing gifts for their chil­dren patients.

Gifts Boost Mora le

Not only the financially needy receive attention. Token gifts may be given to any patient of any age at any time of the year to boost morale of the lonely or despondent.

One woman was cheered by a visit to the CC Beauty Shop; an elderly man was grateful for a book of postage stamps; a young­ster facing surgery needed his par­ents, so transportation was ar­ranged for them.

Dr. Masur points out that thete are no deductions for administra­tive costs. Every penny of every donation is used directly for the patients, thus providing happiness two ways- for the one who gives and the one who receives.

The National Library of Medi­cine was established on October 1, 1956, with the transfer of the func­tions of the Armed Forces Medical Library.

Eleven members of NIAID's Middle Atlontic Reseorch Unit (MARU) were re­cipients recently of Sustoined Superior Accomplishment Awords ot separote ceremonies in the Conol Zone ond at NIH for work performed during studies on Bolivion hemorrhagic fever, Two of the 11 , Gustovo Justines and Angel Mu­noz-both Panomonio n citizens-received certificates ond awards of $1,0()0 each. The remaining nine, in addition to being cited for staff support in the group oword, rece ived certificates and shored o $1,000 honorarium. In the picture on the left, Mr. Justines and Mr, Munoz ore shown with other me m­bers of Ml.RU and dignitories from the Republic of Pona mo, Bolivia a nd the U. S. From left: Dr. Ronald B. MacKenzie, MARU; Mr. Justines; Jaime Bilbao Zubieto, Bolivian Ambassador to Panama; Jock Vaughn, U. S. /~mbossodor

Power Squadron Course In 'Piloting' to Be Given Here Beginning Jan. 11

The NIH Sailing Association has announced that it will sponsor a 14-week instructional course in Piloting, to be conducted in the Building 1 cafeteria on consecutive Monday evenings at 7 :30 o'clock, beginning January 11.

Dr. Howard L. Andrews, CC Radiation Safety Officer, a mem­ber of the Sailing Association and Squadron Educational Officer of the Potomac River Power Squad­ron, will conduct the instructional course, which is free to Sailing As­sociation members and all NIH employees interested in sailing or power boating.

Course Developed by USPS

The material to be presented dur­ing the 14 two-hour classes con­sists of the regular course in Pilot­ing as developed by the United States Power Squadrons. Course material and instruction will be provided free of charge. Textbooks and certain course materials, how­ever, will have to be provided by those attending the course.

Although the classes will be con­secutive, there will be no session on Washington's Birthday, Febru­ary 22, a legal holiday. At the con­clusion of the 14-week period, April 19, a final examination will be held on Monday, April 26.

Additional information regarding the course may be obtained from Elizabeth E. Warner (Ext. 64705), Dr. Ralph G. Adams (Ext. 62889), or William H. J ennings Jr. (Ext. 62052).

In May, 1930, the Hygienic Lab­oratory became the National Insti­tute (singular) of Health under the Ransdell Act.

NIRENBERG (ContinHrd from Pape 1)

further stated, "Dr. Nirenberg's work has made possible dfrect ex­perimental evaluation of the chem­ical prncesses of the genetic code. This work has illuminated the way in which genetic information is coded into the nucleic acids and used to direct the incorporation of specific amino acids into ,proteins."

Dr. Nirenberg was born in New York City in 1927 and received his undergraduate and early graduate training at the University of Flor­ida. In 1957 he received his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan and since that time has been asso­ciated with NIH.

The National Medal of Science was established by the 86th Con­gress to be awarded by the Presi­dent to individuals "who in his judgment are deserving of special recognition by i·eason of their out­standing contributions to knowl­edge in the physical, biological, mathematical or engineering sci­ences.n

Other Recipients Listed

The awards are made on the basis of recommendations received from the President's Committee on the National Medal of Science, con­sisting of 12 members.

Other recipients of the National Medal of Science as announced by the President are Dr. Roger Adams, Professor of Chemistry, Emeritus, University of Illinois; Dr. Othmar Herman Ammann, con­sulting engineer and partner in the firm of Ammann & Whitney, New York City; Dr. Theodosius Dob­zhansky, Professor and member of the Rockefeller Institute, New York City; Dr. Charles Stark Draper, Head of the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics,

THE NIH RECORD

to Panama; Mr. Munoz; Robe rt J. Fleming, Jr., Gove rnor of the Conol Zone; Dr. Jomes Watt, Director, Office of International Health, PHS, who repre­sented the Surgeon Generol; and Dr. Karl M. Johnson, MARU Director. At right, Dr. Dorlond J . Davis, NlAID Director, and Or. Alexis Shelokov, Chief of the Laboratory of Virology and Rickettsiology, DBS, congratulate four NIH laboratory workers who were among the nine shoring the group award and honorarium. f,om left: Dr. Davis, Dr. She lokov, Ourus D. Davis, Dorothy 0 . Smith, Mory T. Scherer , ond Norman H. Smith. The remaining five-Eugenio Litton, Yolando Reyno, Thomoso Riddell, George Smort, and Wilfred Smith, all Panamanian citizens, were not avoilab le for the Canal Zone cere monies.­Right Photo by Som Silverman.

