New-York tribune., 1905-04-20
RAnLrM AND CANCER.

The seemingly good effect OF treating cancer
with radium at the Flower Hospital, IN this cl'E'
reported Yesterday, is interesting chleny on ac-
count of the method adopted for using the
remedy fluid solution probably of the bro
mide Of radum was applied TO thlh sheelS VI
ceIuloid and the latter were then placed IN con
tact with the diseased area. Hitherto the IA
vorite if not the sole. mode of procedure mas
been TO incIose the dry salt in Il tiny glass tube
The belief was once expressed by Mr.. Soddy,
an FngIishman VINO has been active in the In
vestigation of the nature of radium that the
gaseous emanaton from that element might be
employed as a germcide in fighting tuberculosis,
the product being, inhaled by the patient. 30
far as we are aware, the hint has not been fol-
lowed up; and it is doubtful whether immersion
in a Gas would prove a convenient or enectlve
plan in dealing with cancer. Again, whatever
be the merit of fiuorescence which is excited by
radium il is 10 he observed that the remedial
influence in that case is exerted by form of
light and that the radium acts indirectly. not
directly 1t remains to be seen whether the new
manner of utilizing the substance the discovery
of which by the Cures created such sensation
is really superior to the old one; but the mere
enlargement of the number of ways of doing so
is noteworthy.
In addition to the heat emitted by and the gas
evolved from radium, that element throws Off
spectiyely by the first three letters Of the Greek
alphabet The "gamma" rays appear TO be iden-
tical in character with those first observed by
R0ntgen as product of the vacuum tube. These
have the power Of acting chemically on a photo
graphic plate and of developing a faint lum-
Mostly upon a screen which has been coated with
suitable compounds Visual examination of the
interior of the body ny surgeon and the max
ing of permanent picture of the situation there
in are two of the practical services rendered
| by the y rays. Before they were used remedial
ly they had proved exceedingly helpful in dag
noss.
When Professor Barker, who fills tho chair of
physics in the University of Pennsylvania
learned that radium possessed the same proper
/ ties as but more powerful than. the Y ray
tube he pointed out that the element would
prove valuable substitute therefor His fore
cast has been verified on a more extensive scale
than he then imagined. At least four or five
years ago success began TO attend experiments
with R0ntgen rays in fighting cancer whereas
! the earlier attempts had usually ended in fail
ure. In Boston Atlanta and other American
cities encouraging results We're reported In 1901
1t was natural therefore, to employ radium for
the same purpose when that substance became
prOcurable commercially, as it was about two
years ago. Being more potent and more com
pact than the vacuum tube, wider field Of use
| fulness seemed TO be open to it, Even if no
benefit was derived from other products than
the gamma" rays, it's larger capacity for gen
Grating these was an obvious recommendation
There was also probability that it could be ap-
piled internally as well as externally, direct
contact between the diseased tissue and the
source of the radiation having been deemed es-
sential Alexander Graham Bell the inventor
of the telephone, was one of the first persons to
recognize the latter advantage and to direct the
attention of the medical profession 70 it.
As Yet it is wise to cherish only modest ex
pectations in regard TO the future of both the
vacuum tube and Tadium. They do not now
give any assurance of suitability TO a large pro-
portion Of cases limited number of malignant
growths. eligibly situated for treatment and
taken in hand at an early stage OF their his
tory, have been relieved by these means For
many more surgery is the only resource 1t will
ne practicable ten years hence TO estimate the
value of these agencies more accurately than #
Is now. especially II new methods of applying
| Them are devised from time to time