The sun., 1919-07-27

matter OF fact it amounts to nothing
more than the adaptation. the applica-
ton Of the fruits of science to a rela-
lively new field. Indeed, the wonder is
that the Police Department of this city
has not had recourse TO this agency
before in view Of tthe fact that the de-
velopment Of the 1X-fay tube has been
forging steadily ahead for a number of
years and the Preventative power OF its
beams has been tremendously intensi-
fied and therefore increased in effect
I've range. Looking into the inside of
the maj ority of the internal machines
with which our authorities have TO
contend is trifing performance. COM
pared with other uses TO which radi-
osraphy is now put.
The X-Ray IN War Work.
we had some hint OF this protective
use of the, X-ray during the earlier
days of the recent conflict, while we
were officially neutral and, therefore,
fertile ground for the workings of en-
envy agents or sympathizers bent upon
getting contraband commodities COW
Gritty through the blockade. One Of
the most striking examples OF the un-
covering of this sort OF trickery was
when the X-ray brought to light the
presence of prohibited rubber tucked
away in the bowels of innocent looking
bales of cotton destined primarily to
italian consignees-ItaIy at the time
being still at peace with the Central
Powers.
Rubber was at a premium in Ger
many, and the Teutons resorted to
every possible expedient to obtain the
reedful material. Despite the exercise
Of every ordinary precautlon, the stuff
was undoubtedly going from this side
OF the Atlantic Indirectly to Austria
and Germany Finally suspicion CEN
tired upon the shipments of raw cot
ton, but the problem was how to dis
cover the contraband without pulling
every bale to pieces. The solution
was offered by Richard Muller, a Bel
Kian engineer, of Columbia University.
He proposed X-ray apparatus and was
put in charge Of the work on some of
the steamship piers, While rubber Is
not as resistant or OPAQUE to Roentgen
rays as metals, still the sheet material
rolled up and tucked away in the mass
of enveloping cotton. was sufficiently
different in its opposition to the pas
sage of the beams to register a blurred
image on the negative, in this way,
in single consignment, contraband
rubber was detected in ITS bales!
Similarly the X-ray was used dur
ing the period OF the war by our own
authorities and the consular or secret
service of our allies to reveal other
contraband. substances packed in a
manner that was calculated to conceal
their presence pretty effectually--at
least from the unaided human eye
That is. to say, in some cases the
prohibited commodities were dissolved
ard therefore appeared in quite an
other form. A good many OF these
would have got by the inspectors, but
for the x-ray showing them up in
their true character.
The Trial Blazer.
Frying into the composition of an
internal machine Is merely problem
Of radiographing the varying resist
apces OF the different materials used
the eiIhouettes OF the parts appearing
either light or dark. according to their
comparative opaqueness. so to speak
Just how much detail can be obtained
in this fashion by means OF the pres
emit high power tube Is admirably IL
Illustrated by one of the pictures repro
duced for this article, The Photograph
Of the watch brings out in striking