The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-01-19
X RAYS ON THE BATTLEEIELD.
Resources of Modern Science Con-
trasted With CHASTITY Realities.
London News

Surgeon Maj. Beeyor, r. 4. NJ. c., gave
a grimiy interesting lecture on Monday
night to the members of the Camera Club
on the subject of Work with the Y rays
on the Battlefield" Mr.. Wilson Noble Pre-
sided Maj Beevor had obtained the ex-
perience upon which his lecture was
grounded in the recent campaign against
the AfridiS on the northwest frontiers OF
India. A Drawer enemy than the .Afrsuis he
remarked never existed. ard certainly not
a more skil,ful artist IN the use of firearms
All that an Atridis wanted was to have a
go at his enemy with something haTu. He
would use stone for u bullet. or any sort
OF bullet he could get, and ne was fond OF
cutting up telegraph Wire SO as to have a
good scattering tire. With these varied re-
sources no would shoot hostile Affi3i or
a heather meaning a white man--wit,l
equal readiness. There was, therefore. an
unusual assortment OF missiles used in the
war, inflicting a great variety of wounds
Anaesthetics were a blessing TO the surgeon
as Well TO the patient, because the sub
Jeet OF an operation was passive. but OF all
the inventions which surgery had received
from science, he thought there was Moth
ing that was such an incalcnlable benefit To
the surgeon-especially the army surgeon
as the X rays. which enabled him to local
ize and define foreign body in the human
organism. Maj Beevor exhibited on the
screen lantern photographs of number of
radiograms, which he had taken in the
course OF the campaign. They were really
very horrible things To see and hear about,
pul QiV fiot ScSiIl 80 uIeGuluB as IDey Were
when explained in gentle tones, and with
the lingering tenderness which an enthusi-
astic surgeon always manifests over an IN
teresting case. There We're fractured
and splintered bones OF the arm hand, leg,
knee, peivis. foot, and chest, always with
the dark patches or spots which revealed
the presence OF a bullet, or part Of bullet
sometimes crowd OF little fragments
sprtnkIed about the injured part
The descriptions treated OF tendons that
could not act by reason of the presence of
the foreign body'~-a Disgusting euphem-
ism for half an ounce or an ounce OF lead
entering n man at great velocity. of
blood poisoning. OF rapid and extreme
swelling. OF necrosis. of agonies, of pain.
The native Afridi bule, is made of soft
lead, and appears to have a great capa-
city for breaking up and scattering when
II encounters bone or even fihrous tissues.
In many eases no probe could have found
the foreign body'-indeed, in some in
stances the wounds had been probed in
effectuaily before the injured men were
sent to the lecturer for the Y raw or the
fuoresceDt screen to discover the hidden
cause OF the trouble. The subjects of the
operations were both Indian and British
and often the lecturer would tell of the
brave exploit which the soldier had ner-
formed. 1t seemed TO have been a contest
In which equal courage was shown by all
the combatants. One subject was Gordon
Highlander. wounde-! In the storming of
nargag; others were SIKH soldiers another
was Gen Woodhouse, who. In the opinion
OF the lecturer, did not know what fear
was. for he walked about amid "A storm
OF lead While the general was lying
wounded in the tent thirteen bullets pass