The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1881-09-08
Bells Electric Needle.


WASHINGTON, d. C., Aug. S0-Pr0f
Alex. Graham Bell has been experiment
ing since his last attempt 10 locate the
bullet in the body of the President, al
his laboratory in Boston, with view Il
the improvement of the induction bal
ance. He has hoped to be able to so i'm.
prove 1t that it would indicate exactly
the position of the bullet, and its depth
below the surface. At the last attempts
he located the bullet within a radius OF
two inches, but of course that was not
near enough to justify cutting for it. Ii
is understood that Prof Bell has not as
yet, attained success in this effort, but
he has. while conducting those expert.
ments, discovered another and a SIMPLER
method Of efecung the same end. Re.
Gently the surgeons have used
WITH SOME SUCCESS,
long, thin needles to locate bulletin.
serted into the flesh, they were pressed
were withdrawn. But q piece of bone
was as often detected" as q bullet, and
there was apparently no way of distln.
gushing between the two. Prof. Bell
has improved this method so as TO make
it perfect. By it bullet can be located
exactly (after its location has been ap.
proximately determined by the use OF
the induction balance, and its exact
depth below the surface ascertained
The surgical needle is insulated, and
connected at one end with wire. This
wire is connected with a one-cell bat
terry, telephone and an "interrupter,"
which makes and breaks the current. A
piece of metal is placed on the body neal
the point where the needle is to enter
II is also connected with the wire. The
needle is
PRESSED THROUGH THE FLESH
until it touches the bullet. AS soon as
it enters the flesh a sound is heard in the
telephone, hitherto silent, which in.
creases until when the bullet is touched il
is twice as loud as on the entrance of tbs
needle. If the needle touches bone nc
sound is herd. Prof. Miller has ex
perimented in the presence-of DIR. Ham
iiton and DIR. Woodward with the detec
tive needle upon bullet imbedded in q
mass of flesh with perfect success. Il
the President grows better il is under
stood that the bullet will be extracted
as soon as he is able to stand the cutting
With the electric needle 1t can be 10
Gated exactly. The induction bslanct
and the electric needle will, no doubt
play an important part in the surgery o
the future. One curious thing about thu
experiments nAECu tcoutlcN 50 loituudlC
ly is that at times the battery was dis
pensed with, the moisture of the body
in connection with the piece of meta
| on the flesh performing its functions.
Trial of Rev. Or. H w. Thomas,
CHICAGO, Sept. 1.-The trial of ReY
DIR. II. w. Thomas, of the NJ. E. church
upon charge of heresy preferred agains
him in the Rock River conference, wa
announced TO begin this morning in tn
| lecture room Off the First Methods
church, corner OF Washington and Clarl
streets, a room which will seat but abou
two hundred people. Half that numbe
were present and they mostly clergymen
their wives and members Of the press
The interest in the trial does not prom
Use to be very great,
DIR, Thomas was present with hl
counsel, Rev. DFs. Sheppard and Bennett
| and advisory counsel, ex-Mayor Bono
| and Austin BierboWer. Only DR.. Hat
field was present as counsel for the pros
ecution. Elder Willing called the meet
| ing to order and read the twelfth chapte
of Romans, and DIR. Quincy asked Di
vine guidance in the conduct of the
case.
Elder Willing announced the follow
ing committee appointed to try the case
Rev. j. w. Qgard, q superannuated di
vine, late Of Chicago; Rev. Jas. H. Al
ling, Of Chicago, Rev. VIM. Craven, o
Chicago; Rev. Joseph S. David, of Al
bany, Illinois; Rev. John Ellis, Hins
dale, Illinois; Rev. Theodore Fl. Hazel
tine, La Sale, Illinois; Rev. Joseph w
Phelps, Chicago; Rev. RObt. Proctor
Arlington Heights, Illinois; Rev. Gar
rett r. VanHorne, Chicago. He alst
announced as counsel for the defense
Rev. Drs. Sheppard, Bennett, Miller anC
Axtell for the prosecution, Rev. Messrs
Jewett, Hatfield and Slaughter. DIR
Hatfield announced that Or. Jewett wa!
i'll with the ehills at Joliet, and was un
able to attend. and he objected to furthel
proceedings till Jewett could be present
Elder Willing objected. aud Hatfiell
threatened TO withdraw from the case en-
tiFelY.
A recess for the conference was theI
taken until 9 p. m.
HortaIffy ON the Tsfhmua