Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 March 1917 — The SimpsonRay-Wonderful Cure for Serious Wounds [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The SimpsonRay-Wonderful Cure for Serious Wounds

Scotch engineer accidentally makes an important discovery /I which astounds medical ytt world : : Hospitals // y find strange new light of pf great

' VERYBODY has heard about the' X-ray, a remarkable kind of light which today 1 .. lias an important place in surgery. It was discovered 7 in 1895 by Wilhelm Konrad Roentgen, a German scientist. Many of us know something about radium, too, a wonderful mineral substance discovered in 1902 by Madame Curie, a French woman scientist. Radium also Is of great value In the medical world —so much so that the chief countries are producing it at government expense for hospital use. Now comes the announcement of another valuable discovery in the scientific world—-a, new kind of light ray that has marvelous curative properties, one that may revolutionize certain phases of the healing art. It is called the Simpson ray, and may be considered one of the war monster’s gifts to humanity in compensation for millions of lives destroyed. Sometime ago, William, Simpson, a Scotch physics engineer, was experimenting to develop a very hard armor trie currents to produce great heat. Now hb mail knows more than a eomparatively few properties of electricity. jClvilization has harnessed this infinltely powerrul force in nature to some extent, but- electricity is constantly doing something in harness to puzzle those who use it. So it came to pass that while Simpson was experimenting one of those puzzling things happened, and the Simpson ray was discovered, to be named after its discoverer. Mary Boyle O’Reilly, an American newspaper woman, was in London, not long ago and she went to interview Simpson at his laboratory. Here Is her report: “Take S-rays and keep young for a hundred years,’.’ said William Simpson, Scottish discoverer of Simpson’s light, ’ drawing forward a wheeled standard from which a spluttering electric arc gave out faint white smoke. “You are suffering from bronchial hoarseness; let the light cure it while we talk. It has no danger ray, causes no burns, makes no martyrs; and it kills every germ within ten seconds. “Pasteur and Metchnikoff taught that to kill germs is to create a new world. Without germs there can be no epidemic diseases. Also, the S-ray softens hardened arteries and loosens adhesions. That stops age, prolongs maturity and Increases efficiency.“We will yet be able to keep young for a century. Already the Royal Medical society Insists that the S-ray is the greatest thing in the medical world' "Your hoarseness, now?”

I spoke, and my voice was entirely clear. “I call the new ray ‘God’s own light,’ it has already done so much good. This is the beginning of an age of marvels.” he confessed. “To experiment on armor plate I was seeking an intense, pure heat. My handy man, a drunken, "dissolute fellow, whs’han-” dicapped by a bad burn. “Suddenly the open wound began to heal. That puzzled me; to prove a possibility, I gave my hand an ugly cut with a knjfe edge of dirty brass, and treatWF the wound with - a dose of light. Three days later the cut was healed, leaving no scar. Then I knew that I had discovered something greater than a foundry process! "Thus military surgery was provided with a safe ray which could stop discharges, cure stiffness or swelling, absorb scar tissue and relieve the iorment of septic wounds. Only a short exposiire is required, although there is no bad result from long exposure as with the X-ray, the electrodes being held 12; to 24 inches from the skin. -.-.;--:fciTntig~whU:lT--Amr floldtera ,feared were lost have been saved, cripples have suppleness restored, face wounds which made brave men look monstrous have-been stimulated to clean healing. Since :he sea battle off Jutland, hundreds of British sailors have been cured by S-ray of gangrene. Killing all germs, the Simpson light creates a thin, infinitesimal skin which obviates the necessity of messy dressings.” Five feet distant, electrodes of wolfram discharged invisible streams of ul-tra-violet rays. A subtle sense of restfulness and well-being- filled the atmosphere. “Ami neurit is ?” I suggested! Professor Simpson’s: white head nodded emphatically. "If ytm -piease,’' piped a-voice from the to my professor!” ‘ ' Then’ she came in, a very little girl, shy but determined. “Last month I had eczema,” cried the young voice, “and now I have not got it any more.” ' Beyond the laboratory door a slight girl in gray serge and a scarlet cgpe paused diffidently, a bouquet of white heather filling her hands. "My mother sent this to you, professor,” she said softly. "Like yoh, she is Scottish; - For two years I have been a war nurse. Last month the hospital authorities ordered me home, ‘irivalided from varicose veins.’ Doctors forbade meto walk or to stand. The war office wants trained nurses, I have my living to earn and a year’s invalidism just now would break my heart. But every Scottish physician in England has heard of the Simpson light “There are S-ray installationsin scores,,pf military hospitals. I urged

an application; three treatments cured me. Tonight I return to my post back of the front.” Freckled face smiling thanks she could not speak, the girl nurse offered her bouquet to Professor Simpson. “Heather!” he exclaimed. “Lucky heather from home! Lassie, I’ll put It -by mystatne es- Bobby Burns!” “Nae then, I must keep back one bit,” laughed the girl nurse, and laid the sprig on the standard beneath “God’s own light.” The London Sphere, a weekly jour--nal, recently published the following report on the “S-ray A great amount of curiosity has been aroused about the Simpson light ("S” rays), and there seems little doubt that we are on the eve of what may be termed a revolution in the matter of -healing; and in view of* the .legacy of casualties which the waV is giving us, no other type of scientific advancement could be more satisfactorily opportune. Maj. E. G. French, R. A. M. C., in one of the articles which have lately been appearing in the Lancet, says “the Simpson light Is the latest discovery nb-.therapeutics. For over two and a half years the scientific investigations have been published in papers; during one and a half years the "S” rays have been employed therapeutically and- over 9J)0O treat 7 inents have been given. It will therefore be admitted that no undue haste has been shown in now introducing them into notice.” This was written some months ago. Now that the results are assured, no time is being lost in actually gathering 4a-.th.e_ fruits of the discovery and installing the'"appaFStuS“tn the hospitals; and the Simpson light treatment has already become a feature not only in the clinic centers of England but all .oxer. Europe,. The rays discovered by Mr. W. S. Simpson, ah engineer, who, while experimenting in the affinity of rare metals for one another, noticed that the light produced by the electric combustion of certain ores had “curative” effects on the workmen’s hands, in consequence of which he prepared special electrodes for combustion in an arc lamp, hence the “S” rays. .Without going into all the various results which are being detailed in the medical press from time to time, we may content ourselves here with the main fact that it has been tested in the worst of cases, that the exposure Is a very short one, that there seems no limit to its application, from cakes of shrapnel wounds to the more deeplyseated chronic affections, > and that some of the most intractable cases which had defied n great deal of treatment improved at once under the ‘S’ rays, and were discharged cured.”