AuG. 19, 1923 PROCEEDINGS: PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY 330 
Owing to the difficulties of navigation by astronomical methods and to 
the fact that frequently no celestial body can be seen on account of clouds or 
other conditions, the third method of navigation by some directional radio 
device seems to be the most promising as a solution of the problem. ‘This 
method is as yet in the experimental stage. 
887TH MEETING 
The 887th meeting was held at the Cosmos Club Auditorium on Saturday, 
May 19,1923. It was called to order at 8:15 p.m. by President WuireE with 
60 persons in attendance. 
President White commended the outgoing Program Committee for their 
splendid work during the year and announced the appointment of the new 
Program Committee for 1923-1924 as follows: Messrs. Heyn (Chairman), 
GisH, and MBIsINGER. 
A paper entitled The Alchemist was presented by Dr. Paut D. Foore. 
It was illustrated with lantern slides and was discussed by Messrs. Hawkers- 
wortH, Briccs, Ruark, TuckeRMAN, WuitE, Humpureys, and 
WILLIAMSON. 
Author’s abstract: A historical summary of the early alchemical literature 
was briefly presented. The elaborate experiments of these pseudo-investi- 
gators contributed somewhat to the progress of chemistry, but no trans- 
mutations of the elements were effected. Alchemy as a sound physical 
hypothesis had its origin within the past twenty years, and its possibility 
became evident with the modern development of our knowledge of atomic 
structure. 
An atom consists of a planetary system of electrons revolving about a 
positively charged nucleus or sun. The nucleus or sun itself is a complicated 
structure, probably of a planetary nature, consisting of a group of closely 
bound hydrogen nuclei, helium nuclei, and electrons. The sun in a gold 
atom, for example, contains 49 helium suns, one extra hydrogen sun, and 20 
electrons, all packed in the space of 30 billionth billionth billionth billionths 
of a cubic centimeter. Alchemy is concerned with the disintegration of these 
minute nuclear suns. 
We have about 40 different radioactive species which are produced spon- 
taneously and which represent transmutations of the elements in the strictly 
alchemical sense. Many radioactive elements give off helium. Some of the 
light elements may be transmuted into still lighter elements and hydrogen— 
the recent experiments of Rutherford in which the disintegration is produced 
by bombardment with alpha particles. Rutherford has stated that very 
likely every element may be transmuted as soon as the scientist is able to 
utilize an electric field of 10 million volts. 
It seems probable that transmutation of baser metals into gold, platinum, 
and other rare metals may be effected on a small scale by several methods 
which were outlined and which were analogous to spontaneous radioactive 
disintegration or to the artificial disintegration by the Rutherford method. 
Such alchemical transformations on a large scale of production is, however, 
a problem for the distant future. It was pointed out that when that time 
comes, the problem of transmutation for the object of producing rare metals 
will shrink to insignificance compared to the greater interests which will 
develop simultaneously. For by whatever means quantity production is 
effected, the same methods can be employed in the creation of energy by the 
annihilation of mass. Thus if the hydrogen in two teaspoonsful of water 
were converted into helium, an amount of energy isliberated equivalent to 
$20,000 worth of electrical power at the current rates. 
J. P. Auut, Recording Secretary. 
