ANALYSIS OF ANTIQUE BRONZRS. 93 



was not ah .< lutely pure, as it contained a little tin ; but the 



ov : tin obtained from these 40 grs. amounted only to, 



O-.s t a grain ; so that, when reduced to the, metallic state, with a-very lit- 



the proportion would be only 7 parts of tin to 993 of cop- e in * 



per. This proportion is so small, it may be presumed to 



have been accidental. 



Iu our days the use of iron and brass has singularly di- Might not 



minished that of bronze, which was so frequently employed V3nt; , geo ^ s i y " 



by the ancients. It is now confined to cannons, belis, and employed for 

 ^ „ . . . . , , , ., . v1 utensili in our 



statues t*. But is. it not desirable, that our copper fWMW^ 



should be replaced bv vessels of bronze or brass, as they are 

 less liable tq oxidation, and to injure the health? This 

 question deserves to be solved by comparative experiments. 

 What ought to induce us to examine this important ques- 

 tion is, that the ancients employed only vessels of bronze in 

 their kitchens and cellars in general, though they were well 

 acquainted with the injurious qualities of oxide of copper 

 taken internally. Thi3 oxide however they used externally 

 for cleansing and healing wounds. According to Aristotle, 

 wounds made with weapons of bronze were more easily cured 

 than those made with weapons of iron. 



In a note subjoined Mr. Darcet observes, that the metal Metal of the 



of the horses of the Carrousel, taken as it is, yields copper, 5, uadriga of . 



rr Chios examm- 



tin, lead, g*old, and silver. If the surface be filed, so as ed by Darcet. 

 to remove all the gilt part, nothing is found but copper, 

 tin, and lead. If a piece perfectly free from cracks be 

 taken, and thoroughly cleaned by the file, it yields copper 

 and tin alone: bu it is difficult to procure such pieces, for 

 the copper is full oi flaws, and the mixture of lead and tin, 

 with which the horses were partly filled, has insinuated it- 

 self into every crack. On analysing some select pieces, he 

 found copper 99*177, tin 0*823 : but as sulphuric acid dis- 

 turbed the transparency of the solution, he supposes a little 

 lead was present, and that part of the tin might come from 

 the alloy of tin and lead, which had covered the inside of 

 the pieces he used. 



* Mortars for apothecaries and druggists too are commonly made of 

 it. C. 



He 



