SOME PHYSICAL PROBLEMS 



in 1898 Professor Ramsay was again able to electrify 

 his audience at the Royal Society by the announce- 

 ment of the discovery, in pretty rapid succession, of 

 three other elementary substances as constituents of 

 the atmosphere, these three being the ones just re- 

 ferred to krypton, neon, and zenon. 



It is a really thrilling experience, standing in the 

 presence of the only portions of these new substances 

 that have been isolated, to hear Professor Ramsay and 

 Dr. Travers, his chief assistant, tell the story of the 

 discovery how they worked more and more eagerly 

 as they found themselves, so to say, on a "warmer 

 scent," following out this clew and that until the 

 right one at last brought the chase to a successful 

 issue. " It was on a Sabbath morning in June, if I re- 

 member rightly, when we finally ran zenon down," 

 says Dr. Travers, with a half smile; and Professor 

 Ramsay, his eyes twinkling at the recollection of this 

 very unorthodox procedure, nods assent. "And have 

 you got them all now?" I queried, after hearing the 

 story. "Yes; we think so," replied Professor Ram- 

 say. "And I am rather glad of it," he adds, with a 

 half sigh, "for it was wearisome even though fascinat- 

 ing work." Just how wearisome it must have been 

 only a professional scientific investigator can fully 

 comprehend ; but the fascination of it all may be com- 

 prehended in some measure by every one who has ever 

 attempted creative work of whatever grade or in what- 

 ever field. 



I have just said that the little test-tubes contain the 

 only bit of each of the substances named that has ever 

 been isolated. This statement might lead the un- 



8? 



