Nothing New Under the Sun.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XL, Issue 1, 4 January 1908, Page 59

Nothing New Under the Sun.

The scientific journals arc tindiug out from their baeK files that the pneumatic tyre and the X-rays were both matters of hall a century ago. One of these journals finds in its issue 01 Muy Sth, 1847, the following paragraph: "A number ot cabs with newly-invented wheels have just been put on the pave. The novelty consists in the entire absence of springs. A hollow lube of indiarubber, about a foot in diameter, inflated with air, en circles each wheel in the manner ot a tyre, and with the addition of this simple but novel appendage the vehicle glides noiselessly along, affording the greatest possible amount of cab comfort to the passengers.” And the following in another issue of the same year: “ A Belgian savant says he has just, discovered that electric light directed on the human body makes it so diaphanous as to enable the ar.eries, veins and nerves to be seen at work, and their action to be studied.” Whether this light was produced by tile methods such as those used by Rontgen is not known, but its properties seem to have been somewhat similar.