A Peanut Factor for Hæmostasis in Hæmophilia

Abstract

IT is known that there are unpredictable apparent remissions of clinical symptoms enjoyed by hæmophiliacs; but these remissions have not been correlated with any influences such as time of year, food eaten, weather conditions, other diseases, or physical condition of the patient. The lack of ‘antihæmophilic factor’ associated with classic hæmophilia has been attributed¹ to a hypothetical block during the metabolic synthesis of the factor resulting from the action of the mutant gene of hæmophilia, such as occurs in the nutritional mutants of Neurospora and in eye pigment development in certain mutants of Drosophila ². In the cases of Neurospora, and Drosophila, and other organisms studied, the addition of the substances the synthesis of which is blocked genetically results in normal metabolism. If this is the case in hæmophilia, it may be possible to supply, by mouth or injection, the unavailable material necessary for normal production of the hæmostatic substance lacking in hæmophiliacs. However, the few instances of success of various supplements, such as vitamins E and B₁₂, X-rays, and œstrogen, have not been confirmed^3–7.