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Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 7, 3 October 1929, Page 15

The transmutation of various substances into gold by chemical means is referred to briefly in the August number of “Chemistry and Industry,” the official journal of the Society of Chemical Industry. This periodical prints an article which was published in a French newspaper—an article which complains of the obtuseness of “official science” in foolishly failing even to take seriously the efforts of a certain modern alchemist to secure recognition of his achievements in connection with the chemical manufacture of gold. “It appears that the success that the alchemist has attained has led others to engage themselves in similar synthetic experiments, always with the same results. Yet official science will have none of it.” complains the French paper. "All along the line there is a conspiracy of silence. The alchemist’s affirmations are not contradicted. They are not. even discussed. They are ignored.” Commenting on this outburst, “Chemistry and Industry” states that perhaps “official science” is silent because it has other views of the conditions which must be necessary, if not sufficient, for the transmutation to be successful; or perhaps it is merely jealous. However, by ignoring the claims it at least pays the claimant the compliment of anticipating no dire economic calamity, if at the same time no great public advantage, to accrue from the investigations. The attempt to produce noble from baser substances is indeed one of those games of man’s chemical childhood, which are still so intriguing as to defy oblivion.”