The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-06-14

ana refinement within. The house Is iIr-
nished with taste and elegance. The finest
velvet carpets are ON The iiO9rs. paintings
whose aggregate cost will run into the
thousands are on the walls. Nowhere 90
you see any evidence or suggestion OF the
owners former business. 80
On the second floor in a large room with
a south exposure is the apparatus by which
Gussie Mckee is keeping death at bay. IL
Is one OF the most expensive N-ray EQUIP
ments outside OF public laboratory. Inc
current, OF course. IS obtained from the
street. but inside this room is a powerful
motor. with interrupter and induction coil.
CIookes tube for internal and eNternaI APP
piication and other appliances essential TO
N-ray treatment The patient herself IS an
expert on the subject of N-ray METHODS
There is scarcely Il tcchnicalty with whlch
she has not acquainted herself :,
Il told the doctor TO spare no expense.
she said, as she explained the. working, or
the apparatus. They made tubes especial
ly for my case"
HER FORCEFUL PERSONALITY.
In talking with this young woman one is
Immediately struck by her forcsfGl person
allty and intense individuality. She is only
z years old and in spite OF the ravages of
beauty. Her blue eyes are bright and twin
king with good humor her skin is clear and
her figure has the piumpness of healthy
domitable viii is the potent factor in her
battle for life.
a little more than two years ago Gussie
doninal cancer in its worst form, Her
case was one OF the most remarkable in
medical history. Only two persons in
America. so Jar as records go. have been
attacked by carcinoma of this type SO early
in life. as il is regarded one of the dis
eases of advanced age. In the world
medical history there have been but ten
such cases.
When the young woman was informed of
her condition she tnade up her mind 10 give
death a hard battle. She went TO special
Isl SrgrigliSr hIrr rbav TOLD her she
had delayed too long. and they would hold
out no hope OF ultimate success. Finally.
TO her If she would submit to an operation
for removal of the cancerous growth.
I said two years-not two years and
half said the specialist.
The operation was performed, and for Q
time the growth was checked. But 1t came
back with renewed force. Again she went
to the specialists. This time she did not re-
ceive the slightest announcement. They
would not agree even TO alleviate her suf-
fering except by the moderate use of drugs
to deaden the pain.
in Paris. Berlin and Vienna told her she
was doomed. Upon her return. she again
made the rounds OF the specialists in New
York. But she received the same reply
advice to accept the inevitable with as
good grace as possible.
A little more than two months ago she
heard of q physician who was treating
cancer by the X-ray method. By this time
she was grasping at straws-her two years
We're nearly Upland she sought out the
DOCTOR WENT TO WORK.
Il am going to live" said the iron-willed
young woman. You must help me. don't
care what you charge or what the cost Of
the apparatus may be. All I ask is that
you take me as a patient and do your best
10 cure me-
Under these conditions the doctor went to
WOrk, He ablv seconded nv his
tent. All the energy she had shown in
other ways seemed concentrated in this eff
begun she could not eat; her stomach would
not retain food. She could not sleep except
by the aid of drugs. Her body was enact
ated from lack OF nourishment and rest.
The cancerous growth spread.
Within two months the ramlfcatons have
disappeared, the crablike tentacles have
been dried up and the growth has been re-
duced 10 the core Of the cancer itself. The
patient IS able to eat, and her rest is more
natural, She has gained in flesh until her
weight is nearly normal.
Meanwhile the treatment Is kept up with
the utmost regularity. Early in the morn
ing the patient takes massage. Then she
rests. until the doctor comes, then she
IS taken, to the operating-room, where her
body. with the exception Of the parts in
tended TO be exposed to the N-rays. Is
wrapped in lead foil: substance which the
is applied. The doctor. an assistant and
two nurses are always IN attendance. y Sc
we're regimen is prescribed for the rest of
the day. and in the main followed carefully
by the patient. She is Inclined. however, TO
permit her love for the automobile to tempt
her out OF the house against orders.
GusS!e Mckee 10 known IN New York IS
the ''Pooiroom Queen She Is said 10 have
conducted two or three rooms where women
bet on the races. About three years ago
a raid was, made on an alleged poclroom
which she managed in Eighth avenue,
About tfirty-five women. including Gussie
Mckee, We're arrested but nothing came Of
insufficient. She was married to Lieutenant
u II. Martin In April. 1907 Martin got into
trouble over the canteen accounts at Fort
Hamilton. and later was sent 10 prison for
sEindiinS Broadway firm His wife ch-
tanned a divorce about a year ago and re-
sumed her maiden name.
TRIUMPH IN HER TONE.
1T seems hard that have to suffer this
way row. said she the other day. Il got
the money''-there was a grim triumph in
her tone as she said this-'I got the money.
everything 1 needed to enjoy life with. and
then came this cancer. I didn't even have
a chance to use it as wanted 70 when
had to enter on this fight fer my life. But
I'll win yet
Il haven't always had money" she went
on When l WIS graduated from college
with good education l was forced 20 take
q position as bookkeeper in Chicago. 1
didn't have any cash to spare. Then came
Nl4E III - great tId.A-S IN Iit. 1 went
out to the races at Washington Park one
day. l never had been to horse race.
l never had seen one, don't know how
much money had with me, but it couldn' I
have been very much. I bet So on an Stool
shot. If that horse had lost might to-day
be an overworked. unsophisticated little
bookkeeper in Chicago.
But the horse won. Well, you can i'm
agiu- how that affected an exCitahe girl
who had to work week TO pay living ex-
penses and buy cheap pair of shoes
have been cured if 1 had lost after that
first day. But I couldn't lose. / made
money so easily and in such large sums that
1t got TO be Joke When l entered th ',
TO know hos | was going to bet. l didn' I
know anything aboue form in racing. but l
picked winners, and l made small fortune
in one season. AT the race tracks every
body knew me.
Some persons who had an idea I was
born lucky told me to start a poolroom. as
race track experience. / followed this ad-
vice and | was lucky again. Then came
10 New York.
II dent deny that have conducted pool
Queen as term Of reproach. / suppose
know many persons look down on me be-
cause have run poolroomS. / consider 1t a
legitimate calling and | would prefer :: 70
marrying a man merely for money. as is
done by many who probably turn up their
noses at me. 80,
shall start a brokers' Office for women who
want TO deal in the stock market. | had
int aded to do this a. the time was taken
sick I had nv Office picked out in the
going ahead with ii. a woman can sue
coed in doing almost anything she sets
about If she has determination ! wanted
| to he rich. and ! am fairly so. Now want
to get we'll. MAY be shall not. but ! an
gCs-r TO make a fight for it,
Gussie Mckee, physician is conservative.