Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-05-10
SYNTHETIC GOLD
OF ALCHEMISTS
is SOUGHT NOW
Rr FREDERIC ]. HAsKIN.

Washington, May g.--The theory
that modern man can do anything
is leading some ambitious expert
mentors toward the long deserted
aims of the alchemists.
For several centuries now, the
popular attitude toward the medic
val alchemists has been ridicule.
The philosophers stone and the
elixir of life were Jokes" Trans
mutation of base metals into gold
was pronounced a legerdemain
trick which some alchemists dexter
ously managed TO put over in the
presence of gullible kings whose
knowledge of chemistry was limit
ed.
One historian explained that the
medieval scholar could produce
convincing illusion "by mixing IN
the presence of witnesses some
compound in which gold was Sc
cretiy placed or held invisible IN
solution and then bringing II loIll
by a process simple enough TO tne
operator but profoundly mysterious
to the bystanders."
The bearded old alchemlsts were
relocated to a sorry place III nls
tory and formulas were gloty
quoted to show just how Tar OF
were the theories of the early PM
losophers from the facts OF scleh-
tific chemistry.
But now we have come around TO
q more credulous era. SO many
miracles have become common
place; so many mysteries have peeh
explained and SO many modern eK-
plantations have to be periodlcaliy
revised that most learned men hesi-
tate to scott at the seemingly I'M
possible.
Thus, some scientists listened
with respectful interest to the re-
norts that German chemists were
making synthetic gold. To be sure.
the reports were later emphatically
denied. and there is no reason TO
believe that the Germans nave
solved the problem that intrigued
and baffled the philosophers OF
Europe for a thousand years.
Still, it is interesting to consider
that If gold were to be made syn
thetically, the discovery would &C.
tainly be kept secret as long as pos
sible because only by keeping the
process secret could the inventor
hope to profit. AS soon as the
process became public properly,
gold would sink in value to the
level of lead.
This economic fact explains why
philosophers searched through ten
centuries for the secret OF trans
mutation of metals, without losing
interest or hope. The mystery
which surrounded the experiments
of each black robed philosopner
was supposed to safeguard all sorts
OF important discoveries. Gener-
ally the philosopher died without
ever contributing his magnum opus
to science. He preferred TO bury
his secret with him..
Torture Revealed Nothing.
ANY number of wise men were
supposed to have found the phil
osopher's stone which would DIS
solve the foreign substances IN
base metals leaving pure golu'
Alchemists were tortured by pow
ertv-stricken Kings Of Europe In
vain efforts to force them to re-
veal the secret they claimed 70
have or were accused OF haVlng'
Rack and wheel left the sages
mute. Either they had no secret
or it stayed with them.
Alexander Seton, a Scottlsh ~,
chemist, was thrown into prison
bv the Duke of Saxony, VINO de-
manded of him the secret OF tNe
nhilosopher's stone. Seton refused
ia produce a fortune in transmutsn
eold which the duke asked for MS
ransom. and even under torture ne
told nothing. But when 1elloW
alchemist, Sendivogius, offered 10
HELM him escape in return. ior =
little information about alchemy
Seton agreed. 49,.
He regained his freedom, but'
with the caution of the Scot. ne
refused to tell his secret to his &c,
liyerer. Instead, he gave SENT.
vogius an ounce of transmutation
powder. This powder was used u
such good effect that Sendivogius
waa credited with cures or ais.
eases and production Of gold. But
eventually the ounce was used up,
Seton was dead by that time ana