WONDERS OF X-RAYS.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 June 1925, Page 4

WONDERS OF X-RAYS.

THEIR AID IN SURGERY. w PHOTOGRAPHING THE BODY. NEW PLYMOUTH PLANT. Where a few years ago the physician had to labour in the dark a good deal in diagnosing the seat and the progress of an internal malady, or the nature of a fracture of one of the small bones, he now has his doubts settled for him in a few moments by the radiologist and his X-ray plant. Where once he probed and analysed systems or had recourse to the surgeon’s knife to make an investigation, the X-ray plant in the hands of a skilled operator will provide him with a tell-tale photograph on which is depicted everything that will guide him in deciding the treatment to be followed. Furthermore, the X-ray plant will assist him in the actual treatment of many complaints. To the layman unfamiliar with many of the miracles of modern science, an X-ray plant such as that at the New Plymouth hospital is a source of wonder in the w’ork that it can do. The plant has recently been added to and housed in a new wing, where every facility is provided for meeting the immediate requirements of the hospital, and where it is possible to increase these facilities without further additions to the buildings. Here a Daily 'News reporter spent an interesting and instructive couple of hours while Dr. H. B. Leatham, the hospital radiologist, demonstrated the working of the new and old plant and showed examples of the work of each part. In the X-ray department, which is devoted to the photographic side of the radiologist’s work, the reporter was shown the bones of his hand and wrist working on a radio active fluorescent screen and it was instantly made apparent how easy it would be with the aid of the apparatus to discover the locality and nature of a malformation or the presence of any foreign body in the particular part or the anatomy depicted on , the screen. Having located the trouble with the aid of the screen and the X-rays, the taking of the photograph required is an equally simple matter. A photographic plate is placed over the region to he photographed, the current is switched on and the X-rays do the rest by working on the plate just in the same manner as does light on an ordinary photographic plate. The plate can be developed quickly in an adjacent dark-room, and the negative studied with the aid of one of the illuminated viewing boxes with which the department is provided.

INCREASING VOLTAGE. Just as in ordinary photography varying exposures are required for different objects, so it is with X-ray photography, and here some of the new plant installed by the hospital board, on Dr. Leatham’s advice, is of great assistance. The electric current used in the department is the same as that supplied to New Plymouth for commercial and domestic purposes, but X-rays require the current at a greater pressure than the 220 volts of the normal town supply. A new Victor-Snook transformer with a few turns of handles will send that pressure up to the 45,000 volts, the minimum used in photographing such objects as hands and feet, and, if necessary, will give it a further kick up to 116,000 volts, the pressure required when the heart or the lungs have to be photographed. With the minimum pressure an exposure of about five seconds is required. Under the maximum pressure the photograph is taken in a tenth to a quarter of a second. The X-rays are produced in what are known as Coolidge tubes, which possess a very high degree of vacuum. This vacuum offers enormous resistance to the passage of the electric current, and produces the X-rays, the degree of penetration of which can be controlled by the operator. X-rays are invisible, and, although they can be controlled they will, like men, sometimes do those things they ought not to do. In a new couch used for photographing patients in a prone position and technically known as a Potterbucky couch, Dr. Leatham has been provided with an apparatus which assists in timing the exposure and also cuts off the divergent rays which are of no use and which allows to pass to the photographic plate only the useful direct rays. The result is a very clear photograph. All the apparatus in this department is controlled from the one transformer by an overhead wiring system and, once set, can be switched on or off by either the doctor’s hands or foot whichever method is the most convenient. THERAPY DEPARTMENT. Tn what is known as the therapy department, X-ray treatment for such diseases as cancer is given. Here the X-rays are not as gentle as they are in the photographic department. They are out on the open as it were, and their escape through the walls into adjoining rooms must be prevented by lining the treatment room with lead sheets. Only the part of the patient to be treated is laid bare; the rest of his body is covered with lead rubber or with a sheet of lead, while the operator controls his apparatus and watches his patient from another room through a small window. The chief point of interest about this department at the hospital, which has been in existence for ten years, is that much safer and better working conditions are provided for the operator than obtained in previous years, and that the plant, which is still working faithfully after ten years, will also serve as a reserve plant for the radio-photography plant. The function of the massage department is self-explanatory, but here also is housed an interesting ma-‘bine, the peculiar property of which is that it will raise the internal heat of the body several degrees. Medical and surgical diathermy is the fearsome name of the machine, but that is the only fearsome thing about it, for it is of great use in the treatment of stiff joints, rheumatism etc., while it is also useful in the cauterisation of inoperative malignant growths.

While much new plant has been installed at the hospital, none of the old plant has been scrapped, and all of it is being used. The new quarters are roomy and convenient, and are provided with offices and conveniences hitherto lacking. The plant was ordered by Dr. Leatham and Dr. E. A. Walker (medical superintendent) when they were in London, and has been supplied by Messrs. Watson and Son, of Wellington,

who represent the Sydney and London firm of that name, the local work of installation being carried out by their representative, Mr. Graydon. The whole annexe is well heated by steam pipe radiators, this work having been satisfactorily carried out by Mr. Dunn, the board's engineer. Miss Chapman assists Dr. Leatham in the three departments.