Child Health Announces Appointments, Promotion Four appointments to the staff of

the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the promotion of one staff member were announced recently by the Institute.

The new staff members and thefr positions are Dr. Philip A. Corf­man, Medical Officer, Reproductive Biology Program; Dr. Philip L. Williams, Orthopedic Consultant, Growth and Development Program; Dr. Sydney Segal, Visiting Scien­tist, Perinatal Biology and Devel­opmental Pharmacology Programs; and Richard L. Hopkins, Chief of the Ex tr a m u r a I Management Branch.

McDougall Promoted John C. McDougall, formerly

EMB Chief, moves into the recently established position of Assistant to the Director for Operations.

Dr. Corfman, who will work on reproduction and population dy­namics, is an experienced obstetri­cian-gynecologist who most re­cently was a Josiah Macy Jr. Foun­dation Research Fellow in Obstet­rics and Gynecology at the Colum­bia University College of Physi­cians and Surgeons.

Massachusetts Institute of Tech­nology; Dr. Solomon Lefschetz, Professor Emeritus of Mathe­matics, Princeton University.

Also Dr. Neal Elgar Miller, Angell Professor of Psychology at Yale; Dr. Marston Morse, Profes­sor at the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, N.J.; Dr. Julian Schwinger, Professor of Physics at Harvard; Dr. Harold Clayton Urey, Professor-at-Large, University of California (San Diego); and Dr. Robert Burns Woodward, Donner Professor of Science at Harvard.

Dr. Williams will work on re­search related to functional biology and will be a Guest Scientist at the Naval Medical Research Institute, where he will develop research and conduct clinical studies on bone and cartilage growth.

The Institute's first Vis iting Scientist, Dr. Segal, is cun-ently working in the areas of infant and newborn respirato'ry processes, intrauterine physiology, and adap­tation of the newborn to its en­vironment. ·

As Chief of the Extramural Management Branch, Mr. Hopkins will be responsible for administra­tive and fiscal review of grant ap­plications, formulation and imple­mentation of grants and contracts management policies, and coordina­tion and maintenance of grants records.

To Aid in Liaison

He will also assist Mr. McDou­gall in providing liaison with grantees, the DRG, and others on grants management matters.

In his new position Mr. McDou­gall will be responsible for provid­ing operations support for NICHD's scientific programs, in­cluding scientific, administrative, and technical services, such as grants processing, management, cont1·acts, facilities and resources, and epidemiology and biometry.

Prior to his appointment a s EMB Chief in June 1963, :.\tr, McDougall was Chief of the Administrative Methods Branch, Division of Health Servi c es, Children's Bureau, DHEW, where he was responsible for administrative aspects of the Bureau's maternal and child health programs and services for crippled children.

TUE NJll RECORD

NIAMD Study Evaluates Diagnostic Criteria for Rheumatoid Arthritis

By Mary Henley

A mathematical evaluation of the criteria used in diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis shows, among other things, that morning stiff­ness shou Id persist at least ten minutes to be considered in the di­agnosis of rheumatoid arthritis.

The e valution of all diagnost ic criter ia of the American Rheuma­tism Association (ARA) points up the importance of using each indi­vidual criterion for a better 01·

more precise diagnosis of rheuma­toid arthritis.

Evidence obtained from analyses of each criterion, measured against all other ARA standards in the group, indicates that although some criteria are more valuable than others, none should be ex­cluded from diagnostic procedures for rheumatoid a1thritis.

Present Criteria Weak Recognized weaknesses in pres­

ent diagnostic criteria led to this study by Dr. William M. O'Brien, formerly of the National Institute of Arthritis and Metabolic Dis­eases; Dr. Thomas A. Burch of NIAMD, and NIAMD's late Clini­cal Director, Dr. Joseph J. Bunin1.

The results of this study wer1a reported in a paper presented by Dr. O'Brien at t he opening session, Friday, December 4, of the Elev­enth Interim Scientific Session of the American Rheumatism Asso­ciation at its 2-day meeting.

