Two facts are established: First, surface diseases can be treated by strong radium placed on the surface for a half hour, with gauze, paper or cotton interposed to the thickness of a quarter or of •half an inch, as a • filter to exclude the most irritating rays; second, when the disease is deep, insulation of the skin, Which is a natural protector,. prevents :penetration. of the efficient rays to a sufficient depth, without such a long application as would injure the skin, .unless a thick screen of lead is interposed to •cut off the burning rays and allow penetrai tion of the gamma; which generate secondary beta rays.
Aboitt one tenth millimeter of lead for every hour's exposure of small amounts of radium (up to 100 milligrams) is about the correct Screen to affect deep structures. With these facts in mind • experience will dictate care.1 fully gauged of rays which must be din charged into the structure to produce a =alive action.
Speculation would lead one to surmise that, if its curative effect lies in the negative elec. trons vrhidi radium supplies, die disease Might be due to the loss of the negative charges. Granting that die force activating any living cell is a well-balanced positive and negative Charge of electricity, the equipoise is •eeesudn fished. by restoring the lost part ufith permanent benefit. While physioknnsts are in doubt whether the chemical change in metaboliarti of living tissue creates electric action, or, whether latent electric forces engender chemical Than biologic metabolism, it would seem this clean-cut supply of one electric element, with its resultant good; brings us one step nearer to understanding why cells grow and why they grow wrong. Inferentially, electricity and not biological change is the primary drive in force. -In summarizing the acknowledged
efficiency of radium results in surgical work, the most .clear-out demonstration of its value is shown in the cure of many semi-malignant of the *in— uotahly of face, seal, and rids;. in the alterative and reducing effect on lymphoid., structures, lymph gland tumors, lyrn Phangioniate of tongue, parotid, thyroid and splenic. tumors; in Complete disappearance of bent myeloid tumors; in prompt and complete disappearance of papilknaata— warts in any part, especially available in the larynx where one application is usually sufficient; in Malta-, tive and often curative effect in patches of chronic itching eczema, psoriasis, Paget's nipple, vernal catarrh and keloals.
The public call on scientific medicine to find a cancer cure has been met with untiring zeal by, thousands of earnest students. One use of radium lies in helping to understand the subject better and to differentiate the various types of that multiform, disease; but as yet its use meets with, a limited response. • There is undoubtedly a curative action on small groups of cancer" cells whoa found in nests in the neighborhood of larger growths.It may also be said that when radium is biiiied in the area from which a cancer has been imperfectly, removed, it has sometimes shown curative action and has ,pre vented recurrence, but, as a. weapon pgaanst considerable cancer masses it is not yet avail. able. In mixed cancer tumors where adenoid structure exists, as in adeno-caruinoma of the rectum, it has a marked retarding value when properly used. Exact methods of applying this powerful agent have yet to be formulated and great experience andjudgment are necessary to obtain the beneficial action of this remedy.