The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-28
REMARKABLE
RADIUM RAYS
Blind Made to See by This
Wonderful Medium.
SCIENTISTS ARE PUZZLED
The Versatile German Emperor Aston
ishes The Choir-Masters by His,
knowledge Of Music-Woman
to Explore HimalaYas.
BY MALCOLM CLARKE.
Special Gable to The Times Dispatch
Copyright 1903.


| crazy over the possibilities centering In
| that mysterious element, radium Several
| nre said to have half beggared themselves
| In order to get possession of few grains
! OF the precious substance. OF which not
| much over a mound Is supposed to exist.
| and some Of tho experiments would be
almost laughable II they did not have at
| least n distant bearing upon solution
| of the mystery surrounding produc.
| capable Of giving off energy without
| diminution of its bulk.
| The most Interesting results lately re-
ported indicate that not only do the par
ticles precipitatcd by radium penetrate
| to the brains of the blind. enabling them
| to perceive light but actually nave a
curative property. Herr Lunden reports
the cases of two Russian boys, VINO az
though totally blind, regained their sight
| through treatment by radium rays. The
report declares that these boys can now
read and write easily. adding that there
seems to be no reason why the same rem
cdy will not operate as successfully IN the
case of all blind persons
Technical Emperor.
The Kaiser succeeded in fairly astonish-
Ing professional musicians In the course
Of the address which he made 70 the
leaders Of the different choruses after
the conclusion Of the competition OF sing
ing societies recently at Frankfort. me
ckoirnlasters were prepared to near his
Majesty argue In favor of popular music,
especially the good old German airs, but
some of his technical observations quite
took their breath away
William warned these leaders against
attempting with male voices orchestra
like Instrumentation. He declared tnat
choral tone painting was downright risky.
His Majesty said:
II warn you. too, not to become too
lyrical There Is certainly too much OF
that In the prize chorus song. You Will
have noticed that of3the choruses which
were selected. ! the pieces of a more manly
and energetic character got the most ap-
plause from the audience.
Becoming still more technical. His Ma
jesty said: you will be interested to
hear that in nearly two-thirds Of the
choral societies songs are set too high.
in some cases four-f1fths Of note. 1t
was joy when for once the chorus was
set In so deep key that one felt that
there was something In reserve In fu-
ture + shall try to make the selection OF
chorals more suitable by arranging a
collection of all the popular songs Known.
sung and written In Germany. Austria
and Switzerland. whether the composer
is known or not.
The Kaiser's remark about pitch has
caused some OF the professionals to smile.
and they recall the astonishment caused
upon one occasion when the young Mo-
zart remarked that violin in his hands
was half quarter of a tone fiat.
To Explore Himalayas.
Tho Academy of Sciences has received
letter from Mrs. Fanny Bullock Wort
man SIrnagar. CASHMERE, announcing
that ali preparations for n six-months'
tour to the snow regions OF the Hima-
layas are now complete. and that she
will start as soon as her guides now on
the way to Bombay, have arrived.
Mrs Bullock is the first woman noun
tain climber In the world. and her
knowledge OF geology and kindred
sciences is great enough even to impress
the Berlin Academy,
simultaneously with her, the Ecken-
stein expedition will start for Mt. Eve
rest. the highest peak OF the ,Himalayas
or any other mountain range in the
world. The Eckenstein expedition ex-
poets to be gone three years.
Who Reaps Harvest2
Emperor William rather enjoys the
wrangle between Prince Bishop. of Bres-
lau; Cardinal Kopp and his Emlnence's
Polish practitioners, The Bishop issued
pastoral letter admonishing his flock
to refrain from agitating tho Polisl,
que stiOn on pain OF accommodation.
or course he did so In the interest OF
the Conservative party OF the Prusslan
Government, but while the party reaps
the benefit Of the measure. tho Catholic
Church reaps little but violent talk.
Won Honors Young.
Lieutenant General Won EInen. acting
Minister OF War. and presumable sue
cessor to Minister Won Gossar, is a
comparatively young man for this i'm
portant Office, He was born on New
Years, 1863. The Emperor has very
high opinion OF the Generals diplomacy
and tact. and particularly values his
gift of eloquence, which he hopes to put
to good uses In the Reichstag.
Queer Superstition.
There is more than ono rural neighbor-
hood In Germany whose inhabitants would
not have to over-exert themselves to ex-
plain the motive which inspired the desc
Grafton of graves In the Jorat district of
Switzerland, about which much has been
published here,
In each case the grave has been that OF
young unmarried woman. The coffin
has been broken open, and the heart has
been removed from tho body In SO rough
and unscientihc way as to exclude med.
ical students from any part IN the sacrl-
lege.
The same practice has been reported In
times past among. the German peasantry,
It Is n survival OF a species Of witchcraft