Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-03-21

PHYSICIANS were used to burning out cancers
with caustics. the idea occurred to them that
raoium was perhaps q magic caustic, and 90
u mas proved to be, for when suitably used
radlum benefits and in a few instances cures
tumors.
diamond as 1t comes from the mine n
an undressing, dull lump that looks like
dirty glass. and no one would suspect it,
oeauty as 1t finally leaves the hand OF the
cutter. So too, radium is disappointing. It
looks ike little tooth powder enclosed In Z
glass tube. Ten thousand dollars worth can
De put into such tube about the sixe OF \
coarse pencil lead and not more than an inch
IN length. The glass tube is very thin and
Is enclosed in a silver one 50 as to prevent
hreakage in handling The bare tubes must
always be picked up with forceps, for about
d minutes contact will in a week or 80 be
followed by sharp burn which viii render
tne tips OF the fingers useless for practical
purposes for month or more
In treating cancer a burn is to toe avoided.
so the radium is enclosed in a metal tube
about an eighth Of an inch thick, which alb
serbs both kinds Of projectiles Of which We
have spoken and allows only the invisible
A-rays OF radium to pass For the actual
treatment sufficient number Of tubes are
wrapped up in surgical gauze or stuck into
piece Of dentists moulding wax 80 AZ to
Keep the tubes from direct contact with the
skin. and the whole package is strapped
over the tumor with adhesive plaster.
Radiuu Gives of It's Rays in
Breaking Down Other Substance
IT an internal tumor is to be treated the
tubes are surrounded by thick rubber or
wax and held against the tumor. lin treat
ing some cancers for instance one in the
tongue, it is difficult to keep the radium In
place for the necessary number Of hours, so
another method is used. Radium only gives
of its rays because it is breaking down into
another substance just as coal only gives
Off energy, which is really stored sunshine,
when it is burnt. Now one Of these break
down products Is gas which can be pumped
off from the radium and collected in small
steel or glass needles. These needles can be
stuck into the tumor and left there until the
tunor cells have had a proper dose. This
does not hurt, as might be thought. for
tumor has no nerves.
That is about all there Is to radium treat
ment but the proper dose and the time that
the radium must be left on the tumor can
only be determined by long experience. Ex-
cessive treatment may result In very painful
burns, injury OF the healthy tissues sur
rounding the tumor and in some instances
in the severe illness and even the death Of
the patient. undertreatment may stimulate
the tumor to grow faster. So 1t is evident
that the use OF this powerful remedy should
be only in experienced hands
Radium does not do what we all hoped at
one time it would do: that is, cure all
tumors but 1t has brought freedom from
pain and comfort and prolongation Of life to
many thousand suffering human beings.
So We welcome to our shores Nine. Marie
Curie-perhaps the greatest scientific mind
the gentler sex has produced-and we well
come her here because she has not only
discovered new element and opened to our
gaze universe OF inhnitesinal things and
changed all our views Of the constitution
of the atom but most Of all because she has
brought comfort to human souls.