St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1904-03-12
RADIUM AND TRANSPORTATION.
Interesting SpeculatiOns on the Pos
sfble Future Values of the Mo-
bier Metals of the Earth.

Interesting Speculations on the Pos
sfble Future Values of the No
bier Metals of the Earth.
Radium still occupies the premier po-
sition as regards research and atten-
ton by scientific men. And no Won
der need be expressed that such is the
case, says the London Lancet, consider
ing that as its properties are studied
fresh revelations of most remarkable
kind are made. These revelations Will
be received with JOY by those who
cherish the view that the elements, in
spite of their diversities of character,
stuff. The hypothesis is attractive and
several important and modern lines ~
research have been directed toward
raising it to the dignity of theory if not
to ascertained fact. In this connection
Sir William Crookes' investigations on
radiant matter rank first. By his bril-
liant researches he was at length able
to say: I'VE have actually touched the
borderland where matter and force
seem to merge in one another Then
came the recognition of radiant matter
as electrons.
In the meantime that wonderful prop
erty of certain activity
was being very carefully investigated.
until at last perseverance and skill were
rewarded in the discovery of that mys-
FERROUS element now known as radium.
The discovery of the X-rays was q
great stimulus to this path of research.
Apparently remote, however, from the
study of radiant phenomena was the dis
covery of argon in the atmosphere which
in it's turn led to the discovery Of
helium. AS matter of fact, the most
remarkable property of radium would
probably have escaped observation had
not helium been discovered and it's prop
critics made known. The energy mani
tested by radium is not due to radium
At all, but to the radioactive emanation
which it produces from itself, and these
carnations would appear to be inert
gases, perhaps argon or members OF the
argon group
The fact that helium was found In
minerals containing uranium suggested
that helium might be connected in some
way with radio-activity. Eventually
Sir William Ramsay and Frederic Soddy
showed that though the fresh emana-
tons from radium did not exhibit the
spectrum of helium, yet as the radio
activity dies down helium is produced
n small but in ever-increasing guam
titles. Helium would thus appear to
have been born. so to speak, out of the
emanations. Are these emanations re-
lated closely to the primordial matter,
out Of which all the elements known to
chemistry by process of ages have been
elaborated?
We are thus brought face to face with
the old theory of transmutation and
fresh light is thrown upon the genesis
of the elements. Nature would seem to
abhor elements of high atomic weights
Ind her tendency is to resolve them
gradually into elements of lower atomic
weights. Just in the same way complex
molecules in the organic world tend to
break up into simpler substances. The
great life processes elaborate complex
materials, but as soon as these processes
cease there is revolution into simpler
products accompanied by loss of en-
ergy.
Is it kindred process in the inorganic
world and are the elements of high
atomic weight slowly disintegrating in
favor Of elements of lower atomic
weight? If SO, the dream of the alchem-
list may after all be realized. Gold is
possibly being slowly resolved into cop
per or metals of lower atomic weight
than itself by process of natural decay
but transformation of copper into gold
is by natural agencies improbable.
According to this view some explana-
ton may be found of the existence in
nature of the metals known as noble in
limited quantities.; unless method is
Forthcoming, however, by which the re-
verse process becomes possible gold
may forever remain standard of cur
rency as its dissolution would be so
slow. The native amount may diminish
but not sensibly in very great period
of time. If by artificial means, however,
what appears to be the natural tendency
can be overcome and reversed copper
or tin or lead may be resolved into gold.
Theoretically, such an accomplish
ment may come to be no more wonderful
than is the building up of sugar or alco-
hol from its elements at the present
time Apart from specializing it is a
wonderful thing that radium has shown
that there exist in nature minerals con-
~: ,,S- Al - :; cb ~, o;rE 4