136 GENERAL VIEW AND BASIS OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH. 



what he called ' pneum alkali,' which proved to be borax. 

 Proust, in 1803, discovered what he called ' silene.' In 

 1 805 Kichter discovered ' niccolanium ; ' it was, however, 

 a mixture of iron, cobalt, nickel, and arsenic. Winterl, of 

 Pesth, fancied he had discovered a new earth, and called 

 it ' andronia ; ' it proved to be an earthy mixture derived 

 from his crucibles : he also imagined he had discovered a ' 

 new element, called ' thelike.' Berzelius, even, imagined 

 that nitrogen was a compound of oxygen with a supposed 

 element called ' nitricum.' ( Murium ' was an elementary 

 body, formerly supposed to be present in hydrochloric 

 acid. In the year 1811, Thomson discovered 'junonium,' 

 but Wollaston proved it to be identical with cerium. 

 'Thorium' was similarly found to be only a phosphate of 

 yttrium. In 1818, Von Vest discovered 'vestium,' but 

 Faraday proved it to be a mixture of the sulphides and 

 arsenides of iron and nickel. In the same year, Lainpa- 

 dius discovered ' wodanium,' but Stromeyer showed it to 

 consist of arsenic, nickel, &c. TrommsdorrT, in 1820, 

 discovered c crodonium,' in the incrustation of a carboy of 

 sulphuric acid ; but afterwards found it to be only a mix- 

 ture of magnesia, lime, iron, and copper. In 1821, Bru- 

 gnatelli discovered a supposed new element called ' apyre.' 

 In 1828, Osann supposed he had discovered three new 

 elements in platinum ores from the Ural Mountains. In 

 1836, Kichardson discovered ' donium,' but Heddle proved 

 it to be identical with glucinium. 6 Treenium ' was dis- 

 covered by Boase, in the year 1836. A supposed ele- 

 ment, called ' terbium,' was also discovered by Mosander 

 in the year 1843. During the year 1846, Eose discovered 

 what he called ' pelopium,' but afterwards found his mis- 

 take. 6 Ilmenium,' another supposed new metal, was found 

 by Hermann, in the same year. In 1850, Ullgren disco- 

 vered 'aridium.' In 1851, Bergmann discovered 6 dona- 



