PRETENDED NEW METAL; PALLADIUM- SI 



From thefe experiments, it would be difficult to fay of what Comparlfon of 



metal, or of what combination of metals, palladium confifts. ^J'" ^^"^y ^^^^ 



* . . ,. , . the other kwo\vn 



We could not fuppofegold or platinato bean ingredient m it, metals, 



as it is in fome meafure a6led upon by fulphuric and muriatic 



acids, and is wholly foluble in nitric acid. Silver is excluded, 



by theeffe6l of muriatic acid upon its folutions ; as is lead, by 



, that of the fulplmric. Tin, antimony, bifmuth, or tellurium, 



would have left an infoluble refiduum with nitric acid. No 



traces could be foundof any of the acidifiable metals ; and iron 



was looked for with particular care, but in vain. In a word, 



the precipitation by the metals, feems to exclude all thofe of 



cafier oxidability than mercury ; and this we fliould not fuppofe 



to be prefent, as copper is not in the leafl whitened^ when 



ufed to precipitate palladium. 



The ftriking fimilarity of many of the precipitates of palla- Itrefcmb'es 



dium with thofe of plalina, induced me to multiply the com- P'j^V"^ '" ^^"^ 



IT n , ir 1 t-rs of Its prCCipi- 



parative experiments ; and I conltantiy oblcrved contradictory tates, &^, 

 fads. The fpecific gravity, eafy fufibihty, combination with , 



fulphur, precipitation by green fulphate of iron and by pruffiate 

 of pota(h, together with other effeds, were fuch as I could not 

 reconcile to the known chara6ters of platina ; unlefs I could 

 fuppofe that a fubftance did exift, which could totally change 

 its phyfical and chemical properties, or fo difguife them as to 

 render them proof againft the evidence of chemical re-agents. 



The lighteft of the metals is tellurium ; yet, in order to pro^ 

 duce an alloy of the fpecific gravity oF palladium, (fuppofing 

 for a moment the real denfity of the alloy equal to the calcu- 

 lated mean), it would require two parts of tellurium and one 

 of platina ; and it is highly improbable, that fo large a pro* 

 portion of tellurium could exift in any mafs, without being 

 deteded. We have been told of very extraordinary anomalies 

 in chemical affinities, by Mr. Berthollet ; and Mr. Hatchett 

 has made us acquainted with fome, not lefs extraordinary, in 

 the properti«s of alloys. Yet I think w^ ffiall ceafe to wonder// Uan alloy of 

 at what has been related by thefe chemifts, when we leasn that/'^'*""'' andmer* 

 palladium is not, as was fliamefully announced, a new firaple"^"''* 

 metal, but an alloy of platina ; and that the fubftance which 

 can thus matk the n>oft charafleriftic properties of that metal, 

 while it lofes the greater nunmber of its own, is mercury. 



I confefs it was not from an analyiis of palladium that I was This was fyn- 

 £r4 le^ to this rpfult j for I had convinced myfelf, by fynthefis, theticaiiy dif- 



' ..„..-. y ^ J covered. 



