X-RAY MARTYR.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13597, 18 May 1908, Page 7

X-RAY MARTYR.

A LAMKXTABI.K CASK.

Unlv u week or two Imek I I New Zealand Herald London correspondent) referred at some length to the deplorable case of Dr. Hall lidwards, who had undergonea veritable martyrdom in the cause of the X-ray treatment" which has given relief to bo many thousands of sufferers, and who has been rewarded "with the "wretched pittance of £l2O per annum from the Civil List.

This lamentable case has drawn attention to that of another X-ray martyr Mr. Earnest Hainack. of the London Hospital. .Mr. Harnack has suffered for ten years, and iuib recent ly undergone a painful ojk 1 - ration—the third serious one within the last six months —at the institution whei<? thousands of jiersous have benefited from his self-sacrificing labouTt;. On April 2nd. a representative of tlio Daily Chronicle heard from Mr. Harnack his pathetic ftory. Kut- words were scarcely needed. The sjiectacle of Mr. Harnack. with both hands thickly bandaged, tlying to liglit a cigarette, was in itself a strong appeal to ones sympathy. Mr. Harnaek i.s a pioneer in X-ray work. A dozen years ago, when the discovery was given to the world, ho was senior clerk to the registrar at the hospital, and aslo j clinical photographer. The subject at once afiicinatcd him, and ho proceeded to qualify himself as a practical operator. H:t> knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and photography eminently fitted him for the position. He beeanu* thu head of the X-ia\ department- in the hospital. His «*nlhttoiasm for his work was unbounded. He carried out frequent exi>erinieiit>, and some of hi*s discoveries have proved of tho utmost- value. - After I had been engaged in the work about three or four vears. ' .said Mi'. Harnaek. "I liegan to fed a tingling of thu linger*. 1 thought, at first that- is was caused by developing the plates, but. lh-> tniu explanation soon became appuient. Since that timet I have (suffered gie.it agony. In 1900 a. linger nail was removed. Then in course of timo f lost all my naili. Last Uttob-.r I wan operated on for a. growth ou the back of til-.- left hand. At

Christmas [ found that I In.- growth was recurring, aiiil i" the middle of .January 1 underwent another operation. The third was amputated; also, iL being feared°that tin- growth was of a malignant character, all the glamk of the left arm Mii'ii removed. At tho isame time tbfc' right- Ikiml was operated upon, for it was covered with ulcer.-. Tli 0 hand was scraped. and the skin from tho left arm was grafted upon it. Altogether L was on tho operating table.' liouis. Unfortunately, the skin grafted on the right hand gav« way, and a few days ago three fingeib were removed. 1 now hav« only the little linger and thumb so that tho hand it practically useless." Mr. Harnaek who is only 40 years of a<'e, is of a most cheerful disposition, and there was even a tsmile on lii.s face as he narrated his I hope there are hotter dayo in store," he said. "1 have had a really terrible time. I have not been able to drtss myself for the last two vears, and in other ways my aflliction huis been most trying." When Mr. Harnaek began to suffer through the frequent exposure of his hands to the X-ravs he carried out experiments with tho object of preventing other operators being similarly afflicted. And he hit upon the device of a lead glass shield for the X-ray tube. This has proved entirelyeffectual, for an assistant ,of Mr. Harnack'tt who has been working iu tlio departments for live years, has sustained no ill-effects. Since Mr. Harnaek has been at the scad of the department 50,000 or 60,000 people have passed through his hands. Some time ago, -when tho Prince of Wales was paying a visit to the hospital, Mr. Harnaek was presented to him, and His Royal Highness sympathised with him in his affliction.