New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-10
NEW CHEMICAL ELEMENTS.

The importance of Or. Baskervilles dlscOv-
cry OF two substances which are associated
with thorium. but not identical therewlth, lies
in the enlargement thus made to the number
of elements exhibiting radio activity. These
are not over half dozen in number, and only
one has an assured position in the neld OF
practical usefulness. Perhaps. after further
trial. radium and pOlonium may inspire con-
hdence as remedial agents. SO, too, with ac-
tinium and DR. Baskervile's twins, carOlinium
and berzelium OF. if they fail in that par
ticular kind OF service. they may succeed in
still another As yet thOrium alone has an in
dustriaI application. Still, the philosOphic
value Of these discoveries is immense. New
light is being obtained on the constitution OF
matter and the physical organization of the
atom from the singular behavior of these few
elements and the end is not yet. As soon as
thorough comparison is made between these
six elements. it will be known how many Of
the three kinds of rays projected by radium
are thrown off by carolinium and berzelium,
and how far these differ in intensity. The mere
graduation thus made possible will be suggestive,
and some entirely fresh clews may be furnished
for further research.
1t is interesting to note the variety OF In
fuences which have promoted DIR. Basker-
ville's fruitful inquiries. Berzelius discovered
thorium fully three-quarteTs of century ago
in a mineral found in Norway. At about the
same time Drummond made the first practical
use OF incandescence for producing light. With
a bit Of lime Immersed in an Oxy-hydrogen
flame he illustrated n principle since employed
IN the chromium and magnesium lamps and in
Edisons electric light. Scarcely more than n
dozen years ago Welsbach brought 10 a con-
clusion set of experiments aiming at the
same result with n delicate fabric hung over n
Bunsen flame. He tried variety of rare
earths but got the best results with thOra.
the oxide Of thorlum. A hunt was then made
for an adequate supply Of raw material,
sand found in North Carolina acquired
commercial value because IL contained thOrium,
and a gifted young chemist IN that locality
soon began 10 study its traits and associates.
But for Welsbach and the presence Of monazite
in Or. Baskervile's own State, carolnium and
berzelium might not have been isolated for
many years.
Another line of investigation which led TO
this discovery was started by R0ntgen, pro-
fessor Of physics at Wurzburg Germany. On
Christmas night, 1895, while working with a
Crookes tube, he observed certain effects out
side Of that apparatus never before noticed.
An invisible radiance thrown off by the in
strument excited fuorescence on a sheet OF
chemically coated paper. 1t would also act
chemically on a Photographic plate Just rs
light does. Becquerel. the French chemist
knew that certain salts Of uranium would
fuOresce under the influence Of strong sunlight
He thereupon tried, in 1896, to see If he could
also obtain the invisible Photographic radia-
ton from that substance and he did The
Curies derived their inspiration from Becque-
rel's achievement In the mean time Schmidt
and Rutherford had observed that thorium
too, was radio active. Thus Dr. Baskerville
was led to give fresh study 20 the latter ele-
ment and the results now announced eventual
" followed.
Whether the minerals In other lands which
yield thorium also contain berZelium and caro-
Hnium Is open TO question. If the newly found
elements are to be had only from monazite
and in infinitesmal quantities. it may he Il
long time before they can be studied by foreign
experts In scarcity they seem TO bear the
same relation TO thorium that radum does TO
uranium DR.. Baskerville is quoted as saving
that he has been able to get only three grains
thus far. In the interests Of science ii is 10 be
hoped that new sources viii soon be revealed.