Los Angeles herald., 1906-01-07
w. p. WHITSETT, Owner
405 Severance Building
WATT!

dowed with the principle of life or mo-
ton: but, totally unable to determine
the nature of the stone, or explain it's
singular properties, they graVely, and
perhaps wisely, termed them asehen-
treckers or lash drawers"
This curious story having been crcu-
lated abroad, it came to the hearing of
NJ. Lemery, a man of scientific tastes,
and after procuring a specimen of the
stone, he exhibited it's powers of at
traction and repulsion to the French
Academy of Sciences in 1927. But
here all investigation and scientific in
quiry ceased for nearly forty years. At
this time German physician by name,
Aeplnus. became interested In the re-
port concerning the strange properties
of the stone, and. obtaining two from
Mr.. Lechman. he commenced series
of experiments connected with the ef-
feet of heat and friction. After MAX
ing a careful investigation of the sub
ject, he published the results of his in
qulries and experiments in the history
of the Academy of Sciences at Berlin
i'm 1856. The scientific world was star
tied at last with the statements of his
memoir, and eXperimentalists over all
Europe made haste to obtain speci-
mems of the wonderful stone.
The duke de Noya, an Italian noble
man, obtaining two from Holland, has
tily made some experiments in care
less way and submitted his report to
the French academy. The duke, led
astray by the imperfections of his OBJ
servations. objected to some of the
statements of Aepinus and openly pro-
nounced them incorrect. At this june
ture of affairs Dufay, Haller, Adam
son, Columb and other SaVans came TO
the rescue of Aepinus and proved by
their careful and varied experiments
that he was correct. In England the
spirit of inquiry was also aroused and
Dr. Heberden obtaining the only tour
maline which was then in Great Brit
ain, called to his aid some of the Eng
lish philosophers, and they also con-
trmed the received opinion of its Won
derful electric power. Fashionable So
ciety also became interested in the eX-
cited discussions of the philosophers,
and the disputed stones were eagerly
sought for by the fop as well as by the
philosopher or dilettante.
One of Hogarth's pictures, painted at
this period, represents a gay youth ar
rested while absorbed with the wonders
of the tourmaline when held up to the
rays of the sun. Mr.. Wilson and Mr.
Carlton two of the most eminent cleo
trlcians of their day, also procured a
number of tourmalines from Holland
and submitted them to numerous and
interesting experiments, which fully
sustained the assertions of Aepinus.
Dr. Franklin became interested in the
subject and, after experimenting upon
one of the stones, wrote to DR.. Heber-
den in 1853 supporting his theories.
During the hot discussion which pre-
vailed the stones were described under
various names. and were by some ge-
ologists supposed to be identical with
the "lyncurium" of the ancients, which
is now known to be yellow zircon,
Characteristics Not Recognized
AS all the accessible specimens had
been cut by the Dutch lapidaries or
were in rounded masses, like water
worn pebbles the form of crystalliza-
tion, and the common characteristics of
tourmalines and schorl. We're not then
recognized, Linnaeus, in 1868, was the
first to intimate their relationship, but
1t was reserved for Rome de Lisle to
describe the Ceylon crystals and estab-
lish their identity with the black va
riety, which had been known In Eu-
rope for almost two centuries 1t was,
however, long time before the dis
putants adopted the present name of
tourmaline which is derived from the
ancient Cingalese word turmali, and
not turamali which we understand is
applied by the natives Of Ceylon to the
zircon.
This remarkable mineral belongs evil
IDENTIFY to rocks of capitalization and
never appears i'm the secondary ter
rains. or rocks of transition, with the