The San Francisco call., 1896-04-03
Practical Advantages to Be Sc.
cured by Determining the
True Source.
PROFESSOR LIE CoNTE coNCURs.
Great Importance of the Discovery
Made by Professor Cory and
His Assistants.

BERKELEY, CAL, April 2.-The scien-
tifc statement of Professor Clarence L.
Cory of the department of mechanics at
the State University regarding the source
of the Roentgen ray has created comment
OF the most widespread and thoughtful
nature from all quarters.
Heretofore only short and compare
lively incomplete statements have been
made concerning the intricate and pecu-
harly delicate process pursued by the
Berkeley experimenters in arriving at the
conclusions which seem to indicate the
true origin of the magic ray. But the
statement published to-day in THE CALL
covers the entire field of their work, and
enters into the most minute details
IN explaining the scientific principles
involved in reaching the sought-for end
that OF determining how the ray is formed
and where 1t comes from. The problem
has been most difficult one and it is only
after the exertion of the greatest skill and
energy that the professors have arrived at
conclusion which they feel they are safe
in backing up.
Ihey have the concurrence of a number
OF other professors and instructors at the
university, among whom are DR.. Joseph
LIE Conte, the veteran scientist, Professor
Slate and Instructor Drew. The results
reached, however, differ from those of
Professor Sanford of Stanford Univer-
sity and DR.. Philip Mills Jones of San
Francisco, which gentlemen have been
studying aud investigating the origin of
the Roentgen ray for some time past
Professor Cory believes that the
fuorescent glass has much to do with the
matter of determining the source OF the
ray, while DIR. Jones believes that it has
no effect whatever. Professor Cory saws
that he is more than confident OF his posi-
tlon with relation to the huorescent glass
The result of the university experiments
to determine the origin of the Roentgen
ray seems to be that the cathode rays
electrify any solid upon which they i'm
pinge, probably by carrying electrified
particles to the solid. 1.-The source of the
Roentgen rays, then" says Pro lessor
Cory, ''is the solid upon which the
cathode ray first strikes and gives up or
partially gives up its negative charge. a
second solid behind the first may be a
source OF the rays, however, if the first
solid does not take up the entire negative
charge from the cathode ray"
"The Roentgen rays may therefore pro-
ceed from the anode. the fluorescent glass,
a disconnected terminal or a grounded
terminal, provided the shape of the tube
and the relative positions of the electrodes
be such that the cathode rays impinge on
the anode, glass, disconnected or grounded
terminal respectively. That the anode,
because it is the anode, may he the source
of the Roentgen rays is probable, but the
fact that in almost every case when the
anode has been found to be the source OF
the rays the shape of the tube has been
such that the cathode rays impinged
directly upon it,
The importance of the discovery which
the professors tere at the State University
seem to have made can only be measured
by the almost limitless use to which the
Roentgen rays can be put. The origin
and theory of the rays once being solved,
its applications will be without number
Even with the rude apparatus with which
the Berkeley experimenters have been
working they have reached results of a
most marvellous nature. The first great
experiment which they made was the
locating of bullet in the hand of young
Gunnison. The physicians had probed
for the bullet which was supposed to
have been in the boys hand, but
their skill was baffied. They thought tn
bullet must be in his hand, but they had
not proof of it. The reason they had for
believing that it was still IN his hand was
because there appeared to be no place
where it could have come out. The
wounded lad was brought to Berkeley and
had his hand placed under the ray-con.
veying tube. The electric fluid was turned
on and was allowed to run for one hour
and half. The plate was developed, but
was found to have been under-exposed.
The experiment was again tried, and after
an exposure of two and one half hours
the plate was developed, showing
clearly the location of the bullet.
From this the scientists have turn
ed to other even more successful
experiments with equally good if not bet.
ter results. Their machinery has been so
much improved since the first work that
they can now take a photograph of a
mans hand showing complete and dis
tinct articulation with an exposure of
from ten to twenty minutes. To photo
graph coins in leather purse with fifty
seconds exposure is an ordinary occur
renee.
Aluminium is particularly fitted for the
purposs of determining the relative
strength of tubes. It is not in the least
opaque to the powerful rays.