New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-01-27
NEW INSTRUMENT or RESEARCH.


Few scientific discoveries have possessed such
varied clements Of interest as that which was
announced few days ago by Professor R0ntgen,
Of Wurzburg. It bears on certain abstruse the
cries relating to the existence and nature OF
ether that weightless omnipresent matter which
physicists have found II necessary 10 imagine In
order TO explain a variety OF phenomena. 1t will
greatly stimulate research along several lines
And a host Of possibilities. useful, comical ana
appalling, are suggested by the statement thar
certain invisible radiance partially or wholly
unrecognized by physicists hitherto VIII pehe-
trate substances which are OPAQUE to ordinary
light and will produce photograph revealing
something Of the interior structure OF an OBJECT.
Not merely the popular fancy. but the cold, pro-
fessIonal intellect also, is captivated by this
wonderful story
The fact that a photograph can be obtained
by an agent which cannot be seen is not new
For years II has bech possible to get pictures or
the solar spectrum out beyond both visible ends,
but especially beyond he violet end, And 1t is
perhaps significant that the rays from this latter
region have recently been found to possess dis
tinct electrical properties Just how close Is the
kInship between chemical and electrical opera
lions II Is not yet possible to say, but that some
relation exists is beyond question However. the
Itself and does so only when 1t has a free path TO
the sensitive film. On the other hand the rays
which have attracted the attention Of the Wurz-
burg investigator easily penetrate what are Inn
passa bic barriers 10 ordinary light. and leave a.
image or shadow OF the inside Of the object on
the Photographic plate beyond.
Tn. novelty in Professor R0ntgen's discovery
lies rather in the properties which he has found
than In the particular form Of energy which
possesses them Crookes had shown that when
a current obtained from powerful induction coll
was discharged through very high vacuum,
phosphorescent glow was produced In MS TUBE
quite unlike any other known light. AS 1t seemed
TO emanate from the negative terminal or
cathode, some physicists have called 1t the
cathode ray" and the effect was supposed 10
be produced BY the bombardment Of the interior
Of the tube by particles of gas violently driven
from the negative electrode. so long az only
phenomena within the nclosure were considered
such a theory seemed plausible enough. although
1t was not universally accepted. But 1t Is now
found that something or other reaches beyond
the confines OF the tube and goes where the
feeble illumination thus produced cannot reach
This revelation may oblige Crookes to overhaul
his theories. R0ntgen. in view Of the newly OBJ
served effects does not hesitate to pronounce
"A vibration Of the ether. a mere wave In the
same sense that light heat and electricity are
waves
The practical applications OF the discovery
however are more interesting to most people
than these theoretical questions. And IL Is uni
versay agreed that medical and surgical dag
nosis affords one Of the widest fields OF useful
ness for IL. A great deal of experiment Will be
required. Of course. to determine the conditions
under which the cathode ray can be handled
most effectively. what materials are most easily
penetrated by Ii, and what variations in density
and anatomical structure can be registered 1t
remains 10 be ascertained whether the position
and size OF the heart, for instance can be dis
tinguished with It's aid and whether a diseased
condition OF the lungs and other organs can be
detected How far the ribs will interfere with
an examination Of the upper cavity OF the trunk
and whether the skull will preclude Photographic
scrutiny Of the brain. are other questions yet TO
be solved Car thus tell with certainty
whether not to operate for appendicitis And
shall we have light on fractures and gun
shot wounds? These problems OF profound
Importance to humanity. and their solution will
be awaited with feversh interest by millions of
intelligent people