Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-11
CANCER IS FOUGHT
BY RAD|UM BOMBS
Caution Is Big Item as
EmanationS Are Collected
for Clinic Use.
apec,sl pisUstch to Tn. star.

Special Dispstch to The Star.
CHICAGO, May II tNAN.Al. -
"Bomhers'' every bit as effective as
the champion deStructioniSts Of the
Army--but with the benef1t Of man
kind as their airn-have been organized
In Chicago.
They are manufacturers Of "radium
bombs" highly valuable apparatus said
by physicians to be securing optimistic
results in the treatment OF the disease
Of despair-cancer.
Working in an Office high in down.
town building, protected against GER
tain actions OF the precious material
with which they are dealing, these
chemists are activating Chicago'S
largest supply of radium and collect
ing the carnations in "radium bombs,
The bombs" are then transported un-
der guard to two cancer clinics in two
Chicago hospitals. one on the North
and one on the South side OF the city.
where arrangements are now under way
for the reception of patients.
The bomb-making Is being carried on
under direction of DR., Frank Edwin
Simpson. 63-year-old dermatologist and
for a number of years head of the Chi
cago Radium Institute.
Proper Handling Necessary.
when the diagnosis shows that an
operation would be unwise,' DR.. Simp-
son declares. we have found that
radium Is our most successful agent.
But 1t must be used properly.
Much of the disfavor into which radium
as q treatment for cancer has fallen
in certain quarters has been due to its
abuse by those unfamiliar with its pos
sibilitieS for good and evil.
Even II the cancer is 50 far advanced
aS TO be inclIrable, the prospects OF
alliation-reducing the threat Of the
disease-by the proper use of radium
are tremendous Only those of us who
practiced before the rsdium era can
fully realize the truth of the saying in
the medical profession that worse
things than death can happen to
cancer patient"
Use OF the "radium bombs" is one
Of two methods of cancer treatment by
rsdium. according to DR.. Simpson. who
will make use of his Sl80000 supply
of the rare chemical element for the
patients at the North Chicago and
Jackson Park Hospitals here.
The bombing" treatment is known
rs distance irrs distion" The other
method, by which the radium is i'm
planted into the growth. is known as
"intrs -tumoral irradiation.'
Speaking Of the former method, DR..
Simpson said: 1T can readily be
ehown that there is no tissue in the
radium to affect. provided 2 SUFFICIENT
quantity Is available and applied in
the proper way.
Not Applied on Contact.
AT the present time we seldom apply
radium directly in contact with a
lesion. but rather at carefully calcu-
lated distance from the skin or men,
brane.
In all heavy treatments radium
shield is now used. beam OF rays
thus bombsros the lesion while the pa
tient is protected from any incidental
undesirable effects"
In the implantation method. DR..
Simpson said. old-fashioned needles
for the injection have been replaced by
up-to-date surgeons with glass or lead
seeds that are buried and left per-
msnently in the tumor
These little tubes" the doctor ex-
planned. are about or millimeters
in length and have an internal di-
emeter Of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS of
millimeter and a wall thickness OF
three-tenths of q millimeter."
DR.. Simpson rose to his feet and
looked cut of his window upon the city
below.
In this radium treatment. like every
thing else ne said after a pause. we
cannot urge too strongly the importance
OF early diagnosis All our science seems
to be OF little value unless the patient
overcomes his great fear and gives the
q chance to examine him
early
FavOrs Concentration.
The doctor told how the people OF
Germany had become impressed with
the value of radium treatments in can
Ger cases. AS result. he sai5. treat
ment centers have been springing no
all over that country with a conse-
duent diversion Of the German supply.
He pleaded that America profit BY the
example and keep its radium concern
tratsd.
One hundred thousand dollars
worth OF radium is Of most good in
cancer when it is used at one time on
one patient" he said, mot when it is
distributed to 20 or more patients at
various points of the compass"
The ooctor then added an important
reminder.
You must keep in mind" he said.
that the radflm can be used over and
over again for all practical purposes.
~ takes IL years for an atom to wear
out
The great hope OF this pioneer in
Vestigstor into the potencies Of the ele-
ment isolated by the Curies is that
through Capitalization Of supply. he will
be able TO make the treatments available
Tn cancer patients of whatever means
In the past" he declared. the use
~ radium has been highly restricted
because of its prohibitiye cost. But for
the future the outlook Is brighter. We
hope 10 apply toe mass product on
nethods Of American industry 10 the
mighty scientific and technical spplica-
ton Of the chemical. radium.'
tCopyright, 1891. by the North American
Newspaper Alliance