Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-01-28
THE PHILOSOPHERS STONE.

The fact that a statement that a German inves-
tigator has discovered a way to transform a baser
metal into gold received the serious attention Of
some scientific men is not an indication that science
is reverting to the dark ages or that men of science
of today are believers i'll witchcraft or any of the
other similar beliefs of former era. Belief in the
transmutat'on OF metals was at one time entertained
seriously by men who were exceedingly we'll versed
in the science of their day. The belief was charac-
terized by a mixture of science and superstition.
Gradually it was abandoned except by the supersti-
tious. More recently the theoretical possibility of
such a change is recognized by many men of un-
doubted scientific attainments.
We have reached the state in our scientific in
designations when 1t appears to be an established
fact that all matter may be resolved into exceeding
ly minute parts. The molccule has been shown to
consist of atoms, the atoms of ions, the ion of cleo
irons, and there are many who maintain that matter,
really being a form Of force in it's ultimate subdivis-
ION, IS always alike, and that the character in which
it exhibits itself in it's later combinations is due to
vibrations which may be said to be transforming
the same original parts into different phases as the
process continues. In other words, the theory is that
all matter having originated from the same source,
there is no conclusive reason known why any par
ticular matter may not be resolved into its original
element, and being given a new direction, trans
formed into some other. That is about the sub
stance of what we believe is the prevailing belief.
The possibility of making this change is no advan-
tage. There are many who do not believe that it
can ever be done, and very many who feel quite GER
tain tnat II II SnOulQ De done, the results would not
be worth the effort. Nevertheless, the serious an
inouncernent that such a change had actually been
made was considered worthy of investigation. The
statement is now discredited, and the man who made
it has been set down as a fraud.
1t is not alone in the transformation of one met
al into another that science has been busy. The
world has become very familiar of late with the eff
forts made to manufacture artificially such precious
substances as diamonds, rubies, pearls, etc. All of
these have been attended with success SO far as the
laboratory experiments are concerned. As a matter
OF tact, diamonds are now manufactured on a COM
mercial scale at will, not for purposes of
ton, but for purposes of abrasion, minute diamond
particles being the basis of some of the materials
now used in grinding and smoothing.
ly the processes in the pearl oyster which, induced
by accidental irritation. have been productive of So
called real pearls. AS a matter of fact, whatever. the
origin, both are real, as they consist of the same sub
stance exactly, secreted by the same animal life, and
elected for the same purpose.
The search for the philosophers stone was a
;favorite search of the old-time a%lchemists. Should
would not gain anything from the discovery. The
individual who could at will transform other sub
stances into gold would naturally reap a large re-
ward until his secret became known to others, but
should the world generally be able. to transform
other substances into so-called precious metals,
those metals would Immediately cease: to be precious
and would lose the value which their rarity gives
them. Such experiments are interesting from the
scientific standpoint and from the standpoint of
utility, in that their success might contribute mate
rally to the facilitation of many industrial processes,
but if the whole world could at one motion be trans
formed into a vast lump of gold the world would be
no richer, and in fact it would be a very much more
desolate place than it is today.
~ A Massachusetts, commission has recommend