New X-Ray Cancer Treatment By HOWARD W. BLAKESLEE Associated Press Science Editor The University of Illinois Col's lege of Medicine has a beam oi X-rays the shape of a pole. This is something new in beams of any kind. Other beams are fan shaped. This beam is used to treat cancer and comes from a betatron, a new high-energy electrical ma chine producing 25-million volt X rays. The rays are invisible, but pho tographic film reveals their pecu liar formation. The betatron is a box, higher than your head, sheathed in metal, none of the inner works visible. Shoulder high on the betatron face is a round hole, big as your wrist, A yard in front of the hole Dr. John S. Laughlin sets up a target, a sheet of photographic film. When the film is developed it shows a round, black disc, the same size as the hole in the beta tron’s face. The edges of the black spot are sharp as if cut by a knife. The X-rays went through bunch ed, as rigid as if they had the form of a long, round pole. This betatron beam reaches a cancer with the accuracy of a sur geon’s knife. The rays drive so hard that they pass through skin and surface tissues without caus ing much damage. As they hit the tissues the rays produce electrons, but these too travel so hard and so fast that they cause little surface damage. The greatest ourmng effect is deep below the skin. This makes the pole-shaped beam a new can cer tool. Aiming this invisible beam is difficult. The target is an unseen place inside the body. The bullets are invisible. Only the patient can be in the room when the betatron fires. Models of the cancer patient have to be made for aiming. To date marksmanship has been only on heads and necks. The model heads are exact reproductions of the patient’s lines and contours, perfect enough to be prize-winning sculptures. The model is set in the position the patient will occupy, and surveying fixes this position down to the smallest fraction of an inch. Phantom heads are made of scores of thin layers. Between each layer is a sheet of photographic film. The beam is shot into this phantom, and the film records the X-ray strength and damages at every depth. The patient sits or lies in the measured position. He feels no pain, in fact he doesn’t feel the ray at all. But he cannot wear a collar button. He must not wear his glasses. Because either metal might become radioactive. Occasionally when these 25-mil lion volt rays strike something they are captured somewhat like a billiard ball in a corner pocket. In this capture they often transmute the atoms they strike. This is the same transmutation as done in sissas* GORDON GRAY, Secretary of the Army, visits his home state of North Carolina and congratulates Leon M. Gibson, State Chair man for USO, upon the development of USO activities in this state where already, since reactivation ten full-scale USO Clubs and other facilities are in operation to serve men and women of the Armed Forces and Veterans in Hospitals. Dry Cleaning At Home Can Be Dangerous Undertaking Home dry cleaning is danger ous, especially during the winter months when the activities of housewives are more confined to the house, says Miss Evelyn Wig gins, home demonstration agent for the State College Extension Service. Records of the National Safety Council show that home dry cleaning with flammable cleaning fluids has disfigured or fatally atomic piles, and creates the same kinds of radioactivity. Because of this the walls of the betatron room are covered with materials that do not transmute readily. This induced radioactivity is no risk to the patient, but could interfere with accuracy in the in struments. Dr. Roger A. Harvey, radiologist in charge of treatment, refuses predictions. Four persons have been treated. The first was at the University of Illinois, Urbana, where Dr. Donald W. Kerst, in ventor of the betatron has several of these machines. There a 22 million volt beam was focussed on a deep brain cancer upon which conventional X-ray surgery had failed. The patient died of another cause before the treatment was completed, but an autopsy showed the cancerous tissue almost com pletely destroyed, without ap parent damage to surrounding tissues. burned many persons and has caused houses to be burned to the ground or demolished by explo sions. “It is much safer and more ef fective to have your cleaning done by a commercial dry cleaning establishment,” the home agent declares. “Never, under any cir cumstances, should gasoline, nap tha, or kerosene be used for gar ment cleaning purposes,” she adds. Miss Wiggins explains that a fluid may be marked “non-explo sive” and still be flammable. It is imperative that only a non flammable cleaning fluid be used, she asserts. For persons who must dry-clean at home, the National Safety Council recommends following these safety rules at all times: Store cleaning fluids outside the house in a marked container. Do they dry cleaning outside the house, where toxic and other va pors will be quickly dissipated. Keep hands out of solvent-— use a suction washer. Avoid getting cleaning fluid on clothing or exposed parts of the body. Dry garments or articles outside before taking them into the house. Keep children at a safe distance from the cleaning operation. Observe these precautions even in removing spots from garments. Questions AND Answers FOR Veterans Q—I am a World War II veteran and intend to go into business for myself. How much of a business loan will VA guarantee? A—Veterans Administration will guaranty 50 percent of the loan up to a maximum of $4,000 if the loan is for the purchase of business real property, or up to $2,000 for a non real estate business loan. Q—Will VA guarantee a business loan for me on any type of busi ness? A—Veterans Administration will guarantee your loan, if the lender makes the loan, and it is to be used for any legitimate business pur pose. Q—I am paying my NSLI pre miums by deduction from compen sation. WTiat will happen to my in surance if my compensation should be discontinued? A—The insurance will lapse un less premiums are paid within 31 days from the due date. Q—Will Veterans Administra tion pay for my part-time training for correction of a speech defect under Public Law 16? A—Part-time training under Public Law 16 may be provided where the veteran’s physical or mental condition is such as to pre clude full-time training and the training afforded may restore em ployability. Q—When is a veteran training under Public Law 16 considered to be rehabilitated? A—When the disabled veteran has completed his course under the law prescribed to prepare him for his employment objective and his employability is restored. Q—I understand that the special NSLI dividend will be computed to the anniversary date in 1948. What is meant by anniversary date? A—Anniversary date of your policy is the date upon which it became effective. Q—What income provision is at tached to the pension I will get as the widow of a veteran who died of a wound received in battle? A—As the widow of a soldier who died in line of duty, you are entitled to compensation regard less of your income. TAILOR ON THE MOVE A roving tailor cuts the cost of outfitting the 500 Illinois State highway patrolmen. A mobile truck carrying the tailor visits each of the 14 di vision headquarters on the day patrolmen gather for monthly in spection. As the need demands, the men are mea-sured for new uni forms, shirts, caps and coats. Public funds are saved since neither state vehicles or gasoline is used to transport the men to Springfield for periodic outfitting as in the past. EYE DEFECT Astigmatism is a defect in the eye which causes blurs in parts of the vision. Now On Display The Wonderful NEW 5-Passenger Streamliner Six-Cylinder Sedan Coupe Factory-suggested price delivered here. Optional Equipment and Accessories : OW Senate Cha J6N didn’t get its ^ \ 1937. m'n The oldest Bible service is one on « i Lg0f« tice of thp .Ullcb «ce o, the' sworn in since isos ^ POOR pA BY CLAUbE nr ' Bella planned to^ but he struck oil last „ so she has gotten 0«. angei an’ is goin’ to settle, an’ live with Jim an. Pastel Plastic Bathroom Seat Made by Church, “The Best Seat in th House” In Gift Packages tot Christmas. 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