New-York tribune., 1907-09-13
RADIUM CANCER CURE.
DR.. Robert Abbe Says 1t Is Possible
an Certain Stages.

The papers read before the International Derna-
tologcal Congress yesterday at the Academy OF
Medicine. in support of the contention OF several
specialists that cancer and skin growths Of varf-
Gus kinds could be cured by x-rays and radium
brought out considerable discussion. Several ply
sicians of the opinion that the use of X-rays
for cancer and other growths should net be re-
sorted TO by persons who did not thoroughly
derstand how handle them contrary to the
opinion of many physicians. who seemed TO think
that little or no study required Those who
took part in the discussion cited cases of perrla-
nent Disagreement resulting from the misuse OF
the X-ray.
DR.. Robert Able. who lectured radium as
,n,nue forca in curing cancer, argued that the
Same effects could not be brought about by the
use Of caustic electricity. To support ms con-
tention about the curative force OF rauluIn' No
produced models of cases treated under his OBJ
rervatfon showing the state of the skin growth
at the beginning and during periods OF treatment
eft Is possible to say positively. said Dr. Aooe'
.that cancer at a certain stage can be cured oy
radiuu Thick. animallike skin. covered WIN
roouselfke hair can be reduced by radlum 70
nor1a1 condition Just how these cures are achieved
is matter of conjecture Radium has been de-
scrJbed as a stream of rays charged with intense
negative electricity that penetrates and kills the
vital force of such growths IL comes In contact
with them
Dr. Herman Lawrence. Of Melbourne. Australia
and DR.. w. A. Pussey. of Chicago. spoke on the y
raw ss a most valuable means Of treating various
diseases of the skin DR.. Pussey stated that OUT
of 119 humorous growths treated more than three
years ago with the X ray. only twelve had been
absolute failures EIghty-1ve of these cases have
fully recovered. and the others were too tar gone
or had died of other diseases. DR.. Stern said mat
the ray effects its cure by killing the groths which
are preying on the human system TIE ray
seemed to be most successful when the disease
took the form of surface growth he said whereas
in cases where the growth is deep rooted other
,,ieo
The afternoon session was taken up in the dis
cussion Of parasites in the human body DR.
Charles w Stiles. OF the United States Public
Health and Marine Hospital Service, said that
these little creatures bore through the skin, after
a manner somewhat akin 10 the Jersey hummer.
and the patient soon becomes enemy Of Work
in all It's branches He created some interest when
he said the high death rate at the AndersonviIe
prison during the Civil War should not be blamed
on the officers in charge. but due 10 the Yer
sey hummer
DR.. Rixey, surgeon general of the United States
navy. was unable TO attend the congress. but his
paper on the study of tropical diseases was read
DR. Rixey maintained that skin diseases had
caused more illness in the navy aboard ships dur
ing the last ten years than all other diseases put
together.
The delegates visited the Presbyterian Hospital
yesterday afternoon and were taken through the
buildings by DR.. George T. Jackson. of the hos
pital staff. They invited to visit Mount Sinai
Hospital on Saturday afternoon