Dr. O'Brien, now with Yale Uni­versity, also suggested that the diagnostic value of present ARA criteria would be strengthened considerably by the adoption of certain revisions.

A committee of the ARA drew up the original criteria for the di­agnostic classification of patients with probable, definite, or classical rheumatoid arthritis. Subsequently, these criteria were modified for use as diagnostic standards in ponula­lation studies. In general, the cri­teria concern factors such as morn­ing stiffness, pain on motion, ten­derness, joint swelling, skeletal changes as detected by X-rays, a blood serum factor, or a combina­tion of such findings.

Indian Tribes Studied In their mathematical evalua­

tion of these criteria, Dr. O'Brien and associates used data previously acquired in surveys of rheumatoid arthritis in two North American Indian tribes-the Pirnas of Ari­zona and the Blackfeet of Mon­tana. With these population sam­ples, the team made individual evaluations of each criterion against all other criteria in this diagnostic group.

From their data, the scientists recommended that the criterion of

December 15, 1964

·'

Dr. Thomas A. Burch of NIAMD stands beside the carryall hooked up to the trailer that provides him with livin9 quarters, laboratory and clinic an his survey trips in remote sections of the country. These two vehicles are part of the ingenious rolling stock that also includes survey vans with comple• lab­oratory equipme nt and facilities for cxaminin9 patients. Another trailer car• ries a hi9h-powered electric 9enerator.-Photo by Bab Pumphrey.

morning stiffness specifies a dura­tion of at least ten minutes. I n their studies, morning stiffness of less than ten minutes duration showed no association with the presence or absence of rheumatoid arthritis and hence appears to b-e of no diagnostic value.

They also suggested that con­sideration be given to assigning additional weight to specific cri­teria such as a strongly positive blood examination, joint swelling, and structural changes found by X-rays.

Conclusions Emphasized Commenting on the conclusions

reached in this study, Dr. Burch said, "Despite apparent weak­nesses in present criteria, it is im­portant to include each and every diagnostic standard in population surveys of rheumatoid arthritis."

He noted that some investigators omit one or more of the criteria from their survey protocols, chiefly because of the added cost in time and money.

Such omissions, Dr. Burch said, make comparisons with the results of surveys that utilize all criteria

A venerable member af the Blackfeet Tribe of Indians e njoys a coffee break after examination for arthritis in the survey van used by Dr. Thomas A. Burch in studies of rheumatoid ar­thritis in Monta na.

extremely difficult. Recognition should be given to the importance of everyone using exactly the same diagnostic criteria for rheumatoid arthritis to ensure comparability in their reports, he concluded.

New Sections Organized in NIAMD Laboratory The National Instit ute of Arthri­

tis and Metabolic Diseases has an­nounced the establishment of new sections in its Laboratory of Bio-

. physical Chemistry. This laboratory, which evolved

from a section in NIAMD's Labo­ratory of Physical Biology, was formally designated a laboratory in April 1964, with Dr. Koloman Laki as Chief.

The laboratory is now composed of an Office of the Chief and Sec­tions on Macromolecules, Bioener­getics, and Physical Biochemistry.

Dr. H. A. Saroff has been ap­pointed Chief of the Section on Macromolecules, which will conduct research on the elucidation of the structure of macromolecules of bio-

logical importance and related sub­jects.

The Section on Bioenergetics, with Dr. W. J. Bowen as Chief, will investigate the problem of how energy released in biological proc­esse~ is related to mechanical work carried out by muscle, including studies of enzymes involved in the release of chemical energy.

Dr. Laki will head the Section on Physical Biochemistry, which will conduct research on the mechanism whereby nature builds up struc­tures from macromolecules in which one form of energy is con­verted to another, including studies on the contractile structure of muscle and the structural build-up in the fibrinogen-fibrin transition.

Page 7

NIH Researchers Attend Montreal AAAS Meeting

Up to 10,000 scientists and re­searchers, including 12 from NIH, are expected to attend the 131st meeting of the American Associa­tion for the Advancement of Science, to be held this year in Montreal, Canada, De~ember 26-31.

Features of the 1964 meeting will include symposia on pest control, primate behavior, differentiation of living cells, possible influences on weather of meteors and the moon, and effects on heal th of trace ele­ments in food and water.

Lectures and discussions also are planned on lower animals and their self-regulating populations, the world's nonrenewable mineral re­sources, and new channels in as­tronomy.

NIDR Scientists to Participate Five scientists from the National

Institute of Dental Research will participate in a discussion of the role played by environmental fac­tors in oral health at a symposium on "Environmental Variables in Oral Diseases."

