The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-03-13
views on TEsnA,s IDEAS.
Doctors Arc Much Interested in HIS
Theory of y Rays.

Tho publication in the New York Times
yesterday OF the results OF the experiments
OF Nikola Tesla IN photography has excit-
Cd a great deal OF interest IN the medicai
profession. His conclusions were TO tho
effect that the N-rays were OF the nature
OF a stream Of material particles which
strike the sensitive plate VITA great Ne'V0-
titles.
II has been demonstrated by Mr.. Tesla
10 his satisfaction that small metallic OBJ
jccls or bOny or chalky deposits can be
infailbly detected In any part OF the hu-
man body. lie also gives It as his opinion
that II nigh: be possible by the use OF
the x-rays 10 project suitable chemical
into any part Of the body. which would
mako IL 4 valuable therapeutic agent
DR.. cyrus Edison, formerly Health Com
missioner. when asked by a reported for
the New York Times ABOUT Teslas de-
ductlons. said that he had been much
interested in the subject and had given
IL considerable attention.
1T IS an undoubtCd fact said the doc
tor that you can decompose certain
chemicals by means OF light. The princi-
pie OF photography rests upon this iact.
These N-rays dccomposc the chemicals
with which tho film IS sensitized and
effects this decomposition through what
have hitherto been regarded as opaque
bodies. such as the hand. for instance
Light Is vibration, and Il has been demon
stratcd that these N-rays viii pass through
an opaque body. That these vibrations IN
passing through the skull should aiect
tho delicate nerve tissues OF the brain ana
stimulate them is a perfectly natural re-
suit.
This accounts for the sensations oNpe-
ricnccd by Tesla when he exposed MS
head 10 q powerful radiation. But there
IS 10 more reason 10 believe tnNl inc
N-rays will carry medicinal agent
through the body and into the distant
spot. tho scat Of disease. than that ray
~ light VIII be able 20 project such
chemical on 70 the surface OF the body.
Wen We have succeeded IN DfoJcctlns
medicine on 10 the exterior surface ny
means Of light We may be- able 10 penetrate
into thc interior by means OF ultraviolet
rays.
.'Tho theory Of the vibrations of light
Is not p new one 10 originated with Sir
Isaac Newton. who believed that luminous
bodies shot out infinitely small particles
I'm straight lines. which. by penetrating
The transuarent parts Of the eye and fall
inc on tho nervous tissue. produced vision.
Olhcr philosophers drew parallel between
the properties Of light and those OF sound,
and considered that as sound was certain
Is the eject OF vibrations. or little waves
projected through elastic bodies so bght
might be nothing moro than tho conse.
quencc OF similar vibrations transmitted
with inconceivable velocity through
highly elastic medium. The wave hypo-
thosis Of light IS at present generally
adopted simply because II is in harmony
with all the known phenomena discovered
since the time OF Ntwton.
''The deductions Of Tesla as tic result
OF his experiments are absolutely In har-
mony with the Newtonian theory. We
can certainly expect some marvellous re-
suits froI0 the N-rays, things not even
dreamed Of yet. | believe that they will
prove "A valuable adjunct to medical
science. and think that the ultraviolet
rays will be sooner or later obtained by
passing ordinary sunlight through certain
media, without the agency of electricity.
DR.. j. Mount Bleyer. who has taken
great interest in determining the effects
OF all light rays on animal and vegetable
life. said yesterday:
Il am not al all surprised at tho results
of Tesla's experiments. J have been eX-
perimentine for some time with the asso-
ciatcd light rays-the sunlight ana the
different colOrs, such as blue, red, ana
orange-ln connection with the treatment
Of infectious diseases and Negotiations. The
results obtained 10y Tesla are simply mar
velious. but are just what ! expected
i nave tOlffluru from lIf bt+iliIiilts anu
A. has now been proved beyond o doubt by
Tesla, that this bombardment of particles
does pass through glass and other ma
terials at an enormous velocity. As far
as the therapeutic effects of the rays are
concerned. they may be likened IN some
way 20 massage effect. n they do not
form high class of bacteracidal agent.
As these experiments have bec2 proved by
Tesla. acting In a purely mechanical way.
sf.f. -. tfI1 ffuf4
beneficial way OF using massage.
".As far as the photogaphing OF certain
deposits in the human system, such as
the lung substance In phthisis and other
pulmonary diseases. ] have not yet reach
cd the exact depth Of photography that
Tesla has. bus short time ago. by means
Of the Roeutgen rays. l made "A fine pho
t0graph OF the interior OF the larynX OF
patient where tumor was situated. show
Ing It's exact location and condition, and
which cor.d not have been obtained with
such cxacttude in any other way that l
know Of.
AS 10 the sensations described by Tesla
rs having been experienced by him in his
experiments. / have experienced exactly
similar sensations In exposing my head
30 powerful radiation. IL does not seem
10 me at all improbable that the sueges-
ton made by Tesla of projecting suit
part of the body by means OF tho N-rays
may be- found practical, fer IL is impcssi-
bic To dctcrmiue the vcsulte 10 bc achicv-
ed by further experimentation. The pres
ont difficulty is that the Crookos tubes
now in use for the making of photographs
are not powerful enough % bc used for
therapeutic purposes. which require very
high potcutials 10 SECURE good results, ana
nothing below that g. Of value.
''SOiariums for the treatment Of infec-
tious diseases, with associated light rays,
Will no doubt be the next advance in hos
pital architecture 1 have made a num-
Der Of experiments with the associated
nEht rays ln hospital and among my pri-
Nats patients ga cases OF phthiss and tu-
hcrcu'osis have rCsorted TO the treat
mont wherever n was possible. md never
failed 20 obtain the best results. Ordi-
nary lleht Is one OF the main factors in
The growth of animal HE We know that
sunlight is essential for the growth and
development of both animal and vegetable
tissue We nave In light a therapeutic
agent that has been undercstimated and
neglected. and which should be taken up
ana Thoroughly studied. - New York
Tunes.