The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1913-10-17
doctors Install
latest EQUIPMENT

Judging from the remarkable adj
vance made in medical science in the
last decade the cure of disease in the
relatively near future will be more in
the nature of a mechanical problem
than otherwise.
To the mind of a layman none OF
the accoutrements of the modern
medical scientist excites such wonder
as does the X-ray machine. BY Its
aid the thrifty Hebrew is enabled to
locate and finally recover. the silver
quarter swallowed by the baby; frac-
tured bones are clearly shown, more
clearly than were possible even by
cutting away the intervening tissue.
More wonderful still, LESSONS in the
lungs, tubercular affections, are
shown when the sputum fails to show
any trace of bacilli.
During the peregrinations of The
Tribune's Hired Man early this week
he ran across a sign on door that
interested him greatly. The legend
read, "X-Ray and Laboratory" and
was right across the hall from the
suite of Offices of Drs. Cole and Mil
Ter. The Hired Man, accompanied by
the two professional gentlemen, en-
tered the X-ray room, chamber
beautifully finished in black and lined
with fendish appearing tubes. In one
corner was box some five feet in
height, one side OF which is taken up
with innumerable electrical switches.
In front of the box was table to &C.
commodate the patients. Suspended
from an adjustable steel upright was
large glass bowl-like arrangement
that holds the X-ray bulb. This bowl
is made of lead glass, protecting the
operator and spectator from the rays.
From the box three steel tapes are
pulled out and hooked to the X-ray
bulb. The patient is placed in front
of the bulb, the lights are turned off
and several switches pushed in. I'M
mediately there is whir of a motor.
two or three flashes of electricity as
the machine gets into its stride, and
then greenish glow in the X-ray
bulb. A microscopic" screen, the only
one in this section of the country, is
then pulled down. This screen is to
all appearances an effective barrier to
any vision, but, behold! upon looking
the vertebrae, the ribs, the outline OF
the heart, the lungs, are open to in
spection.
One of the doctors phoned the hos.
pital and two of the nurses re-
sponded to the hurry call TO-
help. With their relp the Hiree
Man saw a photograph taken of Z
foot and hand. The Photographic
plate, securely wrapped in heavy. rec
paper was taken from lead-linee
box, and placed fiat upon the table
One of the doctors then laid his foo
fully clothed-on the plate, leaving
a scant margin for the hand of one O.
the nurses. The bulb was adjusted
d;rect1v over Nhe Mate and then:
flash of green light, and all was over
Dr. Cole had previously prepared
the developing bath and now unde
the regulation ruby light he develope'
the plate in couple minutes. TIL
plate was placed in front of lanterl
and there, plainly depicted in all it
heroic grandeur, was DR.. Miller
foot, and the nIrse's hand. TIL
shoe, the bones, the pals and meta
parts in the shoe, the shadow OF ia
of tendons-even down to the minut
assures in the bones, all were there
The metal and the bones were ex
ceedingly plain.
Last week E. c. Doyle, a travelin
salesman, was thrown from a runa
way and sustained a broken leg a
duly reported in The Tribune. Upo
being photographed by this machine
it was discovered that piece of tn
bone was broken away from the poir
of fracture and lay loose. The large
bone was also broken. Without tn
aid of the X-ray machine, the exat
nature of the fracture could not hav
become known.
Another patient was found with t,
bercular affection, plain in the pho