NOVKMBEB 1, 1898.] 



PROGRESS IN R/JlO>. 



By James tiicu. 



WHEN, at the end of m, Rjntget m^. 

 results of his expiments npoc tk, 

 graphic action of tose invisibU b^_ ^ 

 then working w::l he conld barii}.||^^ 

 have anticipated t widespread mtm^^ 

 was evinced upon the subject, o the extensile »^ 

 has been done and is now bei? carried on, ttr 

 the world. 



Probably few discoveries ha^ been of so nmct •■•. 

 to scientific workers in geneil, or have cUim^ t 

 universal attention, as that of tb properties of the 

 rays. 



The selective tm" ;=^ .^^ of the rays b«ui^ uier , 

 prominent feature, tl : al aid was, of «wm^ , ' 



given to the medical l specially to the BumK. 



— in localizing accural .y, and .thout the slightest pnii 

 inconvenience to the patient, any foreign body in 

 system, especially if tbut body i of a dense nature, = . 

 as lead or steel. 



Radiography has, therefore, acome quite a recogui, •., 

 addition to hospital work and ) surgeons, and in some 

 cases where the hospital hi not been so equipped, 

 systematic work of diagnosis la been undertaken for its 

 physicians by the college or oier scientific institution in 

 the same town. Two sets of Intgen ray apparatus were 

 also provided for the Sudan ex)ditionary force. 



The benefit derived by R(in1en's discovery, both to the 

 doctor and to the patient, canncbe over-estimated. Many 

 a patient, having had a foreig body somewhere in his 

 system, or sustained a bone friture, has afterwards left 

 the hospital showering bless.gs upon the surgeon for 

 having utilized the radioscopies or radiographical method 

 for extraction or coaptation. 



Every part of the human sketon has now been success- 

 fully dealt with radiographicall the amount of definition 

 obtainable depending upon th proximity of the part in 

 question to the skin, and therere to the plate. As the 

 thickness of the tissues throug which the rays have to 

 pass increases, so their trarparency diminishes, but, 

 according to Batelli, not at an (ual or uniform rate, while 

 Vandevyver has shown that th necessary exposure varies 

 as the cube of the thickness of \e object, and also depends 

 on the distance (and not on \e square; of the distance) 

 between the focus tube and theensitive plate. 



Not only have X-ray picturesof the various portions of 

 the body been taken at succeive exposures and fitted 

 together, but Dr. W. -J. Morton hs succeeded in obtaining, at 

 one exposure, a life-size radiogjph of the entire skeleton 

 of a full-grown living woman — most remarkable achieve- 

 ment and a striking picture — yen the heart and other 

 soft tissue organs being visible. The apparatus employed 

 was a twelve-inch coU, workl from a one hundred 

 and seventeen volt circuit. he distance of the focus 

 tube from the plate was four fe^ six inches, and the time 

 of exposure, including stoppage thirty minutes. 



In reviewing the work done ■ medical practitioners in 

 this important and fruitful lid for X-ray work, the 

 number of successful cases wou. make by far too long a 

 list to be adequately dealt withaow. It is in the treat- 

 ment of fractures and luxations md in the detection and 

 removal of the various calculi ad other foreign growths 

 and deposits that the most u^ul work has been done. 

 Under the best adapted workin conditions of apparatus 

 for any particular case, the s:geon can examine with 

 ease the exact condition of a fraure, or can ascertain how 



alihrj-. 

 repor.. 

 grapL. 

 upon . 

 interf: - 

 Dr. ( 

 years, 

 exposure, » 

 at a distant- 

 spark coil W-, 

 proved the c-.- 



Amongst ■.•_ 

 radiograph ir. 

 report havin, 

 of chromate o( . 

 preparations, wL 

 mapping out tht =. 

 same time the bol^. , 

 they previously hi, ' 

 unknown have beet, -. ! 



The action of ; . . 

 manifested in such -:', " 

 show that they c 

 of the skin if exp ,■ 

 inflammation, ami ii. 

 within the tissues, 

 to be affected when (,. ,, 

 supportable palpitation- 

 beats being produced, ne 

 of the heart by a thick meu.. 



In chemistry, botany, mine-, 

 their properties have been <i. '■ 

 apphcation to the detection u\\,^ 

 and a good deal about othei , 

 which open up interesting fieidj \t^ 



.jut 



3RY. 



inches in 

 he tube a 

 'lisplay the 

 .■hemists or 

 iie specimen 

 1 a museum? 

 p than most 

 races of the 

 jnt of the 

 ohe glass to 

 in the 

 itrol of the 

 the glass 

 simpler 

 |on of the 

 3tassium 



