Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-11-28
X-Ray Tests
Final Court
Of Appeal
Find tuberculosis Cases
Skipped by Old Method
BY LOGAN CLENDENING, MI

IRON now 10 Christmas the
l. berc ulosis Association
stamps should appear on all
your letters as they have for
many years.
This is a fundamental charity
which started long before in
come tax and the community
chest and it ought TO continue
TO be supported just the same.
The medical approach 10 tuber-
culosis is becoming more scien-
tifc and more complex all the
time.
l spoke the other day of the
modern scientific treatment of
tuberculosis.
Today / am reminded of the
change in the diagnosis of
tuberculosis that has come about
in the last 30 years.
II is mostly due TO the i'm
provement in the technique of
X-ray.
When I began TO study medi-
cine, the only means we had
10 detect tuberculosis was TO
hump the chest-percussion-
and listen with a stethoseope.
Later examination Of the
sputum for tubercle bacilli was
added. ~
These methods are still useful
but the final court of appeal is
the X-ray.
IF AN x-ray man makes a
L photograph of the chest of
10000 apparently normal adults
and the films are properly inter-
preted, il will weed out a sur
prisingly large number of cases
of tuberculosis that have never
been suspected.
This is what is being done TO
eliminate tuberculosis in the
draftees OF our new army.
There is no doubt that the
X-ray detects cases that can not
be spotted by the old methods
of percussion. listening to the
chest and spHtHm examination.
The use of the X-ray has
indeed revolutionized medical
practice in nearly all fields.
have recent book published
by the Eastman Kodak Com
pany called "X-Ray and You.
II deals only with tuberculosis
so far as it concerns diagnosis.
When the X-ray was first dis
covered it was thought il would
be useful TO see only opaque
tissues like bones and teeth.
Then soft tissues were dis
covered 10 throw differential
shadows on the plate, so it is
used in chest diseases-lung and
heart.
WHEN Doctor Cannon, the
w Harvard psychologist, had
the inspiration that soft tissue
organs such as the stomach and
intestines could be filled with
an emulsion of mineral salts
which are opaque to the A-fay.
he completely reopened the old
subject OF the diagnosis or
digestive disorders, by allowing
the contour and movements of
the stomach and intestines TO
be seen by the X-ray.
DR.. Evarts Graham OF st.
Louis had a brilliant idea that
a certain dye could he swal-
lowed and excreted only by the
liver and the gall bladder and
We now have method OF
making an exact diagnosis OF
gallstones and other diseases OF
the gallbladder which cause so
many digestive upsets.
THE kidney also can be out
i lined in much the same
way.
Even cancer of the breast can
be seen.
And as for having baby,
you can find out whether you
are going 10 have one or two,
what sort of position the baby
is in. and a great many other
things.
When think there wdsnt
even an x-ray apparatus in the
hospital where l spent my
internship, l am amazed that
so many feats have been &C
complished in so short a time.
QUESTIONS, ANSWERS
L. c., Philadelphia, Pa: What
is the exact effect of removal
of one kidney?
Must one follow a certain
diet?
Is the length Of the life
shortened
And is the person susceptible
10 a general rundown con-
dition7
Answer: There are thousands
of cases on record where a
person has had one kidney re-
moved and lived long time
afterwards. in fact, lived out
full life expectancy without any
deviation from the general run
of good health.
1t is not necessary to so on a
special diet.
Send the TIMES