Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-01


detectives. But science has discov-
cred a robot whose uncanny skill IN
revealing the secrets of the criminal is more
mysterious than the work of Sherlock Holmes,
Craig Kennedy and all of Scotland Yard rolled
into one.
Dr. Herman Goodman revealed the unique
power of this instrument recently at the Acad-
envy of Medicine in New York. He calls
1t BLACK light" and he put a show with this
mysterious agency which aStounded the emf
nent physicians who witnessed the demonStra-
ton.
1.-The black light" declares Dr. Goodman
"can be used by the Government to identify
the source of bootleg alcohol which has been
converted into liquor. 1t will instantaneously
expose counterfeit bills reveal erasures on doc
uments, make it possible to identify forged
wills. aid in taking invisible fngerprints, bare
raised checks, read invisible writing
In short black light is the greatest deter
rent to crime which has ever been discovered,
and it only remains for the various agencies
dealing with the prevention and suppression Of
crime fully to exploit its powers in order for the
criminal class to become increasingly wary Of
breaking the law
DR. Goodman's apparatus is portable and can
be set up anywhere. 1t consists of an upright
rod, from which is hung a metal hood, inside
of which an intense light is generated. The
opening of the hood is covered with Corning
glass of a new type, which transmits wider
band of ultraviolet than has been heretofore
available. 1t is this band of ultra violet light
which makes possible these remarkable revela-
tons and makes the invisible truth visible to
the eye.
When the electricity is turned on, the beam
of light from the instrument is invisible but
the moment the objects to be examined are
placed underneath its imperceptible glow diff
1erenceS begin to be apparent
Here is check which seems to be honest.
Passed under the light, the word VOID stands
out In luminous letters Another check raised
from 500 to $4,000 shows only the $50 when
inspected by the light.
GIT WOULD be a simple matter" says DIR.
Goodman, Ito place one of these lights at
O teller's window in bank so that the checks
marked with an invisible number as well as
the visible sum would show up the invisible
hgnres as the check passed through the tellers
hands
THE difficulties of passing a bad check
would be enormous Not only would the forger
have TO use the identical substance for IN
visible writing used on this check in order
TO escape detection, but as luminosity fades
he would have to be sure the glow Of his added
material had the same intensity and other
characteristics the original.
ITO attempt to erase the original substance
and replace it without leaving marks which
the light would detect involves chemical prob
lens which would make forgery so complex
and intricate that a criminal would hardly ven
ture to undertake the task.
In our prisons letters sent out by prisoners
are baked If invisible ink is suspected. If the
setter is finally delivered the recipient knows
that the note from his convict friend has been
read by the officials. In Europe they have
begun to use this light. The letter can be read
without any one suspecting it. jail delivery
or any other lawIess scheme be aborted
before it is carried out while proper police ar
engagements would make 1t possible to catch
every one red-handed who was implicated IN
the plan"
DR. Goodman showed that the press, pencil
br any other writing or printing tool left