Injurious Effects of the Roentgen Rays Page 2

of an external ear, the sloughing of a lower extremity, alopecia of a large portion of the head are among the alleged injuries sustained by one exposure of the brain to the rays for a period of thirty-minutes at a distance of one and one-half inches from the tube was in all probability contributory to death.

Although not any one operator of the rays may even hope to determine all of their mysterious properties, still each by careful observation may be able to add a little knowledge toward the enhancement of their usefulness on the one hand and texture becomes apparent. The stage of ulceration supervenes characterized by its indolence, severe pain and being usually devoid of suppuration, its depth depends upon the severity of the exposure and the vulnerability of the tissues, it may involve all of the subjacent structures even the bone participating in the inflammation. After several weeks or even months of chronicity, the parts very slowly repair, the destroyed parts are often regenerated and functional activity may be entirely restored but the new integument will be devoid of hair and hair follicles.

Treatment of X-Ray Injuries

Treatment is of little avail - showering the parts with cold water reduces the temperature and for the time mitigates the pain. A rubber bandage loosely applied will hasten repair and afford a little relief, a solution of cocaine muriate will benumb the nerves, slightly raising the parts afford relief, but if raised too high, the suffering is intensified. Hot applications augment the discomfort of the patient.

The Cause and How to Avoid the Danger

If in accordance with the general consensus of opinion we concede that the rays in and of themselves are devoid of dangerous properties, that all of the bad results are attributable to the electricity unconsumed in their generation, it becomes obvious that as the x-ray can not be obtained without the electrical currents every precaution must be taken to keep the patient's body out of their field of operation.

In the atmosphere in the immediate neighborhood of every excited Crookes' tube two separate fields of force, the electrical and x-radial can be investigated, a portion of the former travels the dielectric air along the conductors to and from the tube, another portion which concerns us most is repelled from its exterior traveling a varying distance into space but incessantly tends to return to the generating apparatus by the path or paths of least resistance, this field of force constitutes the danger zone and can be explored by a floating feather or silken fabric which will travel through the areal electrical pathway. The x-radiance can be traced through this electrical field into the apartment by the aid of the fluoroscope, it will be observed to diverge from the deflecting target in the Crookes' tubes spreading out in a conoidal manner, rectilenear in propagation.

X-ray injuries may follow the employment of any variety of exciting apparatus but are by far more common from the unidirectioned than the oscillatory discharges, because the latter neutralizes its own potential with each pulsation in the immediate vicinity of the Crookes' tube, i. e., has a smaller danger zone whereas, with the unidirectioned current the tendency is to select the patient's body as a path for a portion of the return flow.

Employment of the metallic grounded screen as recommended by Nikola Tesla as a protective measure is of extreme importance.* With the modern static machines capable of developing a pressure of several millions of volts, the employment of additional spark gaps increases the electrical dissemination, raises the resistance, developes amperage, increases the electrification of the patient and thereby adds to the danger.

Although it may seem paradoxical, the same strength of current from a large static machine delivering an electro-motor force of three million volts capable of causing severe x-ray injuries with the Crookes' tube attached, can be employed to bombard a patient's body placed directly in the circuit, after the tube has been removed, as a therapeutic procedure,

* See Electrical Review, May 5th, 1897.