10 Wilde, Atomic WeigJits, Neon and Helinm. 



observations, the phenomena not only admit of explica- 

 tion from my classification of the elements, but also 

 account for the discordant results obtained by the experi- 

 menters engaged in the research. 



Several significant facts were brought out by the 

 investigators during their researches, viz. : — the use of old 

 X-ray tubes, bare glass tubes, and glass wool, all from 

 which neon and helium were obtained. One of the in- 

 vestigators could only find neon as a transformation pro- 

 duct, while others, working independently, found lielium 

 alone, and in other cases a mixture of both gases. 



These results were of sufficient interest to induce me 

 to ascertain the composition of various glasses used in 

 the arts, from which the following are selections : — '* 



1. Baryta flint glass Si, Ba, K. 



2. Ordinary flint glass ... Si, Pb, K. 



3. Plate and Window glass Si, Ca, Na. 



4. X-ray glass Si, B, X 1. 



All the above glasses, as will be seen, have silicon 

 (Si) as their principal constituent, the transformation 

 ultimate of which is neon. 



The next constituents of the first three glasses, barium, 

 (Ba), lead (Pb), and calcium (Ca), are members of the 

 series Win ; the transformation ultimate of which is 

 helium. 



The alkali metals, sodium (Na) and potassium (K), as 

 will be seen, are constituents of nearly all glasses, and 

 their transformation ultimate, with other members of the 

 series H«, is hydrogen. Considering the wide diffusion 

 of this element, the transformations of Wn when actually 

 effected would be difficult to demonstrate. One of the 

 two principal lines in the spectrum of thallium was masked 



* Thorpe's Diet, of Applied Chemistry, Article — Glass, 



