c-MKMisTET. 



[TIN NICKtL, BTO 



waste material were allowed to run down a sewer. All 

 hi* workmen escaped attacks at cholera, which w.i 

 prevalent to an alarming extent ; a* did the inlial.it.Mit, 

 whow drain* were connected with the >ewer. Al-out 



i period, we observed a aimilar result from chlo- 

 ridr o waite liquor, to tho amount of hundreds 



of gallons, daily passing down a drain in the centre of a 

 iU> in Lock's Field*, Walworth. Although "ii 

 all aide* deaths were occurring hourly from cholera, 

 yet the whole of the inhabitant* of the street escaped ; 

 a* diil the n.-rkiiu-n in the adjacent factory. 



The ml |<li i. li- f sine, or sine blende, to which we have 

 already alluded as an ore of the metal, may be obtained 

 by heating the oxide with sulphur in an iron ladle. It 

 ha* no specific uses as an artificial production. 



The sulphate of sine U readily procured by dissolving 

 the metal in dilute sulphuric acid ; and this U often done 

 rocure hydrogen gas, which is afforded in abundance. 

 It is largely produced by the use of Sinee's batteries, 

 employed for electro-plating. A dilute solution, say 

 twenty-grains, to a pint of distilled water, forms an ex- 

 cellent eye-wash. As an application in vases of burns 

 and scalds, and in other cases, it may be used in place of 

 ulard water," which is a weak solution of acetate of 

 lead. The equivalent of zinc is 32 '6 ; its symbol, Zn ; 

 and its specific gravity averages about 7 0. 



TIN. 



TIN has long been known as a metal capable of a variety 

 <>f u*e; and tin- liritish tin mines are spoken of by 

 both Greek and Roman writers. The sources of this 

 metal are the mines in <V:n.i!l and Devonshire, in 

 ind ; Imt considerable quantities are imported from 

 Malacca. It has a whitish colour ; produces a peculiar 

 smell when rubbed, and a crackling noise on being bent. 

 Alloyed with lead, it forms pewter, solder, <tc. ; w ith 

 copper it affords bronze, gun and bell-metal, and bearings 

 for shafting, Ac. It is also largely employed for tin- 

 ning iron and copper vessels for domestic use ; preserv- 

 ing the former from oxidation, and preventing the 

 poisonous effects of the Utter through its protecting 

 coat. Tin also forms a constituent of the mat. rial used 

 in the manufacture of -j., . ni.i. for reflecting telescopes. 

 Its equivalent is 69 ; the symbol, Su ; and its specific 

 gravity, 7 "26. 



Tin combines with oxygen in two proportions. The 

 protoxide is obtained by adding alkaline solutions to the 

 pn .to chloride, when a white powder is precipitated, 

 which i* a hydrate. The binoxide, or, as it is termed, 

 stannic acid, is produced when tin is digested with nitric 

 acid. It behaves as an acid, by forming nails with 



ilphur and tin unite to form the sulphide and bi- 

 sulphide. The latter may be produced by passing sul- 

 phurutted hydrogen through the per-chloride. M 

 gold is a sulphide of tin, and is produced by heating 

 an amalgam of tin with sulphur and sal-ammoniac. The 

 most important combinations of tliis metal are the 

 chlorides, which are largely used in the art*. The proto- 

 chloride is produced by dissolving tin in hydrochloric 

 acid. This liquor is used as a mordaunt with v 



colours, such as Sapan, Brazil wood, <V-c. , in dyeing 

 woollen and other yarns. The "purple of Cassius," 

 which we have named in connection with gold, is pro- 

 duced by adding together the chlorides of the t n. 

 both belli,' in solution. The per-chloride i- 

 whon iMiwdcred tin is coin ;;m, which 



should be passed over thf. metal in a porcelain tube. 

 The product is a liijui'l which used to be known by the 

 WHIM of the fuming liquid of Libavius. 



