Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1895-02-08
MEDICAL SCIENCE.
Some Wonderful Inventions for
tho Use Of Doctors.
Electric Search Lights That Are Employed
- In Exploring the Interior of the
Human system for Various
diseases,

by the latest application of electric
lty to the medical science it has be
come possible to utilize the human
head as 4 lantern. This was proved
by DIR. Wendell G. Phillips the
other night before a meeting of the
archaeological section of the New
York academy of medicine The cleo.
trical apparatus used is called head
lliuminator. 1t consists of IA small in.
candescent globe and an electric light
OF three candle power and about as
big as grape. 1t is adjusted to the
end of rubber tube, which in appear
ance resembles n lead pencil and
through which the wires reach the
globe. In demon -!r:.ting the proper
ties Of this l;,-At i lore the academy
of medicine DR.. Phillips called small
boy to the platform and placed the in
strument in his mouth. The boy
closed his lips. all the light, were
turned out and then the light in the
instrument was turned on. Immedi-
atcly the boys checks became translu-
cent and every vein and imperfcction
of the skin stood out with distinctness.
The light also shone through the upper
part of the face.
The beauty of this illumination"
said DIR. Phillips to a Herald man,
lies in the fact that it enables us to
read certain conditions of the head
which could only be learned hereto
fore by operations or probings. If the
light shines through one side of the
face and not the other we know the
dark side is affected. 1t also throws a
light through the bones of the face
and discloses formations of the bone
which, under other circumstances.
could only be ascertained by drilling
to the bones. Placed in the corner of
the eye. the light shines up through
the cavity in the frontal bone just over
the eyebrow. Catarrhal diseases are
thus located"
Here the doctor placed small Sec
ton of rubber hose over the light
which he held in his hand at the time.
Nov notice how this shines through
my thumb" he continued. "Well, if
there was n splinter there it could be
accurately located. Any disarrange-
ment of the small bones of the hand
could be ascertained in the same man.
ner. This practical use of electricity
in surgery is not new. however" add
ed the doctor. 1.-The first man to util-
ize it was Voltolini. In regard to these
newer instruments which have about
me l have just added improvements.
Here is search light" said DIR.
Phillips. taking up a curved piece of
nickel made to fit over the head and
come down between the brows. Be.
tween the brows was a lens which
stood out like the glass of bull's-eye
lantern. 1t was connected by wires
with a storage battery. A switch was
turned and bright light shone out
from the apparatus like star on the
forehead of a ballet dancer. "This
light" said the physician, ''shines into
and down the throat of patient who
is being examined for throat troubles.
This latter examination can also be
performed by the insertion of a small
electric light the size of pea. There
is another instrument consisting of a
flexible tube with a small lamp at the
end and connected with a battery.
The patient swallows the lamp, and
when it reaches the stomach it shines
through SO diseased organism can be
plainly read from the outside. The
circulation is visible and an abnormal
stands out like mole on
. persons cheek. All these imple-
ments and Devices" added DR.. Phillips
in conclusion, "are the result of study
made by prominent physicians and
surgeons. I have not invented these
things. I have only developed them.
We haven't reached the highest devel-
opment Of the use Of electricity in the
medical science yet. We are working
now on new lines" ~