There is no
warning sense of discomfort, but from six to eighteen hours after
exposure to them the victim experiences violent pains in the eyes and
headache. Sight may be seriously impaired, and it may take years to
recover. Often prolonged exposure results in blindness, though a
moderate exposure acts like a tonic. The rays may be compared in this
double effect to drugs, such as strychnine. Too much of them may be
destructive even to life itself."
Prescott had now paused and was regarding Kennedy contemptuously.
Kennedy paid no attention, but continued: "Perhaps these mysterious
rays may shed some light on our minds, however. Now, for one thing,
ultra-violet light passes readily through quartz, but is cut off by
ordinary glass, especially if it is coated with chromium. Old Mr.
Haswell did not wear glasses. Therefore he was subject to the
rays--the more so as he is a blond, and I think it has been
demonstrated by investigators that blonds are more affected by them
than are brunettes.
"You have, as a part of your machine, a peculiarly shaped quartz
mercury vapor lamp, and the mercury vapor lamp of a design such as
that I saw has been invented for the especial purpose of producing
ultra-violet rays in large quantity. There are also in your machine
induction coils for the purpose of making an impressive noise, and
a small electric furnace to heat the salted gold. I don't know what
other ingenious fakes you have added. The visible bluish light from
the tube is designed, I suppose, to hoodwink the credulous, but the
dangerous thing about it is the invisible ray that accompanies that
light.
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