Globe-wide population studies will be discussed by Dr. Albert L . Russell, Chief of the Epidemiology and Biometry Branch. His team of researchers has produced a num­ber of unexplained, seemingly in­consistent findings which may in­fluence scientists to reexamine some of their concepts on the causes of oral disease.

For example, in the Far East, dental decay is lower than it is in North America, despite the fact that Far Easterners do not brush their teeth or eat the so-called pro­tective foods.

Dr. Russell notes that Alaskan Eskimos and East Indians develop more dental decay when they are transplanted from their traditional rural cultures to cities where other cultures predominate.

Causative Factors Studied Apparently, research focused on

the role played by a variety of en­vironmental factors such as diet, social culture, and ethnic back­ground needs continued refinement if the precise causative factors and complex interrelationships involved in oral disease are to be deter­mined.

Dr Raehel H T U§QQ pf NIDR's Laboratory ofiticrobiology will re­port on experiments which have demonstrated the interrelationship in experimental animals between susceptibility and resistance to dental caries, and genetic constitu­tion as distinct from environment.

Precise mechanisms involved in tissue destruction and their rela­tion to oral disease will be dis­

(Se-0 MONTREAL, Paue 8)

Page 8

Traveling NCI Scientist Doubles as Recruiter on Visit to Alma Mater

Each year from among the grad­uating seniors and candidates for graduate degrees in colleges and universities throughout U. S., the NIH hopes to attract a satisfying percentage of the brightest and most promising to fill a wide varie­ty of professional needs.

Representatives of the Recruit­ment and Placement Section, Per­sonnel Management Branch, OD, make yearly visits to college cam­puses where they hope to spark t he interest of likely candidates.

Dr. Thomos Aids Recruiters Recently the College Placement

and Recruiting Office received a gratifying assist from an unex­pected source. Dr. Louis B. Thom­as, Head of the Surgical Pathology and Post Mortem Service, Patho­logic Anatomy Branch, NCI, invited to r ead a paper at his alma mater, the College of Idaho, learned he would also be expected to speak briefly at a gathering of honor students t here.

Recognizing an unusual recruit­ment opportunity; Dr. Thomas armed himself beforehand with NI H recruitment facts, figures and informational material which he made available to the Idaho stu­dents.

Dr. Thomas feels that all NIH scientists are constantly recruiting, in the sense that their interests and enthusiasms, and thus, their conversation, are centered on "what we're doing at NIH." In this in­stance, however, he had an oppor­tunity to prepare for a recruiting mission with deliberation and fore­sight.

Visits Are Limited The College Placement Office can,

of course, visit only a limited num­ber of colleges each year. The in­evitable result is that the larger universities east of the Mississippi receive the most attention.

Traveling NIH scientists, on the other hand, may find themselves frequently on or near a college campus. To the Personnel Office, the traveling, lecturing scientist presents a potentially powerful supplement to NIH recruitment.

All NIH personnel contemplating visits to the academic world and willing to be deputized for this purpose are invited to follow Dr. Thomas' example. By visiting J ack Ewan at the College Placement Office they can fortify themselves wit h information material.

The Rocky Mountain Laboratory became part of the National In­stitute of Health, and was admin­istratively made part of the Divi­sion of Infectious Diseases in F eb­ruary, 1937,

December 15, 1964

This is the f irst exhibit prepared by the Notional Institute of Child Health o nd Human Development. It was presented recently ot the Americ,an Academy of Pediatrics in New Yark City and is descriptive of the lnstitute's mondate.­Photo by Ed Hubbard.

MONTREAL (Continued from Pago 7)

cussed by Dr. Harold M. Fullmer of the Laboratory of Histology a nd Pathology, and Dr. George Martin of the Laboratory of Biochemistry.

Their studies have done much to clarify the factors which influence the formation and destruction of the special molecular subunits that impart structural integrity to col­lagen tissue.

Other Reseorch Noted Othe1· research by these investi­

gators has demonstrated some of the mechanisms involved in scurvy where an absence of Vitamin C in the diet of experimental animals causes collagen synthesis to come to a halt, stops production of the or­ganic portions of bone and dentin, and encourages hemorrhage.

Laboratory findings which indict a g roup of drugs responsible for congenital malformations in ani­mals and which further demon­strate the non-existence of an "im­penetrable placental barrier" will be discussed by Dr. C. T. G. King of the Laboratory of Biochemistry.

