The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1915-01-29
THE x-RAY.

| even the most astute and learned
scientists of the time. But we can
now see that it was the perfectly logi-
cal sequence of a long series of dis
coveries following numberless expert
ments by many individuals with a
scientific toy known as the Geissler
tube. Geissler had demonstrated the
peculiar behavior of electric dis
charges through different gases con-
fined in sealed tube and under vari-
GUS degrees of vacuum whereby the
spark became a more or less steady
stream.
Following Geissler, Sir William
Crookes became the chief investigator
along these lines, and by means Of
miniature wind-wheels and turbines in
his improved tubes, now known as
Crookes tubes, demonstrated that the
current of electricity flowing from the
negative pole and known as the cath
ode stream could be transformed int
kinetlc energy. Radiant matter" wac
the term used by Crookes to describe
the highly rarefed gas, or ultra case
GUS matter" which he found to pro-
duce certain peculiar mechanical and
luminous effects when charge of high
potential electricity was passed
through it.
AS with all new thoughts, the idea
was fiercely attacked by many OF the
scientific men of the time, who strenu-
ously argued against it and epdes vored
to prove that both the theory and tho
demonstrations amounted to nothing
But few choice spirits pressed on.
Lenard demonstrated that the cath
ode stream could be detected outside
the tube as well as within 1t and that
1t could be DETECTED or attracted by
magnet. A professor of physics in
the University Of Wurzburg. in Ba-
varia, w. X. Roentgen, noted in 1895
that substances such as potassium
platinocyanide became luminous when
brought near to a tube exhausted to a
vacuum so that the glass was brightly
| phosphorescent. About this time also
he noticed that large number Of pho
tographic plates placed within range
of Crook.ss tube with which he was
experimenting were logged, although
they were simply protected from light
by the usual light-tight plate holders,
and he began to suspect connection
between the two phenomena. A few
more experiments and the idea crystal
lized-he viewed his own bones
through the flesh of his hand and
knowledge of the new ray was born
November s, 1895.
Because the ray which produced
tluorescence showed him the bones in
the living human body, affected photo
graphic plates while inclosed in light
tight boxes and could not be reflect.
ed. refracted nor detected by a mag
net, Roentgen knew that he had dis
covered new and unbroken ray and
he therefore called it the X-ray.
1t was Domenici who discovered
that the X-rays as they emanate from
the tube are in fact mixture of rays
of different qualities, so the minds of
investigators were turned to still fur.
Their improving the X,ray tube. Mean
time the radioactive elements were
discovered and the electron was dem
onstrated in 1899.
1t may be asked how it is possible
to distinguish between such radiations
of different wave lengths. This is
achieved through demonstrating by
means of photography or fiuorescent
screen, or the electroscope, the "pene.
trating power" or hardness" Of the
short wave carnations after travers.
ing various thicknesses of a medium
which absorbs X-rays. such as, for ex-
ample, aluminium. The shorter the
wave length the harder the ray
and the harder" the ray the create
its penetrating power Soddy has dem.
onstrated the penetration of one-half
inch steel This discovery of the com
pick character of the X.ray tube ema.
nations and those from radiant sub
stances in general created the need
of a system for designating the differ.
ent rays, and they have therefore been
named alpha, beta. gamma froIc the
Greek alphabet CORES ponding with
our a, b and C.
The original X-ray tube shot the
rays from the cathode directly against
the glass at the opposite end; subse
quently metal target known as the
anti-calhode was introduced TO re-
ceive the rays. but the bombardrnent
from the stream of corpuscles or cleo
irons was so intense that the target
was soon raised to a white heat. and
1t would become necessary to stop the
action. For these and other reasons
which we will discover later radium
with its gamma rays seemed to offer
certain advantages over the X-ray
tube. but recently Dessauer of Frank.
fort-on-Main has perfected tube by
which he can produce rays practically
Identical with the gamma ray from
radium or mesothorium, the ratio OF
hardness being as 1 to IL. These
results were obtained by employing 9
special and highly efficient water cool
ing device in the anti-caihnde