The morning times., 1896-11-30
DANGER Turks IN X-RAYs
Remarkable Experience Of an
Army Officer Reported Here.
HIS BODY BADLY BLISTERED
His Beard Dropped Out and the
Nail of HIS Right Hand Thumb
Gone-Had Reen Shot in the Back.
He Blames His Condition on RO-
entgen's Discovery.

The X-ray as an irritant and probable
cause Of serious results in experimentation
is just now exercising the army surgeons
of this city. A specific case has been re-
ported to the War Department., and has
been under discussion for some days by
Surgeon General Sternberg and members of
his staff.
This case comes from Mackinac Island
where Capt. j. McA. Webster, ,ofthe Twenty
second Infantry, is under treatment primar-
lily for probably fatal wound from pistol
ball in the spine, and incidentally from a
curious aggravation Of his condition, which
is supposed to be due to Y ray experiments
to locate the ball.
pr. s,einLerS mas given the case some
attention from the aC,o cunts filed, but he
is not disposed TO arrive at any hasty
conclusion as % any danger in the use
of the X-ray process. The present case,
however, he regardsas one gilmore than Ord-
nary Importance to the medical pi Ofession.
Tie curious changes i'll the physical CON
diticn Of Capt Webster, following several
experiments with the new process, give
color at least to the presumption that
they have Eeen caused by the mysterious
rays.
SHOT IN THE BACK.
Capt. Webster submitted to the treat
ment about six weeks ago, the history OF
the case being substantially as follows:
\ short time ago, while he was IN
crowd, some one behind him dropped q
loaded pistol to the ground. The weapon
went off, and the bullet was embedded in
Capt. Webster's back in the region of the
loins. The proximity of the bullet to the
spine threatened the victim with paralysis.
He dropped to the ground when he was
struck, and was unable to walk for some
weeks. He had somewhat recovered the
it., ,f Iifnhs "a the hlllpt cDi,I NOT
he located by the usual means he consented
to a trial of the X-rayS while in Chicago,
believing from all accounts that lie would
be benefited.
He submitted to numerous applications of
the X-ray. the scrutiny being bestowed
upon the patient on successive days, some
times Tor ulgo or three Gours at a time.
The vacuum tube was placed about four
inches from the body, and though the fierce,
penetrating ray was steadily administered,
the operator failed to locate the bullet.
Capt. Webster then went to Mackinac
Island, where he was seized with pains, and
soreness developed in the abdominal
region which had been exposed TO the X
ray, compelling him to remain in bed. The
skin had a blIstered appearance, as If from
Il bad burn, and was SO severe that 1t re-
CURED constant Treatment.
BEARD DROPS OUT.
Next tne patient DeaFd diOPpeu out.
Following this his hands assumed the same
blistered condition as his abdomen, and the
thumb nail of one hand became detached.
Then he remembered that his hands had
been exposed 10 the side ray as he sat in
the operating chair with his hands clutch
ing its arms.
The Army surgeons will await the result
with much interest. They have discussed
the case fully in the last week, and one oi
them made it a subject OF a lecture before
an association of local practitioners.