PRESENT PROBLEMS OF INORGANIC CHEMISTRY. 21V> 



the electroscope cease (o he tlischargecl. In liavini>: such a short period 

 of existence, this eniaiiatioii i-esembles the one from actininui. 



Owing to the recess, only a commencement has been made with tlie 

 investigation of the residue left on (naporation of the acpieous solu- 

 tion. On evaporation, the ivsichie is strongly active. Some mercu- 

 :-()U<: nitrate was then added to the dissolved residue, and it was treated 

 with hydrochloric acid in excess, to precijiitate mercurous chloride. 

 The greater part of the active matter was thiown down witii the mer- 

 curous chloride, lience it aj)))ears to form an insoluble cldoride. The 

 mercurous chloride retained its activity unclianged in amomit for 

 ten clays. The hUrate from the mercui'ous chhti'ide, on evaporation, 

 turned out to be active; and on }jrecipitating mercuric sulphide in it. 

 the sulphide ]irecipitate was also active; but its activity decayed in 

 one day. The HHrate from tlie mercuric sulpliide gaxc inactive pre- 

 cipitates with ferric salts and ammonia, with zinc salts and am- 

 monium sulphide, with calcium salts and ammonium carbonate; and 

 on hnal evaporation the residue was not i'adio-acti\'e. Hence the 

 active matter forms an insoluble chloride and suli)hide. The pre- 

 cipitated mercurous chloride and mercuric sul])liide wei'e dissolved 

 m aqua regia, and the solution was evai)oral('d. The residue was 

 dissolved in water, and left the tlish inactive. I)ut the solution gave 

 an insoluble sulphate, when barium chloride and sidphui'ic acid were 

 added to it, hence the radio-act i\e element forms an insoluble sul- 

 phate, as Avell as an insoluble chloride and sul[)hide. 



This is a sam])le of the exi)eriments Avhich have l)een made. It 

 may be remarked that the above results were obtained fi-om a mixture 

 of the potash and soda glass; somewhat ditferent results were ob- 

 tained from the ])otash glass alone. These changes appear to be due 

 to the conversion of one or moi'e of the constituents of the glass into 

 other bodies. Needless to say, neither of the samples of glass con- 

 tained lead. 



I have mentioned these experiments in detail, because I think thev 

 suggest AvhoUy new lines of investigation. It would ap])ear that if 

 energy can be poured into a definite chemical matter, such as glass, 

 it undergoes some change, and gives rise to bodies ca])able of being 

 tested, for I imagine that radio-active ft)iMns of matter are produced, 

 either identical with or allied to those at ])resent known. And just 

 as radium and other radio-active elements suHVr degradation sponta- 

 neously, evolving energy, so I venture to think that if energy be con- 

 centrated in the molecules of ordinai'v forms of matter, a sort of l^oly- 

 merization is the result, and radio-active elements, probably elements 

 with high atomic Aveight, and themselves unstable, are formed. Of 

 course further ivsearch may greatly modify these \'iews; but some 

 guide is necessary, and Mr. Ternent (\)()k, who has helped me in these 



