The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1914-12-18
Copyright, 1914. by A. S. Gray
CANCER AND THE RADIANT RAYS.

aug Oh anything we CdnuoI ooo VIVA
our own eyes, hold in our hands, touch, e
taste, smell or hear; but with very 8
little effort we can achieve the seem r
ingly Impossible and secure an I'M c
Outstanding of phenomena beyond the {
reach of our personal senses. AND
this is we'll worth while because com
prehension of natural forces enables I
us to Live sane, wholesome and there
fore happy lives.
An emanation is anything flowing or
radiating out from something for
example, we speak of light emanatihs
or radiating from the sun. In the eVo-
luton of our modern views OF the con-
stitution of matter the study OF the
radiatons has furnished some OF 'he
most significant clews in connecuon
with both the undulatory or wave "a
diations of which light is the charac-
teristic example, and also of the cor
puscular radiations, which are proved
beyond all question to consist OF par
ticles of matter or electricity. THESE
particles are proved to be travelling at
speeds varying from one millimeter
second to approximately the velocity
of light which is as we all know, 1885,
600 miles second.
When ordinary bodies are heated to
about 500 degrees Centigrade (932 de-
grees FahrenheiN they begin to emit
visible light no matter what the SUD-
stance may be, and the radlatlons ap-
near to be due to this DEFINITE temper
ature and are referred to as tempeVa-
tura radiations. But in certain cases
light Is found to be emitted at tenn
perature far below that at winch 'eiii'
perature radiations set in, ana lNeee
nhenomena we know as lumlnescence'
nhosphorescence and the like-aght
without heat, we call it. But one anu
all are due to the interchange OF soihe
form of energy and most OF II Is pe-
yond the border line Of our ability 10
nerceive without external assistance 10
our limited senses.
---l,z..-- e@1sss1az,<ave ra citations are propa
gated exactly like waves in water or
sound in air, without the transfer Of
any matter along the path of propaga
ton, but corpuscular radiations con
slst OF streams of fine particles ORC
jected at various degrees of high We
locltles and may, perhaps, best be i
ustrated by imaging a stream of fin
gravel. Probably all are familiar wit
the sand blast and how it will G.,
away the hardest surface and not l.
Jure the softest fabric There Is
close relationship between the tv
types of radiation, just as there is
tween the air and the sand, and t
principals involved are undoubted
those which will be found to accou
for the many marvellous effects
both the direct and indirect sunlig
on human diseases and on life in g
eral.
We have noted the effects Of dire
sunlight in a general way and N
come to the matter Of indirect 81
light for we should not for MINI
forget that all forms Of energy on Il
earth are but converted sun enerf
But before considering the subject
radiations in general perhaps it wor
be best to survey very briefly the fie
OF their application to our needs
order to get the connection and sh'
that the matter is worth consideril
Shortly after the X-rays were d
covered II was found that they exc
ed a destructive influence on livi
tissues, which became more mark
the longer animal structures were
posed to them, and Immediately it "
suggested that here we had the 10
hoped for remedy for the destructi
of cancer. But soon 1t was learn
that it was very dangerous pow
In Germany few careful console
tious workers have very persisten
developed the technique and appar
Ms, as all human experience prov
must be done in evesy department, a
have slowly evolved a method that
showing most encouraging results
cancerous conditions and in sol
forms Of sepsis.
Kroenigs clinic at Freiburgis
equipped with modern apparatus a
with some LOO milligrams of me
thorium and radium. Mesothorium
some 300 times as concentrated as
dunn, but gives similar results
shorter time. At the clinic, where
cancer only slight operation is
quired. the operation is performed a
then the ray Is used; where sew,
operation ordinarily would be reQuil
the ray alone is employed. Natl,
who can be kept under long obser
ton are never operated upon, but ,
merely subjected to the ray. Forei
ers who can remain only short ii
are often operated upon and then
ray is used on them. At this eli
the mesothorium and X-ray treatme
are generally combined The clinic
ports $50 cases treated, with 100 !
cent of cures.
Bumm in Berlin has $50 milligra
of mesothorium and his statistics sh
Sc per cent OF cures.
This clinic also reports two cases
DuorDorol snnsfs frnatad succassful