The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-30
wOMAN BURNED BY X-RAYS
THEY WE'RE USED TO LOCATE A
DENTAL TROUBLE.

figured TOR Lire-How the Rays Were Appicd
Miss Josie Macdonald Of o West Forty fifth
street 10 suffering from X.rAy burns, which de-
stroyed tho akin OF one sldo OF her face and neck,
burned nearly half the hair of her head. injured
one OF her eyes, and threatens to leave her dis
figured for life. Miss Macdonald had trouble
with her teeth about six weeks ago.. Some Of
her teeth in tho right upper Jaw had been re-
showed and the nerves of others had been killed,
but tho Jaw continued to give her pain and to pro-
vent her from sleeping. She went finally to Drs.
Nelson T.. Shields and George +. Jornigan, dem
lists at 1874 Madison avenue, for treatment.
They decided that the seat of trouble was proba-
bly, In the bony cavity OF the upper part OF the
Jaw. known as tho antrum, and, 40 II was impor-
tant TO mako as sure as possible Of this before
operating, 1t was suggested that an X.ray pho
tograph should DO made Of the Jaw before pro-
cceding further.
At the dentists ofioo It was said yesterday
that this suggestion met with Miss MacDon-
AIDS approval. and that abe said her sister, Mrs,
Thomas Byrnes. with whom she lives. had al
ready spoken Of hor r~osorting to this expedient
10 locate the scat OF the trouble. The dontists
say that they had never had any of this work
done before, but that they had received recon-
mcndations from Q professor OF anatomy In one
of the city colleges in favor Of M. J. O'Connor Of
12i West Fifty-third street rs a competent x
ray man, and they went with Mas Macdonald
TO his place on Juno 25.
O'Connor says that he took the pictures Just
as he has taken many similar ones before. He pre-
pared his plato in a holder and this was fastened
to Miss MacDonald's face, close against her
right check. with tho ccntre OF tho plate about
over tho antrum Of tho right upper jaw. Miss
Macdonald was seated In front OF tho X-ray
tube and about o foot away from II, with the
electrode of tho tube which sends forth the rays
directed toward tho centre Of the plato diago-
nally on q course which would lot tho rays enter
the left side OF her head and face, SO that those
rays which were to picture the antrum would
have to traverse as little bono a. possible on
their way to the right jaw.
1T II always my CUSTOM said Mr.. O'Connor
yesterday, Ito have my sittcrs close their eyes
and then to turn the current on and OF several
times without their knowledge, and during this
timo to ask them to tell me whether they can
tell whether 1t is on or of. II they can feel that
It 10 on, I move them further away to savo them
from any chance of injury. presume 1 did this
in Miss MaoDonald's case, but I do not remem-
Der distinctly.
Tho first exposure was eight minutes. Miss
Macdonald must have moved this time, for the
picture was not satisfactory.
then made q second exposure. This lasted
thirteen minutes and made q very fair picture.
IT did not know until you told me that Miss
Macdonald had been injured. It 10 very dis
tressing news to me. / cannot account for it
unless she was particularly susceptible to harm.
Ihave never had but one complaint before, and
IN that case tho burn was trifing.'
Miss Macdonald felt no bad effects from the
X-ray exposure on the day the picture was
made. put two days later her face began to swell
on me iefs AIDE ana TO grow black; Then her
Thirty fifth street, was sent for. and he has had
her under treatment ever since. The whole left
sStsHded down Ser neck and arm q and dnf to 5er
chest. Soon the hair on the exposed side
Hfssf. a sse .o aisd bar began Her = loft fe ear s SSs rp 10
three times its normal size and the nerves OF her
EEtssahss 10 sS Ss. sEs i n sss aies She car sH sins that IL she su has
developed. DR.. Griswoid confirms this descrip-
'is ss Ssh L.. iSS ss ! Under m, car. for . month.
he says. and l cannot tell how long she may
eessnra seW r men d sa' f Fl il hS al 4 an new t sSsjee sne sndi
much g 70 b learned yet. This injury seeing
burns of this sort the recovery is allow and
tedious. As yet there has been no Lucrative
hot involved. though how far electricity efeets
tho trophic centres I am not able to say. Per.
N Mopi t snn delm noS" VINO 90 more Oh that
TSe dam ssn 9th the x rays were pointed out
and one ass Of the Rsin CURIOUS oSse Features sHe Of sq Miss Mac Mac:
Donald's case ID that 1t 10 almost exactly the
rays which Is on record. The case refefro at to
was that Of II. d. Hawkes. who was one Of
In tS Shshe Soun srpsr'S of TIE Af Ropt s1hi0it ras
apparatus. From exposing himself to the action
& aaM shsss ff face and M hands sas su@ %eas bS na dsg H. e Is;
fell out. Five weeks after the hair fell out 1t
than it was before: Mr.. Hawkes. eyes were.
however, 50 seriously affected that, although he
oobiieedt to keep away W. from the DeiTSSorhooS Of
the < ray tu6es. It was about Ave months b.
i Any enc :, + t to blame for tho 2. injury .o Miss
and M. o'Copnore cannot plead a lack Of fnoSi:
sdEe of the dangers OF the K ray. for he told
he had been Mr.. Hawkes. partner for three or
four months in exhibiting X.ray machines after
M1i ID oessss Msi is aa'pfiSGi Ri. G!Ganh psF, ssis hi S ss
also read Nikola Tesla's recent article upon the
dangers Of the x ray and how to prevent these
c1 ~ S0s ths course ovT Of electrical engineering ct
colgmbia right after Prof. Roentgen made
sonducted The exhibition given az Hiitons'
Hughes & Co.'S and the one ct tho sportsman'i
."fhave made 14oo or 1900 exposures for
RRiia atsf as s eRis Of aiTTan issy M Gs b6ea1sy q f. 5Sst the same
Tesla has pointed out that the danger from
hot stove. II one gets within a certain radius
Of such q stove the heat will DO Intense enough
TO burn the skin. while Just outside this radius
no such injury will take place, even with a long
exposure. In one case Mr.. Tesla burned one Of
his hands 80 that he lost the skin and finger
pals from 1t with an exposure of only 80 seconds
before q powerful instrument which was very
near; He says that safety y only assured BY
than fourteen inches from the tube and using be-
tween the person and tho tube a screen made OF
platinum plate or platinum wire gauze. with
the screen connected to the ground electrically,
No such screen was used In Miss Macdonald
case, and Mr.. O'Connor says tho distance was
about twelve inches.
Mr.. Thomas Byrnes. Miss MacDonald's broth,
er-in-law, said last evening that the case had
been placed In the hands Of Sullivan & Cromwell
OF 46 Wall street, who will begin a suit for dam
ages.