Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-02-08
RADIUM IN MEDICINE.
Enc Possibly Wide Field aa Which Its Marvellous Agency
 May He Used.

The marvellous properties of radium have made it g matter of wide interest to almost every one, but to the medical man It's possible value as therapeutic lgent renders it subject of special inn portance. Already many investigators are turning their attention to the treat ment of various forms of disease by means of radium, and many fields have been proposed as promising ones for in- vestigation of it's action, writes Dr.. Samuel G. Tracy. in the New York Med- lcal Journal.
 For instance. among the various dis eases in which 1t has been tried may be mentioned certain malignant growths, such as epithelioma and other super ficial cancers. lupus, certain skin dis eases. blindness from atrophy of the op- tic nerve, etc. Its effect upon micro organisms and fermentation, as well as It's likely action upon the tissues and fluids of the body, suggests that. if 1t could be harmlessly introduced into the system. 2 vast field of positive useful ness lies before it. To take its effect upon micro-organisms first: As we have stated. it is admitted to have very considerable inhibitory effect upon the functional activity of various bacteria, molds, etc, and 1t is at any rate possible that it may possess like effect upon protozoa. This at once suggests value for it's systematic employment. should such be practicable.
 Now, the property possessed by radium of imparting its activity to vari- ous fluids, e. B., normal saline solution, seems to offer reasonable ground for hope that, in this way, it may be thera- peutically administered internally, and the fight against bacterial disease be waged directly in the tissues affected, through the agency of the blood and lymph circulations and the various in- ternal secretions.
 X Another diseased condition in which the induced radioactive salt solution is likely to prove of service is fermenta- tive, gastro-intestinal indigestion, with It's long train of symptoms due to auto- intoxication. It is also hoped that the "radium fluid" will have favorable ef- feet on malignant disease of the stom- ach and intestine.
 As to local employment, that is al- ready under investigation, for radium has met with more or less success in many superficial diseased conditions. It's local use, however, will be found far more convenient If we can get the de- sired results by the employment of the induced radioactive salt solution. By this method we can use it as local ap- plication on congresses, In sprays, gargles, limitations. collyria, etc.
 Tn it's use in surgical dressings, com presses can be saturated with this solution and applied over large areas which could not be reached by the radium rays.
 AS a spray it will be found useful in catarrhal affections of nose, throat and lungs, by coating the membranes with fine film Of radioactive matter. This active matter is antiseptic and will re- main in the tissues for several hours. The radioactivity of this active matter may be intensified by exposing the pa tient to the ultraviolet rays, and by the internal use of quinine.
 While all these possibilities of the use of radium fluid may not be borne out by actual clinical experience. nevertheless, owing to the already known properties of radium and induced radioactive sub- stances, it is certainly worth while to try them-especially in pathological conditions which are not amenable to other forms of treatment.