BEE STINGS:
Venom for Immunity Tests of pure bee venom on humans as a possible immunization for persons allergic to bee stings have received the green light from National Institutes of Health's division of biologic standards. Dr. Allen W. Benton, entomologist at Pennsylvania State University, gets a chance, after four years of experimentation on calves, bulls, guinea pigs, and mice, to test his theory that bee venom can be a more effective antigen than whole bee body extracts. First injections of bee venom—0.1 cc. of a solution diluted 1:10 million—have been given to 14 male and female volunteers from the university community, ranging in age from 21 to 54. Dr. Benton says that none of the group is allergic to bee stings. "We
gator hopes that testing with hypersensitive persons can be realized. Why pure venom? "With it," answers Dr. Benton, "a more potent solution can be developed and, at the same time, potentially dangerous foreign proteins from microorganisms, pollens, and other body proteins—introduced into humans when whole body extracts are used—can be eliminated." The value of solutions made from the ground up bodies of whole insects is not being questioned, Dr. Benton says emphatically. "Right now, they are the most effective treatment that we have." What the pure venom approach can mean, he says, is that by eliminating foreign proteins contained in whole body extracts, possibility of creating hypersensitivity in human beings might also be reduced.
TIRES:
Belted-Bias for 70's
Point of pain Testing a theory about bee venom
will inject them as if they were allergic, then maintain a constant monitoring of their general health to determine if pure venom has any tendency toward inducing hypersensitivity." Under his timetable, the group will be injected with experimental bee venom—the venom from honeybees in physiological saline with methyl and propyl paraban added as preservatives—twice a week for the first two and a half months of the program, then once a week for the next month. During that time, Dr. Benton explains, the group will be kept under constant surveillance for changes in blood pressure, glucose, calcium levels, renal and liver function, and Cortisol levels (adrenal monitoring). Should this phase proceed without complications, the Penn State investi-
Seldom has the beginning of a new auto model year been accompanied by such a major changeover in standard equipment tires as this year. The 1970 autos that started rolling into dealers' showrooms last week stand in most cases on belted-bias tires with glass fiber as the belt cord and polyester as the body cord. This tire design was pioneered by Goodyear, which now markets it as the Polyglas tire (C&EN, April 29, 1968, page 9 ) . Rayon bias-ply tires, so common as original equipment tires since the midforties, are virtually gone. Polyester glass-fiber belted-bias tires, available as optional equipment on most 1969 models, offer greater strength, longer wear, cooler operation, and better gas mileage, compared to belted-bias tires, tire producers claim. Auto producers confirm that about
957r of production models will have as standard original equipment polyester glass-fiber belted-bias tires, supplied by all the major tire producers. A company-by-company rundown: • General Motors will use the tires on all 1970 models as standard equipment. However, three continuations of 1969 models—Camaro, Firebird, and Corvette—will be equipped with biasply tires until 1970 models are introduced later in the year. • Ford Motor will use polyester glass-fiber belted-bias tires on all its models, with only a few exceptions. Mavericks and Falcons will have biasply tires with rayon or polyester cord. Lincoln Continental Mark III will have Michelin's radial tires with steel cord as original equipment, and Thunderbird will have U.S.-made radial tires. • Chrysler Corp. will use polyester glass-fiber belted-bias tires on all its models except Valiant, which will offer instead bias-ply polyester tires. • American Motors, too, will equip all its new models with the beltedbias tires with the exception of its low-priced Hornet, which will come equipped with bias-ply polyester tires. With this deep penetration of polyester glass-fiber belted-bias tires into the original equipment market, rayon's share of that market has been suddenly and effectively eliminated. "It's gone the way of the cotton cord," says one rubber company spokesman. "It was a good cord, but . . . . " Consumption of rayon as tire cord has decreased from 145 million pounds in 1968 to about 120 million pounds this year. On the other hand, polyester consumption in tires has increased from 90 million pounds in 1968 to about 125 million pounds in 1969. Glass fiber consumption as tire cord has increased from 8 million pounds in 1968 to about 20 million pounds this year.
Tires being made at Goodyear's Topeka, Kan., plant A major changeover in standard equipment tires SEPT. 22, 1969 C&EN
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