The Spectator., 1914-12-15
Copyright, 1914. by A. s. Gray) CANCER AND THE RADIANT RAYS.

our own eyes, hold in our hands, touch. taste, smell or hear; but with a very little effort we can achieve the seem ingly impossible and secure an un- derstanding of phenomena beyond the reach of our personal senses. And this is we'll worth while because com prehension of natural forces enables 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 emanating or radiating from the sun. In the evo- lution of our modern views of the con stitution of matter the study of the radiations has furnished some of the most significant clews in connection with both the undulatory or wave ra- 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. 1S6.- 000 miles a second.
 When ordinary bodies are heated to about 300 degrees Centigrade t932 de- grees FahrenheiD they begin to emit visible light, no matter what the sub stance may be and the radiations ap- pear to be due to this definite temper ature and are referred to as tempera- ture radiations. But in certain cases light is found to be emitted at tenn perature far below that at which tenn perature radiations set in, and these phenomena we know as luminescence, phosphorescence and the like-light without heat, we call it. But one and all are due to the interchange of some form of energy and most of it is be- yond the border line of our ability to perceive without external assistance to our limited senses.
 Light wave radiations 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 sist of streams of fine particles pre- jected at various degrees of high ve- locities and may. perhaps, best be H. lustrated by imaging stream of fine gravel. Probably all are familiar with the sand blast and how it will cut away the hardest surface and not in lure the softest fabric. There Is close relationship between the two types of radiation, just as there is be- tween the air and the sand. and the principals involved are undoubtedly those which will be found to account for the many marvellous effects of both the direct and indirect sunlight on human diseases and on life in gen. eral.
 We have noted the effects of direct sunlight in a general way and now come to the matter of indirect sun light, for we should not for minute forget that all forms of energy on this earth are but converted sun energy. But before considering the subject of radiations in general perhaps it would be best to survey very briefly the field of their application to our needs la order to get the connection and show that the matter is worth considering.
 Shortly after the X-rays were dis covered it was found that they exert ed a destructive influence on living tissues, which became more marked the longer animal structures were ex posed to them, and immediately it was hat harn had tho lnp ~ hoped for remedy for the destruction of cancer. But soon 1t was learned that it was very dangerous power.
 In Germany a few careful, conscien- tious workers have very consistently developed the technique and apparat- us. as all human experience proves must be done in every department. and have slowly evolved a method that is showing most encouraging results in cancerous conditions and in some forms of sepsis,
 Kroenigs clinic at Freiburgis is equipped with modern apparatus and with some 1.700 milligrams of meso- thorium and radium. Mesothorium is some 300 times as concentrated as ra- dium, but gives similar results in shorter time. At the clinic. where for cancer only slight operation is re- quired, the operation is performed and then the ray is used; where severe operation ordinarily would be required the ray alone is employed. Natives who can be kept under long observa- tion are never operated upon. but are merely subjected to the ray. Foreign CTS who can remain only short time are often operated upon and then the ray is used on them. At this clinic the mesothorium and X-ray treatments are generally combined The clinic re ports $50 cases treated, with 100 per cent Of cures.
 Bumm in Berlin has $50 milligrams of mesothorium and his statistics show s6 per cent of cures.
 This clinic also reports two cases of .ruarnaral seDsis treated successfully.