The Lehi banner. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1891-1917, 1897-01-26
LIVER AND X RAYS.
Roentgen's Discovery Useless
Where That Organ Is Involv ed.
Such IL the Result Reached In the Ex-
perimcnts of Deputy SUPERINTENDENT
Forwood, of the United
states Army.

III q man SnOulu nave Uhe mlSiOIuuNt
to receive a shot in the liver it would
remain there unless found by the am
cient method of probe and knife. y
rays, Roentgen's process, aided by the
appliances devised by all the electrical
scientists of the age, are powerisss
against the texture of the liver. Prac-
tically every other portion of the human
anatomy will yield to the penetrating
power of the horoscope, but that liver
declines to do anything of the kind.
At least this is the decision reached
by Or. William II. Forwood of the
United States army. He declares that
hc has been unable TO locate anything
in or behind the liver when the rays
are sent upon the body from the front
They will not penetrate that organ.
DIR. Forwood is officially known as
lieutenant colonel and deputy surgeon
general. He is on station at headquar-
tiers in Washington and the duties Of
his Office leave him considerable leisure
time. This time he has used for many
years in the study of applied sciences
in the practice of his profession. He
is noted in the medical world as an eX-
perimentalist, and has produced some
results which have overturned precon-
ccived ideas. AS a medical officer of
the army, and ranking one at that,
he has the facilities at hand or attaina-
bic for anything which will assist in
making experiments. As soon as Prof.
Rocntgen made his discovery known,
DIR. Forwood began his experiments.
lie secured all the appliances by requis-
ition, 'for the good of the service" and
established a Crookes tube laboratory
unexcelled in the country.
Then he commenced his experiments.
He photographed his orderly from every
possible standpoint, causing hat use
full, but somewhat sensitive man TO
feel strong desire to get out of the
service He practiced on the hospital
corps, and induced many Of those who
are attached to the general headquarters
in the capital city TO submit them
selves to the influence of the rays. He
assembled all of his pictures, but he
never touched n liver. Then he went
cunning for livers, but so far has not
been able to land one.
ARMY retiring board which adjourned
Friday morning after holding sessions
for several weeks at Gen. Merritt's
headquarters in the Pullman building.
He is an enthusiast in medical matters,
and especially X rays. IL is said that
he wanted to photograph the alleged
disability of every officer who appeared
before the board TO be examined for
retirement. If they were all right the
rays would show it. But somebody
suggested that one of the officers suf-
fcred from chronic hillary derange-
ment.
''Oh, WELL" said the deputy surgeon
general, 'if that's the matter with him
We'll have to try him in the old way.
l can't get liver with the rays"
That started the investigation con
corning the power of the rays. Several
OF the officers detailed for duty on the
board knew DR.. Forwood's experiments
with the rays, and they asked him 10
tell what he had done and what the
reason is that the rays will not pierce
liver. The doctor agreed, but prefaced
his remarks by saying that he knew
no special reason why liver should
resist the rays. he only knew that it
does.
81 have not given it up" he said. 'but
IT is a singular fact that | cannot get
through liver. I have succeeded in
drawing everything else, bat this
bafiles me. The increasing of the power,
or voltage, does not help. In some things
tEis does assist. For instance. you can
see through a white man much easier
than you can through negro. When
n darby is being experimental on you
have to increase the power OF the in
strument in a marked degree. This is
due primarily, / suppose, 70 the pig
ments in the colorcd mans skin and the
corresponding density OF his covering
hut this liver business gets me.
''The annoying nature of this failure
is shown when you figure the number
of fellows who get bullets in their livers
in a battle. 1t is hard to hit man III
the trunk without involving one or both
lobes of the organ. Now, wound in
the liver may or may not be fatal. 1t
is not necessarily fatal. If the surgeon
goes after the bullet and finds it has
penetrated the liver, as far as ] can
see. he will have to trust TO luck, cut the
man wide open, or let the ball alone.
1t may become encysted in that liver