Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-02-26
MARvELs OF RADIUM.
Cures of Cancer and Blindness
 Cited by Dr. s. c. Tracy.
USEFUL IN NERVOUS GASES ALSO

USEFUL IN NERVOUS GASES ALSO How Afflicted Patients Have Been
 Benefited by the New York Physi-
 cfan's Application of the Radio
 Active EIement--Markcd Improve
 ment Tn Cases of BIindness.
 Absolute cures of cancer and blind ness by use of radium were told of the other night by pr. Samuel c. Tracy of New York in an address before the Clinical society of the New York School of Advanced Therapeutics. says the New York American.
 The cases described by pr. Tracy all indicated that cancer may be cured by radium and that atrophy of the optic nerve, heretofore regarded as produc- ing hopeless blindness, had been re- duced so greatly that those afflicted, after series of treatments, were able to see clearly. A patient who had come triumphantly out of a poker game after having been released from total blindness was referred to by pr. Tracy as one of the results of the application of radium.
 Dr. Tracy cited six cases of treat ment with radium, dealing with four different diseases. There were two cases of cancer, two cases of blindness. one case of ordinary lupus, cancerous affection, and one case of spasmodic tic, the involuntary twitching of the muscles Of the face.
 The first case cited by pr. Tracy was that of man forty-fiye years of age afflicted with a large cancer on the back of the neck caused by scratching mole with his collar band. The case was twelve years old when he began his treatment, Dr. Tracy said. After twenty-five applications the cancer was completely healed over, and in one cor ner the skin now, he says, is as smooth and perfect as in any other part of the body
 Tn the second case cited by Dr. Tracy the patient was ffty-three years of age, and the cancer had three years growth. The nose was affected, and the case was particularly severe one. Radium of 5OO,O0O radio activity was applied twenty minutes each day for four days. At the end of that time there was marked improvement, and at the end of the eighteenth treatment the part affected was entirely healed. Dr. Tracy claims.
 In the case of lupus cited Dr. Tracy says the treatment has not been com pleted. Twenty-Five milligrams. of pure radium were used, and great im- provement has been made. The treat ment has been continued during eight weeks--three times week-and prog ress has been steadily made toward cure during that time.
 pr. Tracy cited two cases of blind ness treated by him. In speaking of nerve, Drs Tracy said:
 There are those among the blind who can distinguish light from dark ness. In these cases the optic nerve receives partial impressions I have treated many cases of blindness. most ,ly optic atrophy, where blindness had lasted from seven months to forty years. I have found little improve ment in cases of over five years stand ing"
 The first case of optic atrophy cited by pr. Tracy was that of tailor twenty-eight years old, whose vision began to be impaired year ago. The sight of the left eye was gradually lost. and over seven weeks ago the right eye began to fail. and then blind ness followed.
 Radium treatment was given with tube held over each eyeball for twenty minutes each day, and the improve ment, while gradual, he says, was ap- parent It was not steady, for there were times when it appeared to re- main stationary, but at other times the improvement was noticeably great. Since Feb. 8 the treatment has been given every other day. and the i'm provement has been continuous. The other day the patient announced to Dr. Tracy that he had won 60 cents at poker the night before, a clear evil dence of good sight.
 The other case of optic atrophy cited was equally interesting, The blind ness had begun three years before, and practically total blindness had fol- lowed. Now the patient is able to count the spots on card and tell the suit.
 In the case of spasmodic tic. treated by Dr. Tracy, the convulsive move ments of the lower part of the face, he says, were completely cured, while the twitching about the eye was con- siderably lessened. The treatment is still continuing.
 From this case Dr. Tracy argues that the use of radium can be effec. lively applied to nervous diseases.