456 HISTORY OF ALCHEMY. 



tions it was determined that one of the prominences extended at one time 

 out from the sun a distance of 200,000 miles — a slieet of red flame. "Usually 

 hydrogen gas is only seen in the prominences, but all the other gases found 

 on the surface are sometimes seen in the prominences. 



The lecture was illustrated by the use of the spectroscope, and hj charts 

 showing its operation. 



Prof. Snow, in adjourning the Academy^ stated that the number of papers 

 presented had been unusually large, showing a growing interest in the work 

 of the academy. He congratulated the members on the fact that the institu- 

 tion seems moving on from year to year in a work of increased usefulness. 

 He said the next meeting would be in June next, at Kansas City ; the next 

 annual meeting, at Topeka. 



CHEMISTRY. 



HISTORY OF ALCHEMY. 



BY PROF. T. J. EATON.* ; 



The whole sum of human life, from adult age to the grave, consists in a 

 struggle for mone3^ 



Whatever may be the pursuit, whether in science, religion, production 



or traffic, the greatest desire of every human heart may be expressed in 



that one monosyllable, gold. It is the mainsjDring of human activity, the 



end and object for which we are all working. 



"For gold the merchant plows the main, 

 The larmer plows the manor." 



As a desire it seems almost innate, and has existed since the foundation 

 of society. Mythology tells us that King Midas, when promised by Bac- 

 chus whatever he should ask, said "give me that with my body whatsoever I 

 touch may be changed to gold, pure yellow gold." To-day, there is not one 

 of us, if we had faith that it could be accomplished, that would not answer 

 the same question practically in the same manner. It is the universal and 

 all-absorbing j^roblem of life, and all we know of science is considered of 

 practicalimportance only so far as it enables us to wrench this precious metal 

 from nature or our fellow man. 



I mention this grand motive power of human action because its influence 

 on the ancient scientific mind produced the strange delusion whose history 

 I propose to give you in brief to-night. 



It is full of meaning and interest, as it was the first step, the jJrin^iti"? e 

 stage of a beautiful modern science. Like JMidas, they wished for some 

 supernatural power by which they could, with the simple touch, change the 



*Read before the Kansas City Academy of Science, Sept. 2oth, 1S77. 



