Others Co-operating

“A number of competent men associated with Queen’s University are collaborating with Doctor Connell, so that we can feel assured that the problem is being attacked from various sides in a thoroughly scientific manner.

“We bespeak for Doctor Connell all the assistance that the profession can give, and congratulate him on having developed a new line of attack on the dread disease, cancer, which has distinct promise.”

Injected with Needle

The solution is injected into the patient with a hypodermic needle. Doctor Connell calls it “ensol”, which is a contraction of the two words “enzyme solution.” Strangely enough, he makes the solution with the aid of a germ which is frequently the cause of diseases in mankind, being responsible for one type of the dreaded gas gangrene which complicated many wounds in the World War.

In the Canadian Medical Association Journal, Doctor Connell relates the steps which led to the development of “ensol.” He is an eye specialist and went to the study of cancer form the study of cataract.

In earlier studies, Doctor Connell found that certain enzymes, or active chemical substances occurring in the blood, had the power of destroying the proteins which cause the cloudiness of the lens in cataract.

There are a number of microbes, known as the proteolytic micro-organisms, which secrete enzymes capable of destroying proteins. They include bacillus histolyticus, the cause of gas gangrene. It occurred to Doctor Connell that if this bacillus was grown on the protein from cataract, it would secrete only the enzyme needed to destroy this protein.

Experiments, Doctor Connell

reports, confirmed his reasoning. It was at this point that he determined to turn his attention to cancer. He began his experiments with mice. His technique was as follows: Small quantities of cancer tissue from mice were placed in a test tube containing a salt solution. A pure culture of the bacillus was then added.

Cancer Was Destroyed

At this end of six days, the cancer cells have been completely destroyed. He then filtered off the remaining liquid which he reasoned should contain the enzyme produced by the bacillus. It is this solution which he named “ensol.”

The solution was then injected into cancerous mice and it was found that the cancer tissue was partially dissolved away, the cancers becoming smaller and softer.

Next he turned to human patients, who had been given up as hopeless. This time the ensol was made by putting bits of human cancer in the test tube and adding the bacillus.

The Journal carries the report of 30 of these cases.

Discussing these cases in an editorial, the Journal says, “the first two presented spectacular improvement; most of the others showed good though less striking results, and in some few no benefit was derived.

One of the cases cited by Doctor Connell is that of a “Mrs. E. M.,” 45 years old. She was operated on for cancer in 1934 but brought back to the hospital with a return of the growth in February, 1935. Her case was considered hopeless and she was sent home to die.

“Treatment with ensol was commenced May 14 as an experiment,” Doctor Connell reports. “On Sept. 7 the patient appears a normal healthy individual. She is doing her own housework; going on picnics, and swimming. No opiates are used; weight gain, 32 pounds since May.”

Another case is “Mrs. A. R.,” aged 52, who was given up to die. Treatment with ensol began Jan. 16. Doctor Connell reports “at present the pain can be fairly well controlled. The abdominal masses are still tender, but their outline is less nodular and the growths appear to be of softer consistency.”

As already noted, there were several cases which did not improve. Of “Mr. A. M.,” aged 33, Doctor Connell writes, “treatment was commenced on July 20 but had no effect. The patient died on Sept. 1.”

Doctor Connell also emphasizes the fact that much laboratory and clinical investigation remains to be done.

Doctor Connell was born in Kingston, in 1895, the only son of Dr. James Cameron Connell, who for 25 years was dean of the faculty of medicine of Queens University. He graduated from Queens University in arts in 1918 and after graduation served at the Canadian base hospital at Vladivostok, Russia.

For 15 years he has assisted his father as an eye, ear, nose and throat specialist in Kingston. He was appointed clinical assistant in 1922 and assistant professor in 1930.
continued on page 3

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