Wonders of the X-Ray

Electrical Marvels Related by Nikola Tesla.

STRANGE EFFECT ON THE BRAIN.

Under Its Piercing Light a Tendency to Sleep Appears and Time Flies on Lightning Wings — Startling Possibilities Are Suggested.

NEW YORK, March 11. — The Electrical Review publishes today a communication from Nikola Tesla describing for the first time his very interesting experiments in radiography. The scientific world has been awaiting an expression of opinion from Mr. 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 Mr. Tesla’s communication The Electrical Review prints two remarkable radiographs. One of these shows the right shoulder of a man taken through his clothing, 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.

The other radiograph shows a copper wire bent to form the word “Roentgen” and was made at a distance of 11 feet from the wooden slide covering the sensitized plate.

In regard to the nature of 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. Taking as a basis the estimate of Lord Kelvin on the speed of projected particles in a Crookes’s bulb, we arrive easily by the employment of very high potentials to speeds of as much as a hundred kilometres a second.

“Now, again, the old question arises: Are the particles from the electrode or from the charged surface generally, including the case of an external electrode, projected through the glass or aluminum walls, or do they merely hit the inner surface and cause particles from the outside of the wall to fly off, acting in a purely mechanical way, as when a row of ivory balls, is struck? So far, most of the phenomena indicate that they are projected through the wall of the bulb of whatever material it may be and I am seeking for still more conclusive evidence in this direction.

“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.”

Tesla has also secured radiographs showing the bony structure of birds and rabbits even to the hollow of the bones. He has secured 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, location of the lungs and the fur are shown. Radiograph of large birds show the feathers distinctly.

Mr. Tesla concludes 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 of 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.”