The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-17
TURNING NEGROES WHITE.
With the X-Ray Color Is Said to BE
Driven From the Skin.

Philadelphia Record.
To change the hue of a negro-to make
white man out Of a black one-has al
ways been reckoned among the worlds
impossibilities, but recent discovery at
the University of Pennsylvania shows that
the transformation is perfectly feasible and
that the blacklist skin can be made white
through the agency of the wonderful X-ray.
The discovery was made incidentally
while negroes were being treated with the
rays for cancer and lupus and although no
attempt has been made to try the effect of
the light upon the skin of a healthy negro,
yet there is no reason to doubt that the
rays could be employed for the sole pur-
pose of whitening the skin and that before
long someone will hang out the sign,
Compilations Bleached to any Desired
Shade
DIR. H K. Pancoast the skiographer
of the University Hospital, noticed that
after negroes had been treated for some
time with the rays the skin became grad
ually whittier, and that after a long time
the surface became perfectly white in every
place that the light touched. The condition
is apparently permanent, for some of the
negroes have not been treated for many
months, yet the skin remains as white as
after the last treatment.
A typical case is shown in the accom-
panying photograph. The negro pictured,
and very black one he is, has been treat
ed for lupus for nearly a year, and it can
be seen that part of his nose and part of
the forehead are quite white. These parts
are the only ones that have been subject
ed to the X-ray, the remainder of the face
having been always covered with foil dur
ing treatment. The white colored skin is
exactly like that of an ordinary white man
and presents a perfectly healthy appear
ance; it is natural skin, but the former col
oring has disappeared, because the rays
have destroyed the pigment which
caused it.
The same condition is met with now and
then in negroes who, though perfectly
healthy otherwise, have had the coloring
cells die out, when white patches appear.
The X-ray is a most powerful agent of de-
struction and under its influence the pig
ment is totally destroyed and there is no
power to reproduce it, giving the skin a
permanent whteness.
There is no reason to believe but that a
healthy negro could be whitened by having
the coloring matter bleached from his skin
and the only question is whether or not
the patient would be able to stand the
treatment applied so extensively. The X
ray will not only destroy the pigment, but
if applied with enough force, il will entire
ly kill the tissues. and this sort OF a burn
is the worst known to medicine But with
a mild application extending over long
space of time the burns could be avoided
In the cases treated at the University Hos
pital there were no burns whatever and the
patients are perfectly healthy IL seems
possible to give the treatment without i'm
pairing the health of the subject.
DIR. Pancoast, while admitting the fact
that the skin is made white by the RAYS did
not care to discuss the archaeological side
of the discovery. He said: Il have found in
cases of negroes treated for cancer and
lupus that the skin is made white under
the rays, and the change seems TO be per-
manent, for the pigment is destroyed.
There is no reason why a healthy negro
should not be made white as well as an af-
fected one, but such experiment would
be decidedly out Of the professional line
and | must leave the test 10 some quack
doctor. II would be rather a foolish pro-
ceeding and one OF some danger, but / sup
pose that il would be done IL any one cared
TO try IL. In my case the X-ray has been
applied rather gently and not very often.
and the change in the color of the skin has
been gradual"
The possibilities If the discovery be
not fraught with danger. are amazing TO
contemplate. Face specialists would be
sure to take up the subject and so develop
IL that the operation could be performed
with perfect safety. The application would
not at all be confined TO negroes but the
face bleach" that is now used on many
women. with more or less harmful results,
might be done away with and the rays OF
the Roentgen light employed TO Danish the
Objectionable sallow or dusky complex
ions.
The next step will be for some one 10 find
a way that kinky hair can be made straight
and then ii will be simply matter OF dol
lars with any negro who may desire to be-
| come real white person.