Be-still for Hearts

Dr. Ko Kuei Chen, who was born in Shanghai, educated at the University of Wisconsin and Johns Hopkins, and is now Eli Lilly & Co.'s director of pharmacological research, last week celebrated a new triumph. In the past he showed that the Chinese shrub Ma Huang was good, ancient medicine because the ephedrine which it contains relieves congestion in cold-ridden noses and stimulates poky hearts. He showed that toad venom was good, ancient medicine because it contains unusual concentrations of cholesterol, ergosterol, bufagin, bufotoxin and bufotenine.

Last week the able Chinese took his able wife and collaborator, Dr. Amy S. H. Ling Chen, to Brooklyn to announce the discovery of thevetin, a new heart stimulant which the Chens isolated from the poisonous bestill nut of Hawaii.

From the kernel of each nut. which is hard and bitter, the Chens derive five hypodermic doses of thevetin. Upon injection thevetin flows directly to the heart, strengthens the action of the heart muscle. The Chens' good friend, Dr. Albert Hyman of Manhattan, used the new drug on failing heart cases that had ceased to respond to digitalis. Results, beamed Dr. Hyman last week, "were extremely satisfactory."

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