Medicine: X-ray & the Unborn

Ever since doctors and other workers with X-rays discovered that the rays sterilized them (now they protect themselves by aprons of rubber impregnated with lead), they have been chary of X-raying women who might be gravid. It is not always certain that a woman is pregnant. She may be bloated through hysteria or, more usually, have a benign tumor or a cancer. X-rays can help in the diagnosis. X-rays can also destroy the tumor, or the fetus. Radium is also therapeutically destructive. Just what effect radium, or X-rays in their various doses have on...

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