Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1896-02-20

Seeu-ktl3 hyphoeic tONt
The human brain has been photo.
grarhed. In the rivalry Of SC entists eN-
cited by Roentgen's appi cation Of the
catEada X rays to photography Dr. Carrie
ion simon steps forward and exhibits
a picture Of his cvn brain, chained
from a process in which the cathode ray
is not a factor. Ii may be said. how
ever, that the widespread interest at
tracted 10 Roentgen's discovery and the
experiments of Edison preparatory to
his attempt 10 photograph the braIn, as
chronicled from day tn day, were The
incentives that led DR.. Simon, after
nearly three years Of labor, TO bring 10
bear his whole power ON a final attempt
10 capture the prize Of honor III beng
the first to photograph the brain Of q
living being.
DR.. Simon, who is a graduate OF the
New York university, a pupil of Char
cot of Paris, and a member of the New
York polytechnic, thus tells the story OF
his efforts TO photograph the brain and
his eventual success:
"The brain, you know, has been my
especial study, and l have worked indie
pendently in a quiet way for nearly
three years TO photograph 1T, / first
sought 10 accomplish my purpose by
passing a continuous current of elec-
tricity through the brain, Illuminating
it by the spark, and then / tried the in
-.--s n..~uyS Inr THE rpplYrnaI n
I- -.s Of the brain, rendering sense
less the subjects. The principle is illus
trated by a flash Of lightning on a dark
night, which carries images through
which it travels TO the eye. From this
indeed it was suggested TO me that the
same idea might be applied to the
br lin. Again, you know, the FREELY is
made almost transparent by its tiny
lantern.
Now, finding that flashes of cleo
tricity passing through the body form
a circuit at the smallest possible points,
/ found that instead of passing directly
through the brain it travelled through
tine skin around the head, and il, on
the other hand, the flash was drawn
through the brain by magnetic attrac-
tion, paralysis took place.
Il then attempted 10 use the alternat-
ing, interrupted current, but found that
insulation of the skin was impossible.
/ tried TO follow nature, as in the fire.
fly. in the production of traDsiridescent
rays. After q great deal of labor / sue
ceeded in equalizing to a considerable
degree the average between the rapidity
with which light travels and the rapid
ity with which sound travels. 1t has
seemed TO me in my experiments that
whenever the rays of light travelled
slowly or nearer to the rate at which
sound travels this same light would in
some unexplainable manner appear to
combine with waves If sound.
Il am still far from having perfected
photograph the brain. OF course the
more solid structures are reflected on
the plates, and / found that the less ex-
posure / gave to the Photographic plate
the easier I apparently was able to
photograph translucent material.
1.-THE rays ] use, / use in conjunction
with sound, and they are electric rays.
so far a. the Light is concerned. / have
attempted in this instance to photo
graph my own brain, not being able to
procure any one whom ] thought would
be appropriate"
DIR. Simon said that he used an ordi-
nary camera. with platinum plates,
subjected neither to heat nor 10 any
especial chemical treatment. The time
of exposure was limited to two MINUTES
Ordinarily, the doctor said. the time of
exposure would be regulated by the
depth Of material through which the
light must pass.
For the present DR.. Simon will not
make known the details Of his appa-
ratus. II do not like he said, Ito
withhold it from the public. but / de-
sire to more fully perfect it before max
ing the details known
He pleaded guilty to the suggestion
that ii would be a source of satisfaction
to accomplish himself the perfecting
OF the process which he has discovered.
This much he did say:
Il produce the effect by a traction of
the light and propulsion through the
brain substance. At the time of pholo-
graphing the whole internal chamber
Of the brain is lighted up"
In the deeper hypnotic sleeps a sup
gestion which is given to the right side
of the brain. for instance, can be trans.
ferred by the aid If a magnet to the left
side. That this IS fact has been proved
by Charcot and other experimenialists.
That fact, of course. / at;empicd to
study out, and in the pursuit cf BRAIN
photography Inc Inflaence Of the mag
net on the brain molecules crossed my
mind with vivid force. Therefore in nv
experiments / used the magnet, and be-
lieye it essential to the success of the
experiment.
But this last experiment, in which
photographed my own braI., was only
an experiment after all, for | did not
have elaborate apparatus. Wha. | had
was vely crude, aud / intend, before