The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-01-10
AN EYE THAT SEES.
Science Constructs an Orb That Is
Far Superior to Human Vision.
ZION the Pittsburg Dispatch.

to man. 1t is the strangest production
of scientific genius of the country. The
ingenuity exhibited in its construction
is remarkable. and the trouble entailed
in the elaboration of this additional or
gan of sense very great indeed.
The strangest part of 1t IS that
this eye looks into a mystery which
slight defect in the human vision has pre-
vented mankind gaining the privilege OF
seeing. Experiments showed, years ago,
that the world foated in what was
known as ether II has now been dis
covered that in this ether there are in
visible lights and waves
These lights are produced by the cleo
trio waves in the ether, and they are
possessed Of wonderful power. No sub
stance is to them opaque. Not only can
they penetrate the atmosphere and all
other transparent creations, but granite,
iron doors and mounds of earth, not
to mention human bones, are to II as
glass. An odd fact, too, is that in pass
ing through these substances. the mys-
FERROUS waves lose none of their active
properties.
All these things are voucned for by
scientist who is becoming a power in
European circles-Prof. Jagadis Chunder
Bose, professor of physical science at
the Presidency College at Calcutta. Prof.
Bose is a Hindoo. and native of Ben
GAL but he is easily at the head of In
dian scientists, and that In a land
where scientific lore dates back far be-
yond the inspiration Of the Koran, is a
fact which carries exceeding weight
Prof. Bose has just laid his discov-
cries before the British Association of
Science, a body of men who are so prac-
tical that theory is always at a discount
among them. The announcement by the
Indian scientist of his discoveries and
his consequent belief, created the great
est sensation which that dogmatic body
of savants has known in many a long
day. Prof. Bosses paper was on electric
waves, and the story it told of strange
and almost thrilling revelations gained
in the domain of modern science, under
almost insuperable difficulties, seems more
like the tale of a sensational novel than
a prosaic story of fact
The scientist who has suddenly emerged
from comparative obscurity into the broad
light of fame, is the son of an Indian
scholar. Bhagaban Chunder Bose, who
was famed in his own land for his knowl-
edge of Indian scientific facts. This knowl-
edge the son has acquired through his
father, and upon such a basis has erected
the structure of thought which now con-
tains a number of the secrets that have
heretofore been invisible to humanity.
One of the greatest difficulties which
Prof. Bose found in his investigation was
the detection of the invisible light. After
a series of experiments, it was found to
be absolutely necessary to contrive some
sort of artificial vision, and the work was
begun. The result of 1t all is the electric
eye, by means of which the invisible can
be seen.
In the construction of this artificial eye,
these essential parts are necessary. A
sensitive surface known as the retina on
which the image of the external object is
focused by the eye lens; a conductive
strand, known as the optical nerve. which
carries the visual impulse to the brain.
The twitching produced in the brain by
this impulse gives rise to the sensation of
light.
Despite the fact that it Is artificial In
every way, and savors not at all of the
human, yet it really works on principles
similar to the eyes through which we
look. In the first place. there is the sensi-
tive layer, and the invisible light falling
on this results in an electric impulse. This
Impulse carried by a conducting wire, pro-
duces a twitching motion In that part of
the mechanism just back of the eye that
corresponds to the human brain, and the
fact of sight is made apparent by the mag
nified motion of the spot of light which is
reflected from the moving part.
A strange fact in connection with this is
that this so-called electric eye becomes
tired, just as our eyes do, and, as when
that fatigue produces an itching sensa-
ton in the human eye, we rub it, so it is
necessary to rub the electric eye. The eff
feet in both cases is similar 1t seems to
produce rest. There is this advantage
which the electrical eye has over the hui
man. When one specimen becomes tired
out and temporarily useless another can
be substituted Thus given a full oppor-
tunity to recover its wonted vigor, it only
takes the electric eye a comparatively
short time to become as fresh and keen
as ever
Now while this strange orb Of science
is very wonderful in its way, what it re-
Veals to us is far more strange than the
eye or the principle upon which it is con-
structed. Think of a machine that could
be set up on the Vice Presidents desk
in the Senate chamber al Washington,
by a simple movement of which a wave
of ether or electrical wave could be
started that would penetrate through all
sorts of substances and people to the IL
brarian's desk in the congressional Ii
brary and signal, by means of a bell or
otherwise, to Mr.. Spofford that the head
of the august body of lawmakers is re-
quired in his presence. This, too, without
the aid of an electric wire or any other
means of communication than the cleo
trio wave afforded in itself.
Sound is produced by the vibration of
matter. Light is due to the vibration of
ether. These are sounds that are inau-
dible, queer as that may seem. Just so,
there are lights that are invisible. Tho
idea of the penetration of ether waves
may be gained by casting a stone into
a pond or any body of water whose sur
face is reasonably smooth. When the
stone strikes the water a circle is in
stantly formed. or rather a series of cir
cles, and these circles constantly widen
until they are apparently lost in the rip
pies of the main surface.
Again, if the string of a violin be
struck, the quivering wire gives up its
motion to the air. which carries it to our
ear. and the motion thus communicated
to the brain produces the sensation OF
sound.
The machine which Prof. Bose has in
vented is a perfect instrument by which
the electric waves in the ether are readily
produced and their properties detected and
examined. These waves, falling on suit
able receiver, produce the marvellous sig
nal referred to, and make It possible 10
signal from one room to another, or from
one place to another, without the slightest
apparent means of communication. With
the possible exception of metallic plates
of ordinary thickness, there is no known
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