Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-09-18
ADVANCE IN SURGERY.
The X Rays Are Working Revolution In
Medicine.

The Rays Are Working n Revolution In
Medicine.
The development of the new Roent-
gen photography in medicine and sur
gerv continues at an almost lncredloie
rate. Many Of the latest reports trom
Europe read like cable canards, but the
corroborative details and confirmatory
mass Of particulars are enough to con-
vince the most skeptical. The greatest
interest centers now in the hospital or
laboratory, devoted exclusively to cases
in which the X rays are used, which
has been established in Berlin by Fro-
fessor Buka Of the Berlin Polytechnic
nm. Professor Buka himself is sclen-
tjfic expert who is peculiarly fitted to
undertake this enterprise, since 1t was
he who discovered that all objects pene-
trable by the X rays become transparent
to the human eye by the aid OF a
Crooke's tube and screen smeared
with barium cyanide.
An important new phase Of Roentgen
photography is also reported from Mu-
mich. At the international psychologic
congress now being held there an appa-
ratus Of special design was used when
enabled the spectators to observe clearly
the action Of the diaphragm and heart
of subject. Just as photography has
succeeded in reproducing life motion by
means Of the kinetoscope, vitascope and
ciuemetograph, so the hitherto invisible
action of the internal organs may here
after be observed. Not only that, but
bv the present process these Roentgen
ray photographs might be taken fast
enough to insure their reproduction on
a screen. The children Of the next gen.
Grafton may thus study anatomy IN the
most realistic fashion. As Professor
Buka himself has been quoted as declar'
ing, "Skiagraphy is still in its tallow
candle stage" What will it be when II
reaches its electric light era?
As for the purely medical aspect OF
its development, it is now stated, ac'
cording to the report OF MN. Lor
tet and Genoud to the French academy
Of sciences, that tuberculosis is affected
by the x rays. They inoculated eigh
quinea pigs with tuberculosis virus, an6
exposed three Of them to the rays for al
hour daily during eight weeks. The NV
which were kept from the rays developed
abscesses, and their health was derang
ed. The three kept in good health anC
grew fat on the rays The effect OF or
dinary sunlight on bacilli has been trie'
in the past, but with far from such
decisive result. The Roentgen rays burr
the human skin itself like sunlight, an'
even destroy the hair.
Another curious extension OF the us
Of these rays is the discovery by Pro
fessors Grumbach and Du Bois Reymon'
of Berlin that they will not only photo
graph the invisible bones Of the body
but also some Of the softer parts as well
By means Of improved tubes these wv
scientists have succeeded in revealin
the larynx and the diaphragm. The doc
, tor of tomorrow will evidently have n
, need for diagnosis. All that will b
necessary for him to do will be to pul
ont his little Roentgen snap shot Gamer
and present to the patient indisputaoi
) ocular evidence of the precise ailmen'
Cases of wrong diagnosis will be rar
indeed. Even the exact causes OF dy'
, pepsia will be revealed at glance, an
, nobody will need to be apprehensiV
: about appendicitis or in dread doubt q
TO the need Of the surgeons horifyin
knife. Record.