The record-union., 1896-06-18
ANOTHER DISCOVERY.

Possibly the mystery of the x ray has
been cleared UP, and possibly Professor
Mckay of the Packer Institute has hit
upon greater discovery than did
Roentgen. Professor Packer is now
producing what he calls the magnetic
graphs" that is pictures taken through
Opaque substances without the use Of
magnets only.
DR.. Mckay has placed a paranag-
netic substance upon the sensitive film
of an ordinary Photographic plate, and
brought a magnet or electromagnetic
near to the other side of the plate. A
clearly defined image of the object on,
the plate was the result, and this be-
came a shadow in the positive taken
from the negative plate. Silhouettes Of
a key, a screw, a wire gauge and other
objects were obtained. By placing the.
plate, with its sensitive side facing the
poles of the magnet, and placing disc
Of iron nearly as large as the plate on
the opposite side. "shadowgraphs'
were obtained Of non-magnetic bodies
placed on the other side, between the
plate and the poles of the magnet.
Dark shadows were produced with a
compound steel magnet weighing a lit
tie more than a pound. With an cleo
tro-magnet capable Of lifting 100
pounds a magnetograph was made
through block of wood two inches in
diameter. Clear images were secured
ins five minutes. The experiments were
all made in a darkroom.
1t is possible that the Santa Cruz
photographer who was reported some
months ago as having produced these
pictures by use of a magnet, hit upon
the same thing that Professor Mckay
has now announced, though the former
did not follow it out upon scientific
lines. 1t is possible that shadow pic
lures produced by long exposure to
sunlight are due to magnetic waves
from the sun, and as the Professor sug
gests, the Roentgen ray may itself be
analogous to this magnetic ray.
AS to the practical usefulness of his
discovery DR.. Mckay has not much en-
couragement to give, save for surgical
uses, unless it shall prove that the ray
Is a germicide. If, by passing these in
visible rays through the body, germs or
diseases may be destroyed without in
jury to the tissues of the body, then the
discovery, in his opinion, will rank with
those of Pasteur and Jenner. He be-
1eves that the Roentgen ray has been
the means Of killing certain germs in
culture, and intimates that this was
demonstrated in Chicago not long ago.
However, we must differ with the doc
tor as to that; the Chicago experiments
were not demonstrations, and their out
come has not been such as to warrant
pinning faith to them. However, they
are still In progress and may develop
more of certainty than has yet been
found. The doctor further says:
But, and here is the most impor-
tant suggestion that we have seen in
all the literature of the subject, If the
invisible ray should prove to be
longitudinal wave of ether, as many
physicians think it may be, it might
help to solve some of the other mys-
teries, such as gravitation. All other
forms of radiant energy with which we
are familiar are believed to be trans
verse vibrations of ether. MaxwelPs
theory of light does not permit of longi-
tndinal vibrations, and his theory will
have to be modified to include the
longitudinal wave, If these rays prove
10 be longitudinal waves. Longitudinal
waves would account for the penetrat-
ing quality of the X ray and its lack
of refraction or reflection. But l do
not know that any of these theories
account for all Of the phenomena that
seem to obtain in connection with the
Rontgen rays If the waves Of the x
raw prove to be longitudinal, gravfta-
tion may be the same. There is at
present absolutely no theory for gravi-
tation, and it's just possible that gravi-
tation may be shown to be longitudinal
but must confess can't see how It Is
10 be shown. It may be that the x