The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-04

old scar after the surgical removal Of a
small one Of the same appearance eight
months previously and had been rapidly
increasing in size and number during
four months. They varied In size and
were grouped in chains and uneven
purplish hummocks. more than a dozen
In all. Internationally Of hope
less malignancy--probabl sarcoma.
"Radium by distance filtration offered
peculiar advantage in this condition be-
cause Of the even dissemination and
cross firing Of the rays. One hundred
and fifty milligrams Of pure radium
bromide were placed in a pasteboard
box covered by ~ inches Of loose cot
ton. thereby to maintain II at an even
distance from the scalp. this interval
being SUFFICIENT to eliminate the alpha
and beta rays. The box was placed
over the main group Of tumors and
held there for an hour and half. Then
II was moved over the other groups In
succession. each receiving lateral radia-
lions all the time. while the gamma rays
played vertically over the nearest
tumors.
"The total exposure was seven hours.
over six places. He returned to his
home 500 miles away and was to write
In two weeks. On the twelfth day he
appeared In person with the astonishing
statement that the tumors had all gone.
Examination showed normal scalp,
movable and flexible As in health and
nowhere trace Of former disease. Two
months later his physician carefully
examined him and reported that no
trace Of trouble could be found. This
threatening growth has been entirely
dissipated.'
From Europe and elsewhere come re-
ports Of the adaptation Of radium treat
ment to the circumstances Of other
maladies such as rheumatism and govt,
hardening Of the arteries and deafness.
Details are at present lacking. But It
must not be forgotten that numerous
cases Of cancer and other malignant
growths especially when deep seated.
have resolutely refused to yield per-
manently to the repressive effects Of
gamma rays Whether or not the medi-
cal world will yet be able to overcome
these obstacles time alone will tell. DR..
Able has said:
III We could only 20 q little further
In these cases with radium or find some
new agent to take UP the battle at this
Routs hA0 VI ITcou
troops at . decisive point, We would be
nearer victory. But increase In use Of
radium now becomes too painful,
whereas at first II allays pain like an
anodyne. We must therefore wait on
further experiments"
This article would be incomplete with
out some reference to the question OF
available radium. DR.. Kelly having I'M
~ H..
service restricts the number OF sufferers
that may be benefited at present. II
should be q source of satisfaction to
know that we have In this country de-
posits Of uranium bearing ores that
should make US independent Of Europe
and these. while not so rich as the
pitchblende from the Joachimstha.
mine in Bohemia. are. nevertheless.
sufficiently plentiful to Offset their low
er grade. So. too. the Bureau OF Mines
and native enterprises have evolved eff
cient and economical processes which
promise to make the extraction Of the
radium chloride or radium bromide an
operation of shorter duration and
greater thoroughness.
Again, the National Radium Ins,i-
tute, recently incorporated under the in
spiration Of DR.. James Douglas OF this
city and DR.. Howard A. Kelly Of Balt.-
more. has acquired q number Of radium
claims In the well known Paradox VAL
ley Of Colorado. and from the ore there
called carnotite. II Is estimated that
something like two hundred grams OF
radum may be procured in time. Two
hundred grams-a gram being equal to
1874 troy grains-may not seem to be
OF much moment. but physicians to-day
are working with only a few miillgrams
and yet so potent are the Gamma ray
from these tiny particles that remetla
wonders are being accomplished.
The need Of domestic conservation cay
be realized more fully II We recall how
the price for radlum salts has risen. In
1908 q millgram cost about 81 now $50
IL demanded for the same quantity, and
until recently all OF tho came from
abroad. our carnotte mines have sup
piled two-thirds OF the raw material
refined in Germany and France. The
Bureau of Mines intends to show how
this can be done economically and prof
itably at home.
Radium Is accomplishing curative
marvels, and possibly when physicians
have more Of II even greater things may
be achieved. but we must still remember
yet supplanted the knife--time only
will tell us II this may be possible.