THE THIRST OF SALTED WATER 655 



My story has a moral. It is well known that the dissociation 

 hypothesis dealt with in this essay has attained to an extra- 

 ordinary popularity ; this is in no way surprising, as chemical 

 activity is a subject in which so many are interested. 



All the major channels of communication and most of the 

 minor are secured by the high priests of the cult : they command 

 the almost universal obedience of student youth ; and now their 

 technical jargon confronts us everywhere. Thus, recently, when 

 recovering from an indisposition, happening to take a mild course 

 of Pharmacology, turning over the pages of a standard text-book 

 on the subject, under "Acids" I came across the following ex- 

 planation of the various physiological effects which they produce : 



In all these effects mineral acids are much more active 

 than organic acids . . . the difference in action is solely one of 

 dissociation. All acids have an antiseptic action which varies- 

 with the dissociation, that is, the number of H ions in the 

 solution. 



This is but typical of the kind of statement constantly met 

 with. It is either very learned talk in the mystic language of 

 the initiate or misleading undiluted piffle — I should say the 

 latter. The seriousness of the situation such language creates, 

 however, lies in the fact that it is directed to those who later 

 on will be responsible for the lives of men, who should grow 

 up with clear ideas, to reverence science and to put trust in 

 its votaries. 



It will be held by some, perhaps even by many, that even 

 if my indictment be true, it matters^ little nevertheless that a 

 visionary scheme has been advanced — or even that it should 

 have been forced into use for a time. It has inspired workers. 



But at what expense of truth has victory been gained— if 

 indeed there be true victory of any kind ? What nature of 

 example is it that we have set? To what extent are almost all 

 sources of information available to the youthful mind polluted 

 for years to come ? 



It is difficult to avoid the conclusion that we have offended 

 against all the old canons of practice by which former workers 

 were guided. They disputed, often vigorously and violently— 

 they held the strongest opinions ; but as a rule they were 

 careful to balance arguments and to allow arguments to be 

 balanced. 



