Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-10-27


How old are you?
People have always lied in reply
to that question. Criminals seeking
10 conceal their identity, women
wishing to appear younger than
they are Chat is all women past
2O), young couples seeking mar
riage licenses, men seeking jobs,
have all made a practice of claim
ing whatever age seemed most con-
veDient and not too obviously belied
by their looks. Young boys want
to be soldiers and sailors claim TO
be older than they are. Professional
athletes frequently claim to be
younger. The list might be length
ened indefinitely.
Well, science has found a new
age test, which win make it much
harder fo- 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 immigra-
ton. According to the law, Chinese
fathers in this country may bring
in sons under 21. Now a China
mans age Is the hardest 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 som claim
ing to be under FL were pouring
into this country, and M could
successfully dispute the claim-un-
til the N-ray was turned upon the
problem.
The doctor who tells the story ex-
planned that g can be determin-
ed to a considerable extent by
looking at the bones of the individ-
ual with the X-ray.
The doctor added that X-rays
might be used to advantage in other
connections to determine age. For
instance he suggested that it might
be employed in issuing marriage Ii
censes when the couple appears to
be of uncertq,n maturity. And If
women ever become so eager to vote
that they claim TO lie of age be-
fore they really are. it might be
used to test their claims.
Dangerous 10 Handle
The specialist who told the story
Wen on to recount some interesting
experiences in his field of medicine.
The life of an X-ray 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, be-
the powerful rays that de-
stroy 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 of to which X
rays can be put. Regardless of
themselves, surgeons are eagerly
testing new possibilities of X-rays
to diagnose internal troubles such
as tuberculosis, and to cure dis
eases benefited by the more expen-
sive radium.
But the surgeons life has it's
lighter side. And this doctor chose
to dwell on it.
81 have learned to tell a married
woman from a single one" he said
1T is very simple. When a patient
comes into my office to haxe X-ray
pictures made of her teeth / have
to pose her. 1t is important that
the head be tilted exactly. And to
get this proper angle / must take
the head in my hands and turn it.
Single women have stiff necks.
Married women are very p~liable."
This principle of physiology. he
ir sists he has tested so many times
that it is well proved. There are a
few exceptions. School teachers
have the ~stiffest necks, ever when
married, If they continue to teach.
They also have a tendency to
change the position of the head a
trifle after being fixed. the doctor
has found.
The other day he met an excep-
ton at the other extreme. A wo-
man patient had so responsive a
neck and remained in place so per-
fectly that the doctor looked down
at her hand to confirm his deduc-
ton that she was married. To his
surprise she wore no rings. He
told her about his little expert
ments and explained that she was
a very unusual type. She laughed
and said she was an artist. She
knew what he wanted, because she
was used to posing models.
There is only n amusing thing
about having an X-ray picture
taken of a stomach, and that is the
penny. In taking such a picture it
is necessary to locate and mark
the individuals stomach exactly
before the plate can be made. The
position OF the stomach varies in
different persons, and for a guide
a penny is sometimes fastened on
the body with a bit OF adhesive.