MARTYRS TO X-RAYS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19419, 30 August 1926, Page 10

MARTYRS TO X-RAYS.

A LABORATORY ASSISTANT. VERY SAD SYDNEY CASE. [from our, .own correspondent-.] SYDNEY, Auk. 19. There.-is .in. Sydney a.mv'tyf to X-rays, and' one •of - the Sydney newspapers pub' lishos ra story of poignant Badness concerning' him. Ho is James ; Young, (senior * •laboratory . assistant . at. Sydney Hospital, ■and ' has been terribly . mutilated by . the rays.. His ease compares with that, of Dr. Ha}l Edwards, -of LondOh, who, as has been reported by cable, is dead after 30 years' prolonged agony. . One by one Mr. Young's fingers have been amputated, and the photograph of his hands, which has been printed; is painful r to' look' at. 'itis "hands/wists and forearms .are scarred, twisted, and wasted by steady progress of X-ray disease. 'ln 1924 the hospital granted Mr. Young dix months' leave, and an effort, was made to obtain him a grant from one of 'the ;;big American or English. "X-ray martyr" funds. None was available. Dr. flail-Edwards was the recipient of a civio grant. On our own State or Federal Government devolves .a clear duty to recompense an Australian pioneer whose work, has resulted in inntiriierable cures , for . skindisease at' its ' leading hospital. But 'so fdr nothing has been done. James Young, still in harness, faces with a cheery.smile the inevitable—the slow progress to mutilation and sjeepless nights. . when death itself comes als a "relief. FRENCH PRIEST'S SACRIFICE. A' VICTIM OF RESEARCH Research with X-rays has" just claimed another martyr in. the person of Abbe TaUleigne, a village priest of Pontigny, France. Since his early boyhood the abba had devoted himself to -science, and had a number of important discoveries to his credit in the fields of electro-therapy, X-ray work, wireless, and optics, but ho shunned publicity, and preferred to, work in the obscurity of his post as a village clergyman.- For some years past the -abbe had realised that his research work with rays must prove fatal, but even after it ha.d led to cancerous growths on his hands he continued to sacrifice himself. One of the abbe's greatest contributions to tlio alleviation, of human suffering was hia work during the war, when ha perfected methods for tracing bullets and shell splinters in wounded soldiers by means of rays. His work in this connection, is said to have saved many thousands .of lives. It nearly cost his own, for he carried out dangerous experiments upon himself, such as swallowing doses of small Shot in order that he might photograph ■their progress through his body. He was recently awarded a silver medal and a cash prize by the Carnegie Foundation of Chicago.