The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-03-20
THE X RAYS IN SUNLIGHT.
REMARKABLE EXPERIMENTS RE
PORTED m DIR. :. "A. EMMENs.

Wv IN
LiEht-EmIttInE SOurces-FInding
of the Rays In Darkness AIsO-The
Question of RenectiOn-A New In
strument Devised.
From the New York Tribune.
Almost every day brings forth some
new development OF the properties and
peculiarities of Y rays. Hitherto. IL has
been maintained that the new radiance
could be obtained only through the me-
dunn of vacuum tubes. Now. however
DR. Stephen II. Emmens. a well known
scientist OF this city and California. an
nOunces that he has succeeded IN obtain
ing the X rays with the aid only OF the
sunlight. and without the use OF Crookes
tubes and induction coils. DR.. Emmens
for some time. at his home in California
has been conducting a series Of inter-
estlng and unique experiments, with the
result that he is convinced that the X
rays are not only to be found in sun
beams, but in various other kinds or
light. DR.. Emmens. who is the inventor
of the powerful explosive known as "em-
mensite," which was adopted by the Unit
ed States government, has been assist
ed in his operations by his son, Newton
w. Emmens.
Discarding the orthodox electrical an
paratus used for the production of the rE-
dance, DR.. Emmens and his son placed
various objects on a sensitized plate I'M
derneath the vulcanite screen and after
exposure to the sun, varying from twelve
10 thirty-six hours, pictures OF these OBJ
jects were produced on the sensitive film
1t is apparent from the develop
ed plates of these objets, as
shown yesterday to Tribune
reporter. that, while the sunbeam was
of course stopped by the vuIcanite. the
Plate had been penetrated by the Y ray.
In one OF these experiments, a visiting
card, bearing the words Mrs. Hattie
T. Emmens," and a Christmas card.
decorated with filings of tin, copper and
brass, were inclosed in a plate holder over
tne sensitive film. This was exposed 10
Tbo, ui ~ sunlight for thirty-six hours.
cara We're visible on the plate clearly
ana distinctly. while the lettering on ne
NinSl m caro- could be very easily read.
Ut. hhlmenS said yesterday that these
SSApeIiments had conclusively proven to
Nun mat the Rontgen ray existed In sun
nfht. lie said that many OF the scientists
the rays and who had held thai The rays We
We're only to be produced with yacuum
.uDes might possibly insist that the re-
coioSa nc i',. mao obtained we're mere ordinary
eeDloragraphs, II is, Of course, known that
me heat OF the sun will throw Impression
"a a. .hleI poseu OBJECTS on a sensitized plate
t,,res az "a 1ri Emmens explained II his pic
tsIeS had been colorographs the outlines
OF the Impressions Of the objects placed
upon the plate would have been strictly
uniform In density over the whole of the
surface, In the plates which DIR FIN
mems exhibited yesterday. such n mt
formity OF density was wholly ahaent
ana me Impressions OF the different lines
na ie1eeIs carried with them all the well
ed them ""S 'e'n"-
Again, in the case of the christmas
caro-, the TIN hlfngs were easily penetrat-
ca, out the copper and brass filings that
also adorned the card, were impervious
another circumstance which Seemingly
proves that DR. Emmens was really az
perimentng with the true x.ravS pc,
lures taken of the headlines OF a reusna.
per and of a $5-bill were also excellent
Impressions.
The question OF the possibility of re.
necting or refracting the new radiance
is one that has been perslstently investi.
gated by many experimenters. but the
ton has tended to demonstrates thai the
rays can neither be reflected nor refract-
Cd. DIR. Emmens is opposed to these con
elusions and contends that he has dfscov.
| cred evidences of reflection of the RAYS
In the visiting card experiment the edge
that faced the sun produced a much
darker shadow than was on the opposite
edges, proving that more light had fallen
along those lines than anywhere else or
the plate. Consequently, Il would appear
that the rays striking the edge OF the
card were reflected downward, and thus
| concentrated on the plate along lines CO.
| NEEDING with the side of the card facing
the sun.
Working on the theory that the X RAYS
do not constitute a class of vibrations
| by themselves, and that all bodies are
permeable to something in the nature
OF Tadiant energy, Pr Emmens has sue
which he calls the 'photoscope, by
means Of which, he contends, 1t is pos
sible to examine the limbs and the in.
terror Of the human body with the aid
| of sunlight only, and without the as
| sistance OF any Photographic materials
He was not willing yesterday to enter into
a full description of the instrument, fo7
the reason that in the course of the next
few days he will have II perfected and
Will thus be In position to prove its
utility and value. Its principle, however
is that upon which Edison has acted
the coating of a screen with a chem
zeal substance that huoresces under the
X rays, and then casting an image or
light. In appearance the "photoscope'
is a slight modification Of a telescope
but. instead of the lenses in the latter
il contains various fiuorescent screens and
a sort of condensing apparatus that will
concentrate the x rays, not only from
vacuum tube, but from sunlight. or
object to be examined.
DIR. Emmens does not hesitate to say
that he is convinced by practical proofs
that the Rontgen ray exists In every
source that emits light, and he further as.
serts that every source that emits heal
also emits the X-ray vibrations.
Probably one Of the most interesting
desults attained by the Messrs Emmenf
in their experiments was the finding OF
the rays in darkness Still working on the
theory that the radiance was universal
they covered a sensitive plate with the
compound ordinarily known as Prussiar
blue, and the plate. on being developed
after being left in the darkened recepta.
Gle for twelve hours, was found to contain
plainly pictured impressions of the patches
Of the chemical substance. The plate was
affected as If by an ordinary light. and
a penumbra surrounded each picture
showing that the phenomenon was caused
by light, and not by chemical means.
ut showed that the dark receptacle was
full of radiant energy" said DIR. Emmens
containing rays that were capable OF
passing through the vulcanite slide. Ny
experiment proves that this actually hap.
pened and that the RAYS. coming in CON.