The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-01
PERIL Turks IN X RAYS
WOMAN FRIGHTFULLY, BURNED BY
EXPOSURE TO THE TUBE.
She Was Troubled with Pain in the
Jaw, and Dentists Sought to Dis
cover the Cause.

NEW YORK, July 31.-The most serious
case of the harmful effect of Roentgen
rays, under certain conditions, thai has
come to the knowledge of physicians oc-
Cured recently in this city. The victim is
Miss Josie Mcdonald, who lives with her
sister and brother-in-law, Mr.. and Mrs.
Thomas Byrnes, al No. 9 West Forty fifth
street. She had been troubled with a pain
in the upper side of her jaw, which she at
tributed to her teeth She had been treated
for this by several dentists of good stand
ing who failed to cure her. Hearing Nell
son T. Shields and George f. Jernigan
spoken of, she went to their Office, at Mad
ison avenue and West Thirty-second street.
They made a diagnosis and worked for a
week, until June 25. On that day they took
her to M. j. Connor's, at No. 124 West Fiji
ty-third street, for the purpose of having
an X-ray photograph made in order to in
dictate the exact nature of her trouble.
Mr.. OConnor made two attempts, the Sec
ond being successful.
After two days Miss McDonald's face be-
gan to puff up and turn black. Previously
she had experienced only burning sensa-
ton from time to time. Then the hair on
the right side of the head which had been
nearest the rays, came out, leaving the
scalp pare. AT the same time the Skin on
that side of her face and down her neck,
shoulder, arm and side, nearly to her waist,
blistered and peeled on,' leaving raw sur
face of flesh Her right ear SWelled to
three times its natural size and she lost
her power of hearing on that side.
DR.. Henry Grlswold of No. AZ West
Thirty-fifth street who has charge of her,
says he cannot say whether or not the
hair will grow again. There has been no
lucrative process, he says, and think
the deeper tissues are not involved though
how far electricity effects the trophic CEN
tiers | am unable to say
Nobody except myself knows what my
sister has suffered" said Mrs. Byrnes last
night Her agony has been frightful
She cannot bear to have anything touch
covered with oil and flannel which is the
only thing that will not stick to the
wounds"
Mr.. Shields is not in the city. Mr. Jerni-
gan said that Miss Mcdonald came to the
Office in June, complaining of pain in her
left upper jaw. After treating her for a
week ne and Mr.. Shields decided that there
must be something the matter with the
antrum, bony cavity in the upper jaw on
each side, above the roots of the teeth.
In order to find out ii there was ne
crosiS Of the bone, piece of tooth or mall
formation, DR.. Jernigan said, they took the
patient to Mr. oGonnor TO have the pho 70.
burning and had not supposed there was
danger.
Mr. OConnor. who makes a business of
taking X-ray photographs, said yesterday
that he had probably taken twelve thou
sand or fourteen thousand photographs
with the X rays, and had never had but
one accident before-a slight burn. He felt
that the effect upon Miss Mcdonald was
very unfortunate, but he was unable to
account for it. Mr. and Mrs. Byrnes are
very indignant. Mr.. Byrnes has consulted
counsel and a legal action may result
The fact that exposure to the Roentgen
ray might prove injurious was pointed out
by Nicola Tesla, soon after the rays were
discovered Beyond a certain distance
from the bulb no harmful effect is pro-
duced in the skim said Mr.. Tesla yester-
day. There is no similarity between the
burns and sunburn, except The reddening
and peeling off of the skin. The burns
when Slight resemble those received from
proximity to a hot fire. When the injury
is severe it is to all appearances like the
burn received from contact with fire or a
red hot iron" To secure safety, Mr.. Tesla
advises the abandonment of tubes contain
ing platinum and the use of a protecting
screen of aluminium, a wet cloth or a layer
of fluid and exposure at a distance of at
Feast fourteen inches from the tube He
believes that no injury can result at dis
lance of sixteen inches.