SCIENCE MARTYRS

Hokitika Guardian, 3 April 1933, Page 8

SCIENCE MARTYRS

RESEARCH WITH X-RAY

MEDICAL ROLL OF HO NO UP

Mr Alfred Smith, of Legbourne, Lincolnshire, a pioneer of X-ray research, who died, recently, was not the

last of tlie devoted band who l risked martyrdom in the early days <J'. this branch of medical science.' Some are even still at work,,in this once hazardous, blit now fairly safe, occupation. The “Daily Express” has discovered eight of them—four laymen and four medical experts. Mr, Earnest. Henry Harnback has had innumerabe operations. He was

one of tlie. earliest layman pioneers. He has lost, both hands, but not bis

cheerfulness. He was retired with a

pension of £4 a week, but when many .years afterward, a pupil of hi's, a cousin, was awarded the Carnegie Hero fund grant, attention was called to the case of this forgotten hero who had gone into complete retirement on the island of West Mersea, Essex. The Carnegie Trust voted him tlie certificate and a special grant. Mr Harnback invented the screen which makes the ray innocuous to tlie operator, but to 0 bite to prevent liis own

sufferings. Then, on tlie honours roll is Mr Harolu J. Suggafs, of Billericay, who succeeded Mr Harnback in the work at the London Hospital. "When, 30. years ago, lie took up the fight against cancer, Mr Suggars voluntarily sentenced himself to a- living death. He took the X-ray risks, nrd has contracted diseases which have necessitated forty operations.

Only a few weeks ago Mr R. J. j Pringle, of the Prince of Wales IIos- ! pita-1, Tottenham, retired after 29 years of hospital' work. Some of his fingers have been'amputated a s <3 'consequence of disease contracted at liis work. He is 75 years of age. Mr George W. Howard, aged 74, was for more than 20 years honorary radiographer to the Tunbridge Wells Hospital. 1 He retired seven years ago, but in 1930 he had to go into his old hospital as a patient and have his right' hand amputated. Professional pride and reserve hide many a tale of heroism and suffering. It is so in the matter of dermatitis from which X-ray pioneers have suffered. There are at least four ' medical men living whose naints must be enrolled on the list of 'X-ray martyrs. They are Hr Stanley i, Melville, Dr Thurston Holland, DrTiniz and Dr Harrison Orton! They were experimenters in the early days of radiology. Each has paid tribute. Dr Melville began the work of developing the use of X-rays in medicine and surgery in 1898. He has related how in the Tirah campaign X-rays were used for the first time in military operations. The use of the apparatus was opposed by the Secretary of War for tlie* Sudan campaign on the ground that the Senior Medical Officer had iu-t been able to trace any single case where the X-ray had been of any special benefit during the Tirah campaigns' Influence, however, was brought to hear, and the Sudan expedition went off with greatly improved apparatus. Dr Melville has s°en the developments in X-ray and radium work in hospital and surgery from the start. He is the honorary radiologist to St George’s 1 Hospital, and though he has suffered like mary of tlie fraternity lie remains an enthusiast.