24 KANSAS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 
matter so different from every other form that it is puzzling to know why those 
who are responsible for such theories of the ether ever thought of it as matter 
at all. 
The ether is undoubtedly a form of matter; and as such it must present all 
the essential properties of matter: elasticity, impenetrability, inertia, mass, and 
work must be done to put it in motion. Let us get a conception of the ether 
which will admit of all these essential properties of matter, and which will 
eliminate the contradictions of the old theories. Let us think of the ether as 
made up of protatoms— particles which constitute the atoms of the tangible ele- 
ments about us everywhere. Let us suppose these protatoms to be separated 
from each other by distances which are great as compared with their own di- 
ameters; and let us conceive of the spaces between these protatoms as absolutely 
void—nothing there at all. The conception of empty space is not beyond the 
human mind, as some have contended; for space is only pure extension, which 
may be occupied by matter or not, according to circumstances. 
One more conception is necessary: that of motion. Our protatoms must be 
in motion, But whencethe motion? isasked. As wellask: Whence the matter? 
Matter and motion of matter are coexistent. These are the two fundamental 
ideas of the material universe. Upon them is built the cosmos. Is matter eter- 
nal? so is the motion of matter. The approach of particle to particle, the recoil, 
the consequent approach to other particles, and recoil, are as eternal as the mat- 
ter itself. Whence it is no science can tell, as no science can tell whence the 
matter with which it deals. Absolute rest, absolute absence of this approach 
and recession of particles and masses, would be as difficult of explanation did 
such a condition of affairs exist in nature. 
Briefly, the conception of the ether which I desire to suggest is: that it is 
constituted of minute particles which I call protatoms; these protatoms may be 
of various sizes, but all are minute as compared with their mean distances apart 
in the otherwise void space; in this void space they move with a great range of 
velocities in every direction, and hence they are continually colliding and re- 
bounding, with no diminution, however, of their sum total of energy; for what 
motion is lost to one protatom, owing to the angle of impact, may be found as im- 
parted to the protatom struck, all being perfectly elastic. 
Owing to their varying distances apart and to their variance in size and ve- 
locity, a tendency to grouping will arise, if indeed the existence of groups may 
not be considered as a primal condition. This will be a selective grouping, anal- 
ogous to that seen in the case of concretions and other grosser aggregates, such 
as crystals, ‘‘ pillow witches,’’ hair balls, ete. Groups of like size and weight 
will show like properties. They will constitute the chemical atoms. This vi- 
bration of the ether protatoms will continue to play on the atomic aggregates, 
not as aggregates, but as they strike and rebound from the individual constitu- 
ent protatoms of the atoms. Some of the free ether particles may even pene- 
trate to some depth among the protatoms of the atoms before they strike a 
resisting particle, and thereafter may be a part of the atom, while others at the 
periphery of the atom will swing out into the free ether, and again become inde- 
pendent protatoms. Thus the atoms are not absolutely constant in their mass, 
and recent investigations on the atomic weights of some of the elements lend 
argument to this view. An average mass for the atom would be maintained, the 
losses under the action of the surrounding ether balancing the gain, as is the 
case of the formation of pillow witches in a pillow of feathers.* 
The atomic aggregates which are comparatively near would shield each other 
eR as Is i Sits cM RR ea Mie T INE hs A dow oe UL rete 
*See article on ‘“‘Concretions,’”’ Kans. Acad. of Sci. Transactions, vol. XVI, pp. 44-46. 
