The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-15
SALTS OF RADIUM
RESTORE EYESIGHT
DR.. J.. L. Borsch, in Suit Against
Trolley Company, Tells of
Treating Injured Man.
New York Herald.

~Ah
Great interest is being manifested in the
recent discovery of a Philadelphia physi-
clan that adium possesses properties which,
when properly applied. viii restore sight TO
eyes tina ave become temporarily useless
through shock or from any other direct ex-
ternal cause.
DIR. J. L. Borsch testified I'm a recent suit
that he had restored a mans sight by
means of radium after every other means
had failed. That the man has his sight
again Is a fact. as he was in the court
room with apparently good vision and a
prominent physician who. after treating
him himself. had referred him TO DIT.
Borsch. testified to the mans condition be-
fore being treated by the radium expert.
The man whose sight was restored was
Charles II. Sharpe. a tailor. and the facts
I'm the case We're brought out in a suit which
he instituted against the Rapid Transit
had sustained in being thrown from a car.
DIR. Borsch is disposed TO be conservative
as 20 the new treatment.
None of US know enough about II as vet
TO talk about it, he said to-day. w are
experimenting. / have not the slightest
doubt that II will revolutionize all of our
In Sharpe's case l had tried every other
means before resOrting TO the use OF ra-
10 a lesion Of the spine He was turned
over 20 me when a paralysis involving the
optic nerve had produced an atrOphy of the
cells I'm this nerve.
There were still remaining some normal
cells-the man was not entirely blind. as
~stated-and these / stimulated into greater
activity by use Of the radium. Gradually
i noticed a change in the mans condition
and found that the stimulation had re-
suited in producing an amount Of activity
In the remaining cells not affected, equal
or very near. at least. TO the combined ac-
tivity of good and bad before the injury.
I applied this little twisted glass affair TO
the eye for about five minutes at a time.
bandaging IL very tightly"
The little twisted glass affair" was a
coil OF glass containing %granules of the
chloride or salt Of radium. IL resembles
I'm shape the spiral twist OF a watch spring
and Is about the size OF a twenty-five cent
piece. IL Is worth a small fortune. but Dr..
Borsch tossed IL around. into a box and out
again, as though IL were SO much rubber.
Il said / applied this TO the eye at first. f"
ment. This tube contains salt or about
10000 activity. Radium, Professor Curie
estimates, would in the pure metal reach
an activity of 100000. You Will under
stand his respect for the metal when / tell
you that he has remarked 10 me that. even
could any metal be made that would hold
It. he would not go into the same room with
Il started out on Sharpe with a low activ-
fty Of about 1000. and gradually worked up
TO 5000 / have here a sample OF 200 O0
straight tube containing crystals somewhat
larger. but otherwise the same in appear
ance, as the other.
That" ne said, rs, OF course. much too
powerful 20 Use IN the ordinary way. Twen-
~ thousand Is the highest / have attempted.
and from that / have got remarkable re-
suits, as you know"