(EST Pub Date) Science and Technology in Communist CHINA Through 1970

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154. Although published material indicates a
strong interest in marine seismology, gravimetry,
and geomagnetism, no important research programs
have been noted. The ‘Chinese possibly have as
many as three small oceanographic investigation
ships, but they rely mainly on small naval ships
for support. Instrumentation is undoubtedly in-
ferior to that of the leading
I
No major ad-
vance in the Chinese oceanographic program is
expected by 1970.
7. Medical Sciences
155. China has a severe shortage of trained
medical personnel. Many Chinese medical doctors
in comparison with Western-trained physicians are
weak in basic sciences, generally demonstrate
superficiality in clinical practice, and are strongly
influenced by political dictums. The reforms of
medical education that have been introduced will
not rectify the situation during the period of this
estimate, but by 1973-75 they should advance the
quality of graduate physicians to a level that will
compare favorably with Western standards.
156. Medical research in China is directed to-
ward infectious and neoplastic diseases and along
the lines of basic disciplines. Major attention has
been given by the Chinese Academy of Medical
Sciences (CAMS) to research on the prevention
and control of infectious diseases which exact the
greatest toll on the working forces—schistosomi-
asis, tuberculosis, malaria, ]apanese B. encephalitis,
typhus, bacillary andamebic-dysentery, and hook-
worm. Significant contributions include the isola-
tion of a strain of trachoma virus by Tang and
Chang et al at the T’ung-jen Hospital at Peiping,
and the development by the Ch’ang-Ch’un Vaccine
and Serum Institute and the CAMS, of a less toxic
vaccine against Iapanese B. encephalitis. China
has a capability for the production of vaccines and
serums for most of her human and veterinary dis-
eases, as well as the production of standard phar-
maceuticals and antibiotics in limited quantities.
With the exception of this work, little in the way
of original research in this area seems to have been
accomplished in recent years. Use is now being
made of the few highly qualified Chinese micro-
biologists by giving more emphasis to fundamental
research in addition to purely practical aspects.
Work is in progress on the use of purine an-
tagonists as antiviral agents, on the nature of drug
resistance, on the structure and function of viral
nucleic acids, and on the mechanism of anti-
genicity.
157. Main lines of research on biochemical and
biophysical areas of the medical sciences include:
(I) the crystallization of proteins, (2) the discovery
of active sites on enzymes and their mechanism of
action, (3) the structure, properties, and genetic
role of nucleic acids, (4) the general study of
metabolism, using tracer techniques, and (5) bio-
logical effects of radiation. The best of this work
is conducted at the Institute of Biochemistry of
the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai.
VVhile none of this work is entirely original, it is
well conceived, controlled, and executed. Work
in physiology, neurophysiology, and pharmacology,
especially the mechanism‘ of drug action, is ex-
cellent.
158. Cancer research has included clinical studies
on cervical carcinoma, choriocarcinoma, chorio-
adenoma destruens, esophageal carcinoma, and
nasopharyngeal carcinoma; these included histo-
pathologic studies associated with the clinical in-
vestigations, principally conducted by the Institute
of Experimental Medicine, CAMS, in Peiping. -
159. Although individual basic studies on cancer,
protein synthesis, and medical virology have at-
tracted international attention, China will be un-
able to exploit in depth or adequately to broaden
its indigenous medical research capabilities before
1970. China is expected to seek Western scien-
tific and technological aid in the next decade in
order to overcome domestic research and develop-
ment deficiencies. Initial contacts and rapport are
being sought in part through the biomedical
sciences.
160. China is attempting to assure an adequate
food supply for its expanding population by in-
creased nutritional research and by birth control.
It is supporting a broad program of applied nu-
tritional research designed to identify the food
requirements of farmers and workers, to increase
the nutritive value of foods, to standardize and
simplify techniques for determining nutritional
levels, to apply nutritional science in the treatment
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Approved for Release: 2018/01/30 C00659420
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