Manrf/cster Memoirs, Vol. xlviii. (1903), No. 1. 



I. On the Resolution of Elementary Substances 

 into their Ultimates and on the Spontaneous 

 Molecular Activity of Radium. 



By Henry Wilde, D.Sc, F R.S. 



Received and read October 6th, igoj. 



In the several papers which I have read before the 

 Society during the past twenty-five years on the genesis of 

 elementary substances and on the multiple proportions of 

 their atomic weights,^ certain gaps appeared in the several 

 series shown in my Tables which have since been filled up 

 by the newly discovered elements, scandium, germanium, 

 helium, argon, neon, krypton and xenon. 



The remarkable properties of the new element 

 Radium bring about further realizations of the predictions 

 made in my earlier papers, and afford sufficient reason for 

 recapitulating some of the statements contained therein 

 and for reproducing my several Tables in connexion 

 with the present communication to the Society. 



In these papers it is assumed (i) that elementary 

 species have been formed by successive condensations of 

 the cosmic nebular substance into the typical hydrogen 

 molecules H, H2, H3, H4, H5, H6, H7 ; (2) that the 

 series of elements have been formed by the successive 

 condensations of the typical molecule at the head of each 

 series in multiple proportions ; (3) that the atomic weights 

 are multiples of the typical molecule at the head of each 



^ "On the Origin of Elementary Substances and on some new Relations 

 of their Atomic Weights," Proc. Lit. and Phil. Soc. Manchester, Vol. xvii., 

 pp. 218, 1878. Chem. News, Vol. xxxviii., pp. 66, 96, 107, 1878. 

 Manchester Metjioirs, Vol. xxx,, 1887. Ibid., Vol. xxxix., 1895. Pbid., 

 Vol. XLVi., 1902. 



December 30th, igo^. 



