Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1903-08-08
HAD ENOUGH OF THE X RAY
Wizard Edison Will Step Experimenting
With II.
ASSISTANT PRACTICALLY HELPLESS.
Result of Seif.sseri;ici1g Work in Studying
the Possibilities Of tn. Mysterious Power,
and the Noted Wizard Himself Had His Eye
Put Out OF Foels-ls Dangerous in Many
Ways

New York (SpeciaD.-Tllat loss OF
sight. canccrous disease and even death
may come to him who is continually
exposed TO o: inexperienced i'll the
use OF rocntgen rays has been dem
onstrated by an awful experiment i'll
the laboratory OF Thomas y. Edison.
Clarence Daily, al assistant TO the
Wizard OF Menlo Park" has contrib
u;ed an arm and hand TO this dem
ohstration. while Mr.. Edison himself
suffers from the disturbed focus OF one
OF his eyes through experiments with
the mysterious light in an cndcavor
to find for it some commercial utility.
The chief sufferer, Daily. is lett to
depend entirely upon the generosity OF
MIR. Edison. in whose interest. sup
plemcntcd by an enthusiastic desire 20
dclve deeper in that mysterious force
which brings To view objects conceal
ed III solid matter. he has been inca
pacitated from taking up the lie bar
dens and duties that usually fall to a
man.
The story OF Daily is told by Dr.
Graves. one OF the leading surgeons
OF New Jersey.
Daily came to me nearly seven
years ago said Dr. Graves. and |
wish to say that I regard him a mar
tyr to science. He is so regarded by
the medical profession generally. for
not one cent has ever been charged
him for either surgical or medical SER
vices. He presents to science pitia-
bic object-lesSon OF the dangers OF in
experienced or continuous experiments
with y rays. and his sufferings have
done more TO bring to professional no.
tice a correct knowledge OF things to
| be avoided than anything else in the
history OF scientific research upon this
subject. He had been following his
hobby enthusiastically and had been
testing tubes in the Edison laboratory.
exposing himself to the forciblc light
with an utter disregard OF SELF
In the beginning his hair began to
fall out and his face began to wrinkle
The trouble in his lett hand finally de-
veloped into a skin cancer. and the
whole arm. away 10 above the elbow
and well into the biceps. was affected.
There was a consultation OF physicians
and it was agreed that he must be Op-
Grated upon AT once or the poisonous
cancer would place his life in jeopardy.
Two years ago his arm was ampu-
tated.
Il then turned my attention to the
right arm with a view to saving it.
but it began to manifest the same dis
position as the amputated arm. and a
short time ago ! took off four OF
Dally's fingers. so that now he has but
one thumb on one hand with which to
earn his livelihood
Another sufferer from Y rays. Mr.
Edison himself was seen AT his home.
in Llcwellyn Park Orange. and asked
10 tell the story OF the experiment
which disabled Daily and came near
making him sightesS.
Don't talk to me about Y rays" he
said. Il am afraid oi them. | stopped
experimenting with them when | came
near losing my cyc>ight. and Daily.
my assistant. practically lost the use
oi both OF his arms. am afraid q
raGir:n and polon;um. too. and | don't
want 10 monkey with them.
Up to two years ago | was deeply
interested in Y rays was looking Tor
an improved crystal and there were
daily results that fascinated nc ard
kept my eye glued to the Horoscope
virtually all the ,imc.
Il used my left eye. and one day
when came OFT OF the dark room and
closed my right eve for moment
everything looked double. | fastened
10 an oculist. who said that my eye
was something over foot out OF TO-
Gus II is still imperfect. and | do not
think that it ever will be entirely well.