In a series of metabolic studies he was able to demonstrate that a common denominator of some harmful antihistaminic drugs is a specific chemical fraction which can cross the placenta of pregnant rats and produce deformities in their offspring.

Kreshove r Chairs Session Dr. Seymour: J. Kreshover, As­

sociate Director in Charge of Re­search, NIDR, will act as Chair­man of the session on experimental considerations in oral soft tissue lesions. Dr. Frank J. McClure, Chief of the Laboratory of Bio­chemistry, also will attend the AAAS meeting.

Others from NIH who will pre­sent papers at the meeting include Dr. Edwin D. Becke1·, Chief, Sec­t ion on Molecular Biophysics, Lab­oratory of Physical Biology, NIAMD, "Recent Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Studies of Hydrogen Bonding"; Dr. John Vandenbergh, Laboratory of Perinatal Physiol­ogy, NINDB, "Social Dynamics in

Overall NICHD Mandate Described in 1st Exhibit

The overall mandate of the Na­tional Inst itute of Child Health and Human Development is described in the first exhibit to be prepared by that Institute.

Presented at a recent meeting of the American Academy of Pedi­atrics in New York City, \;he ex­hibit illustrates the eight program areas which give emphasis to its mandate-to foste1· and.support re­search and training activities that will lead to a more complete under­standing of normal development and of complex health problems related to t he developmental proc­ess.

The exhibit consists of t hree ma­jor sections: two exhibit units con­sisting of four program-area panels each, and a 3-sided struc­ture called a "trylon."

Programs Listed The eight program areas-repro­

ductive biology, perinatal biology, growth and development, aging, mental retardation, congenital mal­format ions, developmental pharma­cology, and human communication - are described briefly in the panels above a lighted, transpar­ent photograph. Each photograph, illuminated by a timing device, il­lustrates some aspect of the pro­gram.

The 3-sided structure, or ti-ylon, consists, on one side, of a quotation about the Institute from the late P1·esident Kennedy. The other sides contain a Listing of the eight pro­gram areas and an explanation of research grants.

a New Free-Ranging Colony of Rhesus Monkeys"; Dr. James E. Mosimann, Biometrics Branch, NINDB, "Null Models and Their Use in Interpreting Pollen Fre­quencies"; Dr. Az-nold E. Schaefer, Executive Director, Interdepart­mental Committee on Nutrition for National Defense, NIH, "The Changing Nutri,tional Environment and Disease," and Milton W. Sko­laut, Chief, Pharmacy Department, CC, " A Central Int1·avenous Addi­tive P rogram in the Pharmacy."

'rltE NIH RECORD

Scientific Evidence for A 'False' Neurochemical Transmitter Reported ·

Studies by National Institute of Mental Health investigators sug­gest that a derivative of tyramine may replace some of that substance following monoamine oxidase in­hibition and account for the hypo­tensive effects of the antidepres­sants.

Administration of monoamine oxidase inhibitors, used as anti­depressant drugs, is followed by diminished responsiveness of sym­pathetic nerves and concurrent hy­potensive effects.

The inhibition of certain b1.·ain enzymes by the monoamine oxidase inhibitors results in improvement of the emotional state.

Evidence Cited There is evidence that the hy­

potensive effects are related to an accumulation of endogenously­formed amines (tyramine) in the tissues.

Following administration of monamine oxidase inhibitors, these amines, usually destroyed by mono­amine oxidase, accumulate in the sympathetic vesicles. It appears that this accumulation impafrs the release of norepinephrine which transmil:,s the nerve impulses.

NIMH scientist s have found evi­dence that the amines are con­verted to hydroxylated derivatives which, in turn, take the place of a portion of the norepinephr ine nor­mally contained in the nerve end­ings.

One of these derivatives, octo­pamine, appears to act as a "false" transmitter. It resembles the ac­tivity of norepinephrine in that it accumulates in the sympathetic nerve endings and is released by nerve stimulation; but it is a less active molecule and, unlike nore­pinephrine, fails to transmit the impulse.

Nerve Response Decreases When this substance replaces a

portion of the norepinephrine, as is believed, less norepinephrine is re­leased upon stimulation, resulting • in decreased sympathetic nerve responsiveness.

This decrease appears respon­sible for the hypotensive and ameli­orating effects of the monoamine oxidase inhibitors.

Ors. Irwin Kopin, Josef Fischer, Jose Musacchio, and W. Dale Horst, . Laboratory of Clinical Science, NIMH, reported these re­sults in the September issue of the Proceeding11 of the National Acad­emy of Sciences.

We've been unfail- to the snail. Hencefotth Jet it be said that snails move at traffic's pace.- Changing Times.