The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-04-24
ARE SOLAR
SYSTEMS,
CLAIM
Prof. G. N. Lewis So Believes.
Or. r. A. MilIikan Denies Il.
Rays Increase Eggs.
By Cosmopolitan News Service.

~HclentiStS, no less than the
churches, have their little contro-
versies between ''fundamentalists''
and "modernists." With the
churches it is a matter Of accept
ing or denying the theory Of evo-
luton, while the scientists are
concerning themselves with the
3unctioning Of the atom.
Some 1000 delegates attending
the sixty-seventh meeting Of the
American Chemical Society, in ses-
sion here this week, have heard
two leading luminaries Of the sci-
entifc world discuss as many diff
ferent theories regarding the
atom. The two theories are
known as the 'loafer electron"
and the "orbit," put forward by
chemists and PHYSICISTS respec-
lively.
Each . Solar System.
DR.. Gilbert N. Lewis, professor
OF chemistry at the University OF
California, who was recently award
ed the William Bibbs medal for out
standing achievement in physical
chemistry, argued the case for the
chemists. He held that each atom
Is a solar system within itself. made
0n6 fh0f
these magnets are eiectrons winch
do not lead an active life.
Speaking for the physicists, DR.:
Robert A. Millikan, professor OF
physics at the California Institute
Of Technology, and the second
American to receive the Nobel
prize in science. said the electrons
do lead active lives. Thus the all
absorbing issue which is going on
IN. the laboratories.
sNThe only place where we have
differences Of opinion Is our views
aSto how the electrOns spend their
time when they are not radiatingt
said DR.. Millikan. "The chemist
has, in general, been content with
the A1eafer' theory. He has i'm
agined them sitting around on adry
goods boxes at every corner; ready
to shake hands with or hold onto
similar 'loafer' electrons ip Other
atoms. !
Chemistry Triumphs Revealed.
1.-THE physicist, on the other
hand" he continued, ''has preferred
to think Of them as leading more
active lives, playing rihg.around.
the-rosy, crack-the-whip, and other
interesting games. In other words,
he has pictured them as rotating
with enormous speed In orbits"
While the functioning Of the atom
has come in for considerable dis:
cussion, members OF the society
have given their attention to a
number OF other subjects, and have
revealed the triumphs Of chemistry
in widening spheres Of science and
industry. For example, experiments
were related in speeding up the
production Of eggs, accomplished by
treating habitues Of the barnyard
with ultraviolet rays.
Startling Increase I'm Eggs.
DIR. J. s. Hughes. one Of the
scientists attending the meeting, re-
lated the startling story Of how he
increased the production Of eggs
from 80 to .144 in a month by the
use Of ultraviolet rays on a lot
of hens.
He said the effect Of light was to
produce some chemical in the body
which was carried about by the
blood, and helped to deposit calcium
and PHOSPHORUS in the bones and
elsewhere.
Light enables the blood Of chickens
to use cacium in quantities neces-
sary for making egg shells and for
building up the, bones Of young
fowls, he said, adding that death
from child birth in Fthe human
family is partly attributd to the
lack Of sunlight.
The discussion developed the state.
ment that chickens comb is
used as an aerial" for catching
waves of light, since the substance
has difficulty In penetrating beneath
the feathers.
Held Nucleus Here.
A complete solution of the pro.
blem OF atom structure, one Of
sciences greatest enigmas, was pre-
dicted today by scientists at the
United States Bureau of Standards.
The bureau has discovered that
the atom consists of q nucleus
around which revolve in regular
orbits millions Of electrons. Expert.
ments show that these electrOns
can be knocked out Of their orbits
and out OF the atom by contact