Personally, I am unable without glasses to read medium. print, which I could do seven years ago, before I became an X-ray operator. I consider the X-ray more or less responsible, but the fluoroscopic and dark-room work, not to omit the hand of time, have each contributed their quota to the impairment.

Mr. Thomas A. Edison reports that the focusing power of one of his eyes has been lessened by the Roentgen rays.

One of my X-ray colleagues has a mild form of ophthalmia, he believes to have been caused by the rays. Withdrawal from their influence is always followed by improvement. Drs. Kassabian and Waite have been similarly affected.

Ophthalmoscopic examination of my eyes, made during an X-ray inflammatory attack, revealed a deficiency of pigment in the choroid. The pupils of my eyes were small, and there wer indications of presbyopia, such as inability to focus perfectly the chrystalline lens for near and remote objects. Vision at thirty or forty feet was a little blurred and indistinct. This defect was overcome by distance glasses, but since my recovery such glasses are no longer required. I saw minute, bright, falling bodies upon the window pane, showing irritation of the retina.

THE EFFECTS OF THE ROENTGEN RAYS UPON THE GENERATIVE

ORGANS.

When the X-ray operator has a mild but general attack of dermatitis the reproductive organs will darken. The hair over the symphysis pubis may or may not be thrown off. There will be desquamation of the scrotum and glands penis, although an investing fore-skin of the penis may not be affected. The sexual power will be temporarily lost. See report of experiments made upon the spermatoza of rabbits, American Roentgen Ray Society, Philadelphia. The urine contains no albumin.

COLLAPSING OF CROOK'S TUBE AND CUTTING OF FLESH BY THE CENTRIFUGAL FLYING FRAGMENTS OF GLASS.

This accident occurred to Dr. King of Bradford and was reported in The American X-Ray Journal, July issue of curtent year. The entire subject, including the danger to the

eyes of the operator, has been considered by my predecessor, Dr. Pancoast.

POSSIBLE BUT NOT PROBABLE RESULTS OF OFT-REPEATED AND LONG-CONTINUED EXPOSURES TO THE ROENTGEN RAYS.

At the Chicago meeting of this society Dr. Grubbe reported that two patients whom he treated became deranged.

One of my patients developed a violent form of insanity with delusions and hallucinations; another was troubled with amnesic aphasia.

Both patients had been subjected to a long course of treatment for severe forms of carcinoma, and were of the nervous temperament.

Both cases terminated fatally.

Can the X-rays, like the solar rays, cause structural changes in the cerebrum, leading to derangement of the mental faculties, or do the ptomains from cancerous disintegration sometimes cause so profound an autoinfection as to bring about such psychical disturbances? Should you answer my primary question affirmatively, then it follows as a corollary, that the danger to the patient is in a measure shared by the operator, and solaroidal effects can be anticipated.

INFECTION.

The abraded tissues of the X-ray operator afford a fruitful culture field for infection with chronic malignant diseases with which his patients suffer.

His office is thronged with patients suffering with some of the vilest forms of disease that flesh is heir to.

CANCER.

In the Associated Press report of August 3, 1903, appeared the following: "One of Thomas A. Edison's X-ray operators, named Clarence Daly, who had used the X-rays for several years, is to-day a physical wreck. Cancer broke out on both arms, one of which was amputated, and four fingers of the other hand had to be removed. His face is wrinkled and his hair fallen out."

In a personal letter received from Mr. Edison he assures me that this report is true.

I quote the following apropos, from The Electro-Thera

peutic and X-Ray Era, September number, 1903: "The premature demise of an English physician from malignant disease is alleged to be traceable to an X-ray accident. Blacker suffered a severe burn on one of his fingers while manipulating the apparatus. This irritation produced an unyielding dermatitis, which rapidly ascended the arm. Cancerous disease of the skin now appeared at the elbow, and evidences of malignancy were soon perceptible in the axilla, the disease finally involved the entire shoulder, the progressive character of which precluded operation."

Case III. A patient with cancer on the forehead who says it was caused by the sting of a mosquito. Under treatment the parts healed, but through neglect on patient's part, they broke down again. Present condition unknown.

For other cases illustrating this danger I refer you to the current literature, dealing with the subject, rather than weary you with further quotations.

In order to throw the searchlight of investigation upon one of the etiological factors of cancer I will inquire of a patient who has that disease upon the forehead (see picture) what was the cause? She replies the sting of a mosquito.

I ask another suffering with epithelioma of the lips and cheek the same question. He says a cut from a barber's razor

Case IV. Patient with osteo-carcinoma of the bones of the face, says it was caused by being struck with a stone. Under treatment the diseased bones came out en masse. One side of his face has had the shave that requires no repetition. His present condition is unknown.

Still another, with osteo-carcinoma of the bones of the face (see picture). Says he was struck with a stone.

A patient with one-half of his face involved fell upon a plank that cut his lip. Cancer subsequently developed in the cicatrix (see picture).

A lady with scirrhus of the breast and a matastatic focus on the face believes the primary lesion to have been caused by falling against a bedstead.

Case V.

Patient with one-half of his face involved with cancer, said that he fell upon a plank that cut his lip, and cancer subsequently developed in the cicatrix. Under treatment there was a desperate effort made by the tissues to heal, but his strength failed and he died November 30, 1903.