EFFICIENCY OF RADIUM IN TREATMENT OF VARIOUS DISEASES
In 1923, Dr. R. E. Loucks, president of the American Radium Society,
announced that toxic goiter had been cured by radium. Exophthalmic
goiter has been, in most cases, successfully treated by irradiation.
Just how the cure is effected is still unknown; for the thyroid body
from animals exposed for many hours to the Gamma irradiations of
radium bromide shows no perceptible histological changes. Yet far
less radiation produces marked changes in the tadpoles derived from
normal ova fertilized by spermatazoa which have been radiated in the
frog, though no testicular changes can be detected with certainty
(Encyclopaedia Britannica, Vol. 32, p. 224, 12th Ed.).
Among other diseases which have been more or less successfully
treated by radium may be mentioned lupus vulgarus, epithelial tumors,
syphilitic ulcers, chronic itching of the skin, papillomata (an
epithelial tumor formed by hypertrophy of the papillae of the skin
or mucuous membrane, as a corn or a wart), angiomata (tumor composed
chiefly of dilated blood or lymph vessels), pigmentary naevi (blemish
of the skin due to pigment, as a birth-mark), and pruritus (itching).
Radium has been particularly effective in treating serious affections
of the eyes, as was first fully demonstrated by Dr. Walter S. Franklin
and Frederick C. Cordes, of San Francisco.
The most brilliant successes of radium have been in those cases “where
some serious complicating ailment, such as heart disease, tuberculosis,
Bright’s disease, or an extreme anemia, contra-indicates anesthesia
or any procedure which will tax the patient’s vital resources; radium
steps in and does its work quietly, imperceptibly and, indeed, without
the slightest risk to life.”
Dr. Howard A. Kelly, of Johns Hopkins University, has been very
successful in curing swollen masses of glands on the sides of the neck,
cancer of the thyroid and of the cervix, and sarcoma of the chest.
Dr. E. S. Molyneaux of London, has cured obdurate cases of tubercular
glands in the neck, a disease rather frequent among children. Thanks
to the patient researches of Dr. John A. Marshall, associate professor
of biochemistry and dental pathology at the University of California,
it is now known that a radioactive liquid may be used for sterilizing
infected tissue. Experiments employing the radioactive liquid in the
treatment of root canals have been conducted at the George Williams
Hooper Foundation for Medical Research and at the College of Dentistry
of the University of California.
Within the time that the new antiseptic has been in use at these
colleges, 85% of all the cases treated have been successful; and,
with one exception, no soreness or pain has followed its use. This
radioactive preparation is a solution of radium salts, “Radium D plus
E,” which results from the decomposition of radium emanation, which,
readily soluble in water, possesses definite radioactive properties. In
making the solution the tiny capillary tubes containing the decomposed
radium are crushed under water in a mortar and the liquid is then ready
for use in the treatment of an ulcerated root of a tooth.
Dr. Marshall had been working with radium for months before
admitting the success of his investigations, which were conducted
in a long series of experiments on the lower animals. “Microscopic
examinations of abscessed tissue,” he said, “which have been treated
with radioactive solutions, indicate that the bacteria producing the
affection were killed. And in no cases observed has the treatment
produced radium burns; the amounts used have been too small and the
effects of too transitory a nature. That sterilization of tissue can be
produced, however, seems apparent.
“The discovery is purely of academic interest because of the fact
that radium is too expensive, and it is possible to obtain it only in
limited quantities; so that the chief value of the discovery will rest
in the fact that it will stimulate further work for the identification
of more accessible material.”
In external treatment by radium itself, emanations from a certain
quantity of radium are allowed to focus on parts of the body over the
diseased organs. Thus the curative functions of the diseased portion
are stimulated to activity. The atrophying of diseased tonsils has
been the most successful use of this form of treatment.
In the destruction of disease germs the radium emanation has been
found more useful than the direct rays. The emanations kill or check
the growth of anthrax, typhoid, and diphtheric germs. The direct
rays are efficient in the relief of severe cases of enurites and
facial neuralgia, cancer, tumors, affections of the skin and abnormal
growths. Dr. Guyenot has proved that radium effects a complete cure for
rheumatism, which he accounts for in these words: “Uric acid circulates
in the blood in the form of urate of soda, of which there are two
isomeric forms differing from each other by their respective solubility
in the blood plasms. The soluble salt is converted into an insoluble
form.” Radium breaks up this compound. The “rheumatism” disappears.