Birmingham state herald., 1896-03-15
PICTURES WITHOUT RAYS A New way of Photographing
 Hidden Objects. MAGNETIC FORCE WAS USED Experiments Which Show That the Cathode Rays Are Not EsSential+e-the Process.
 Astonishing Results Obtained.
New York " orld.

New York World.
 Since Professor Roentgens discovery of photography by means of the cathode rays the most important results in that line of investigation of investigation have recently been obtained by William D. Crumbie, an assistant in the United States laboratories in this city.
 Mr. Crumbie has lately shown that the Roentgen pictures, so-called, may be obtained without the use of the tubes, and therefore without the cathode rays, which were supposed to be absolutely essential to the process. The results of his experiments without light are pie tures-not shadows-clear in form and outline.
 He began his investigation with the assumption that the pictures were pro- duced not by the rays, but by some in- fiuence in the magnetic field. His eXper- iments have shown to him the truth of this theory, though he frankly admits that he is unable to define the influence which has produced such astonishing re- suits.
 At the last meeting of the New York section of the Society of Chemical h. dustry MT. Crumbie's experiments, as reported by his chief, Dr. Wainwright, were discussed with the most profound interest. Chairman Alfred H. Mason, of the New York section of the society, said yesterday that MT. Crumbie's discovery was really made in an entirely different field from that of Professor Roentgen's investigation. He predicted that it opened the way to results even more re- markable
 Mr. Crumbie's experiments began soon after the announcement of Professor Ro- entgens discovery. At his home in East Orange he explained to a World reporter la i1aer h tr hAd nf inv nSti tiera- ton. Feeling sure that the pictures could be produced without the rays, he con- structed his apparatus accordingly. The generatiVe force at the outset was very much like that of Roentgens
 MT. Crumbie used two Edison-Lande photograph batteries. The primary cir cult was established from these bat teries to a small inductive coil, from which secondary wires were run to two brass plates. Two coins and key were wrapped in two folds of Bristol board and placed between two gelatine plates and the bundle thus formed was placed in an, ordinary photograph holder, which was set between the metal plates. To avoid all possibility of light, the experi- menter placed a photographers cover over the apparatus.
 After an exposure of thirty hours, MT. Crombes work was rewarded in most astonishing way. He found that the ob- jects had been photographed clearly and distinctly without the use of the tubes at all. He thought at first that the result might be due to sparkling against the paper, and he made experiments to see if this was so.
 He used a much stronger current to see whether sparkling, if it had occurred. would produce marks on the cardboard or the gelatine film. Their was no evil dence of any action aside from the usual development.
 Then MT. Crumbie was sure of his theory that the pictures had been pro- duced entirely by magnetic action.
 Afterward he made a picture of Columbian half dollar on carbon paper without the wrapping of Bristol board. The picture revealed clearly the letters and date.
 MT. Crombie modestly attributes these results to the influence of Tesla's sue cess in his experiments in the static field, but he will continue his own work, and has hopes of obtaining even better photographs than those recently made.