Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-09
TELLS OF NEW GERMIcIDE.
DR.. Tracy Hopes to Battle Tuberculosis
and Similar Diseases.

The New York Herald of today SAYS: Ra-
dunn fluid or saline solution impregnated
by induction with the properties of radium,
is believed by DR.. Samuel G. Tracy to be
endowed with therapeutical possibilities
that may work a revolution in the treat
ment of many diseases, and may strike at
the root Of such scourges as tuberculosis,
diphtheria, typhoid and other infectious
maladies. and the protozoal diseases, such
as malaria. and perhaps scarlet fever.
II have been using radium for about
three months" he said last night, "and
some of the cases treated have already
shown marked improvement. I hope to be
able to make specific and favorable reports
in very short time. have made a for
NAL statement of my experiments, which
will be printed in the Medical Journal to-
morrow for the benefit Of the profession. II
medical men take up the investigation thus
outlined 1 have no doubt that 1t will be
proved by clinical facts that radium Is des-
tined to be a very useful therapeutic In the
treatment of diseases that have not as yet
been found amenable to the usual methods
of treatment
Il have been working along certain sps-
cial lines Of electro-therapeutics for ten
years." added DR.. Tracy. land have now
recognized q comparatively new physical
property in radium. that of induced radio
ACTIVITY, OF lnat property Oh raQlum Wner6-
by 1t imparts radio activity to other bodies
in its immediate environment. Radium, as
is well known. possesses antiseptic and
anti-fermentatiye qualities. I reason, there
fore. that we might suppose 1t had an in
hibitive effect on infectious diseases.
In my experiments on induced radio
activity / found. as I explain In my state
ment In the Medical Journal, that a normal
salt solution is one of the best media for the
manifestation of this phenomenon.
The method employed was the inser-
ton of two Theoretically sealed tubes of
radium bromide into a bottle containing the
salt solution. One tube contained a small
quantity Of pure radium. having a radio
activity OF 1906. COO The other tube con-
tanned ten milligrammes of $4,000 radio
activity. These tubes remained in the salt
solution for twentyfour hours. That the
solution was impregnated with the proper
ties OF the radium which had impaired to
the fluid induced radioactivity was proved
by the fact that photographs OF a number
of articles were taken by 1t after an ex-
posture of twenty-four and thirty-six hours.
Now, remembering the germicdal and
anti-fermentative qualities of radium, 1t
was found that these qualities, though in
less degree. were present also in the ra-
dioactivity induced in the normal salt solu-
ton. Its effect upon micro-organisms and
fermentation. as well as Its likely action
upon the tissues and fluids of the body,
made mo believe that the use of this radium
fluid. administered internally, will be of
service in intestinal diseases, as also for
sprays. gargles. inhalations. for use In sur
gical dressings with saturated congresses.
and In many other ways vast field Of posi-
tive usefulness. believe, will be opened for
1t IL present experiments give the results
hoped for"
DR.. Tracy said he was carrying on a series
of observations at the Vanderbilt clinic and
the New York Skin and Cancer Hospital
but that medical ethics would not allow
him to discuss the specific cases. He
hoped. however. at an early date to be able
to lay full details before the profession so
as to explain the favorable results of his
theory.
Il must impress on you." he said In con-
clusion, that these experiments have not
yet been wide enough to make positive
statements other than that we hope that
the internal administration of this radium
fluid will strike at the root Of the disease
and that the fight against the bacteria will
thus be waged directly in the tissues af-
fected through the agency of the blood and
lymph calculations and the various internal
SecretiOnS."