April, 1930 
The Queensland Naturalist 
6 7 
of movement when diagnostic pictures are taken, also less 
risk to a patient by prolonged exposures to the Kay. 
This leads to the final discourse of this lecture, 
namely: — The X-Ray effect on the living cell. X-Rays, 
as useful as they are in many ways, are also harmful to 
the living cell. In the X-Ray we have a powerful de- 
structive agent, and if administered in sufficient quanti- 
ties will cause death to every living cell. Many X-Ray 
workers have exposed themselves too frequently, and have 
suffered, and even died, from the effects of the Ray. 
Modern plants, as we find them installed in our institu- 
tions, have ample protection, and practically no risk 
exists from X-Ray burns either to patient or operator. 
Although we have, and many call it, a dangerous Ray, it 
also has its good points. Not every cell is acted on in a 
like manner. The nearer a cell approaches the embryonic 
type (that is the more recent in its development) the 
greater is the susceptibility to the Roentgen Ray. 
The newly-developed cells in Cancer are therefore 
more easily influenced by the Ray than surrounding tis- 
sue, and if the rays can be applied to the affected part in 
sufficient quantity to destroy the cancer cells and not 
seriously interfering with the healthy cells, then one can 
hope to sep good results. Here also applies the property 
of absorption. It is the absorbed ray acting on the living 
cell. 
NESTLING BIRDS AND FROST. 
Writing from Mackay, North Queensland, under date 
16/9/29, Mr. W. G-. Harvey says: — 
Last week the weather was extremely cold, and 
severe frosts occurred in most parts of the district. It 
would be interesting to know whether these cold snaps 
are fatal to nestling*' birds in a general way, or whether 
the two cases quoted in the following lines ar e excep- 
tional. A young bronze cuckoo which occupied the nest 
of a pair of white-throated fly-eaters perished during the 
night of the heaviest frost. On the following day a boy 
reported to us the finding of a grass warbler \s nest with 
all the young* ones dead. The plant on which the nest 
was built was badly frosted, and the boy attributed the 
death of* the nestling birds to the severe cold. 
