The electronic reactions of Abrams from a blood specimen

During the years that Abrams was patiently establishing the basic principles underlying the new, and even fantastic method of diagnosis he was gradually perfecting, he preferred to experiment only with pathological specimens the nature of which was precisely known to him. The next step was to determine experimentally, if blood specimens taken from patients obviously suffering from clearly defined forms of disease, such as cancer, tuberculosis, diphtheria, abscess formation, and so on would suffice to induce the same unmistakable reflexes or "reactions" on the body of the human wave detector as did pathological specimens representing these same forms of disease. In this respect, Abrams' hopes were not disappointed. What must have surprised was the fact that even less than a single drop of blood received on to a slip of white blotting paper was amply sufficient, with the aid of the Reflexophone, to render detectable perhaps several different injections, such as tuberculosis, streptococcal toxins, malarial poisons in the same patient. A container for the blood specimen, which latter Abrams insisted should be "earthed", had to be designed. It was made of solid vulcanite, so shallow, that the blood specimen resting on two "earthed" pieces of aluminum was no more than a quarter of an inch below the condenser lid which represents and replaces the "distal" disc, which in earlier days was held just above Abrams' pathological specimens. A short length of wire from the lid of this specimen-container leads from the blood specimen to the input terminal of the Reflexophone. And now, for example, supposing pulmonary tuberculosis to be suspected, the dial of the Reflexophone would be set at "42", for at that setting tubercular radiations will pass through the Reflexophone to the forehead of the human "subject" and amply sufficient to alter the note elicited by skilled percussion, from a resonant to a dull sound.

Electronic Reaction of Abrams from blood

Supposing, however, the resonant note remained resonant: an alternative diagnosis would need consideration, possibly malignant disease. Alter the setting of the Reflexophone from "42" to "58", and percuss the area just above the "subject's" navel, if now the resonant note gives place to a dull note, the correct diagnosis would almost certainly be, not tuberculosis, but that form of malignant disease known as Sarcoma. Yet other diagnostic possibilities of course remain, but can almost certainly be correctly determined by continuing as above. 

Abrams obtained a one-drop specimen of blood from a patient in a very advanced stage of tuberculosis: another from a patient in a midway stage of tuberculosis: a third from a patient in a very early stage of tuberculosis. The first Reflexophone was set at "42" (for the moment all three dials of the second Reflexophone were left at 0. The blood of the patient in an advanced stage was then placed in the container, and the dull sounding note indicative of tubercular disease, elicited by percussion in the ordinary way.
The dial (0-50 Units) was then advanced one stud (equaling 10 Units) another stud (equaling 20 Units), a third stud (equaling 30 Units), a fourth stud -- but no, on reaching the fourth stud, the dull note had given place to a resonant note: it appeared that the radiations from the blood specimen were blocked by the 40 Units of resistance placed between them and the "subject": they could no longer reach him.
Ten Units were accordingly removed, and then the dull percussion note was to be heard again. Leaving the "0-50 in steps of 10 Units", dial on "30", the "0-10 in steps of one unit" dial was brought into action, steady percussion proceeding the while, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38 stop, at this point, maybe, a resonant percussion note is heard again: one Unit is removed -- the dull sound reappears, and that figure may be taken to indicate the stage reached in this advanced case of tubercular disease. The radiations from the blood of a patient in a midway stage of tuberculosis might be blocked by interposing some 12-14 Units of resistance between the blood specimen and the 'subject'.
Those of a patient in a very early, possible even a pre-pathological condition, might be blocked by the interposition of even less than 1 Unit of resistance, perhaps no more than 12/25ths of a Unit as measured on the "0-25 in steps of 1/25th Unit" dial. One learns from the collective experience of oneself and one's colleagues, the number of Units which may be regarded as indicating a high, a medium or a low reading in the case of any given disease.

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