Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1881-08-11
A VALUABLE DISCOVERY,
Locating n Bullet In a Human Body
Chicago Times

Prof. Graham ii. Bell, the electrician,
has been engaged during the past three
or four days in further experiments
with an apparatus which he has in
vented with which he proposes to
definitely locate the presence of a
bullet or any other metallic substance
in the human body. When Prof. Bell
FIRST arrived here, ten days ago, he ex-
planned his plans to the surgeons in
attendance on President Garfield His
attention had been directed to the sub
ject by the uncertainty of the location
of the bullet which wounded the Presi-
dent. The surgeons discussed the sub
ject among themselves, when Dr. Rey-
burn called the attention of DR.. Bliss to
the case of Capt. John II, Simpson,
formerly of the seth Massachusetts,
volunteers, who was terribly wounded
in 1863 DR.. Bliss remembered the
case, and the Captain, who is now in
Washington, clerk in the treasury
department, at the written request Of
Prof. Bell, consented to become the
subject of an experiment, and on Fri
day evening, with Capt. Simpsons
physician, the Times correspondent
went to Prof. Bells labratory on Con-
necticut avenue: nearly opposite the
British legation. Capt. Simpson re-
ceived several severe wounds, one in
the hip, Gripping him for life, but
another,-th one which produces the
present interes;,-in which bullet
entered the back just to the right of
the spine, and penetrated so deep that
no surgeon dared probe for the ball,
and besides, from its location and sup
posed direction, it was not believed it
would be possible for him to recover.
Arrived at the labratory, the party
were shown to large square room, III
which various electrical machines and
material formed the prominent feature.
Prof. Bell and his assistant, Prof. Tain
tor, were present. In the centre of the
room was large flat lounge, while at
one side, some feet away, on a table,
was receiving battery of ten jars, an
electric motor, and other paraphern-
ALA. After brief preprati n of appa-
ratus, Capt. Simpson removed his
clothing to expose his body from
his loins to the waist and lay
on the lounge face downward. Prof.
Bell then proceeded to make his first
experiment upon living human body.
The instruments used are two. One,
which is held to the ear, is the long gut
| ia percha receiver" of the Bell tele-
| phone pattern, and the other, from the
bottom, looks as though it might be the
ordinary mechanism of the transmitter
of the same telephone, minus the box.
Extended descriptions of the "tinder,"
us the professor terms it. have already
been published. Both these instruments
are connected by long insulated wires,
with q little electric gauge, which is
screwed to the table. 1t passes then to
the electric motor, small, upright ma
chine, to which is connected wheel,
in the rim of which is aseries of round
holes, making it look like Il mitrailleuse.
On the outside of the rim are a series
of slight projections, which extend the
width of the rim. This wheel is known
as the "arrester," and the projections,
coming in contact with the electric steel
| brush in the motor, causes a series of
breaks in the electric current. This
wheel can be made to turn as fast or as
slow AS may be desired reaching in ra-
pidity several thousand revolutions a
minute.
Prof Bell placed the receiver at his
ear, and, taking the finder in his right
hand, placed it over the scar at the
wound in the back and began moving
it slowly, in increasing circles, until the
circle had increased so much as to ex-
tend nearly to the right side and over
the spine to the left. He seemed UNI
decided them and, returning, repeated
the movement, but still found no re-
suits After reaching the spine the
second time he began passing the finder
slowly up and down the body to the
left at the spine, moving to the left.
When about three inches distant from
the spine his hand stopped second.
| Then slowly he moved down further to
the left and back up, and down again,
each time hcsitating longer at one
point, until ut last he looked up and
quietly said: "There it is; know it."
However quietly and modestly he
spoke, he could not conceal the tri-
umpant look of his face and eye at the
proof of his work The professor, still
holding the instrument half an inch
or an inch away from the body, repeat
ed his experiment, and again located
the position of the i'm oedded ball In the
same spot. Capt. Simpson then turned
on his back, and like experiment
was made over the abdomen. This was
attended with very faint sounds from
the receiver, yet still sufficiently dis
tinct to bring forth the confident re-
mark from the professor, 81 can hear
it, but il is very much nearer the back, "