The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-06

Correspondence OF the indianapolis JouIaal
BOSTON, Dec. At has sometimes been
figuratively said of great conquerorS aad of
other heroic figures in history that they
had Iron in their blood''-a pretty figure
which until within comparatively recent
years nobody imagined 10 be a PRACTICAL
possibility. But as a matter of fact iron
in the blood, held there a part sof such
minute particles of matter that NJ micro
scope is powerful enough to reveal chem, is
not the unique property of heroes but be-
longs to all of US and simply Constitutes
one of the many so-called ''colloi9al sub
stances now under investigation by men of
science both sides of the waser and
under examination in this city as one or
the important problems of the special re-
search laboratories of the Massachusetts In
stitute of Technology Very little thas yet
been heard, outside the Laboratories, about
these widely distributed colloids. for their
study is still largely in it's experimental
stage. Sufficient has been accomplished,
however, to open up a wide and in aresting
field of future possibilities. 1t is believed
indeed that the presence OF these hitherto
unsupported little particles will threw light
upon many studies connected with the
human body-such, for example. as the
various functions of the nervous system In
living organisms; with the growth of vari-
Gus forms of plant life; and with the further
development of several important CONNER
cial industries. 1t has been discove.ed that
the scientist, working in his laboratory, can
produce very simple mineral and organic
colloidal solutions, which have. however,
properties similar to those of the complex
colloids of nature, and it is thro'sgh the
comparatively simple study of thesr chem
ical reaction that the phenomena issvolving
natures colloids bid fair to be calculated.
SUSPECTED LONG AGO
The colliods, whose existence was first
suspected some fifty years ago. reveal there
fore a condition that had before appeared
impossible. namely, that such fAsouble
substances as gold, silver, iron and other
minerals may exist in liquids, in a state
analogous to that of an ordinary solution
but with other distinct and reIDarkable
properties; and also that they cSn thus
constitute part of almost every vegetable
or animal organism. The further rtudy of
these minute particles Of matter reached
therefore into nearly every form of life and
matter.
These colloids are infinitesimalty small
particles of substances that may be either
mineral or nonmineral, organic or morgan
ic. standing in size somewhere below the
highest magnifying power of tina micro.
scope. Being invisible they can b4 studied
only by chemical actions and reactions, al
though their presence may usuallS be de-
tected by the color which they inspart to
water or other fluids in which they are held
In solution. In examining a solutioie of gold
Hold TN OIL fn6n ffalx
subdivided that each particle probably will
be forever invisible-the amount of gold
may be roughly estimated by the depth of
the red color which the colloidal substance
has impaired to the water. Other colloidal
substances have other characteristic colors
and although. under ordinary conditions.
the colliods would remain thus held in
luton practically forever. there are certain
chemical agents-salts which when dis
solved are capable of conducting a.; electric
current-that not only cause them ito settle
in the form Of insoluble masses, bur appear
definitely to prove that each Of these inf
nitely little bits of matter. beside which a
microbe Is a giant and drop of water
world. is charged with electricity. This
electrical condition is held to explain the
fact that the individual particles would
never voluntarily unite in visiblx masses
and so settle to the bottom of a vessel con-
tanning them. for each particle I.epels it's
immediate neighbors in all directions and
the whole mass is thus perpetually main
tanned in a state of suspension.
A CLEAR ILLUSTRATION.
Roughly speaking, the conditions is SIM
liar to what might happen if eerh lump
of coal in coal bin separated itself by an
as one body charged with positive or neg
alive electricity repels another similarly
charged-and the whole bin thus became
filled with individual bits of coat held In
suspension between floor and ceiling. In
tiers in Manchester 1t has branches in
America in which there are about Is 600