Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-09-27
X-RAYS DESTROY CANCERS
Method in Successful Operation in De.
troit Hospital-Method of
Treatment.

X-rays are destroying cancers at the
Harper Hospital clinic, says the Detroit
News. One patient has already beer.
discharged, his cancer all gone. Two
other men are taking daily treatment
under the rays and their cancers are
rapidly falling off in much the same
way that scab drops off a healing
wound. The power Of X-rays seems al
most limitIess, and their use for destroy
ing cancer will give hope to thousands
who suffer with the dread malady.
The two men now under treatment visit
the hospital daily at noon and for five
minutes the violet light is turned upon
the cancers. One Of the patients is an
employe Of the Solvay Company. lie
has big cancer of the nose, that, up to i
month ago, was steadily eating up his
face. The other man is a farmer with ii
cancer of the lower lip. Both have been
under this treatment about a month.
In one of two ways the X-rays destroy
cancer: Either by destroying the cancer
germ or else by destroying the cancer
cells. A-rays, If turned for sufficient
time on any part of the body, will pro-
duce horrible burn. The first effect is
like severe sunburn, but the X-rays keep
on burning deeper and deeper and would
ultimately destroy an entire limb. Can
GERS are even more readily DESTROYED by
the rays than a healthy tissue and ex-
ternal cancers are easily removed To
prevent the flesh surrounding the cancer
from being burned the patient is pro-
tected by tinfoil armor Tinfoil is proof
against the most penetrating X-ray.
First the sufferer seats himself directly
IN front of n Crooks tube in which the
A-rays are collected and then reflected by
platinum plate. All of the mans face,
neck and head is covered by sheets of
tinfoil, leaving an opening through
which only the cancer shows. The cleo
trical machine is started, pale violet
hue fills the tube and all through the can
Ger shoot the mysterious X-rays. At the
end of i've minutes the attendant shuts
oil the switch and the daily treatment is
over. In medical terms, the X-rays
stimulate the vital processes of repair,
and eliminate the waste products.
Another remarkable use is being
made of the Harper Hospital Mays
apparatus. 1t is doing the work of a
massageur, and far more effectively.
There is young man from out in the
country who is afflicted with rare dis
ease known as sclera-derma, or hard-skin.
When he came to the hospital his face,
neck, arms and body were hard as wood
and the affliction was extending down
into his lower limbs. In time the patient
would have become completely oSsified.
ouIs lew cases OF the sort are on rec
ord, and cure is rare. The skin hardens
up like dry leather and so firmly encases
the muscles within that they become use
less. The whole body is just as though
it were tightly bandaged. and before long,
from utter inactivity, the muscles waste
away
The patient was unable to produce
even Il smile, so rigid had he become.
AS an experiment, in addition to regular
massage, the X-rays were employed.
Each day the hard-skinned man stiffiy
hobbies down to the electrical room, his
bOard-like face stretches little-the
wasting muscles are trying to smile-the
doctors feel of his neck and face and ex-
anime his body to note progress, and then
he is seated in front of the X-ray ma
chine. The rays are shot through his
whole body, neck, face, arms and trunk.
1t is almost beyond belief. but yesterday
the man actually cracked a smile. His
malady is being overcome by the strange
properties OF the X-ray.