The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-05-14
ROENTGEN R AY|
FOUND BY
ACCIDENT
Scientist Was Experimenting
and Developed World Need.
Progress Made Later.

OnCG upon time when a. SClCu-
tist-name of Wilhelm Conrad Roent-
gen-was carrying on some expert
ments with electricity which he
had, for some one Of the Interior
motives with which such folks fuss
with current. directed into a Hittorf
tube, he noted an odd occurrence.
This was that, although the
tube had been carefully covered
with black paper 50 as to exclude
all light, piece Of cardboard
coated with chemicals lying on a
table some little distance away was
brightly illuminated when he agit-,
ated the tube.
what did you think?" he was.
later asked.
II didn't think; 1 investigated"
he replied. These investigations led
to the discovery Of the X-ray,
which has the power to penetrate
matter.
The most interesting part of this
X.ray discovery was the finding
out shortly after that, although it.
couldn't be seen by human eyes, 1t
was visible to the more penetrating
eye Of the camera; and could also
be "seen' by certain chemicalized
screens, as was shown by Prof..
Roentgen's cardboard. !
Perfect Apparatus.
Immediately Roentgen and others
set to work perfecting the appara.
tus in which the ray was created,
so as to make 1t Of use to human
ity.
There were two difficulties to be
overcome. The first one was this:
The mysterious ray was the re-
suit OF the passing of something,
induced by the electricity which
entered the tube by one piece Of
wire, across that tube to another
piece Of wire. So Tar so good. 1t
is now known that this force is
made up Of millions of rushing
electrons.
But It seems that these electrons
were impacted against the second
was known at that time which
was sufficiently malleable to be
drawn into q fine wire and also
sufficiently tough to stand up
under the bombardment given 1t.
The second difficulty: During the
passage Of this storm of electrons
from one wire to the other, although
all gases had been exhausted from
the air of the tube, there were
drawn out from the metal compos-
ing some parts OF 1t certain other
gases. These boiled and seethed
around the path OF the electrons.
making their handling uncertain
and the results of the X-ray mac,
curate in it's results.
Presently, however, another man,
working in another laboratory,
found out how to make tungsten
metal, lie down, roll over and play
dead.
Tungsten is a most refractory
substance, SO hard and brittle 1t
had not been possible to make 1t
serve any useful purpose. 1t could
be powdered, but for a long time 1t
defied those who had tried to build
1t into any structural form.
A scientist Is a persistent cuss,
however-and this one, DR.. w. D.
Coolidge, refused to give up the
unruly metal until he found the
way to make 1t behave. Now, 1t Is
so meek it can be drawn into a
wire stronger than steel. and so
pliable it can be curled around the
finger like a tress Of hair. It is
best known to the public by reason
Of the vast Improvement it has at
fected in electric lamps.
This tungsten, it appears, is
hardy enough to receive. without
being melted or destroyed. the i'm
pact of the electrons which create
the unseen but powerful X-ray.
Difficulties Eliminated.
Herein. was difficulty number one
eliminated.
The second one likewise yielded to
DIR. Coolidge, for he found the way
to exhaust the gases from all
metals entering into the structure
of the tube before making the
x-rays.
Now electricity can be directed
into and out of the tube on a wire
so fine that the X-ray hits it's
target in a spot of concentrated
and definite dimensions. This Is
what fixes the sharpness Of an
X-ray picture. The gas is no
longer in the way interfering with
the processes; this adds to the ac-
curacy with which the X-ray can
be directed.
So now we can look into hidden
places. investigate our lungs and
stomachs and bones and the roots
of our teeth-uncover. in fact, prac-
tically everything in the inside of
a maHa except his motives and If
electroMs keep on adding to their
faSt-increasing powers. probably
even our secret motives will be
unable to escape them much longer