The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-02-02
Rontgen's Discovery.

Prof. Rontgen's discovery IN photog-
raphy. by which the interior OF solid sub
stances are exposed 10 rays Of light and
clearly photographed. seems likely TO de-
velop into one Of the greatest wonders OF
this wonderful age. With the new pho
Biography. it is announced, IL is possible
to locate bullets OF other foreign sub
stances that may become lodged in the
flesh The light goes through the body
OF the object photographed and shows
everything contained in it. in outline or
by shaded detail. Photographs Of the IN
terror of living heads have been made.
showing the brain more or less clearly
as II appears under the actuation Of the
vital spark called life. Prof. Rontgen has
taken pictures OF living mems skeletons
as they stand in the flesh; the bones
showing through the flesh as though
through an envelope of thin mist. Tho
light for the camera has been made TO
penetrate purses and photograph the
money contained therein.
The possibilities Of this wonderful dis
covery are almost limitless. 1t can be
seen that a new field. one heretofore re-
ga -ded as inapproachable. has been opened
up to medical men. The increased won
ders of surgery. when aided by an APP
paratus that will permit the surgeon to
explore the whole system of his patient
as he would a book, cannot be predicted.
But there cannot be room for doubling
that the doctors will have a most potent
aid in the Rontgen discovery in their bat
tie against disease and death.
The most interesting announcement
with regard to the discovery, perhaps, is
that it can be employed in the study OF
the human brain. That announcement
holds out the promise of the ultimate
mastery Of those most horrible diseases
which have their origin in the brain-in-
sanity, paralysis, etc. 1t is known that
the pressure of blood ciots. or other sub
stances, upon the brain affect certain
nerves. limbs and portions of the body.
A pressure upon a particular ridge of the
brain produces paralysis of the right arm.
etc If photograph of the brain may
be made by which the seat and character
of the substance impinging upon the brain
can be seen. cures of brain-seated dis
eases will become more frequent.
There is, however. another side to the
application of the Rontgen discovery,
and 1t is not quite agreeable. If the
scientists have got to the point of taking
pictures of the brain at work, how long
will it be before they succeed in produc-
ing an apparatus that will catch the
thoughts that the brain contain? If they
have got to the point of Photographic
through the walls of pocketbooks, how
long will 1t be before the clever crook
will be photographing through the walls
of bank vaults? And what is to prevent
the possible income tax assessor from TAX
ing a camera along with him and demon
strating to the bloated bondholder that
he is fabricating when he affirms that his
income is just below the point of taxa
ton? How many members of congress
would be willing for transparencies of their
craniums, showing the amount of brains
contained, to be made and circulated
among their constituents? 1t would prob
ably be amusing to see a photograph OF
the interior of a typical free silverite
head; to see the wheels go round, and
note the number of cogs dropped per
hour