The evening times., 1896-11-03
EXPLAINING THE X-RAYs
Facts About the Greatest Dis
cOvery Gf the Century.
VARIOUS TERMS DEFINED
Exposition of the Methods Csed.
Prof. ROentgen's Mani
ner in Which Objects Are Photo
graphed-Experime Upon the
Human BOdy.

There has been much said and written
about the new rays of a mysterious light
recently discovered by Prof. Roentgen Jf
Wurtzburg University, Germany. Most "f
that which has been written is SO full If
technical terms as to be unintrlligible to
the non-sCientlflc reader. The object or
this paper is to explain some Of these
terms, and simplify as much us possible
the whole matter. The most important
questions are, What are they" and
What VIII they do?'
As for the first, II is at present mere con-
lecture but learned men all over the world
are investigating and experimenting to
such an extent that we may reasonably
hope to know something more definite in
the near future. ApropUs Of the first ques-
ton, il is interesting W KNOW how they
are produced.
For a long time it has been known that
strong current of electricity made to
flow through vacuum VIII produce a
beautiful iiuorescent Light. vacuum Is
vacant space, and carried TO Its fullest
extent must be absolutely void Of matter
even to the smallest atom OF air. 1t IS
not possible To- produce perfect vacuum,
but air pumps have now been So perfected
as to make it nearly sO-enough for prac-
teal purposes. Nicola Tesla says 1T is pos
sible by electric means tn obtain Il much
higher degree Of exhaustion than with Il
mechanical aiT-gump.
THE APPARATUS USED.
To produce the rays is used Il Crooks
tube. invented 10y Dr. William Crooks, Of
England. Ii consists OF glass Iuib eN-
hauS ed of air, having sealed INTO IL TWO
pIa lnum wires entering the tube at oIpo-
site points, and terminating On TIE INSIDE
with discs, alko OF platinum These wires
are conLeeyed with Il large induction coil,
,f.-N, .f
tive ana negative poieS OF a strong tattcty
or some convenient generator capable 1i
furnishing Il current oI aLCut 20 b.I,u Nuits
An Undue ion con is an arran cement OF
coils q v!Ie for he purpose OF strengthen
ing an electric current.
The pusiliye uIsc is called the anodc,
ard The negative the cathode, from the
Greek words meaning 20 How m and
20 How out Therefore, the aHocc IS the
surface from which e!cC C,T!City flows INTO
a body ana the cathode that from which
Il flows out. Ihesr terms were introduced
INTO science by tie great Michael EaraGaNs
of London. III 1s3S. The history Of TIE
Crooks turc really goes back much further
than Crooks. Watson fIrsJ passed. Il Il ar
through "a vacuum, using glass tue p.riCtu
by two brass rUGs. Earaday was the INST
TO seriously undertake the problem, using
an apuaraius similar to that 81 watson,
and made some important experiments
Alter him came Hittorf, in 1868. who
first used platinum wires sealed into the
glass so that there could be no passage
OF current except through the wires. lie
also maintained vacuum iacslng only one
tnoUsHnucu part Of perfection The sue
ces, of These efforts was greatly duc tp ti'
skill in glass blowing of the celebrated GER
man Geisslrr. The Crooks tube Is an I'M
provemr nt ON his, ana also mad air more per
fcct!y exhausted than was done hy Hit
tori.