NH 1 



r.L U chiefly known as a constituent of German 

 silver, and is, comparatively speaking, a new metal. It 

 has a greyish- white colour ; and, like iron, possesses mag- 

 tic properties. Its CM .; symbol 



said K has a sjK-cific gravity of 87. It dt-rivos its name 



from tho German term given to its ore. It is obt:, 

 from its combinations with ar.- moist 



or dry way. lly diHHolviug the on . sul- 



phuric acids, the arsenic and nickel are separate 1 ; and 

 ley means of carbonate of potash, a double salt of nickel 

 aii-1 potash is produced. From this the oxolato is pro- 

 cured, whii-h ail'orils nickel on being reduced L;: heat. 

 'I h. ; f nickel is >y adding an alkaline 



solution to the sulphate, and heating the precipitate, 

 which is a hydrated oxide. The sulphate of nickel ami 

 I'th.-r salts have a rich green colour. They have, how- 

 . no special application. \\ V have already remarked 

 that nickel forms a chief constituent of German silver, 

 in which it U united with r.iuc and copper. The pro- 

 portions of these metals vary according to tho views or 

 requirements of tlic manufacturer. Its use in conn. 

 with tallurgy has already been fullv dealt 



with, under that head, in the section on Eloctri 



It in somewhat remarkable that nickel is g^aerally 

 found associated with iron in meteoric stones. The 

 two metals have many qualities resembling each other. 

 As we have seen, they are both subject to 

 action ; their equivalents and. specific gravity do not 

 greatly vary ; and the colour and characteristics of several 

 of their combinations are occasionally almost identical 

 in some respects. 



BISMUTH. 



Tins metal is found in Cornwall, Germany, and other 

 countries in Europe. Ithosawhitecrystalr . nice: 



it is obtained from an ore containing sulphur ami arsenic; 

 and is occasionally met with in an impure metallic state. 

 It is distilled from its ores in iron tubes ; and forms 

 Wautiful crystals on being melted and cooled. Its sym- 

 bol is Hi ; its equivalent, 213 ; and its specific gravity, 

 98. Alloyed with tin, it affords a material which has 

 sonorous properties. Eight parts of bismuth, live of 

 lead, and three of tin, form an alloy which fiues at a 

 temperature a little less than that of boiling- wat : and 

 two parts of bismuth, one of lead, and one of tin, fuse 

 at a temperature of 200. For the amusement of young 

 persons, such alloys are occasionally made into tin- form 

 of spoons, which at once melt on being immersed in hot 

 tea. It forms several oxides ; the tor-oxide, 15i O,, pre- 

 pared from the ter-uitrate, Bi O,, 3XO it is a yellow- 

 coloured powder, which is used in the porcelain manu- 

 facture. The nitrates are the chief salts of the metal ; 

 and tho one to which we have referred is prepared by 

 digesting the metal with nitric acid, diluted with an 

 equal quantity of water. Tho sub, or basic nitrate, 

 forms the "pearl powder," used by ladies as a cosmetic ; 

 ami is employed in medicine as an astringent and tonic. 

 Ilismiith, as a metal, is rarely used in the arts or 

 manufactures. It is employed in constructing thermo- 

 electric piles in combination with antimony. 



ANTIMONY. 



ANTIMONY, so valuable as a material in prh. ting-typos, 

 and as a medicinal agent, is obtained both in native 

 state, and in combination with sulphur, as a ter-suiphide. 

 Its ores are obtained from Singapore and Borneo. It is 

 iin.l at Lin/., in ' nn ,\. The sulphide is heated 

 with charcoal, wln-u it fuses: the in 

 i^ reduced to a coarse powder, and roasted with charcoal 

 moistened with a solution of carbonate of sod:.. The 

 mixture is then raised to a ivd heat, by which tl:" nn-t d 

 is afforded in a tolerably pure state. It is vei brittle 

 and cry <talline ; has a bluish white colour ; and I 

 at a high temper. ilute. It has the singular property of 

 expanding an it cools. The latter circumstam 

 it of great value for cast . ;t< tl,,. moulds in 



which they are formed are thereby more accurately tilled, 

 ami tho casting becomes n ot, Its other alloys 



are also valuable. It forms a constituent of liritannia- 

 uietal; sjivctila, for rellectn, ,>nd, 



associated with bismuth, it has the singular prop 

 of affording a current of electricity on t tiou 



