The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-12-02
A SPECK OF RADIUM
NINE DOLLAR LUMP" BROUGHT TO
SAVANNAH By DIR. MUM.
INVISIBLE TO NAKED EYE
but SEEN THROUGH MICROSCOPE
GIVES OFF PARTICLES OF LIGHT.

The Light Is Simply ''VisibIe Force"
So-CnIIed by Scientists-The Parti-
cIes Are Minute Fractions of an
Atom and Upset All Scientific
TheOries-The Substance Costs
100000 Per Gram-Scientihc In
ventiOns Seen by DIR. Nunn-The
TelegrnphOne One of the Latest.
New Power Discovered in the
static Machine.
The new substance radium. which is
attracting the attention of the entire
scientific world and concerning which
much has been said in the newspapers
and magazines, has reached Savannah.
1t was brought by DR.. r. ]. Num-,
who has just returned from an ex-
tended trip to the Northern and East
ern cities.
The piece is enthusiastically small and
can be seen only by the aid Of micro
scope. 1t is balanced on a small nee
die, placed within a small glass case,
over one end of which a powerful tense
has been fitted. In showing
the substance yesterday, DR.. Num-
lowered the lights in his Office and had
his visitors close their eyes until they
had lost all effect of the light. After
ward on looking into the microscope
the first appearance was that of a small
piece of phosphorus. The needle could
be plainly seen, and from it's point
there were apparently innumerable
points of light being sent off. These
constantly changed and left the needle
in all directions. yet there were not
| the slightest indications of any falling
off in their number or in their intensi-
| ty. There is never any falling off in
power or intensity. one of the most
| remarkable qualities of radium.
The rays are of three qualities and
are called by scientists visible force"
| One class of the rays is very power
full and can be sent through aluminium
| of several inches thickness. The sec
| ond is very similar to the Xray, pos
| sessing nearly the same qualities. The
third is not nearly so powerful as the
| other two and can be stopped by al
most any substance.
Upset Scientific Theories.
The, rays have upset nearly all
scientifis theories. Each particle which
is sent off from the point Of the needle
is equal to only the one-thousandth
| part of an atom, heretofore considered
the smallest division of matter and al
together indivisible. The new sub
| stance, therefore, upsets the entire
system of chemistry and will have the
same effect on many kindred branches
| of science.
Radium is perhaps the most valuable
substance known. The very small
| piece contained in the microscope, in
visible to the naked eye, is valued at
| So. The prevailing price now set upon
| the precious matter is 100000 per
| gram. Scientists are studying radium
carefully and are hopeful of making
some great use of it, though as yet
| practically none has been found. Con-
slant experiments, however, will prob
| ably discover its value and no limit
can be set to the possibilities which
| will then open.
The Famous TeIegraphOne.
Among the other most noted scien-
tific discoveries of most recent date
| which were seen by DR.. Num- Is Poul-
sens telegraphone, an invention which
is attracting the attention of the scien-
tific world and which promises to rev.
olutionize the monograph and kindred
| instruments, as well as the telegraph
! and telephone system.
The telegra.phone is founded upon
! the fact that the magnetism of piece
| of iron is not diffused through the en-
| tire piece, as commonly taught and be-
| lieved, but is concentrated at single
| points. A row of electro-needleS is
! placed in series with the transmitter
aud into this the person desiring to
make a record speaks.
A thin wire runs down under the
needles and over a magnet. The nee
| dies catch the message and hold it.
| When it is desired to reproduce it the
| needles are placed in series with the
receiver and the message is told off.
| The great advantage claimed over the
photograph and kindred instruments
is that there is no mechanical appa-
ratus in connection with the repetition
and hence the Earring, grating sound
is entirely done away with. The rec
ord can be erased by simply passing
a permanent magnet over the wire and
| needles.
Additions have been made to the in
strument by which a steel plate is so
| arranged that 1T will hold any num-
Der of messages. BY multiplying the
wires, in exact muItipleS the power
of the voice can be indefinitely increas-
ed. If so desired the Associated Press
could take up the instrument and
transmit a message simultaneously to
| any number of points. In dictation,
and the leaving of messages at offices
when the proprietors are out, the new
instrument will be of untold benefit.
AS for its cost, it is claimed it will
be little, If any, more than the present
photographs and gramaphones. The
telegraphone is expected on the market
within a few months. 1t will cost from
$25 for the plate machines to 500 for
the more delicate ones.
Power Discovered in Static.
A report of the. Nomenclature Com
mittee of the Electric-Therapeutic AS
ISOLATION was made during DR.. Nunn's
attendance at one of the meetings.
This report developed the fact that
there is a return from the static, the
common two circular plate machine,
of 25 per cent. of the power. Hereto
fore it was thought that there was no
return.
The value of this discovery is of
interest principally to those using the
static electricity, chiefly physicians. 1t
means the doing away of the electro
magnetic machines and the great re-
ducing of cost of treatment by them.
A number of other interesting scien-
tific inventions and discoveries were
seen by DR.. Mum during his trip, but
the above are considered among the