border line of stability. In fact, as already stated, it is certain that radium emits positive emanations, the mass of which,

Rutherford finds by measuring (~) is of the same order of

m

magnitude as the atomic mass-strong evidence surely that the atom has divided. As it is probable that atomic stability depends on external influences, it is possible that some of the elements familiar to us now could not have existed at an earlier period of the earth's history because of such wide differences in such conditions as temperature, pressure, etc. Again, possibly others might easily have been stable under former conditions, but are not so now, and have been going out of existence for a million years or so-the present age, with its ultra refined methods for investigation being just in time and prepared to catch a few milligrams of the last traces of such as radium and polonium. Startling, indeed, would it be if the newspaper reports of the last few days that Ramsay has actually turned radium into helium should prove true!

Some other recognized atomic properties may be simply explained on the electric theory of matter. Consider an atom which just before coming into its present state lost a negative electron because its internal kinetic energy was a little too great to be consistent with its gradually changed surroundings, and the most active corpuscle escaped. This leaves the atom positively charged and stable since the next most active corpuscle will not be able to get away because of the now increased positive attraction. In this state the atom would be a monovalent positive atom. Others might naturally be so internally active as to require the escape of two or three corpuscles to render them stable, resulting in a bivalent or a trivalent atom. Again, others might be so stable as to be able to acquire one to three corpuscles without becoming unstable; these would be electro-negative atoms. Suppose we consider an atom of hydrogen. It is just unstable enough to have to emit one corpuscle, say (of its thousand) to become stable, and thereby positively charged. A nearby chlorine atom is so

stable as to be able to take one corpuscle without becoming unstable, and so it will become negatively charged on receiving the corpuscle expelled from the hydrogen atom, and the H and the C1 will unite to form a molecule of HCl. If oxygen, instead of chlorine, be present, it is so stable as to be able easily to absorb two corpuscles, and we find it attracting the superabundance of two atoms of hydrogen and a molecule of water is formed.

Valency would then obviously depend on external conditions, a conclusion long since arrived at by chemists from other considerations.

To account for the combination of atoms of the same substance to form a molecule, suppose, as is quite reasonable, that for a given number of corpuscular units of positive and negative electricity, the stability is a function of the atomic speed, the intensity of impact, or depends on the surrounding medium perhaps. The average kinetic energy of the whole may stay constant while that of single units differs at any instant widely from that of certain other ones. At any particular instant then, some units will be unstable and others ultra-stable, and pairing off will result as before. Dissociation of molecules accompanying high temperature is explained on the electric theory by assuming the negatively charged atom to lose some corpuscles, leaving it positive and so repelled by its mate already positive.

The chemist will at once picture our unit force tubes as his diagramatic bonds and the analogy is good, though the identity is not quite complete. Take, for example, C,H,, arranged:

It will be seen that the two carbon atoms are structurally different, one having less and the other more corpuscles than average. A greater difference in the carbon atoms must result from this theory in such a compound as C,H,, arranged:

H

+ C
+

From the evidence set forth in the foregoing pages, both direct and indirect, the thoughtful reader can but feel that. possibly, even probably, electricity and the aether, not so long ago omitted from both of the great classes of objectivities, may yet be shown to be one and the same thing, and that this is the only objectivity in the physical world.

THE THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF THE X-RAYS. AS SHOWN FROM THE RESULTS OF TREATMENT OF NEARLY ONE HUNDRED CASES.*

By Henry K. Pancoast, M. D.,

of Philadelphia, Pa.

(Continued from last issue.)

Case No. 1. Multiple epithelioma involving the upper lip, nose and forehead. She was admitted to the hospital June 22, 1902. The first picture (Fig. 1) was taken two weeks afterward, and shows the condition very well. The second picture (Fig. 2) was taken about nine weeks following admission, after 32 treatments, and shows a tremendous spread of the growth over the upper lip and complete destruction of the tip of the nose. After 14 more treatments and curettement, the lip was almost completely destroyed, and the patient presented a horrible appearance, of which we have no photograph. She wished then to return home and die, rather than run the risk of further deformity away from her family. It still seems probable that after complete destruction of this area we could obtain healing, but with entire loss of the upper lip and lower half of the nose. We were able to bring about almost complete healing in the areas on the forehead and upper part of the nose. This patient, barring some intervals, was treated from three to six times a week. We might conclude that the X-rays were, per se, powerless to check the spread of the growth, or that the technique was faulty, but there was certainly no chance of obtaining a cosmetic result with restoration of tissue. There was surely some stimulation offered toward more rapid progress of the growth. The treatment gave the patient no relief from pain, and, in fact, increased it from the start. After each application there was an almost immediate exacerbation of pain, which was still worse on the day following.

Case II. Large epithelioma of the left temporal region. This patient began treatment July 7, 1903, and since then has had 73 applications. There has not been any improvement in *Read at the Fourth Annual Meeting of the American Roentgen Ray Society, at Philadelphia, Pa., December 10th, 1503.

his condition, and the growth is slowly but surely spreading. The photographs (Figs. 3-4-5) were taken July 16th, Sept. 5th and November 29th respectively. Now that there are so many reports about the use of radium in the treatment of cancer and lupus, we have given it a trial in this case for the past week or ten days. In this particular case, five applications of radium have been substituted in the place of X-rays and lasting 10 to 15 minutes each. Our specimen is the bromide salt of 7,000 radio-activity. This patient was informed of the fact that radium was being used, of the marvelous reports of cures made by it, and of its cost. He imagines he is improving, although such is really not the case. I am extremely skeptical in regard to the favorable results obtained by the therapeutic use of radium and am sure that many of the reported improvements are purely psychic in nature, as it was in this case. Some recent articles written upon the subject in this country, have bordered on the ridiculous. Had our patient not been informed as to the nature of the substance being used, he would not have noticed any improvement in his condition.

Case III. Large metastatic epitheliomatous mass on the back of the neck and the sub-maxillary region. This patient presents a horrible appearance and is one in which the X-Ray could do no good whatever. He died after four treatments. This growth was secondary to a small epithelioma of the lower lip removed about two years before by cancer plasters, and the case serves well to illustrate the danger of treating epithelioma of this region by such slow methods as the X-Ray. The photograph is here shown. (Fig. 6.)

Case IV. A recurrent epithelioma of the superior maxilla. This is the third recurrence following operation upon the primary growth, and this tumor has extended into the orbital cavity with protrusion of the eye, into the frontal sinuses, and probably into the cranial cavity. When first seen there was considerable ulceration of the tumor mass below the eye. This ulceration healed very nicely under treatment with the ray, but the upper part of the tumor continued to grow steadily and the patient died. About 60 applications in all were given.