The New York herald., 1922-12-17

Copyri0ht, 1929. by THE New York HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Paris. Dec. 9.
Z y a little white room Of the Lari-
boisl1re Hospital II Paris, sur
rounded by his former assistants
and nurses, lies one of the bravest
mcn in France, He is NJ. Charles
Valiant, martyr to science and prog
ress, who is giving his life by inches
IN order that humanitys suiferings
may be minimzed and the world may
be made healthier and happier Al
ready armless, having submitted .thir-
teen operations in what seems to be
a vain attempt to arrest the ravages
0 photographic cancer. developed
nineteen years ago, NJ. Valiant knows
that the next few months may bring
either new amputation and suffering,
OF even death. Eut he refuses to be
downcast by this prospect, and TO all
visitors repeats constantly the cheer
ful, atruistic refrain OF martyrdom:
What is my life compared with the
health of millions of my fellows beings
tor whom | gladly give it?"
VI. Naillant's career has passed al
most unnoticed to the outside world.
only on rare occasions have newspapers
mentioned his suffering. and then only
because some Government official has
succeeded in obtaining an honor for
the patient sufferer. But when early
this month it was announced that NJ.
Valiant had submitted a thirteenth
operation, and although he could no
longer do practical work as head of the
Lariboisiere photographic laboratory
he did not intend to permit amputa-
tons to interfere with his mastery of
photography, his name was echoed
from one end of France to the other.
Officials Of all grades fastened 10 his
bedside to pay homage TO an in
domitable spirit. Expecting to find a
broken mentality as the result of such
sacrifices. they found instead q man
OF keen intelligence, clear of eye and
apparently with a physical system
capable of withstanding any pain. TO
these men of high places, NJ. Valiant.
who at the very height of his career
did not receive a yearly salary OF
more than $500 smiled his recognition
Of their courtesy. and told them:
II have only done what could for
my fellowmen. Surely | could not re-
fuse to give what ] had
A similar case is that of Prof. Ber-
goni Of Bordeaux University. who has
suffered amputations OF the right arm
and three fingers OF the left hand. He
has just been awarded Carnegie
Hero Medal
DIR. valiant is few months over
SO years and be bravely hopes that
with an artificial arm he may be able
at least to direct the work OF faithful
assistants. anl perhaps even discover
some method of averting for others
the danger of photographic cancer.
which has already claimed its victims
IL France. England. Germany and the
United States in considerable num-
bers.
VI. valiant, when 23 years old, in
1895. was attached to the Lariboisiere
laboratory. Photography was in its
infancy. but the world was already be-
ginning to dream of an era when.
thanks to X-rays. Roentgen and other
discoveries. disease might be banished.
NJ. Valiant entered into the spirit of
photographic research with tremen-
dous enthusiasm, personally making
changes in the imperfect machinery
with which the Paris laboratories were
supplied. Thousands Of persons were
photographed during those early years
OF radial science, but SO great was the