New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-18
REMEDIAL USES OF RADIUM.

DR.. W. ]. Morton's lecture BEFORE tne 1ech-
nology Club last week on the treatment OF o1s-
ease with solutions that have been acted upon
by radium raises one or two questions apout
the origin Of the idea Several persons appear
10 have been thinking and experimenting along
parallel. though perhaps not Identical lines
both in this country and in Europe. The only
wonder is that more have not done So In reach
Ing any conclusion about the relative share OF
credit due TO these investigators, the safest
method is to consider the dates Of publication
of the statements which have been made by
them.
As early as August s, 1908, article from
DR.. Morton's pen appeared in 1.-THE Medical
Record" Of this city, outlining a new plan OF
procedure in dealing with cancer. He suggest
ed an ingenious mode Of exciting that form OF
luminosity called fuorescence in the blood ana
tissues He would take one OF several drugs
which possess the property, make solution OF
It and have the patient drink the same. After
enough time had elapsed to insure diffusion
through the system, he would expose the sub
feet to the radlations OF vacuum tube, which
would develop the sought for glow beneath the
surface of the body. DR.. Morton referred TO the
plan again in The International Journal or
Surgery" for October, and at that time also
mentioned his methods Of using dry radium for
fighting cancer. Even in the second paper no
aIlusion is made to his employing other means
than the Crookes tube for exciting nuorescence'
but it does not appear that any ore else has
publicly anticipated DR.. Morton's August utter
ance on the subject Whatever honor is due
for the idea OF employing fuorescence thera-
POLITICALLY seems TO belong TO him.
DR.. w. J. Hammer, a well known electrical
engineer, was in the mean time following up
another clew He conceived the plan OF using
remedially a fluid which was brought under
the influence Of a radioactive substance. but he
subjected the solution to the necessary action
before II was administered. not afterward.
Those who were In his confidence are aware
that his work extended through several months
before his first public announcement This was
made before the American Physical Society
toward the close Of October. and reports Of the
project were printed few days later in "Sci-
ence." So far the record goes it looks as If
DR.. Hammer were ahead Of DR.. Morton in pro-
posing medical treatment with a fluid to which
radio-a ctiyity had been impaired before being
taken into the system
Still another plan has been suggested by Fred
erick Soddy, who was associated with Professor
Rutherford. Of Montreal, in one set Of re-
searches, and afterward had the cooperation of
Sir William Ramsay in another Mr.. Soddy
thought that some or the gases given OF by
radium and kindred elements might possess
germicidal quality. In paper which appeared
IN The British Medical Journal" July %, 1908
be gave an account of some experiments which
were based on that supposition. 1t will be OBJ
served, though, that his manner Of getting the
agent into the patient was by Inhalation. 1t was
tuberculosis mainly at which his method was
directed; and inhalation, Of course. would bring
the gases into immediate contact with the seat
OF the disease. Mr.. Soddy called attention to
the fact that thorium would give or the same
emanations as radium and was far cheaper
Whether not the substitute has been tried
by any one else is only a matter of surTnise
The medical press has made no conspicuous
mention OF It's trial. though the inhalation Of
other vapors has been practised for yeara
Concerning the value which these various
measures possess 1t IS too soon TO form an opin-
ion. All OF them are on trial. None Of them
have been used In q sufficiently large number Of
cases TO warrant conclusion The world owes
much TO the men who have recognized even the
possibility Of an advance upon the earlier uses
Of the vacuum tube and the dry salts of radium.
II will be under larger obligation if any OF the
hopes now raised fully realized.