Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-23
THE DETECTIVE CATHODE
The Latest News From Europe on the
Roentgen Discovery.
1t Can Be Employed to Find Flaws in
Not Necessary in Experiments.

ment of DR.. Roengen's X ray discovery.
Among the later facts to be noted in
regard to this discovery Is the use of the
rays to detect false pearls. Professor Gold
stein showed this after an exposure of
forty-fivc minutes. He has also shown that
the rays have chemical properties, in that
they change the color of salt. Prof. Doel-
ter of the University of Graz, Austria, has
proved that the y rays can be used to de-
tect false diamonds as well as false pearls
A Berliner named DIR. Hezekiel having in
vented a special sensitive paper Bromsil-
herpapier) for photographs, DIR. Frentzel of
the Agricultural High School has used this
paper for direct reception of the X rays. The
object being placed before the paper in ques-
tion images shadows are thrown direct
ly on the paper. Thus, the image is not
inverted, as in the indirect mode of print
ing frcm the negative. 1t has been found
that many pictures can De taken at once
since the Roentgen rays penetrate layers
of the paper and register picture on each
leaf To see where the Roentgen rays are
present. Prof. Salvioni OF Perugia, takes
what he calls cryptoscope-a tube like
one-half of an opera Slass-which, in place
of the iens, has pasteDoard partition i'm
penetraDle to light. The inner side of this
partition is painted with barium- tinum
salts. AS soon as the Y rays are thrown
they penetrate the pasteboard and cause
the surface behind to glow.
Testing Gig Guns.
That the ROentgen rays had been passed
through aluminium was known before Ro-
entgen's announcement. Rector Bender in
Spires, has now passed them through a
brass counter, and the photograph distin-
guishes an inscription on one side and
bird in relief on the otaar. The study of
metals Tor flaws and strain is regarded by
many observers as extremely important to
UIInl I'll
cases where much depends on the even tex
ture of the object throughout Heavy pieces
OIL cast metal, such as guns AMI shafts, can
always be examined for flaws or cracks Inv
delicate experiments with electricity The
charges registering differently when passed
through a fiawless and 4 detective piece
IL Is believed here that when scientific men
can control the Roentgel rays, still auo; her
method of testing guns armor plates ard
machinery will be available. The discovery
mas excited SO much interest that central
laboratory for the study of the Roentgen
rays is proposed for erection at Frankfort.
New Methods.
AS very many people are working with
these rays, new methods of work are being
found out. Thus, he length of exposure
necessary, which WAS lately one nour has
been reduced to a few minutes. Moreover
1t has been found that the heavy charges
of electricity, which formerly DESTROYED
many Crookes or HittOrD tubes by their
violence, are not necessary. Moreover the
tube is not absolutely required BY taking
an ordinary electric incandescent lamp and
placing outside Of it AZ Il certain distance
a metal plate, this plate becomes the ra-
dating center foI tn, rays instead of that
end of the tube whanca the cathode rays
radlated. In surgery and medicine, finally,
II mas been fourd That ocular examinations
can be made Of The tissues ana interior
parts of the body simply by placing the
electric tube, we'll covered with a black
cloth, in a dark room over against a screen
which has been painted with mixture of
barium. platinum and cyanum. The part
of the body to be examined is placed be-
tween The electric tube and screen when
the inner structure Of the flesh (and to
some extent. of The bonss) is seen on the
other side of the screen. The simplicity of
this procedure is remarkable; but what is
still better is the fact that the position of
the patient can be changed from time to
time. so that the interior tissues can be
examined for foreign bodies or hurtful
Glowths at various angles, and the shape
OF organ and bones determined by the eX-
amining physician"
Detecting GallstOnes.
Consul General Max Judd writes from
Vienna to the department that Prof Neus-
ser of the Vienna medical faculty demon
strated recently, in ms clinic. how dag
noses could be made with the Roentgen
flashes, of gallstones as we'll as bladder
stones. The latter, being phosphate, were
not penetrable by this light. Thus was OBJ
tanned clear white surface on black
ground, whereas galistones, being of cho-
lesterin, the Roentgen flashes penetrated
them partly and the photograph obtained
showed a faint dark Impression. The diff
ference In these two pictures was very
striking. The professor then showed a
third picture. representing a gladstone which
had been photographed through a four
fngers-thick liver. He is of the opinion
that, with the assistance of his new Gis-
covery. much pain will be spared a patient
when undergoing an operation, for not only
can the surgeon first convince himself OF
the presence of the body to be removed,
but also learn the precise position of it.
Or. Albert Won Mosetig, together with
Prof. Exner, applied The l;oentgen light on
a difficult operation WITH marked success.
The case was an abnormal growth On the
foot of girl. The Photographic impression
showed the last upper phalanX of the large
toe in doubled-up condi. lion; the diagnosis
furnished by the apparatus proved most
trustworthy. The 3uperfiuous phalanX was
easily removed by the professor in a short
space or time, he remarking that, with. the
aid OF the picture. ne could easily see that
the twin phalanx stood in no articulatins
relation with the other phalanx, and ali
that was necessary Was t0 remove the free
joint.
Medical Value of the x Rays
Professor J. ]. Kinyon of the marine hos
pital service and professor of bacterfology
Of the medical department of Georgetown
University, conducted an interesting series
of \ ray experiments before the medical
students of Georgetown University at the
medical department Saturday night. Among
those present were DIR. Magruder and
Professors s. S. Adams; William I'D.
Hawkes.. G. M. kober and w. s. Bowen.
A number of ordinary demonstra lions
were made, such az silhouettfng keys. coins
and the bones of the hand. Professor KIN
yon described few observations he has
made In the use of the ray. and spoke of
Its use in medicine. He discounted the re-
port that the X rays would kill bacteria.
FROM MONKEY LAND,