The herald., 1896-10-15


clans comments upon 1t. Prof loves
worldwide fame as scientist Is too
we'll known in Los Angeles and vicinity
to need expatiation or substantiation of
the opinions he expressed.
He said he believed this to be only the
first short step into realm of which the
probable attainments in future were in
conceivably grand. 1t was in its direc-
tion perhaps not more than Franklin's
kite in its time was to the inconceivable
strides in the science of electricity at
tanned since his day.
Prof. Lowe says that exhausted glass
tubes are not at all limited to the pres
ent size of the Crcokes tubes about four
inches in diameter. Glass tubes could
be made foot in diameter and exhaust
ed Of air, without danger of crushing by
the atmospheric pressure of fifteen
pounds to the square inch. They should
be made in egg shape form and of
quality of glass very regular and even
in it's structure. .. .r|
Beinga sked the thickness necessary.
he thought an eighth of an inch would.
If properly shaped, sustain the pressure
and instanced an egg, delicate enough in
it's structure but capable of resisting
very great pressure evenly distributed.
The obstruction to the rays by the
glass of the tube was discussed and the
rayporter's accidental discovery during
~
Yoakum's Office at the Bradbury block,
before removal to The Herald office was
explained to the professor. When it was
found that soft white rubber was I'M
permeable to the rays and gutta percha
translucent, a search for a substance
other than glass too brittle to trust TO. OF
which bougees and stiff tubes could be
made. and one could cast dark shadow
through the neshy tissues, so that
physician inserting tube in wound or
channel of the human body could cis-
tinctly mark it's course. In these tests
the rayporter submitted the handle OF a
hand mirror set in celluloid.
1t was found to be opaque as glass.
and the very substance searched Tor.
BY accident the glass portion OF the mir
ror was moved over the screen and not
only the looking-glass but also the eel
luloid behind it was found to be trans
parent because of the layer of mercury.
Prof. Lowe thought the caveat cover
ing this discovery would be very valua-
BILE. He answered the objection raised,
that the heat of the tube might melt the
mercury by saying that in the first
place 1t likely would not, and in the sec
ond place if it did hardening admiX-
ture with the mercury would overcome
it readily.
Mr.. Sobeski Lowe was much inter-
ested in the phenomena of the imperme-
ability of glass and soft white rubber,
and the translucency of guttapercha
and black rubber. lie advanced in ex-
planation theory of refracted light
rays, but the great popularity of the
X-ray is indicated by its name of "X''
ray X being the sign of that which is
unknown, the X-rey means in plain
United States English the what-is-:t
ray. The ordinary rules for the refrac-
tion of light do not fit in with its per-
formances at all. 1t is glow, not a ra-
;rl,4 M orb,
an electrical discharge in an exhausted
glass bulb, similar to the ordinary in
candescent lamp, the light of the incan-
descent is no more like it than it is like
the business end of fire fly in action.
Prof. Lowe subjected to the X-ray
a piece of aluminium borrowed of the
Pittsburg Aluminium company on Third
street. 1t was very translucent. AL
uminum having SO many of the charac-
terstics of glass as to be suspected of
being the real malleable glass of the Wis
ionaries differs from glass essentially
X-ray.
Professor Lowe at once suggested that
the Crookes tube be made Of aluminium,
but DIR. Yoakum objected that bulb
OF it exhausted of air might collapse
from atmospheric pressure. The man.
ager Of the aluminium company then
quoted as having said Edison had acci-
dentally discovered that some pieces of
aluminium under a current of very high
potentiality in a vacuum had BECOME as
brittle as steel, but, delaying investiga-
ton, had mislaid the pieces and lost the
result of the discovery.
Mrs. c. B. Fowler, public librarian
and Assistant Librarian Miss Austin,
called during Professor loves visit. 1t
was Mrs. Fowler's exhaustive bibliog-
raphy on the X-ray which brought out
the fact that its literature consisted only
- Af~v~ A. .l~ L. 4 ~
no book upon 1t worthy of the name.
This suggested to the writer the treatise
now preparing for the press.
T. p. Hatch, Chas. Sumner Green, Prof.
Carlos Bransby, Samuel Levi Ralph
Hoyt, ]. Phillips, Chas. T. Battelle. c. f.
Of the Athletic club, J. T. Cherry, s.
Powell and many others visited the ap-
paratus yesterday.
&C. Calvin, mighty hunter Of game
at one time, submitted an arm and hand
woefully injured years ago in a collision
with a shotgun. The X-ray located sew
eral of the small shot left in the arm.
DR.. John T. Stewart, of Stewart &,
Fish. physicians and surgeons, reports
Miss Grace Bedient of Pico Heights as
faring well. Miss Bedient ran needle
in her left foot last Saturday which the
X-ray located Tuesday morning. DR..
| Stewart operated upon the member on
patient to the X-ray. A small point of
| needle was found still lodged in the
| bone and its removal determined against
| because of possible danger to the liga-
| ments of the metatarsal junction. 80"
The postotflce employees and letter car
| riers have requested view of the X-ray
| apparatus and will be welcome today
from 5 to o'clock p. m. There will be
| free clinic from 8 to II a. m. today.
Members of the California club will be
welcomed at to p. m. Tomorrow,
Friday, 8 to II a. M, Members of the
board of trade are invited; II to II a. m.
dentists are invited; to 5 p. m. profess
sors and school teachers.
| In the evening Dr. Yoakum will adj
dress the Los Angeles Medical society
| at their hall, to which the apparatus will
be removed.
The Herald's X-ray became imbued
with the spirit of the time last night,
and appeared in politics. A. r. Sprague
| alluded in a speech to William Cleveland
and Grover Cleveland, but when he at
| tempted to correct himself his audience
would not have it done. A voice called
| out: It's all right, Colonel; they're Just
the same under The Herald's x-ray.,
MISUSE OF PUBLIC FUNDS.
The appropriation by the city council
of S6SOO for the entertainment of the
| hi Arf nf