1869.] Chemistry. 271 



which was placed both by Faraday and by M. E. Becquerel at the 

 bottom of the hst of diamagaetic substances. This gas is allowed 

 to be upon the turning point between the paramagnetic and dia- 

 magnetic classes. But magnetism is so liable to extinction under 

 the influence of heat, that the magnetism of a metal may very 

 possibly disappear entirely when it is fused or vaporized, as aj)pears 

 with hydrogen in the form of gas. As palladium stands high in 

 the series of the paramagnetic metals, hydrogenium must be allowed 

 to rise out of that class, and to take jDlace in the strictly magnetic 

 group, with iron, nickel, cobalt, chromium, and manganese. 



The chemical properties of hydrogenium distinguish it from 

 ordinary hydrogen. The palladium alloy precipitates mercury and 

 calomel from a solution of the chloride of mercury without any 

 disengagement of hydrogen ; that is, hydrogenium decomposes 

 chloride of mercury, while hydrogen does not. Hydrogen (asso- 

 ciated with palladium) unites with chlorine and iodine in the dark, 

 reduces a persalt of iron to the state of protosalt, converts red 

 prussiate of potash into yellow prussiate, and has considerable 

 deoxidizing powers. It appears to be the active form of hydrogen, 

 as ozone is of oxygen. A wire charged with hydrogen, if rubbed 

 with the powder of magnesia (to make the flame luminous), burns 

 like a waxed thread when ignited in the flame of a lamp. 



The general conclusions which appear to flow from this inquiry 

 are — that in palladium fully charged with hydrogen, there exists 

 a compound of palladium and hydrogen in a proportion which 

 may approach to equal equivalents ; that both substances are solid, 

 metallic, and of a white aspect; that the alloy contains about 

 20 volumes of palladium united with 1 volume of hydrogenium; 

 and that the density of the latter is about 2, a little higher than 

 magnesium, to which hydrogenium may be supposed to bear some 

 analogy ; that hydrogenium has a certain amount of tenacity, and 

 possesses the electricial conductivity of a metal ; and finally, that 

 hydrogenium takes its place among magnetic metals. The latter 

 fact may have its bearing upon the appearance of hydrogenium in 

 meteoric iron, in association with certain other magnetic elements. 



A paper on meteoric iron has been communicated by M. Sta- 

 nislaus Meunier to the ' Chemical News.' The niunerous researches 

 hitherto made with regard to the composition of meteoric irons 

 have demonstrated in these extra-terrestrial bodies the existence of 

 the following compounds : — 



1. The general mass which is formed by the union of several 

 alloys in which iron and nickel are predominant, and which we 

 will designate under the name of nickeliferous iron. Among the 

 substances comprised in this mass, the Bamacite, the loenite, and 

 the Flessife will be specially mentioned. 



2. The carburetted iron, comprising the CamjpbellUe and the 



