April 4, 1919] 



SCIENCE 



329 



atomic weight to 207.19 and density to 11.34. 

 Similarly " neo " lead, or freshly created lead, 

 formed by radio-active disintegration, would 

 very slowly increase its mass and eons hence 

 have a higher atomic weight and density. 



All other elements should be subject to an 

 increase in mass and it could therefore be pre- 

 dicted that e. g., helium of the atmosphere and 

 of minerals will have an " atomic weight " 

 which is .0214 higher than the atomic weight 

 of heliimi from radioactive disintegration, 

 that is : tliere should be an " old " or " com- 

 mon " heliimi with atomic weight of about 

 3.94, and a " neo " helium of atomic weight 

 3.92. 



There is at present no evidence for the 

 fallacy of such a speculation, in fact it seems 

 to be supported by certain widely different 

 phenomena to wit: 



(a) Radio-activity. — The difference in the 

 atomic weights of " leads " is explained in a 

 plausible way. It is a safe guess to predict 

 that common lead can not be separated. 

 While a mixture of common and radioactive 

 lead might be separated by fractional diffu- 

 sion. 



(6) Astro-pliijsics. — The stellar evolution, 

 revealed by characteristic types of stellar and 

 nebular spectra, points to a close relationship 

 between the constituents of celestial bodies 

 and the periodic law. This indicates an evo- 

 lution of chemical elements following the 

 periodic system. 



(c) Geo-chemistry. — Here the remarkable 

 fact is shown that over 99 per cent, of the 

 elements upon the known earth surface are 

 those of low atomic weight. These elements 

 occupy neighboring places in the periodic sys- 

 tem which seem to indicate that the earth 

 has reached a certain definite stage of evolu- 

 tion, practically halfway of the third period 

 in the periodic system. 



(d) Bio-chemistry. — From 96-99.5 per cent. 

 of all living matter is composed of the fo\ir 

 elements C, H, O and N, all four being neigh- 

 bors in the periodic system. The other ele- 

 ments essential to life are closely gnrouped 

 around. 



Therefore is it not possible that biological 



evolution follows stellar evolution, and stellar 

 evolution follows chemical evolution? If 

 stellar and chemical evolution go hand in 

 hand, then the physical, chemical and bio- 

 logical condition of a celestial body will de- 

 pend entirely upon its age. 



Where is the evidence that the elements of 

 to-day were eons ago the same substances and 

 preserved their properties unaltered? It is 

 possible that the electrons of the atom might 

 very slowly lessen tlieir orbital motion and 

 thereby attract and hold additional free elec- 

 trons thus increasing in valency and mass. 

 Thus, e. g., a sodium-atom by catching an 

 electron would increase in its valency and 

 become a magnesium-atom. Magnesium in 

 time transmutates into aluminum and so on. 



Just as the astronomical experience of man- 

 kind is recognized to be a snapshot of the 

 imiverse, so all chemical and physical knowl- 

 edge of man is the limited inventory, taken 

 during an infinitesimal fraction of eternity. 

 Ingo W. D. Hackh 



Bexkeley, Cal., 

 January 22, 1919 



DESICCATED VEGETABLES 



An admirable exposition of the anhydrous 

 food industry has recently appeared in a gov- 

 ernment bulletin entitled " Relation of Dehy- 

 dration to Agriculture " and written by Major 

 S. C. Prescott. After reading this paper one 

 can not fail to come to the conclusion that the 

 preparation of dried foods is destined to be- 

 come a very important industry. However, be- 

 fore such an industry can yield the maximum 

 return it is essential that the eaters of the 

 dried foods be scientifically assured that desic- 

 cated foods iwssess proper nutritive value. 

 Some such investigations have been made but 

 there is a need for very comprehensive studies. 



It is a matter of common knowledge that 

 desiccated vegetables, for example, will assume 

 a form closely approaching that of the fresh 

 vegetable after having been immersed in water 

 for a few hours. This fact is often cited as 

 demonstrating that there has been no alter- 

 ation in the structure of the vegetable cell dur- 

 ing the dehydration process. However, if we 



