The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-04-27
SCIENTISTS ARE STIRRED
OVER NEW DISCOVERIES
Mystery Surrounds the Elements
Found by Professor Charles
Baskerville.
LIQUID SHEDS LIGHT


NEW YORK, Aprils 26-Scientists are at
present very much interested in the discov-
cry of two new elements by Professor
Charles Baskerville, of the University of
North Carolina, and so enthusiastic have
they become over his researches that they
have been dining and feting him ever since
his stay at the Holland House in this city.
There is much mystery surrounding the
new elements, for so far no one has been
able TO discover if they are of any practi-
cal use.
What properties they may contain or in
what way they may be Of use commercially
is so far matter of conjecture, but scient-
lists in general believe that something Won
derful will develop from the new substances
when they are better known.
When Professor Baskerville was inter-
viewed it developed that in the production
of the new elements other discoveries were
made. through the hep of radium, which
are also of great interest.
1t may sound absurd at first, perhaps, TO
ask, How would you like TO have your
pockets full of light? or How would you
like TO look through stone wall? but 1t
can be truthfully said that with the aid OF
science both these apparently impossible
featS can be accomplished.
Flawless diamonds can now be made to
shed beam of light of dazzling brightness,
and even the human body can be made
IiOurescent by a new adaptation OF radlum
recently discovered
Professor Baskerville, in experimenting
with radium, had the gases which it is con-
tinually throwing oil practically bottled up.
The gas was then cooled by liquid air until
the vapor itself became liquid.
This liquid, when reduced to an intense
degree of cold, sheds a light that would put
an electric arc light 10 shame. 1t is now
claimed that process has been discovered
whereby the gas can be kept In liquid
state for a great length of time, so that a
tube of light can be carried in mans
pocket.
But the light itself has astonishing prop
critics. 1t will render brass iron copper,
stone. or in fact any opaque substance.
transparent.
One can readily imagine the burglar of
the future bending down before a safe and
holding a tube of this light before it, In
stantly he can see what il contains and
in a second will be able to decide whether
the task of blowing off the door will be
worth the trouble.
Or the Imagination can be stretched
little further. In a few years, perhaps, we
will hear Of Mrs Smith borrowing a tube
of light from her neghbor, with the excuse
that Mr.. Smith forgot to order in a fresh
supply of the luminosity while downtown.
AS for causing diamonds TO shed a bril-
| liant light the fact that il can be done has
been demonstrated several times. By a
process known only TO a few diamonds can
be made TO absorb certain production
of radium which causes them TO throw out
flashing rays of light for over twenty-four
hours.
| animals. such dogs, cats and guinea
pigs Their bodies then issue soft kind
of a glow, which has an especially weird
| effect in a dark room.
This latter experiment, however, has
proved to be harmful the application Of
| the light giving substance causing severe
eruptions of the skin of the animals.
Like all new discoveries, these have
drawbacks and difficulties to be overcome.
The production of the luminous gas, for
! instance, is both difficult and expensive,
and it will probably be good many years
before it will come into general use.
Professor Charles Baskerville is the first
| American chemist TO discover a new ele-
ment. The two he has produced have been
named by him carolinium and berzelium.
| Although his discovery is of no practical
| value to any one but a scientist. it has
created a furore among the chemists of the
world. Professor Baskervilles discovery
means that he has virtually found that
two substances exist in the earth which
no one knew anything about before. He
is but thrty-three years old. youthful in
appearance and a man who is both genial
and fun loving. For ten years he labored
with thorium dioxide. working the
principle that the substance contained
properties which the scientific world knew
When he finally discovered that thorium
could be made to produce elements
heard of before he stopped his work and
began to think of seeking a rest. This
was not to be, however, as it afterward
| proved.
No sooner had his discovery been noised
about than Sir William Crooks, the emf
nent English chemist, became interested
and asked to be permitted to make spec
| trum analysis of the two substances
| Professor Baskerville sent Sir William
some of the stuff, and he is at present ex-
perimenting with it.
DIR. Baskerville then left the University
| of North Carolina for a brief vacation, but
while in Washington he was asked to say
something to a few students on his discOv-
cries He good-naturedly agreed, but was
! hardly prepared for what happened. Upon
! taking the platform he found the lecture
room crowded with some of the most prom
| inent chemists in the country, but UMPIRE
/ pared as he was, Professor Baskerville de-
| erously by those present.
Still seeking rest, he fled to New York
| putting up at the Holland House To a
| reporter he said: Il am glad to be able to
| deny some reports concerning my discov-
| cries which have been published in the
| newspapers. In the first place carolinium
! and berZeium are not luminous and they
| have hardly any radio activity. So far as
| being of any use commercially no one
knows anything about that part of it. What
| we have discovered is practically this:
CaFolinum when taken from thorium is a
! light pink, and berzelium a light green
/ Now thorium is purely white, showing
! that these new substances are foreign to it
| This discovery is, of course, of great in
| terest This is because having two new
! elements means have two more fields
! for experiments. AS soon as 1 get a rest
! l shall start experimenting on them but
what further developments may be found
/ It is impossible to say"