I7O STASIAN FOLLY AND FRAUD. 



The Stasians, having corrupted science, have also cor- 

 rupted themselves. I have the facts at hand. I forbear. 



But if my object is not the conversion of the Stasian 

 Chemists, what do I aim at? 



I direct my words to the thousands of young men now 

 studying chemistry in Universities and Colleges throughout 

 the world, or having left these institutions within ten years. 



These are the Chemists of the Ftiture, and it is above all to 

 these Chemists of the Future that I direct my words. 



At the same time, the question discussed is so broad in 

 its general scientific character, that I have tried to express it 

 so as to be understood by all scientific students and the 

 scientific public generally. 



I shall treat this subject in three chapters. 



First, the Challenge of Stas will be considered, as made 

 and as answered. 



Second, the Synthesis of Silver Nitrate will be thoroughly 

 examined into, and the absolute lack of concordance of its 

 results will be shown. 



Third, the reaction between Silver Nitrate and Potassium 

 Chloride will be critically examined. 



This will really end the scientific discussion. But having 

 been compelled to waste so much time on so miserable a 

 subject, we are all, readers as well as writer, entitled to a 

 slight gratification. 



We shall present this gratification in two serio-comic 

 historic papers, namely: 



ON THE DISCOVERY OF THE CHANGE OF THE 



WEIGHT OF MATTER by chemical combination or 

 decomposition; and lastly, 



HERESY IN THE CHURCH OF STAS. 



With these two historic essays showing the utter rot- 

 teness of Stasism, we shall close this discussion, and proceed 

 to the summing up of the case. 



I. THE CHALLENGE OF STAS. 



The exact atomic weight of nitrogen has been known for 

 forty years, we are constantly told; it has been determined 



