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
<zt<« a e, if you desire, at added cost. Prices subject to change without notice.
Paces may vary in surrounding communities due to transportation differentials.
$1807
(License, State and Local taxes extra.)
You can't beat it because... It tops them
all in everything that makes an
owner happy!
You can’t beat it because ... It has the
extra quality that’s made Pontiac
world famous for dependability!
You can’t beat it because . . . The price
on all of the 18 models is bound
to please you!
OOUAR ■forQOUM-YoctCaffrBeafa
^POJVTEEC
If there ever was a car to delight both your eye and your pocket
tt s the stunningly beautiful new Pontiac for 1950 illustrated
above. It costs so little that it's within easy reach of anyone who
can afford any new car. Yet it’s so big and luxuriously appointed
-it performs so beautifully _i, rides so comfortably-that you
can drive with pr.de and satisfaction anywhere-in any company.
Why not come in today and see the wonderful new Pontiac-one
of the world s greatest cars and (ho world’s greatest value!
CITY MOTOR COMPANY
ITALY STREET
VALDESE, N. C.
To remove obstinate, sticky
films of dirt frpm wood furniture,
make a solution of three table
spoons linseed oil, one tablespoon
turpentine and one quart hot wa
ter. Mix thoroughly and let cool
thoroughly. Wash a small area
and dry immediately with a soft
cloth. Repeat until entire surface
is clean, then polish by rubbing
witlf grain of the wood.
Old wax on furniture can be re
moved easily by applying a liquid
wax to the surface and then wip
ing it oft while still wet.
Vinegar, denatured alcohol or
ammonia are good cleaners for
mirrors and picture glass. Use
one of them with water and wash
the glass, but do not spot the
frame as the finish may come off.
Silk and rayon lampshades may^
be washed if they are sewed rather
than glued to their frames. Make
RECIPE OF THE WEEK
Cranberry-Apple Pie
(Makes 1 9-inch pie)
2 cups cranberries
1 cup diced apple
Vs cup water
1 cup sugar
V\ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter
1 recipe plain pastry
Cook apples and cranberies
in water until tender. Add sugar,
salt and butter. Line pan with
pastry and pour cranberry mix
ture into it. Cover top with strips
of pastry, crisscrossed. Bake in
a hot oven (450 deg.) for 20
minutes.
certain that any trimming is
solution, before attempting to
wash all the trim.
Washable window shades are
easily cleaned by sponging with
thick, lathery soap suds, then
rinsed with a sponge. Hang on the
window to dry, and do not roll
until drying is complete.
Crushed spots on pile rugs and
carpets can be brought up by ap
plying a steam iron to them. While
still damp, brush with stiff brush.
Slipcovers look better and stay
, ....— ——
clean longer if they are lightly
starched. To s tarch easily and
evenly, p lace starch solution in
the washing machine. Rinse starch
off ball trim or fringe, then dry in
shade or indoors, away from artifi
cial heat. ,
COVERED BRIDGES
Covered highway bridges still are
in use. One at Wodstock, Windsor
county, Vermont, recently was re
built as a preservative measure.
COLOR TELEVISION
One of the first demonstrations
of color television was presented by
the Bell Telephone Laboratories
June 27, 1929.
TIPS ON COFFEE
Unless coffee is vacuum-packed,
it’s a good idea to buy it in small
quantities—not more than a ten
day supply at a time. In its
article on “How to Make Good
Coffee”, the December issue of
Good Housekeeping magazine also
points out that, whether it’s made
of glass or metal, a coffeepot must
be kept sparkling clean. If a filter
cloth is used in the coffee making,
it should be rinsed thoroughly]
scalded with hot water, and kept
in water between uses.
The life span of the ant is be
tween 10 and 15 years.
If
' Chrstmas
Memorial Wreaths
For Your Loved Ones
Select yours now from a wide variety of
designs now on display. . . . We will
keep them for you until ready to deliver.
Phone 55
CROW’S FLOWERS
I VALDESE
EARLY Cot-dT^
The U. s s,mlRlROo,
blished in i7J9lenJ_%
Quarters in th^h first
Capitol and after ^!rtler>:
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.
VALDESE
PLUMBING & HEATING C
'OR THE BEST IN PLUM!
’hone 255 Valdese
A
Belk’s Christmas Specials
-' -r——
Heavy Jacquard
BED SPREADS
81 x 105
Beautiful Colors ... A
Wonderful Gift at—
$3.98
81 x 99 First Quality
Fine Muslin
CANNON SHEETS
A Gift for Mother
$2.19
EXTRA SPECIAL!
Boys’ Heavy Outing
SPORT SHIRT
White with Plaid Trim.
Sizes 6 to 18. ,
On Sale—
98c
EXTRA SPECIAL
One Group of Men’s and
Boys’ All-Wool
SWEATERS
Values to $4.95
On Sale
$1.00
r:
FOR BOYS
A Special Group of Boys’ All-Wool Suits . . .
Sizes 4 to 16 Years.
Reduced 25%
FOR HIM
Christmas Special
for Men and Young Men
31 ALL WOOL SUITS
Both Single and Double
Breasted Models.
Values up to $35.
On Sale—
$24.95
FOR HER
ABOUT 60
FALL DRESSES
All this season’^ Styles,
All Nationally
Advertised.
BARGAIN BASEMENT
25% off
Basement Special
ONE GROUP OF NEW FALL DRESSES . . .
All Good Styles. All Sizes. Values to $8.95.
ON SALE
$4.99
Visit....
TOYLAND
Downstairs
BARGAIN BASEMENT
SPECIAL
Boys’
LEATHER JACKET
Sizes 6 to 14 .... Values
to $9.95.
On Sale—
$4.98
Men’s Plastic
RAIN COATS
Guaranteed Waterproof.
Each
$1.98
Boys’ Winter
UNION SUITS
Long Sleeve . . . Ankle
Length.
$1.09
Boys’ Roy Rogers
SWEAT SHIRTS
In Assorted Bright Coi
ors. On Sale.
98c