Abstract
THE brief review in these columns (Nature, 156, 616 ; 1945) by Peters, Stocken and Thompson giving the history of the discovery and outlines of work upon 2: 3 dimercaptopropanol (BAL, or British anti-lewisite), has now been amplified by a statement from the United States (Science, 102, 601 ; 1945) ably compiled by L. L. Waters and Chester Stock. In the previous article, the main facts were given of the biochemical work leading up to this discovery, and the evidence was briefly summarized for the view that vicinal dithiols are effective antidotes to arsenic through their ability to form ring compounds with trivalent arsenicals, permitting thereby the excretion of increased amounts of arsenic from the system. In the American review, an account is given of the intense programme of study undertaken jointly by various U. S. Government agencies into the preparation and manufacture, biochemistry, toxicology, pharmacology, experimental therapeutics and clinical application of the new discovery.
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AMERICAN WORK ON BAL. Nature 157, 218 (1946). https://doi.org/10.1038/157218a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/157218a0