Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-10-29
WV AsHINGTON, D. c., Oct. 24.-How
NV old are Won?

VIZ ASHINGTON, D. c., Oct. 24.-How
w old are you?
People have always lied in reply
to that question. Criminals seeking to con-
ceal their identity, women wishing to appear
| younger than they are Chat is all women past
| 2O), young couples seeking marriage licenses,
men seeking jobs, have all made practice of
| claiming whatever age seemed most con-
venient and not too obviously belied by their
| looks. Young boys wanting to be soldiers
and sailors claim to be older than they are.
| Professional athletes frequently claim to be
| 'unger. The list might be heightened in
definitely.
Well, science has found a new age test,
which will make it much harder for any one,
who can be subjected to an Investigation, to
conceal his age. This scientific test was first
used quite recently in connection with Chinese
| immigration. According to the law, Chinese
| fathers in this country may bring in sons
! under 81. Now Chinamans age is the hard
| est thing in the world for an Occidental to
| guess. The Chinese face is a slow-changing
| mask. A Chinaman of 20 often looks almost
| like one of 40. So that a horde of sons
| claiming to- be under IL were pouring into
| this country, and no one could successfully
dispute the clam-untl the X-ray was turn
| ed upon the problem.
The doctor who tells the story explained
| that age can be determined to a considerable
extent by looking at the bones of the indvid-
ual with the X-ray.
| The doctor added that X-rays might be
used to advantage in other connections to de-
! termine age. For instance, he suggested that
| it might be employed in issuing marriage IL
| censes when the couple appears to be of I'M
| certain maturity. And if women ever become
| so eager to vote that they claim to- be of
| age before they really are, it might be used
! to test their claim. T.
| Dangerous to Handle
The specialist who told this story went on
| to recount some interesting experiences in
n of
| surgeon has a tragic cast because constant
use of the rays and exposure to them is apt
| to result in cancer or terrible burns. Danger
| from burns is less now as the doctors have
| learned better how to handle the rays. But
surgeons still give their lives, because the
powerful rays that destroy diseased tissue so
| thoroughly also prey on healthy tissues.
knowledge Of the dangers to be expected,
| however, does not seem to deter doctors from
| entering this field of medicine. Much expert
| mental work is being conducted to increase
the uses to which X-rays can be put. Regard
| less of themselves, surgeons are eagerly test
/ ing new possibilities of X-rays to diagnose in
| ternal troubles such as tuberculosis, and to
| cure diseases benefited by the more expensive
| radium.
But the surgeons life has it's lighter side.
| And this doctor chose to dwell on it.
81 have learned to tell married woman
| from a single one," he said. at is very
simple. When a patient comes into my of.
| flee to have X-ray pictures made of her teeth,
| l have to pose her. 1t is important that the
head be tilted exactly. And to get this proper
angle, I must take the head in my hands and
turn it. Single women have stiff necks. Mar
ried women are very pliable.'
| This principle of physiology, he insists, he
| has tested so many times that it is well
proved There are few exceptions School
| teachers have the stiffest necks, even when
married, if they continue to teach They also
have a tendency to change the position of the