The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-04

Britain, Japan and South America, by
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 PARIS, Feb, 3.-Free hydrogen is now obtainable at almost negligible cost It will provide limitless sup ply of cheap motor fuel, yielding about three times as much heat per pound as gasoline. It will release vast quantities of energy for industrial and domestic requirements, and ', to the degree of it's practical application, will revolu tionize modern life. This was, in effect, the statement of Prof. Charles Henry, to. a. represen. tative of the North American News. paper Alliance today. in which he an. nounced the success of research GOV. ering nearly 20 years, in an attempt | to derive free hydrogen from water without the present, expensive processes which neuttalize the results obtained
 Professor Henry is scientist of international reputation, and is head of the laboratory of the Physiology of Sensations of the Sorbonne. While he is one of the great figures in modern theoretical research, hes also, has made noteworthy contributions in the prac. tical field, including process for wine sterilization in high tension electro static field, which, has profoundly af. fected the French wine industry. In the field of physiology and physics, he has invented practical new instruments and processes. In view of these facts, both, French scientists and industrial. ists are intensley interested in the announcement of his new discovery and plans are being made for a speedy utilization of his method.
 Will Transform Industry
 It is safe to predict that cheap supply of free hydrogen will revolu- tionize modern industry" said Pro- lessor Henry. Tt will make possible the production of vast quantities of energy at central : locations, which may be electrically transmitted, do ing away with the Transportation of coal and oil over long distances.
 T am fully alive to the importance of carrying through the remaining prac- tical work under some auspices which will insure the broadest social use Iof the new methods, and safeguard them against selfish exploitation. I believe that this command of tremendous new energies will shave a most searching effect on our economic .life-will, in fact, work profound changes-and for this reason, personally believe that their development should not be con- fined to any one nation, or any one group of, iHdustralists. am willing to cooperate with any representatives of American scientific groups who may wish to see the remaining practical ap- plication of the work already done. And this practical work is all that remains. The scientific foundation has been laid"
 The writer visited the great French savant at his quaint old vine-covered chateau at Orry La Ville-Coye, near Paris. For, 20 years, Charles Henry's life has been lived in his little study monastic in its simplicity-and in his laboratory at the Sorbonne. Delving deep in the maze of subatomic struc- ture, tracing the intricacies of chemical reactions in test tubes and retorts, and boring over mathematical problems for IF or 15 hours at time, he has seri; ously undermined his health, and has all but lost the use of his lower limbs But he is elated. He believes that his 70 years of self immolation has yielded a discovery of incalculabie benefit to mankind.
 Will Unlock Energies
 No account of the finding of the philosophers stone" could be more startling in its suggestion of magical possibilities than Prof. Henry's story of the new touchstone of "catalysis, J by which he proposed to unlock the captive energies, not only of water, but of all other substances for the service of man.
 The problem was roughly this: We want energy. When we try to get il from free hydrogen, or other free ele. ments, we find these clements locked up in a resistant molecular structure The energy required to blast" them loose may be as great as the energy ob. tained. Is there any way of unravel- ing these energies, rather than by wrenching them away by a wasteful expenditure of energy? -N.
 Professor Henry says there is. He says the methods is here for the world to use if it wants it.
 When, twenty years ago, Professor Henry began his task, his inquiries led him into the field of plant chemistry He found that plants could do what man could not do. He found, for in stance, that they could break up car bonic acid at low temperature, while man must expend a tremendous amount of heat energy to do the same thing By using certain "catalysing agents such as nickel, it was possible tc lower the temperature of the breakins up of carbolic acid, in industrial proc esses, by about 400 degrees, with ar economy of energy of about 2S per cent The plants achieved an economy of 9( per cent. Other catalysers have lone been in use, but the knowledge of then has been based on experience, and moi on uniform, rational, scientific under standing.
 Sought Natures Secret
 My biological approach to the prob lem convinced me that we could learr to do what the plants do," said Pro lessor Henry. '"The undertaking ther became that of finding out just why such minerals as manganese, zinc, mag neslum, calcium, etc., as catalysers That is, why do they make it easier to reak up resistane substances, ant make possible chemical reactions witt an economy of heat and pressure? ] knew that if l could learn this secret could draw free hydrogen from water without the present expensive proces, of electrolysis-the use of an electri, current, which, of course, requires { great expenditure of energy to produce
 My researches naturally led me tt the search for certain observable auali ties in catalytic reactions which, if re produced under other conditions would give assurance of similar results. Sci entific work, in this regard, is not un like that of a detective A detectiy, learns to know a crook when he see one by noting certain characteristic, which such a person always bears. Tn, problem is extremely difficult in tn, sub-microscopic world of atomic rela tionships, and it is possible that it nev l z..e..IL ka.za kaa..