CRYSTALS OF LIFE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 259, 24 June 1932, Page 8

CRYSTALS OF LIFE

GERMAN SCIENTIST CLAIMS DISCOVERY OF WAY TO YOUTH. NO GLAND OPERATIONS. One of the vital elements governing sex growth, and development, has been isolated and produced in the form of crystals that can be taken like ordinary medicine. It may mean youth in a wineglass. That is the momentous achievement of a German scientist, Dr. Butenandt, of Gottingen Univcrsity. It means that the whole question of rejuvenation may be revolutionised. Gland-grafting operations may become obsolete, and those who are undeveloped physically and psychologieally may be changed into healthy and vigorous people. Dr. Butenandt had for long been seeking to isolate the essential principle of one of the several internal secretions known as hormones — powerful secretions which flow into the bloodstream, and on the correct proportions of which the health of the body depends. Ile has now succeeded, and has produced an extraet in its pure state. The suhstance obtained has tremendous influence on the vital functions. Sir Arthur Keith explained the results attained to a "Sunday Expressrepresentative. "The suhstance has long been known to exist," he said, "but it was only ohtainable in solution. It was mixed with other elements. "This meant that the results following its use always had about them a degree of uncertainty — we were rather in the position of a man trying to hit a target with an old-fash-ioned hlunderhuss. "But now, with the production of Dr. Butenandt's crystals, we have the suhstance pure and unmixed. "We can study its effects accurately, control its action, standardise it, and determine graded doses. The results may prove to he more farreaching than we can see at present. "It is too early to discuss those possihle results in detail, hut in the matter of rejuvenation alone vastly improved effects may be hoped for. At the same time, it would he foolish to anticipate miracles."