New Technology Makes Gasoline Obsolete

The following is an article from "Science and Discovery" entitled "Fuel From Water." Subtitle: "It Promises to Replace Coal and Gasoline."

Inexhaustible motive power from water by the liberation of hydrogen has been promised by Dr. Charles Henry, head of the Laboratory of the Physiology of Sensations, of the Sorbonne, Paris, who announces the results of his experiments through the "North American Newspaper Syndicate."

Should Dr. Henry's discoveries be turned to commercial profit, gasoline will be a thing of the past, and the world's industry will be revolutionized. It has taken twenty years of research to perfect this novel method of fuel production, and a practical application of the basic principles by manufacturing plants is all that is now needed, according to the French scientist.

Atomic disintegration is at the foundation of Dr. Henry's theory. This problem was solved by introducing a catalytic agent, which "blasts" apart the molecular structure of a given element. Heat as well as electricity has been used to good purpose, but the expenditure of energy has always been greater than the power produced. Nnow comes this Columbia of science who claims to have simplified and cheapened this process through the help of the mysterious ultra-violet and infra-red rays. Using these forces as a sort of searchlight, Dr. Henry has compelled the atom to give up its secrets. To quote from his interview:

"Just as the vibrations of the musical scale have been determined, so are observable certain uniform properties of matter, upon which we may predict certain uniform results in chemical reactions. This is the basis of my method.

"Germany has convincingly demonstrated the importance of catalysis in industrial and military organizations. In 1914, when England blocked the seas, and Germany had to have synthetic nitrates, she turned to the scientists by offering a prize of 25,000,000 marks for anyone who could produce them. Haber did it by using iron as a catalyser. He made nitrates in such quantities that, after the war, they had them for export, instead of being dependent upon supplies from Chile. Haber also made ammonia, using tungsten and vanadium as catalysers."

Dr. Henry is one of the leaders of modern theoretical research. As a practical scientist he has likewise won distinction, having invented a process for wine sterilization, much valued by French vintners. His lastest discovery is a free gift to the world.

From Science and Discovery, May 1924.

Hey, wait a minute. 1924??? Why are we still using coal and gasoline?