Tesla and X-Rays

Noted Scientist Makes Public His Experiments.

MAY BE PARTICLES OF MATTER

He Says Radiography Causes a Soothing Effect on the Brain.

For the first time a description of the interesting experiments of Nikola Tesla in radiography, will be published to-day in the Electrical Review, in the form of a communication from the scientist himself. The scientine world has been awaiting an expression of opinion from Tesla, who is known to have begun his experiments within an hour after the news of Professor Roentgen's discovery was cabled to this country. In connection with this communication, the Electrical Review will print two remarkable radiographs.

LONG-DISTANCE RADIOGRAPHS.

One of these shows the right shoulder of a man taken through his clothing, a plate of glass three-sixteenths of an inch thick and two inches of wood. This radiograph, which was made at the distance of four feet from the source of the X rays, shows the ribs, shoulder bones and bones of the upper arm.

Mr. Tesla also says that the rarefaction of Crookes tubes used in these experiments may be increased by electrical means to any degree desirable, far beyond that obtainable by mechanical appliances. In regard to the nature of the X rays, he says:

"I am getting more and more convinced that we have to deal with a stream of material particles, which strike the sensitive plate with great velocities.

"It is now demonstrated beyond any doubt that small metallic objects or bony or chalky deposits can be infallibly detected in any part of the body."

FLESH AND LUNGS SHOWN.

Tesla has also procured radiographs showing the bony structure of birds and rabbits, even to the hollow of the bones. He has a radiograph of a rabbit after an hour's exposure, in which not only every detail of the skeleton is visible, but also a clear outline of the abdominal cavity and location of the lungs.

In another instance an exposure of forty minutes gave a radiograph of the human skull, showing clearly not only the outline, but the cavity of the eye, chin, cheek, nasal bones, the lower jaw and connections to the upperone, the vertebral column and connections to the skull.

Mr. Tesla ends his communication in the following interesting words: "By exposing the head to a powerful radiation, strange effects have been noted. For instance, I find that there is a tendency to sleep, and the time seems to pass away quickly. There is a general soothing effect, and I have felt a sensation of warmth in the upper part of the head. An assistant Independently confirmed the tendency to sleep and a quick lapse of time. Should these remarkable effects be verified by men with keener sense of observation, I shall still more firmly believe in the existence of material streams penetrating the skull. Thus it may be possible by these strange appliances to project a suitable chemical into any part of the body."