The sun., 1897-05-09

following directly an exposure Of Ave minutes
at the fairly safe distance OF eleven inches to a
10 ting aluminium screen having been unfoT.
tu1ately omitted. and II was such as TO
hil mo with the gravcst ,apprehensions.
ton OF vaseline, cleaning and general bodily
care soon repaired the ravagcs OF the destructive
agent, and brenthed again freely. Had l
known more than | did OF these Injurious nr-
tiors, such unfortunate exposure would not
have been made: had known less than lid. 1t
might have been made at smaller distance.
and q serious perhaps irrcmcdiablc. injury
might have resulted.
no matter what the rays arc ultimately rccog.
nized TO be. practically all their destructive
energy must spend itself on the surface OF the
body, the internal issues being in all probability
safe. unless the bulb would be placed in very
close proximity TO the skin. OF else that rays Of
far greater intensity than now producibc were
generated. There are many reasons why this
should be so, some OF which will appear cloar
nature Of the hurtful agencies, but l may be
able to cite new facts In support OF this
view, a significant feature Of The case
reported may be mcptioncd. II was OBJ.
covered by thick bone buttons tho skin was On
under each OF the small nolcs in tho buitohs.
Now it was impossible for the rays as invCsti-
cation , showed t2 reach these Joints OF the sEn
would seem TO indicate that not all the injury
was due to the rays or .radiatons under consid-
Grafton; which unmistakaby propagate in
straight lines. but that at least in part, con-
comitnnt causes were responsible.
According to the evidences AIN obtaining
the bulb. when in action, IL emitting n stream Of
small material particles. The temperature OF
the eleCtrode or impact body does not in any
way give us an idea OF the degree Of heat OF the
particles, but, II we consider the proba bic veloc.
itics only. they CORRESPOND to temperatures
which may be as high as 100000 degrees cent?
grade. Ii may be sufficient that the particles
arc simply Mt u high temperature TO produce an
INJURIOUS sac action: and. in fact. many evidences
experimental fact that wo cannot demonstrate
such u transfcrcnce OF heat.
We have absolute experimental evidence that
the particles or rays. to express myself gcner
and have even found way OF how to estimate
and measure that amount. Now IL Is likewise
possible that the mere fact of these particles
being highly electrified Is sufficient to cause the
with the skin, the electrical charges will be
given OF. and may give rise to destructive local
currents in minute paths OF tho tissue.
The charged particles give rise to an abundant
we know, hy experiment. destroy even such a
thing as rubber, and are. therefore, the most
likely agent in tho destruction of the skin. and
the evidences are strongest in this direction.
since n small layer of fluid, preventing the
contact Of gaseous matter with the skin, seems
to stop all action.
Summing up my experimental experiences
and the conclusions derived from them, it would
seem advisable, first. to abandon the use OF bulbs
obtaining platinum; second, to substitute for
them properly constructed Lenard tube con
tanning pure aluminium only, a tube OF this kind
having, besides, the advantage that 1t can be
constructed with great mechanical precision
and therefore is capable OF producing much
sharper impressions; third. to use a protecting
screen of aluminium sheet as suggested, or, In
stead OF this. wet cloth or n layer OF a fluid !:
fourth, to make the exposures at distances of at
least ii inches, and preferably expose longer at
larger distance.