The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-03-11
NikOla Tesla Gives Account of
His Work
RESULT AND SPECULATION
Radiographs obi aiued Under Most Un.
usual Circumstances
The Scientists Observations Lead Him to
Regard the X Ray Q Stream Of
Material Particles

Associated Press Special Wire.
NEW YORK, March lO.-The Electrical
Review will publish tomorrow communi'
cation from Nikola Tesla, describing foi
the first time his very interesting expert
ments in photography. The scientific
world has been awaiting an opinion from
Mr.. Tesla, who is known to have begun his
experiments within an hour after the news
of Professor Roentgen's discovery was
cabled to this country. In connection with
Mr.. Tesla's communication to the Electri'
cal Review, it prints two remarkable radio
graphs. One of these shows the right
shoulder of man taken through his cloth
ing, plate of glass three-sixteenths OF an
inch thick and two inches of wood. This
radiograph, which was made at distance
of four feet from the sources of the rays
shows the ribs, shoulder bones and bones
of the upper arm. The other radiograph
shows copper wire bent to form the word
Roentgen and was made at a distance OF
eleven feet from the wooden slide cover.
ing the sensitized plate.
Mr.. Tesla also states that the rarefac-
ton of Crooke's tubes in these experiments
may be increased by electrical means to
any degree desirable-far beyond that OBJ
tainable by mechanical appliances. This
method he describes. In regard to the ma
ture of the X rays. he says:
~ am getting more anu more convinced
that we have to deal with a stream of ma
plate with great velocity. Taking as ba-
sis the estimate of Lord Kelvin. on the
speed of projected particles in a Crooke' g
bulb, we arrive easily, by tho employment
of very high potentials, to speeds OF as
much as a hundred kilometers second.
Now, again, the old question arises: Are
the particles from the electrode. or from
the charged surface generally. including
the case of an external electrcde. projected
through the glass or aluminium walls, or
do they merely hit the inner surface and
cause particles from the outside of the wall
to tiy oil, acting in purely mechanical
way, as when a row OF ivory balls IL
struck. So far most OF the phenomena IN IN
dicate that they are projected through the
walls of the bulb, of whatever material it
may be, and I am seeking for still more
conclusive evidence in this direction.
ut is now demonstrated bevond any
doubt that small metallic objects or bony
or chalky deposits can be infallibiy de-
tected in any part of the body"
Tesla has also secured photographs show
ing the bony structure of birds and rabbits
even to the hollow of the bones. He has
secured a radio2raph of rabbit, after an
hours exposure, in which not only every
detail of the skeleton is visible, but also a
clear outline of the abdominal cavity. loca-
rion of the lungs and the fur are shown.
The photographs of large birds show the
the feathers distinctly. In another in
stance an exposure of forty minutes gave
photographs of the human skull, showing
clearly not only the outline, but the cavity
of the eye, chin, cheek, nasal bones. the
lower jaw and connections to the upper
one, the vertebral column and connections
of the skull, the flesh and even the hair.
Mr.. Tesla continues his communication
in the following interesting words:
"By exposing the head to powerful ra =
diation strange effects have been noted.
For instance, find there is a tendency TO
sleep, and time seems to pass away quick
ly. There is general soothing effect, and
| have felt a sensation of warmth in tine up
per part of the head. An assistant inde-
pendently confirmed the tendency to sleep
and quick lapse of time. Should these
remarkable effects be verified by men with
keener sense of observation shall still
more firmly believe in the existence of ma
terial streams penetrating the vault. Thus
it may be possible by these strange appli.
ances to project a suitable chemical into
any part of the body"