New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-18
MORE QUEER PHOTOGRAPHY
,,rrERENT SYSTEM FROM ROENT-
GEMS.
u,.r,ors CLAIMS OF TWO CHICAGO AMATEURS
REGULATING THE DEPTH TO WHICH
OPAQUE OBJECTS MAY BE PENE-
rRATED AND DEPICTED.

TRATED AND DEPICTED.
chicago Feb. i (Spec!aD.-The announcement has
80, made here within few days of the discovery
- new photographic process which may prove
,,lv as interesting TO scientists as the RontSen
sten and possibly become even more useful.
e. ,.o,,e- and enthusiastic amateur photographers
nsv,a Block who is an analytical chemist by pro-
.o,s,on ard William r. hid, brother OF the City
ybrarian-have co-operated for several years in
,entiec experiments OF various kinds, chiefly in
,he line Of photography. and they claim 10 have hit
,,or The scheme here described. 1t is alleged that
,c,,res of Opaque objects may be taken which
wm show both the outer surface and the interior
rne KEYS. cylinder and other features OF type
writing machine as well as Of a wooden case cover
ing H. are shown IN one of the photographs. for in
.tance; and in another one sees leather handbag
with a bunch of bankno;es and coins inside, as II
.,e bag were composed OF translucent material
Experts have Ions been familiar with a simple
method OF getting such combinations. Two sue
cess!ve exposures OF an ordinary sensitive Plate III
an ordinary camera. first to the uncovered machine
and then to cover. would give The same result APP
narently as was obtained i'll the first of the two
nic,ures Just mentioned. And 1t has not been
practicable TO arrange with Messrs Block ana hl''
a test with a sealed parcel. Of whose contents 'hey
were ignorant AID which was left In Their possess
sion only during the experiment. Moreover theFe
are certain details Of their method which perhaps
for proper reasons, these investigators prefer 10
.sep secret But they speak with freedom ABOUT
the essential feature of the plan; and these are N
,eresting enough 20 be recorded. even though the
story cannot at present be fully vei!hed
WORKING WITH FILTERED SUNLIGHT.
The Block HID process differs from Ronigens n
several particulars: q The rays employed are ho'
attained by means OF electrical apparatus or vacuum
tubes but are taken from sunlight by hi'rAuoh
.hroush a series of prisms made OF huoisPA' W
tho, do not pass entirely through the object pho'o-
%, he'd and fall on a plate beyond. but are re-
AZ I'd back from the surface and from points WIN
IN very much in ordinary photoSfaph!' "' "'e
camera used has lens OF huorspar lAs'e"o %
glass inasmuch as the latter VII NOT, II = a'ese"
refract the rays; and cD special pia'e' ~
The inventors is substituted for the common o'E
rlote than which II is more sensitive Messrs'
Block and Hid say that with these new pla'e' a""
a simple kodak, they have taken pictures VIII
SNAP shots" IN good moonlight, ana on eiouuH
nghts have needed an exposure OF one u WV
seconds -. .,-
ns,ance 20 which large object may be penetrate"
for Photographic purposes IS regulate" D! I'cusS"e
the altered rays after they come from thc p''s.s.
an xn ,e mus be increased according TO Geph
Mr. block In this connection, says . ~ ,,,cal
close 10 the or in vacuum as al ma yei
tendency absorb the rays All Sen ven
s.ttcieni exposure The most extreme pene y1
was through peee o. heavy ,e',,ms' j5ned and
piece OF wood opacity seems TO lncaS" t5srrapn
through a leather bag is about ioI,E- Ne.9,oa 70
In one of our earlier experiments W. rero
nbotograph through the human ches,, Nnos Ne
pot Successful because OF the time oi ne tNPoS"
NSich was about thirty minutes not sum I'm; ~
,,sre of steak proved sufficiently iranS p,e ~
snow none through about eight inches OF neSI'
THE SYSTEM NOT YET PERFECTED
o,ns 10 the cost of the fltering apparatus ana 10
o,hsr incidental expenses. these Investigators say
,bav have not yet been able to perfect their system
They have taken no steps TO put the alleged ais
co,,erv on the market. 10 obtain patents iheS
bone eventually 10 render the interior OF oDJec.S
visible 10 the naked eye 10y means OF the rays winch
they employ but so far they have not aueihp'eu
anything of the kind. In further explanation OF
their reticence. Messrs. Block ana lino "a! Hf'
thev devised a inhalation photoeraPn.Ic pc s
w. or three years ago and their lnNehtlon , W a.
stolen because they talked too freely aDou IL.
49, a rreat secret Of their new superseisItNSI
NAE therefore II is not dry plate howeVeI' gnu
/, Is more costly than the plates now on tie ma
They claim also. TO have quick prli!uhe pop
hr, his is probably a modification Of the pan ioi
sensitiZng plate
THE PHENOMENON OF FLUORESCENCE'
ultra VIOLET RAYS SCIENTIFIC DIFFICULTIES