The Savannah morning news., 1902-07-02
MORGAN TO TAKE RAY CURE.
10000 Candle Power Electric Rays
Will De Turned on Only Two Feet
From the New York World.

III ne ON Ohty TWO eGl
Away.
From the New York World.
The news from London that ]. Pier
pont Morgan has decided to submit
himself to Prof. Finsen's electric-light
cure for facial affection has revived
interest in a system of electric photo
therapy which was first announced to
the public two and a half years ago.
A prize of $4,000. under the will of
Alfred Nobel, was awarded to Prof.
Finsen last August for this discovery
in the advancement of medical science.
Prof. Niels Finsen of Copenhagen, is
a tall, slender, delicate young man who
has devoted all his time since gradual
ton as a physician to the study of
probationary. He soon arrived at the
conclusion that intense light properly
applied will cure all germ diseases.
Laurits 5. Swenson, United States Min
lister to Denmark reported in Deem
Der, 1899, that Dr. Finsens discover
les had excited great interest among
physicians and scientists everywhere,
and are of great scientific value. The
Investigations of Dr.. Finsen are now
carried on under the most favorable
conditions, receiving recognition from
the most eminent physicians. including
the professors of the University of Co
penhagen in pathological anatomy and
common pathology, and the superin-
tendents of the leading hospitals in Co.
penhagen, and are supported by state
and municipal aid in the way of appro-
priations."
The diseases said to be cured by Dr.
Finsen are tuberculosis, smallpox, &C.
zema and lupus.
TnhP Cancer m
After infinite labor and many dis
! couragements, DR.. Finsen succeeded in
establishing in the outskirts of Copen-
hagen an institute for the cure of
tuberculosis and cancer 1t is described
as a long, low gray building, including
a grand hall, airy, we'll ventilated and
| entirely free of any household furni-
! ture.
A large stand is covered with strange
! looking glasses, carefully assorted and
! hidden under soft cloth. They look
! like magnifying glasses, said a man
! who saw the process. There are four
/ great electric arc lights, surrounded by
| curtain of that particular red cloth
which deads light-rays more than all
other cOlors.
A magnifying glass is attached close
! ly to the face of the patient, who lies
: immovable on a stretcher, or long,
broad, padded board. There are four
of these stretchers, one for the patient
| beneath each instrument Those tubes
which looked like great telescopes are
| beautifully constructed refeCtOrs
which intensity the great light devel-
oped in the electric arc above, screen.
ed by the red cloth.
nurse attends each of the reclin
ing patients Each is protected from
IL 80
light by pair of large dust-coloreC
spectacles.
Each reflector concentrates upon the
skin of the patient the light-rays from
an Illuminating power of 10000 candle:
only two feet away. The heat thus be
veloped is prodigious. But upon TAX
ing a reflector apart one sees that il
consists of two cylinders fitting like
parts of telescope, and each contain
ing two plano-conyex lenses. The up
per ones, turned toward the source OF
light, cause the divergent rays of the
arc light to become parallel.
Distilled water plays the all-impor-
tant part of absorbing the heat rays
of the powerful light.
Treatment Is Very Slow.
At the end of the apparatus is at
tached very fiat cylinder, closed at
| Its TWO eXtfemeI1eS Dy nat grass anu
filled with an ammoniacal solution Ct
4 sulphate of copper.
About one square inch of skin is
treated for one hour each day. If the
| tract involved is very large, the pa
| tient may have to remain under treat
ment for year.
DR. F'insen has declared that out OF
800 cases that have passed through
his hands nearly all have been cured
Out of 49, cases of lupus, perhaps
the most dangerous and difficult dis
ease with which doctors have to DEAL
DR.. Finsen accomplished 81 cures, and
out of the entire number only four
| proved entirely refractory.