The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1922-11-25
TONSILS AND THEIR ILLS
BY Frederic j. Haskin

few hours what nature takes years tn
do. Two radium needles are inserted
In q diseased tonsil for a certain
length Of time, and after two or three
OF these treatments the organ IA
shrunk to its normal insignifcance.
The needles used are about one
inch long and about the thickness
OF a photograph needle. At the blunt
end is an eye in which silk is thread
ed SO that the needle can be readily
withdrawn. Small as these tools are.
they represent $4,000 or $4,000
worth Of radium. The precious sub
stance is In the center OF the needle
and the exterior. composed of plati-
mum and iridium, forms a screen
through which the rays are filtered.
No matter how often or how little the
needles are used, one-half of their
power will not be gone for 1900
years.
RADIUM'S MYSTERIOUS WAYS
One strange fact about radium is
that 1t has a selective effect, letting
some cells alone and changing the
character Of others. 1t has been
found that the tissue of the tonsils
is extremely sensitive to radium. Col
onies Of disease germs disappear and
the soft tissue is absorbed and shriv-
eled. leaving only Arm healthy tissue
behind.
DR.. Wells does not advocate his
method OF radium treatment as a
substitute for removal of tonsils by
surgical operation. Radium IL for
those who cannot stand an operation.
1t has the advantage of being pain
less and Of not being weakening. 1t
involves no hospital illness. Never
theless 1t Is not for the average
person. 1t Is expensive.
Even though new sources of radi-
UNI are discovered from time to time,
there 10 little prospect Of its becom-
ing an inexpensive material. The
cost Of mining and extracting 1t is
large. and doctors using 1t are main
ly specialists who have evolved meth
DDS Of treatment by long study and
large investment. Still, the cost of
radium is dropping. Where once 1t
sold for $40 a miiligram it is now
quoted at around $40.
X-ray has also been used as a
treatment for diseased tonsils, with
varying success. The disadvantage
Is that the rays must penetrate to the
tonsils from the outside Of the neck,
whereas radium a be applied d.
rectly to the diseased organ.
Closely allied to tonsilar troubles
is the popular disease known as ad-
enoids. When people speak OF adj
enoids they refer to a disease of the
little tonsil Ryan located between
the nose and throat where they join.
This organ is sometimes called the
third tonsil, and like the other two,
1t Is supposed to shrink early in life.
When 1t fails to atrophy and gets
larger instead by disease. breathing
is INSTRUCTED and considerable dis
comfort may result. This third ton
sill may swell to a bigger size than
the tonsils of the throat. but 1t does
not harbor infection to the same ex-
tent. and SO 1t Is not SO generally a
source Of trouble as the regular ton
sils are.
With all this depressing informa-
ton on the frailty of man any one
would naturally inquire how to keep
the tonsils, all three of them. in
their proper. inconspicuous place.
About all that can be done. 1t is said,
is to avoid colds. When colds occur
and the tonsils are infiamed they be
come larger than before and they are
very apt not to shrink afterwards to
their former size.