Douglas P. Murphy

SUBSTERILIZING INTRA-UTERINE RADIUM EXPOSURES: REPORT OF TWENTY-FIVE TREATMENTS

Intra-uterine radium radiation is practically a specific for benign menopausal hemorrhage. A permanent sterility follows the usual exposures employed. The use of short exposures is not so well or generally understood and is feared because of possible sterilizing effects. At the Rutherford Hospital between July 1, 1922. and Dec. 31, 1925, thirty-eight women in the child-bearing age received varying sized intra-uterine radium exposures all less than 1,000 millicurie hours each. One year following the last treatment, questionnaires were sent out and answers were received from twenty-five patients, or sufficient data were secured to make their records of value for this study. The accompanying table outlines the data received, which may be thus summarized: The age range of these patients was from 17 to 42 years, with an average of 28 years. All were white but two. Nineteen were married. Seventeen complained of metrorrhagia, seven of menorrhagia, while three of

TOWEL SLING METHOD OF LIFTING PATIENT

An easy method of lifting, not commonly employed, is shown in the accompanying illustration. It is more comfortable to lifters and patient alike than the method in which both arms of the lifters are passed under the patients body. By this method two can frequently do the work of three. A towel is passed under the lower part of the body. The near end is grasped in the left hand of the person at the patients head. The far end is held in the assistants right hand. The other arms are passed under the patients body. The lifting is most comfortable when the towel ends are grasped with the thumbs up, as shown in the illustration.