X-RAYS

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 29 October 1921, Page 6

X-RAYS

A MISCONCEPTION

OPERATION FREE FROM DANGER

The belief that there has been a risk of v injury or even death in being "X-rayed" is discredited by a writer in "How to Live (New I'ork), the journal of the Life Extension institute. The (Institute itself maintains an X-ray department, where nearly 10,000 people are treated annually, and, according to the head of the department, riot only has there nover been a case- even of the slightest injury, but "the X-ray is as safe for the subject as the camera." Tho writer of tho article says t "

"Fear of the X-ray is based on a sense of its mystery. Although ail of us are more or less familiar with its use, we have to accept the scientist's word for what it is and what it does. When wo have an X-ray taken, and . tho operator leaves us \ alone with a] queer-looking tube, telling us not to. move, wo feel nothing, see nothing, , hear nothing of the ray that is passing J through us to the photographic plate. "Wnat is called nn 'X-ray' is produced by moans of a high-voltage current which at a great speed Imrls the electrons against a target of some very 1 resistant metal (tungsten or platinum). iThe speed of the electrons is thus suddenty reduced, and from this change in speed result the X-rays. They shoot out in all directions along absolutely j straight paths from which they cannot be deflected, passing through any I material and substance until they are entirely absorbed. J <

''When you are in the path of the , X-ray it passes through your body, ' then through the photographic plato s ' on which it distributes shadows, the J mor« dense materials in your body 1 showing as the lightest areas. \ , "The point about tho X-ray is that its single passage is without harm, out its effect is communicative. If you have, an X-ray taken of your teeth, or chest, !or hand you are only exposed to iir for a few seconds. There is no effect whatsoever. But suppose >ou come in every day for two months and are X-rayed in exactly the same spot, you would begin to" notice an irritation on the Bkin covering* that', spot, the effect of-which is like that'ot* a" burn, although the X-ray is not hot and does not produce, heat, This; burn should i-be-treated "just like any other burn.

In case of radiography only there is no danger at all. Injury from the Xray is only possible in cases of overexposure. And even in cases of prolonged treatment danger is easily avoided, for when * the first slight symptoms appear, tho patient not allowed to have another dose for six weeks or so..' "We must not over-play the X-ray, but it is exceedingly important that ther<* should be no unfounded fear of the X-rays in |he minds of the public. "It requires no more courage to have an X-ray taken than aVi ordinary photograph—less perhaps for sotne of us, sinco only shadows are recorded."