CAMP: DR. PERDUE SEARCHING THROUGH UNDERGROWTH: BARK TAKEN FROM TREE AND TIED IN BUNDLE: BARK LAID OUT FOR DRYING: CRATE BEING PREPARED FOR SHIPMENT.




Initials PK/VS/AS/BJ



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Background: DR. ROBEER PERDUE, A RESEARCH BOTANIST AND SCIENTIST OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, HAS BEEN CARRYING OUT AN ANNUAL SEARCH THROUGH EAST AFRICAN COUNTRIES FOR PLANT SAMPLES THAT IT IS HOPED WILL HELP IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CANCER. PART OF DR. PERDUE'S SEARCH HAS TAKEN PLACE IN THE REMOTE HILL COUNTRY OF KENYA.

THE PROJECT INVOLVES THE COLLECTION AND PREPARATION OF SMALL SAMPLES OF UP TO 2,000 PLANTS A YEAR. THE SAMPLES, ARE PREPARED IN THE FIELD, DRIED, LABELLED AND DOCUMENTED, AND PACKED FOR SHIPMENT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE PLANT INSPECTION STATION IN WASHINGTON.

FROM HERE, THEY ARE SENT TO A LABORATORY IN WISCONSIN, WHERE EXTRACTS OF THE PLANTS ARE OBTAINED AND SENT ON TO A CANCER RESEARCH STATION FOR TESTS WITH RATS AND MICE.

OF ALL THE SAMPLES OBTAINED, ONLY A FEW ARE FOUND TO INHIBIT CANCER GROWTH. THESE ACTIVE PLANTS ARE THEN COLLECTED IN GREATER QUANTITIES FOR FURTHER TESTS.

MORE THAN 1,200 PLANTS COLLECTED BY THE BOTANISTS ARE NOW KNOWN TO PRODUCE SUBSTANCES CAPABLE OF INHIBITING CANCER GROWTH.

DR. PERDUE'S SEARCH FRO SUITABLE PLANTS TAKES HIM OVER A WIDE AREA OF THE AFRICAN CONTINENT.

SAMPLES OF BARK, CUT BY AFRICAN MEMBERS OF HIS TEAM, ARE DRIED AT THE CAMP, BUNDLED UP IN CRATES AND SHIPPED OFF TO THE UNITED STATES FOR FURTHER EVALUATION.

IN THE 10 YEARS THAT THE BOTANISTS HAVE BEEN SEARCHING THE JUNGLE AND BUSHLANDS, THEY HAVE SUPPLIED NEARLY 20,000 PLANT SAMPLES FOR THE PROGRAMME.