The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-07-29
TESLA ON X RAYS.
He Believes Them to Be Moving
Material Particles
Radiations That Have Peculiar Effect
On the Brain.

Tnac Hoentgen rays are moving mate
rial particles, having an appreciable effect
on human tissues and organs, and that
thcy may likely be used as means TO de-
stroy disease hacilli arc conclusions that
Nicola Tesla has arrived at as the result
of his experiments during tho rast six
months, but he awaits crucial tests before
positively announcing his conclusions as
scientific facts.
Mr.. Tesla was found in his laboratory.
He was very busy, but he found time to
answer the SO ycral vital questions put to
him az TO the effect Of X rays on physical
health and baeilli life.
"In my attnmpts TO contribute my hum
bic share 10 further knowledge of the prop
critics of the Rocntgen rays" Mr. Tesla
said, 81 am finding more and more evil
dence inssupport of the theory OF moving
material particles IL is not my inten-
ton, howcvcr, TO advance just now any
view as to the bearing of such q fact upon
the present theory Of light, but / merely
seek to establish the fact of the existence
of such material streams In so far as the
isolated effects are concerned i have al
ready q great many indications of II bonn
bardment' occurring outside OF tho bulb
from which the inys emanate, and / am
arranging some crucial tests, which hope
will be successful and which will prove
whether or not / am right In my conclu-
sions.
"Now, II thcso material streams are I'M
pingipg themselves against substances to-
ward which they are directed, 10 Is natural
that some effect should follow tho contact.
1t Is not unreasonable to say that organs
and tissues may bc affected. We often
read In reports made by experimentalists
that human hair has fallen out from the
effect Of frequent use Of the rays, and
have myself noted that effect In my exper-
iments.
~ havc also noticed that when working
with highly strained bulbs / frequently
experience IA sudden and sometimes even
painful shock In the eye Such shocks
may occur so often that the eye gets in
famed, and ore cannot be considered over
cautious If he Gbstains from watching the
bulb too closely. These shocks are 10 me
further evidence Of larger particles being
thrown Off from the bulb.
"If these conclusions, which seem to be
forced on me by the experience coming
from experiment, arc correct, then it may
be that the rays have an effect on bacilli.
Indeed Professor Roentgen himself has
dHnOLDttU IL dr bciici Dsttiih
can be destroyed by the rays, and his ex-
periments warrant his conclusion. Yet
we must wait patiently 10 hear from those
who are Investigating in thi9direction be-
fore formulating scientific conclusions.
The theory OF material PARTICLES, con-
tinued Mr. Teslasxand the theory that the
rays affect the human system are borne
ont by my own further experience In the
laboratory here. BY exposing the head to
powerful radiation strange effects have
been noted. For iSstance, i find that
there is a tendency TO sleep, and the time
seems to pass. away quickly. There Is
general soothing cfrect, and have felt n
sensation OF warmth in the upper part OF
my head. An assistant experienced iden-
tically the Same sensations as myself
'Should those remarkable effects be veri-
fed by men with keener sense of observa-
tiop, shall still more firmly believe in
thu existence of material streams penetrat-
ing the skull Thus 1t may be possible by
these strange appliances 70 project suit
able chemical into any part Of the body"
New York Herald.