The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-23
LOSES HANDS By USEOF x.RAY'
DIR. L.. A. WEIGEL or ROCHESTER,
A MARTYR TO SCIENCE.
He lsed the static Machine. Which Pro-
duced Burns That Later Developed
Into Cancer-His Right Hand and Part
OF His Left Hand Had 70 he Amputated.

Into Cancer-His Right Hand and Part
OF His Left Hand Had 10 BE Amputated
ROCHESTER, Oct. 22.-The case OF DR..
Louis A. Weigel. who recently submitted
10 an operation for the removal OF his right
hand and part OF his left hand, which
had become affected through continued
exposure to Roentgen rays, has attracted
the attention OF the medical profession
throughout the country. Doctors every
where who have experimental with the
X-ray and who have used 1t In their prac-
tice are anxiously watching the progress
Of the Rochester surgeon.
The physicians attending DR.. Weigel
report that he Is improving and they have
hopes OF his ultimate recovery, but they
are unable to state definitely what Will
be the outcome 80 insidious In it's growth
has the cancer which comes from X-ray
burning proved to be. DR.. Weigel Is at
fected In the same manner as Clarence
+. Daley, Edison's chief assistant, who died
early this mo nth in East Orange, N. j.
Daley suffered for seven years. during
which time seven operations were per-
formed the last one for the removal Of both
Of his arms.
DR.. Weigel took up the study Of the X-ray
several years ago. and until year ago.
when it became apparent that his hands
we're affected he applied most OF his time
to the study OF the science. Three months
ago the little finger Of the right hand was
taken off and sent to Prof. WEIGH Of johns
Hopkins University for examination and
report as to the nature Of the disease. DR..
WEIGH reported that the disease was cancer.
This made it evident to the medical friends
OF DR.. Weigel that amputation would be
necessary to save his life. A consultation
OF eminent surgeons and physicians of the
State was called, and It was decided that
it would be necessary to re move the right
hand at the wrist and the greater part Of
the left hand. Only the thumb and little
finger were left on the left hand, the sur
geons cutting about one and a half inches
back of the joints Of the three middle fingers.
They hope that the removal Of these badly
affected portions will stop the spread Of
cancerous tissue.
When the x-rays were discovened DR..
Wegel took up their study with en-;
success in the use of them in his practices.
Recognition Of his skill and success was
just beginning to come to him when the
trouble developed in his hands and he be-
came another martyr To- science noa.,..d 1t.
experiments almost exclusively with the
static machine, as he maintained that the
electricity generated in this manner would
not produce burns, while that from coils
would. Others maintained that the rays
developed through static machines would
produce burns as we'll as the coils. Or.
Weigel was sincere in his theory that the
static method would not produce burns
and maintained his position up to two years
ago, when several cases of burns developed
and 1t was shown conclusively that burns
would result. 1t was then too late. as the
rays had already produced the burns, which
later developed into the cancerous growth
that necessitated the operations.
In connection with the study of the ray
DIR. Weigel applied his experience as an
xpert photographer, and the medical pro-
fession is indebted TO him for many radio
graphs illustrating the principles Of the
tributed in some measure his present con-
dition. 1t has been shown that operators
of X-ray machines who practise photcG-
raphy in connection with their work are
OF the rays. 1t is asserted that the use
of metal as an agency for the developing
OF Photographic plates has tendency to
poison the system and render the hands
more sensitive to tho rays. Because OF
this discovery most operators now who
make photographs or photographs simply
make the exposures and leave the develop
ment Of the plates to others.
To the laity, at least 1t has been a matter
OF surprise that the X-ray will cure cancer
and at the same time produce cancerous
growth. This is explained by home opaths
under the law of -similars, in other words
that like cures like. Or, to put 1t differently
and perhaps more plainly, that which will
produce disease WILL IL properly applied,
cure the disease which it produces. In
discussing this matter before Rochester
medical society, after the operation on
DR.. Weigel, DR.. Walter W. johnson,
prominent member Of the American X-ray
Association, said:
If the X-ray cures according to the law
Of similars, as / believe it does, then II
will follow that dose not large enough to
produce the gross changes of dermatitis,
&c. will be found he most curative Gradu-
ally we shall hear less and lees about the
dreadful burns OF the X-ray, and at the
same lime its reputation as curative agent
will increase.
What II dire results have followed in
many cases? What IL limbs have been
lost by it's injudcious user Shall we give
M and go back to the knife and the caustic,
that were the sum of our delusive hopes
in the pas? No Profiting by our errors
in the past, we shall improve our technique
in the future. 80 that crude and deleterious
effects may be eliminated and one more
heneficent agent credited to science in
the struggle against disease
COLUMBIA'S 15OTH ANNI VERSARY