Evening star., 1922-03-02

| 81, Craig Kennedy as a tall
nervous man stalked into
| our apartment one evening. Jane
son, shake hands with DR.. Gregory
What's the matter, doctor? Surely
out like this?"
The doctor shook hands with me
! mechanically. His hand was icy. 1.-THE
blow has fallen," he exclaimed, as he
sank Imply into a chair and tossed an
evening paper over to Kennedy
In red ink on the first page, in the
little square headed --latest News
Woman Crippled for Life by X-Ray
Treatment"
"A terrible tragedy was revealed in
the suit begun today" continued the
, article, "by> Mrs. Huntington Close
against DR.. James Gregory, an X-ray
specialist, with offices at Madison ave-
nue., to revover damages for injuries
which Mrs. Close alleges she received
while under his care. Several months
ago she began a course of X-Eay treat
ment to remove a birthmark on her
neck. In her complaint Mrs. Close al
leges that DR.. Gregory has carelessly
caused X-ray dermatitis. a skin dis
ease of cancerous nature. and that she
has also been rendered a nervous
wreck through the effects of the rays.
simultaneously with filing the suit she
left home and entered private hos
pital. Mrs. Close is one of the most
popular hostesses in the smart set and
her loss will be keenly felt"
What am to do. Kennedy" asked
the doctor. imploringly You remem-
Der I told you the other day about
this case-that there was something
queer about it, that after a few treat
ments I was afraid to carry on any
more and refused to do so? She really
has dermatitis and nervous prostration,
exactly as she alleges in her COM
plant. But, before heaven, kennedy,
l can't see how she could possibly
treatments 1 gave her. And tonight,
just as 1 was leaving the office, re-
ceived a telephone call from her hus-
bands attorney, Lawrence, very klnd.
ly informing me that the case would
be pushed to the limit. tell you 1t
looks black for me"
What can 1 doT'
DO? Do you suppose any jury
is. going to take enough expert testi-
mony to outweigh the tragedy Of
beautiful woman? Do? Why, they
can ruin me, even If 1 get verdic,
with a reputation for carelessness
that no mere court decision can ever
overcome"
Gregory, you can rely on me.
said Kennedy. Anything I can dc
to help you I will gladly do. Jane
out to dinner. Join us, and after
that we will go down to your office
and talk things over"
You are really too kind" muir
INJURED the doctor. The air OF re.
lief that was written on his face
was pathetically eloquent.
till we have had dinner" commanded
Craig. II see very plainly that you
| have been worrying about the blow
for long time Well, it has fallen
The next thing to do is to look
over the situation, and see where we
Dinner over, we rode downtown
in the subway. and Gregory ushered
us into an Office building on Madi-
son avenue. where he had very
handsome suite of several rooms
We sat down in his waiting room tc
discuss the affair.
at is. indeed a very tragic case,
began Kennedy, almost more tragic
than if the victim had beeiI killed
outright. Mrs. Huntington Close is
or rather ! suppose l should say
was-one of the famous. beauties OF
the city From what the paper saws
her beauty has been hopelessly ruined
by this dermatitis. which, I under.
stand. is practically incuraole."
DR.. Gregory nodded. and l could
not help following his eyes as he
looked at his own rough AMI SCARED
hands.
"Also," continued Craig: With his
eyes half closed and his Gnger-tips
together, as if he We're taking q
mental inventory of the facts iff the
case, cher nerves are 50 shattered
that she will be years in recovering
II she ever recovers."
YES" said the doctor simply. u
myself, for instance, am subject tc
the most unexpected attacks of neu-
Pitts. But, of course. am under the
influence of the rays fifty or sixty
times a day. while she had only a
few treatments at intervals of many
days"
Craig, Il know you. Gregory, very
well. Only, the other. day.. before
any Of this came out. you told me
| to the outcome. know that thai
lawyer Of Closes has been keeping
this thing hanging over your heac
| for a long time. And also know
| that you are one Of the most care.
full X-ray operators in the city. I: