New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-27

game tube kept for forty-eght hours in touch
with the skin of guinea pig did not make the
wound any deeper and had but little effect
upon the flesh and muscular tissue. From this
1t seems that the skin absOrbs the pathogenic
rays.
NJ Danysz said that guinea pigs more
sensitive to radum emanations than rabbits.
Applications of radium rays that create
painful sores on the skins of guinea pigs only
stimulants irritants the skins of
rabbits, and, Singularly enough, cause; in the
Ease of rabbits, prolific growth of hair" Lest
thls hirsute test should induce some enterpris-
ing hairdN'sser to concoct some diabolical hair
estorer to be applied to the human scalp, it
should be carefully noted that NJ. Danysz's
experiments were made with tan colored rab-
bits, and that the growth of hair melted by
the radium rays was invariably snow white.
curious experiment made by M. Danysz was
with mouse only month old. A minute glass
tube containing one milligram of radium salt
was inserted beneath the skin of the little ami
NAL lust over the vertebral column. In three
hours symptoms of paress and ataXia ensued.
In seven hours the mouse seized with
violent commissions of lOckjaw, and in twelve
hours death occurred. Mice from three to four
months old subjected to radium rays of the
same force died in a similar manner and identi-
cal symptoms of paresis, ataxia and lockjaw and
death ensued within a period oe from three to
four days. From six to ten days required
To kill mice year old, subjected the same
experiments. Three guinea pigs, of from eight
to twelve days old, had the same tube of radium
inserted under the skin next the vertebral col
umn for from twenty-four to forty-eight hours.
In two days their headquarters were completely
paralyzed, their feet became stiff with lockjaw
and they died in commissions just like the mice,
but six days afterward. Adult guinea pigs and
rabbits treated in the same way showed no i'm
mediate nervous symptoms but invariably died
with lockjaw commissions, after periods varying
from six weeks to several months, the dura
tiol of the incubation corresponding with the
strength and vitality of the animal. The larvR
of insects and notably of caterpillars from the
corn butterfly QGphertia kuehniella) inclosed in
a glass tube, together with the same tube of
radium that had served for the experiments with
mice, guinea pigs and rabbits, became paralyzed
in twenty-four hours and died two days after
ward.
Experiments with radium upon microbes vary
greatly with the different species Of microbe.
u. Danysz states that in all cases the further
development of the micrObe arrested but
Mat only in a few cases-in those that produce
proteOlytic autodigestive diastasia, such as the
Charlton microbe-was the mcrobe actually
killed NJ. Danysz also stated that M Curie
had found that the soluble salts Of radium dis
solved in distilled water emit certain emana-
lions analogous to those of radium rays. Ex-
periments made with the soluble emissions of
radium upon caterpars (Ephertia kuehniella)
and upon Charlton microbes showed that cater
blars paralyzed by the emanatons very
much I'm the same way they by ex-
posture to the rays themselves. and that the
microbes OF Charlton ceased to develop when
left for twenty -four hours in atmosphere
charged with emanations OF radium salts in
solution.
These experiments at the Pastcur Institute
are being followed with keen interest. To the
ordinary layman it would seem that the re-
suits far indicate that radium will some
day have an immense influence on bacterology
ard that its contact with human animal
nervous organization will produce death by
lockjaw when applied in quantities proper
Tomato to the strength and vitality of the sub
1ects Experimental upon. c. I. b.