The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-02
MAY CURE CONSUMPTION
PITTSBURG DOCTOR THINKS X RAYS
WILL KILL THE BACILLI.
Ii His Experiments Prove Successful
Consumptive Patients VIII BE
Treated in This Way.
Pittsburg commercial-Gazette.

gical work is now being adapted for more
important experimental purposes. Unique
arguments are advanced that the powerful
rays are detrimental to the life of the
bacilli. Should the experiments prove as
much the ambitious doctors say they will
have discovered the first real preventive of
the disease which is so general in the
United States.
Experiments are now going on. The ma
chine in the hospital is daily penetrating the
bacilli, and within month it is hoped that
results will be produced that will astound
the universe. Although many physicians
of Pittsburg are aware that the rays are
being used at the Homeopathic Hospital for
experimental purposes and as q possible
cure for consumption, not word regarding
the Investigations has yet appeared in med
ical literature. 1t has been the desire to
suppress the news. A Commercial Gazette
reporter accidentally learned of the matter
yesterday afternoon
AT the Homeopathic Hospital the x rays
have been used successfully in many sur
gical cases. Important tests have been
made and the physicians have learned to
rely upon the modern machine as a neces-
sary adjunct to their business. BY it's aid
they have located several bullets, and the
powerful rays have lighted the way for the
knife in many instances where an obstruc-
ton could not be located. Three of the
Unity coored men who were brought to
the hospital for treatment were placed I'M
der the X rays and the bullets extracted
without difficulty.
Frank Grimes. the colored man who was
shot near Unity last Saturday afternoon,
was carried to the x ray department yes
terday afternoon and photographs taken by
means of the machine Four bullets, in
stead of three, were discovered. Two of
them penetrated the left hip. Although they
could not be discovered or traced by feel
ing, they were Immediately located after
the X rays were applied.
1t was an accident that the information
leaked out yesterday that consumption
bacill was being cultured for the use of
the machine Accidentally, also, the fact
was made known that by number of care
full experiments it was hoped TO prove that
the disease which has for so long baft1ed
medical science can be wiped out forever
by the latest discovery in science
Yet the doctors of the Homeopathic Hos
p1tal have hopes. They also have theories,
originating with themselves, and they have
practical demonstrations to show that their
belief is well grounded Only the tedious
delay necessary for the experiments dis
courages them In the progress Of their in
vestiSations. Only at intervals can they
work with the bacilli before the powerful
machine
DR.. v. S. Gaggin, of 922 Penn avenue,
Pittsburg, has charge OF the x-ray de-
partment of the hospital. 1t was he who
conducted some of the most delicate work
which has resulted so successfully in the
past He is in part the father of the latest
theory and with DR.. Theodore Lemmerz,
a resident physician who is assisting him
with the experiments. the two expect to
claim the glory should their work result
in any new discoveries. Neither of them
deny that they believe the x ray will be
detrimental to the life of tubercular ba-
Gill and neither Of them are afraid to say
that they have every confidence in the re-
suit of their daily experiments
Dr. Gaggin said yesterday afternoon that
the idea upon which he is working has
never been considered by medical men be-
fore. Only once has he received the hint
that learned medical men believed that by
could be killed. In France a suggestion of
the kind was made recently apd from this
alone the idea of making personal expert
ant.
'"rhe x rays" he said, were first APP
preciated as an aid to. surgery. 1t was
thought at the beginning that by their
means any part of the human anatomy
could be penetrated and their value was at
once realized This same appreciation was
not SHOWN from medical standpoint. Late
~, however. the x rays have been used
for experimental purposes in connection
With me, the idea might have suggested
itself that the rays were of some con-
sequence in connection with the treatment
of consumptives on account of the ozone
generated by the machine while in opera
ton. Ozone, you know. is nothing more
than active oxygen. The active oxygen, or
ozone, Is stimulating. In pine forests the
oxygen is separated from the hydrogen
leaving nothing but the ozone. Many ply
sicians send their patients to the pine re-
gionS for this very reason. The condition
OF the climate is generally accredited to be
beneficial to consumptives.
Now. we argue that the ozone as manu-
featured by the X ray machine Is equally
as beneficial as that which is supplied in the
pine forests. 1t is understood, of course
that in large machine manufactures the
same atmosphere is produced by the cleo
tricity. Our machine manufactures il in
large quantities. Persons remaining there
during the operation of the x ray machine
have got an over stimulation after re-
naming there any great length of time.
With the known fact that the ozone or
and aware that the lungs are made for use
of oxygen, it is we'll to believe that the
cells will receive it in this condition more
readily If it is a scientific fact that ozone
is good for the lungs, the first encouraging
fact then is that the X rays can supply It,
WAR ON TUBERCULAR BACILIL
However. our experiments are on an
entirely different order. We are working on
the supposition that the X ray in itself may
be detrimental to the life of the tubercular
bacilli. 1t is our method of procedure to
take some of the rsal ccnsumptfEe germs
from some person affected with consump-
ton. The germs are placed in culture
medium, which in our case is combina-
ton of beef tea and gelatine. This mixture
is nothing more than fluid in which the
germs grow and increase. In our expert
ments we have been using separate sets OF
test tubes. One set, containing germs of
some development. we place before the X
rays or Crooke's tube:
''It is our idea that If the x rays kill the
germs, there can be no further increase
from that culture, or breed. Hence, these
germs which have been exposed are then
placed in new mixture of gelatine and
tea and kept for two weeks at the tempera-
ture of the body heat. We have to keep
the temperature at about ninety-eight de-
grees The germs in this condition require
constant watching 1t requires at least two
weeks for a. new generation of germs TO
grow. If at the end of this period under
the necessary precaution no more life is
present and no increase in the number of
germs takes place. 1t is reasonable to sur
mise that the germs have been killed
However, one such result proves nothing.
The first experiment has to be repeated
again and again with always the same re-
suits before positive opinion can be given
1T will be easy for us to note the effects
of the X rays on the bacilh. For compare
son we will retain separate set of test
tubes containing the bacili. 1t win be an