The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-01-17
ON The EDGE
OF THE FUTURE

! Copyright, 1896, by S. S. Mcclure Co.
1t is a general idea among scientific
| men that we are on the eve of great
scientific discoveries. This idea has
been engendered by the scientific de-
velopments of the past year. Some OF
these have been in a measure epoch
making and are likely TO provide hui
mainly with many things of the high
est utility which it does not now pos
sess.
Subjoned are some opinions from
men of known eminence. and authority
in their respective SpecialtieS, as 10
what, of special scientific and indus
trial value, the year just begun seems
likely to bring forth.
FUTURE OF THE X-RAYS. ES-
PECIALLY IN SURGICAL
DIAGNOSIS.
L believe the future development of
the X-ray phenomena will be in the
direction of surgical diagnosis. II is as
great a boon to mankind as the inven-
ton of the ophthalmoscope and just as
the latter instrument has proven its
worth from the first day to this and
has saved thousands of people from to-
tai blindness, so will the X-rays be
beneficial to the human race and save
life and limb of thousands of sufferers.
1t viii, of course, need to be greatly
improved. The one essential quality
which prevents US so far from apply
ing it to the densest part of the body
with perfect success, is its propensity
for travelling in straight lines piercing
or rather being entirely absorbed by in
terVening bodies. Light rays do not
necessarily go through all substances
as is we'll known, and they are not all
absorbed, except when falling on GER
tain substances which are called from
their appearance dead black. 1t be-
ing practically impossible to reflect
X-rays to any great extent we might
still resort to diffusing them, that IS, TO
allowing them to be thrown back from
any surface in a more or less regular
way. Such feat would enable us to
inspect special portions of the body,
which we are not now able 20 inspect,
with considerable accuracy.
Concerning the harmful physical eff
fects of X-rays spoken of so much re-
Gently, / do not believe it to be, as has
been asserted, the result of chemical
action. AS we go along the light spec
trum the chemical effect gets weaker
and weaker as we approach the violet
and ultra violet light. That some per-
sons have really suffered, however. is
an indisputable fact, but I think II is
the result of mechanical effects. The
atmospheric dust particles surrounding
the X-ray or CrookeS' tubes, are
charged with electricity and have a
tendency TO be thrown violently away
from the tube. They would constantly
strike the skin and within a compare
lively short time greatly irritate it. A
person working constantly with these
rays should, therefore, protect his
hands with gloves and his eyes with
glasses. That X-rays may be utilized
for other purposes, such as metailurgy,
chemistry, etc. is the fond hope of
many eXperimenters, but it does not, I
think. present an encourag ing field for
research in this direction.
MAX OSTERBERG.
NEW USES OF COMPRESSED AIR.
No other branch of science. with per-
haps the exception of the X-rays, has
made such advances in the past year
as compressed air. AS result of the
efforts of the manufacturers of air
compressors, a large number of fac
tories, machine shops and other in
dustries have adopted air as a means
of power transmission.
The Third avenue railroad and the
Metropolitan Railroad company have
experimental with both the Hardie and
proving satisfactory. One of Uncle
Sans crack Sunboats, the Terror, has
been fully equipped with compressed
air apparatus for the operation of its
machinery and the firing of guns. Con-
tractors are using the compressed air
central plants, the most notable in
stance being the excavation of the
Jerome Park reservoir in New York,
and running the Pullman Palace Car
~ oh Of EtrIl oh
both plants being run almost entirely
by air. Water is being pumped. coal.
iron, gold, silver, marble, granite and
nearly every metal is being mined by
air power. The volume of technical
literature has been augmented by the
appearance of a quaint little magazine
devoted to the useful application of
compressed air.
An air conveyor that carries material
along on an air cushion has been pat
ented. Innumerable hoists and sundry
machines TO take the place of hand
and steam power have been adopted.
An office building in New York has
been equipped with compressed air.
that its tenants may take advantage of
its many applications which range from
the cleaning of carpets to the cooling
of the temperature in the offices. An
other building in Chicago runs all it's
clocks by it. For the future and, per-
haps, within the coming year. we may
expect to see important developments.
A practical and economical motor is
needed Street RAILWAYS will probably
look into it's merits. Conservative man ,
ufactures who have held aloof will !
follow the example of the progressive |
ones and adopt it. The era of COM
pressed air is upon us and we will soon
use it as plentifully in the industries of
las.1 toy dnr.
nurse, the air" each moment OF our
lives p KENNEY