54 



Popular Science Monthly 



X-Ray Finds Safety Pin in 

 Baby's Throat 



REAIOMNG an open safety 

 pin which was swallowed 

 by a seven-months-old baby 

 with the sole aid of X-rays and 

 a snare, was the remarkable op- 

 eration recently performed by 

 Dr. G. S. Otrich, of Belleville, 

 111. 



When an X-ray photograph 

 was taken of the child, it was 

 discovered that the open pin 

 Avas lodged in the esophagus, 

 with the point sticking upward 

 towards the child's mouth. The 

 X-ray tube was arranged be- 

 neath an ordinary table, so as 

 to throw the light upward, and 

 the child placed so that the light 

 from the tube would be in a di- 

 rect line. A fluoroscope was 

 adjusted directly over the child, 

 and the obstruction became 

 clearly visible. The doctor passed 

 a small snare into the esophagus, 

 ^nd with infinite care passed it slightly 

 beyond the pin. After withdrawing it 

 until the pin seemed to be engaged, he 

 closed the snare. On the first attempt 

 the pin was closed and withdrawn. 



A Foot-controlled Sewing Machine 



M(JTORS for driving sewing ma- 

 chines have been improved so that 

 they can be carried 

 about by a seamstress 

 and used in any house 

 that is wired for elec- 



The foot still controls this sewing machine, 

 but a motor does the real work 



This open safety pin was extracted with fa 

 snare by the aid of the X-ray and a fluoroscope 



tricity and attached to any machine in 

 half a minute. The motor is equipped 

 with feet so that it can be set on the 

 stand and applied to the flywheel of the 

 sewing machine without the use of any 

 screws or arms. In addition it is gov- 

 erned by a pedal which controls the 

 speed, from a stitch a minute to eight 

 hundred stitches a minute. 



The motor stand is sim- 

 ple, depending on the weight 

 of the motor and its rubber 

 feet for stability. The lit- 

 tle ledge of the sewing ma- 

 chine itself forms a brace so 

 that permanent attachments 

 are not needed. 



The pedal sends the cur- 

 rent through a rheostat of 

 varying resistance to obtain the diiTer- 

 ent speeds required by the operator of 

 the sewing machine. Thus the sewing 

 machine can be electrically driven wher- 

 ever there is a light socket. 



The motor and its attachments are 

 bt enough to be easily carried from 

 house to house. 



By using it the work of a dressmaker 

 is lightened by at least a half, and the 

 physical tire of working is almost com- 

 pletely eliminated. 



