Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-06
HOPE FOR ARTIFICIAL GOLD.
Modern Light on the Old Alchemists
Problem.
rom the London Telegraph.

From the London Telegraph
The disclaimer recently issued by Sir
William Ramsay, in which he denhltes
contradicts the rumor that he mas re-
ported favorably on process OF manu-
featuring gold, shows that SPECTATORS
are already taking advantage OF the fact
that modern scientific opinion regards the
transmutation of metals as an open pos
sibiltty. The gradual disappearance or
skepticism in this matter was explained
to one of our representatives by an emil
nent scientist.
1"rhe absurdity of transmutation OF
metals was adopted as scientific dogma
in the eighteenth century" he said. but
since 1859 certain things that have been
discovered have shown that the dogma
was premature, just as it would still be
premature to say that transmutation Will
ultimately be achieved. In 1869 the Rus
sian chemist Mendeleen arranged the ele-
ments in the order of their atomic weight
and from this arrangement conceived the
hypothesis that they had all been evolved
from some common original substance.
For the elements thus arran Sed Tell into
families, each member having similar but
accentuated properties as the atomic
weight increased, and therefore the OLD
idea that the simple elementary sub
stances stood absolutely apart, one from
another, had to be abandoned. The n.y.
pothesis that an unknown substance or
element, Professionally called 'protyie.
underlies their differences was suggested
to account for the af1nities.
Now this was a considerable revolu-
ton in opinion. The discovery or oxygen
in 1774 had overthrown many concep-
lions previously entertained by scientists
and II had come to be supposed that the
search for the transmitting philosopher
stone which occupied the medieval al
chemists was an entire delusion. This
stance by means Of which the elements
and indeed everything, could be turned
into gold, and though probably good
deal of honest research was undertaken
In connection with the idea, all sorts OF
frauds accompanied its exploitation.
"But since the whole method of medi-
eva! science has been generally discred-
tied, whether accompanied by honest OF
by dishonest experiments, the revival OF
the original substance idea in 1869 was
a very considerable revolution in opinion
However, the idea of artificial gold might
not have entered the minds OF modern
SPECTATORS at all seriously II radium
had remained undiscovered. But 1t was
found that radium undergoes a sort OF
spontaneous decomposition. and that
among the emanations which 1t gives on
a totally different element. namely. he
lium. is included. Thre, then. within the
admit by facts that a spontaneous trans
mutation of elements does take place in
nature. Therefore scientists can no long
err deny that the transmutation of such
elements as lead. gold. copper, nickel,
platinum, silver. mercury, cadmium and
SON, and even the creation of artificial
gold, are possibilities Of future expert
ment.
However. I think one may say that
scientists still maintain the improbability
of this achievement, although the state OF
scientific knowledge as it stands at the
moment seems to oppose no insuperable
barrier to it. But one may speculate
whether a universal method of transmu-
tation would be discovered. 1t appears to
me that we shall conceivably be able to
note aff1nities between certain clements
and even to transform one into another.
But the idea that gold will be the first
artificial element to be constructed is
probably a delusion, even il 1t is not a
| fraudulent delusion. A universal process
of Transportation would throw our whole
economic life into the most extraordinary
quandary. and the difficulties created by
| the discovery of a way to make gold arti-
| hcially would alone be very disastrous
But the other minor transmutations. not