NEW CONCEPTIONS IN SCIENCE 



est atom known to chemists ; from whatever source 

 they come, they are all alike, identical in every 

 way. Is this primal matter at last? Is here the 

 stuff from which all known substances are com- 

 pounded ? May we look forward to the time when 

 we may build up any substance gold, for ex- 

 ample from the elements of any other? Have we 

 realized the philosopher's stone? 



However this may turn out, it is certain that 

 these cathode rays, or "corpuscles," as Professor 

 Thomson calls them, are destined to play a leading 

 part in all future conceptions alike of chemistry 

 and physics. From their first recognition by a 

 German, Hittorf, in 1868, there has been a long 

 line of investigators, whose results fill bulky 

 volumes. If, as now seems not improbable, this 

 should turn out to be the most far-reaching dis- 

 covery of the century, the historian of the future 

 will be rather puzzled to explain why, among 

 scores of names and observations, not one name, 

 not one observation, has been contributed by 

 the nation which boasts itself the best educated, 

 the most progressive and enlightened of all. The 

 tribute of America is conspicuous by its absence. 



But slight significance could lie in such a detail 

 of the facts were the cases exceptional. In sketch- 

 ing out this none too flattering picture, I have 



338 



