New-York tribune., 1908-11-12
X-RAY SCIENCE MARTYR
JOHN BAUER. EXPERT
KILLED BY CANCER.
Physicians Say Pioneer Manufact-
urer Vas Sacrificed to Ignorance
of VioLet Lights Po1cer.

When # became known last night that John
Bauer. known TO physicians in this city one
Of the most expert manufacturers in the coun-
try of the R6ntgen ray tubes had died. martyr
TO science, from cancer contracted years ago in
the making of X-ray experiments cancer spe-
caiists in this city expressed great sorrow.
They said. however that present knowledge Of
X-ray treatment precluded the possibility of
similar fate Detailing other users of the ray.
Mr.. Bauer was member of the firm OF Green
& Bauer. Of Hartford. Conn, pioneer manu-
facturers of the ultraviolet ray apparatus.
Both he and Mr. Green contracted cancer about
eight years ago. before the precautions were
known which leading physicians here say are
universally taken to ward off the evil ef
fects of the X-ray treatment.
According TO DR. Z. ". Caldwell. of No 4S0
Park avenue. who knew Mr.. Bauer well and was
familiar with the case If the medical profession
had known three years ago much about the
Rontgen ray it does now Mr.. Bauer's life
would not have been sacrificed. He said the
treatment which is now being given 10 Mr..
Green will save his life.
The public in general is afraid of the X-ray
treatment" said DR. Caldwell. There are not
many deaths from it. however from over
doses Of drugs Used with reasonable skill. it
is harmless: but in the case of Mr.. Bauer, which
began before anything definite was known about
the R0ntgen ray il is pitiful. but not surprising,
that he should fall martyr to its cause.
If Mr.. Bauer's cancer had begun five years
ago. then it might truthtulIy be said he caused
his death from failure to observe ordinary
aution."
DR.. Caldwell said there was no such thing as
"X-ray cancer" The first appearance Of the
disease of Mr. Bauer came In the form of
tenderness of the skin of the hands and fingers.
Then his hands became hard and caIIous and
In turn extremely sore. from burns. Both
Mr.. Bauer and Mr.. Green, his partner, formerly
tested the strength OF ray by looking through
their hands
In the case of Mr. Bauer objective sores sue
ceeded and they we're not amenabe to any
known treatment. Mr.. Bauer went u the Ger
man Hospital in Williamsburg about three years
ago, and after staying there few days was
removed to the home of his mother, at No 25a
Afnsiie street, williamsburg. Later he was
taken to the New York Skin and Cancer Hos
pitaI. Second avenue and East 18th street. Man
haitian where some OF the best specialists Of the
country were called into the case They, how
ever pronounced ii hopeless
After remaining al the Cancer Hospital for
over a year he was again removed to the Ger
man Hospital in Williamsburg. and three weeks
ago it was necessary 10 amputate his left arm
The fingers OF his right hand followed, ard other
operations Of an even graver nature would have
been necessary had not death interviewed on
Saturday.- His whole bGdy. physicians say. was
ridged and callous. like the skin of a smallpox
convaiescent Despite the fact that Bauer was
only thirty-six years old, in death he appeared
10 be a man of sixty years. His funeral was held
yesterday from the home OF his mother, No. 25s
Ainslie street. williamsburg, and was attended
by many well known physicians
At the German Hospital the nature OF the
present precautions taken to guard the X-ray
practitioner from the malignant light was ex-
planned When the burning power OF the ray
was first discovered the practitioner used lead
apron but this was found to afford suffi-
cient protection as the rays would be detected
downward and would come up under the apron
on the inside. Then the practitioner tried a suit
of lead armor. and this was more successful, for
lead is the one substance which the rays cannot
penetrate.
The danger to the patient is slight, he is
almost covered with lead plates, Only the af-
fected part IS exposed, and the rays are focused
on this point.
The many well known doctors using these rays
are unanimous in the opinion that the ray is one
of the greatest things ever discovered in redi-
cal science. A well known physician practising
in one of the largest hospitals in the country
said that in many cases Of cancer and tumor
great results had been attained by its use Sci
ence has hardly begun to test the possibilities of
the violet ray, but. he said, case OF leprosy
has apparently been entirely cured by the use of
the ray.
ITO the final conclusions of science in regard
TO the X-ray the experimenters have shown the
way Bauer was a martyr TO science. and
should be so esteemed" was the statement made
last night by j E. Stohmann, superintendent of
the German Hospital.