Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-03

medical convention in London. Several
American specialists have been here max
ing Investigations, and DR.. LOUIS WICK
ham of Paris, chief of the department OF
therapeutical researches in the univer-
sity and director of the hospital where tu-
mors and cancer are treated, delivered an
address on the subject which has createo
a profound sensation among the medlcal
profession. believe also that DIR. Wick
ham has visited the United States ana
has arranged for experimental researches
in the cancer hospitals of our country.
Prof. Step has been keeping IN close
touch with him and other authorities ana
tells me that remarkable cures have been
effected, although it is necessary to re-
serve the final verdicts until the cancers
that have apparently been cured can nave
however. that time will demonstrate that
the patients to whom redium and raids
mus have been applied are completely
cured.
DR.. Wickham has reports of the treat
ment in more than two thousand cases.
many of them so malignant that they
could not be operated upon, and In every
case thus far the application of radium
has been followed by the most favorable
symptoms and apparent cure. "Of
course" he says. mo one can tell whether
the repression is only local. and whether
the tumor may not become active again
after long time. but | believe that the
cure is permanent, and every year the
the cure is greater. and, of course. so
much is added to the Aife of the patient.
In his address before the medical asso-
citation in London Dr.. Wickham, said:
I'm internal tumors radium can be SO
employed as to go straight to the seat OF
trouble. The ray from the metal. which
reduces the tumor to a pathological It's
sue, radiates through the glass tube,
which is withdrawn after each treatment.
The tube is about an inch long and one
eighth of an inch thick OF course. other
receptacles for the metal are used. For
external treatment the vessel containing
the radium may be a fat circular case
large enough to cover the diseased part.
Get to Seat of Disease.
THE rays are are somewhat similar to
the X-ray. but much more powerful, and
of course, more easily accessible to the
tumor:
I'm cases where the tumor cannot be
reached through the natural orifices
surgical operation of comparatively
harmless character can canduct the rad
ium to the seat Of the disease.
''In this way ! have successfully operat-
ed on cancers of the breast. the neck. the
esOpag gus. the stomach, the neck of the
bladder and the uterus. The actual re-
suits comprise not only the repression OF
the tumor, but also the diminution of
pain and the relief of the patient. and
often the prolongation of life. Yet even
thus limited to a local action, radium ap-
pears as precious weapon In the unequal
fight against cancer.
During the last ten or twelve years
large sums of money have been expended
seeking a remedy for cancer. l under
stand that reward of 100000 has been
offered by some British humanitarian
for a sure cure; half million dollars was
bequeathed to the Cancer Hospital IN
London not long ago for research in this
subject; an American manufacturing
chemist in London has expended hun
bred thousand dollars already in his
laboratories in this single inquiry. Zone
body at the hotel at Carlsbad remembered
that he had heard of an American miner
whose wife had died Of cancer. Offering
million dollars to pay the expense Of
other men from losing their wives from
the same disease.
Scarcity Handicap.
The scarcity of radium is, Of course. a
serious handicap. There is only q very
small quantity Of the mineral in exist
ence, and, while the newspapers have es-
| timated it's value at q quarter Of q mil
| lion dollars gram, that is merely another
way of saying that it Is priceless. There
is no fixed value and can be none for an
| article that is so precious and so scarce,
but If there is virtue in the water from
the mine in which radium is found there
is plenty of it-enough to battle all the
cancer patients In the world every DAY;
and 1t is now going to waste without the
slightest realization Of It's importance.
The people OF st. Joachimsthal look upon
it from an economic as well as a humane
point of view. and II 1t should be decided
that the water OF the little brook that
bisects their village Ia q sure cure for
cancer they will prepare accommodations
for all the afflicted that can come.
The Austrian government IL watching
the matter very closely both from the
humane and the economic standpoint. A
considerable number Of the population Of