Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-02-14
The New Photography.

A Needle Found I'm "A WOman's Stomach
at Berlin---Successful Experiments at
Dartmouth COlIege---what Edison
Says.
The new system of photography through
Opaque substances by means of what is
known as X-rays is attracting the attention
of scientists throughout the country. The
most wonderful experiment was performed
in Berlin Monday. A poor seamstress
swallowed needle last week. The ply
sicians despaired of her case, as she could
retain nothing on her stomach, and there
were incessant expectorations of blood. As
a last resort she was taken to the laboratory
of Prof R0ntgen, who first used the sys-
TEN of photography successfully. A cam
era holder containing a sensitized plate
was placed against heavy block of wood
at one side of the pitient, who in order to
secure steady position was bound to the
back of heavy oaken chair. When all
was in readiness the electric light was
turned on, and after five minutes the cur
rent was cut off, the bandage loosened and
the plate taken TO the dark room for devel-
opment. The plate plainly showed every
bone of the upper part of the body, and
the needle was found lying point down.
ach. Its position accounted for the pa
TENTS loss of blood, as it would puncture
the flesh whenever she would get up to
walk. Surgeons being present, it was re-
solved to remove the needle at once The
patient was placed under the influence of
chloroform and the cause of her excru-
ciating sufferings, which threatened her
life, was taken from the stomach by skill
ful surgical manipulations. The patient
is doing well and is pronounced entirely
out of danger.
A remarkable discovery has been made
at Rome, according to the New York Sun,
in connection with the investigation of
Prof. R0ntgen's new force in photography.
Prof. Salvioni of Perugia read paper be-
fore the Rome Medical Academy on Satur-
day, in which he described an optic instru-
ment of his own invention which enables
the human eye by means of R0ntgen rays,
to see through anything which those rays
can penetrate. 1t is said that Prof. Salvi-
oni produced his wonderful invention, and
by its means physicians present were sua-
bled to see the contents of a closed alum
inum box.
Edison, the electrician and inventor, is
making experiments with the system, and
during this week will attempt to photo
graph a mans brain. Profs. Emerson and
Frost of Dartmouth college have success
fully photographed objects through an
inch board. They placed several articles
in pasteboard box, inserted this in a
large wooden box, and filled the space be-
tween with paper. The contents of the
inner box were clearly produced on the
plate. They also secured distinct photo
graphs of a fracture in the forearm of a
Hanover young man. The plate-holder
was laid upon table, the article to be
photographed laid upon it, and Crooke's
tube was was.suspended above. The exposure
was 10 to Is minutes. Prof. Frost used
Grove battery of seven cells and an induc-
tion coil of about eight miles of wire.
Prof. Frost asserts that the results are
more satisfactory than any experiments
previously made in this country.
Edison says: 81 wouldn't be surprised if
these R0ntgen rays should yet be found
able to kill bacteria in the human system.
1t is well known that sunlight will disin-
feet water in which there are bacteria. 1
am going to get some cultures of bacteria
and put them in water and see If the Ront-
gen rays won't kill them. 1 believe that
Rontgen rays will yet kill the bacteria of
tuberculosis, typhoid fever and other dis
| cases."