The Portland daily press., 1896-01-18

we pass it through prism or through q
transparent substance, which polarizes
it, such as tourmaline. Hertz showed by
substituting a large prism of melted
pitch that heat rays could be poiarized in
the same manner as light rays. The guam
tity OF these heat rays can be actually
measured by delicate electrical instru-
ments, known as thermo-piles.
II can quite readily conceive how heat
rays could be passed through organic
substances in the manner you describe.
1t is also quite conceivable to me that
these heat rays would be stopped by q
bullet or any substance which was q good
electrical conductor. Eighty or ninety
per cent of the rays would be reflected,
and the remaining 10 or 20 per ceat would
be absorbed by the metallic substance. "
| Prof. Rood then introduced the report
er to his colleague, Prof. Halleck, who
WAS greatly interested in the discovery,
and who spoke of another aspect of it.
"The tenunous substance, which we
can hardly call matter because it is SO
foreign to our ideas of anything palpa-
ble," said PORT Halleck, sis supposed to
pervade the universe, and everything it
contains
s'The modern theory of matter presumes
that no two atoms-an atom being the
smallest possible particle of matter-touc
each other. In spite of the close adhesion
of even STEEL each separate atom has q
kind of spiral motion impelling it to fly
| IA
atoms is the all-peryading ether which
transmits the rays of light or heat, as the
case may be.
Nothing is more familiar to our minds
than that all substances transmit heat
more or less perfectly according to thei1
degree of conduotivity. Now, as we be-
lieve that heat and light are simply
manifestations of radiant energy, there
is nothing impossible in the idea that
this radiant energy may be conveyed SO as
to cast shadows, as it were, according to
the relative permability of the different
parts of the same substance.
'There is only one point in the state.
men you make which seems little con-
fusing. If Prof. Klupathy of Pesth Uni
versity has succeeded in making this in.
visible light or radiant energy pass
through aluminium, what becomes of the
theory that metals should reflect it in
proportion to their electrical conduc.
| tlyity? Aluminium, though not heavy,
is still regular metal in its behavior,
and is relatively good conductor of cleo.
triclty. These points, I hope, will be
cleared up when we get the full reports Of
the experiments.
DIR. Daniel M. Stimson, when seen al
his house, II West Seventeenth Street,
last night, showed great interest in the
new discovery. Without committing him.
self as to any Of the details OF the expert
ments, he expressed the opinion that the
new discovery, when perfected, would
doubtless lead to an immense evolution
for good in the progress of modern sur.
gerry.
DR.. Stimson first showed the reporter
how a tiny incandescent light covered
with short piece of rubber tubin exhib-
completely translucent body. He prov ed
that the bones of the finger transmitted
the light equally as well as the less solid
parts. In connection with this little ex-
pertinent, DR.. Stimson told how he had
once seen the stump of needle embedded
showing itself as an opaque body, while
the rest of the finger was translucent.
By another small incandescent lamp,
arranged SO that it could be placed in the
mout of a patient, DR.. Stimson showed
how the presence of an abscess in one
of the upper jawbones could be detected
The light in this case shone at unequa
heights through the right and left cheek
| proving that the fluid was turbid in one
side and clear in the other.
Imagine" said DR.. Stimson, s'thai
when this discovery has been brought tt
perfection, we shall be able to detect for
eign substances in any part of the body
1t will take some time to get accustomed
to the appearance of normal healthy tbs
| sue, but starting from that we shall bs
able to make all kinds of differentiations
| "1t seems. from what has already beer
demonstrated, that with different strength
or ordinations OF the radiant energy, We
shall be able to bring different substance,
or structures into view. Thus, with on,
strength, we shall detect metals. wifi
another, bones or bony tumors; with {
| third, the various kinds of degeneration
to which the structures of the body al.
Ii able.
"We may thus detect solidIfied portion,
Of the lung. or parts of the lung wher,
the structure has shrunk away, leaving
a cavity. In the heart we may be able
to detect the difference between fatty de
generation and brown or amyloid degen
erations.
In the abdominal cavity, we NAV be
able to detect tumors, assesses, hardened
parts of the liver. or other abdominal or
gans, and very possibly calcareous de-
posits in all parts.
What it may do for gunshot wounds.
am unable, from my own personal ex
perience, which has been comparatively
| limited in Sunh rpatterc to COW p,,+ ~