ABeimberThi902m"}     Therapeutic  Application  of  the  X-Rays.  579 
These  results  would  indicate  that  the  law  holds  within  the  limits 
of  error  of  measurement. 
An  interesting  result  was  obtained  with  water  and  alcohol. 
Assuming  that  when  equal  volumes  of  these  liquids  are  mixed 
together  there  is  a  contraction  of  about  3  per  cent,  (see  "  Encyc. 
Brit.,"  article  "Alcohol"),  we  would  have  for  the  volume  ratio 
97—  v 
Calling  the  index  of  refraction  of  water  1*3332  the  experimental 
result  obtained  by  the  mixture  was  1*3587.  By  the  formula,  without 
allowing  for  the  contraction,  1-3474;  allowing  for  the  contraction, 
1*3569,  which  is  as  close  as  the  average  results.  This  suggests  a 
method  by  which  the  volume  of  a  mixture  of  any  liquids  which  con- 
tract when  placed  together,  but  do  not  act  chemically  upon  each 
other,  may  be  obtained. 
The  University  of  Maine, 
Physical  Laboratory. 
THE  THERAPEUTIC  APPLICATION  OF  THE  X-RAYS. 
By  M.  I.  WlI/BERT, 
Apothecary  at  the  German  Hospital. 
The  marvelous  cures  that  are  being  reported  in  the  daily  press 
as  having  been  accomplished  by  means  of  the  X-rays  would  war- 
rant the  presentation  of  the  true  status  of  these  rays  as  a  therapeu- 
tic agent.  The  reports  as  published  are  rather  misleading,  in  that 
they  have  a  tendency  to  make  people  believe  that  treatment  by 
means  of  the  X-rays  was  not  alone  well  established,  but  that 
in  many  if  not  all  cases  of  pathological  new  growths  or  ulcerations 
this  method  of  treatment  would  dispense  entirely  with  the  use  of 
the  surgeon's  knife. 
In  this  respect  these  reports  are  likely  to  cause  a  considerable 
amount  of  harm  by  inducing  individuals  to  refuse  to  submit  to  a 
surgical  operation  at  a  time  when  such  a  procedure  would  involve 
little  or  no  risk  to  life,  but  would,  on  the  other  hand,  appear  to  offer 
some  chance  of  bringing  about  a  permanent  cure. 
The  pharmacist  can  and  should  contribute  his  share  to  a  proper 
elucidation  of  the  facts.  In  matters  of  this  kind  he  is  often  asked  for 
