The Wilmington morning star., 1946-11-08
Doctor Says
R0ENTCEN RAY
81 YEARS ON
BY WILLIAM A. O'BRIFN NJ

a. hhiEN, NJ, D.
Flfty-one years ago today, IN NJ
vember 8, 1895 Wilhelm Co,s'
Roentgen discovered the X,ray yD'o
During the past year nsnv
pitfalls have performed X rsr "Ys'
amlnatlons on more than 81 W.
cent of their patients, in addjtjonP .'
actively treating large numb.. ~
with the X-ray. The next STEM YIN
make it 100 per cent, for an X- VIII
examination of the chess r.
out the possibility of tuberculosis rIe
will sooa be made on every bo.a
tai admission. "''p'
Roentgen discovered tho Y
by internally stimulating 'y
cred Crooke's tube with S,or
from an induction coil. In t ths
darkness he saw a piece of c.ms
board which had been paint.,
with a f%luorescent chemical prpns'
ration start to glow as = linz
dark shadow appeared on tho ,n VI
face.
No scientific discovery has 5..o
developed more rapidly than WV,
the X-ray. In 1896, the first vsso
after its discovery, more than
thousand investigators reporteo 4
its use and more than 50 booJ.
were written about it. X.r.r.
could be generated by manv M.
chimes which we're thea ayailsbrs
Today the X-ray is indispensable
in the diagnosis and treatment =,
many diseases, and in addition IN,
dustry has found it of great yaba
X-ray diagnosis is a Sind, y.
contrasts. Some objects obs,Y,,,
tie Passage of the X-ray,. Will,
others permit them to 60 tarouob
The first-X-ray examination W..
made by passing X-rays thropss
a hand placed on a photograrfr
plate. The bones stood out clear1r
from the surrounding fat, nerves
and skin because they were of
different density.
If contrasts do not exist, tbsy
are created to obtain shadows on
the X-ray film. When Ne stomac,
is filled with a watery solution Of
barium s%ulfate, a complete outline
of the organ is seen.
Many contrast solutions ara
used today, and most Of them con.
tain some form OF iodine, since
iodine obstruets the X-rays.
X-ray examinations are made
by having the patient stan1 be.
tween the X-ray tube and a fuo.
resent screen microscopy; the
temporary image which appears is
observed in a darkened room by
the radiologist. If he wishes 10
preserve the image, he photo.
graphs it (phototluorography
this is the method employed IN
making miniature X-ray photo.
graphs of the chest.
For permanent full-sized rec.
ords the patient is placed between
the X-ray tube and the film; and
exposure is made, and the film is
developed in the same way as is
any other negative.
X-ray diagnosis is not the simple
taking of pictures which are
characteristic of each disease. It
is a method of study which eI'
tends the vision of mar into all
the parts of the body.
Before the X-ray, the study Of
disease was limited to changes
which could be observed on the
body surfaces, or through lighted
tubes passed into various body
openings. or by Inspector Of o.
gans during an operation.
X-ray treatment is of great val
ue in treating certain injections
and groWths. The action OF the
X-ray is identical with that Oh
raGium in destroying diseased cells
anG stimulating the desenses OF
The body.
In industry the X-ray is USED
to search for foreign materials III
packages, to locate spoiled FOODS
to uncover structural faults Ill
raetals, and to perform other iii
portant tasks.
QUESTION: Is high blood pres