The times., 1897-04-29
The X-RAYS' ARTFUL AIDING
Their Search Into the Anatomy of
Little Bernard Lehman.
He Was Thought to Have Swallowed
Leaden blackstone, But Modern
Science Proved Otherwise.

An interesting test Of the power and
value OF the x-rays was made at the Army
Medical Museum, yesterday afternoon, in
search of jackstone, supposed To have
been resting some where within the an atomy
of eighteen -months-old Bernard Lehman,
son OF Mr. Louis A. Lehman. of No. 22S
Twelfth street southeast.
On the Sd Of this moaJn the little fellow
accompanied by an older sister, paid a
short call on some Of their Juvenile neigh
bors, and during the visit took a favorable
opportunity, SO il was claimed by the
sister, TO swallow d jackstone, q four
five, or sIx-pronged metallic plaything
that is generally hand-in-elove with the
ordinary rubber bouncing bail.
Every childin this city has at some time
Or other played the game of jackstone
-Four or five Of the little articles are
placed on the ground when one of the
players takes the rubber bah, tosses it rp
in the air, and catches it on the bounce,
in the meantime gathering in one or more
Of the 1ack-stones with the left hand
1t was this game that little Bernard and
his sister and other little girls were partic-
ipating in, the latter as one Of the mem
bers OF the playing team, and the former
as umpire of the game.
The game on the whole must have dis
gusted the little tot, for he very shortly
proceeded to put a stop to it, by making
bluff fatappropriating and swalowing one
OF the jacsstones. His rnse succeeded, for
the players with sundry screams, ran to
tell their respective mammas of the dread
ful happening.
A physician was at once called in 10
attend TO the little fellow, but an exani-
nation failing TO discover the presence of
the jackstone, the story of the little girls
was discredited. A few days aftes-
ward Bernard had spasm, succeeded
by others on following days, and he was
placed in care of a physician.
About two weeks ago. when he was
apparently as well as ever Bernard swal-
lowed a button, which, however, was re-
moved without difficulty. During the
past week nothing seemed to be the mat
ter with the little fellow, but his parents
became very much worried over the story
told as TO his swallo wing the iackstone
and decided to have the matter tested
by means Of the X-rays.
DR.. j. j. Slattery, who had been en-
gagged to take charge OF the case, was
inclined to discredit the story told by
the little girls, but to relieve the anxiety
of the parents, secured the corporation
Of DR.. w. n. Gray, in charge of the
microscopical department of the Army
Medical Museum, In the matter Of locating
the suppostitioas blackstone.
At $3.50 O'Clock yesterday afternoon, Dr.
Gray's x-ray apparatus, in the extreme top
of the Museum building was made ready
Po. tac WI iIa 10
had been broug mt to the place by his mother,
accompanied by friends, was enjoying life
in racing about in an adjoining room.
He was finally undressed and placed on
q sofa, where he lay quietly until ether
was applied to mis- nose, when he expressed
his veto to the proceedings by kicking
vigorously. When the ether had taken
effect, DR.. Gray trained the x-rays on him,
while the mother and her friends lnxiously
awaited the results. In about twenty
minutes the little patient passed from
under the effects of the ether, into n deep
sleep, aid the photograph was in conse-
quepce taken without difficulty
About half an hour after the x-ravs
had been trained ON him, Bernard was
aroused and placed in the arms Of his
mother.
He seemed no worse for his novel ex-
perience, but apparently resented the per-
formance by slapping his mothers face
with great eclat. These were interpreted
by the anxious mother, however, as love
pats" and they could he SO construed,
as the little fellow slipped from his mothers
lap and went sliding from first to second
base, and cut up several sorts OF capers
to prove that he still had the upper
hand of science and all it's appurten-
auces.
When the plate had been developed by
DIR. Grayit was shown TO the mother her
friends and Times reporter. 1t showed
no trace of a foreign bod anywhere from
the neck to the knee. demonstrating that
Bernard had not swallowed a jackstone
Mrs LehmaDD received the congratula-
tians OF those present and departed in a
happy frame of mind holding in her aryl,s
the cause of the scientific investigation,
who could not for the life Of him see what
the fuss was all about