278 Scientific Intelligence. 
the title of our next paper—“Further Remarks on the supposep new 
Metalloid,” in the Cuzmican News for May 18, 1861. Subsequent 
research soon proved to us that thallium was, in fact, a true metal, 
but the publication of this discovery was deferred. 
r. Lamy’s claim for priority of publication, and, consequently, prior- 
ity of discovery, as advanced by himself, is founded on a communication 
made to the Société Imperiale des Sciences, de I’ Agriculture, et des Arts, 
of Lille, on May 16, 1862. On May 1, 1862, however, the International 
Exhibition opened, and there, in a case, deposited some days before, and 
open to the inspection of the numerous scientific men of all countries 
who were present on the occasion, was displayed several grains of the 
new body, with the following label—'Thallium, a New Metauuic £ 
ment, discovered by means of Spectrum Analysis, Besides this there 
card, on which was written ‘Chemical Reactions of Thallium, by 
which it is distinguished from every other known element. It appears 
have the character of a weavy METAL, forming compounds which are 
volatile below a red heat. It is reduced from its acid solution by zinc in the 
form of a dense black powder, difficultly soluble in hydrochloric acid, 
readily soluble in nitric acid.’ The above, we contend, was a publication 
in the widest sense of the word, and in this publication the metallic 
nature of thallium was distinctly asserted. e metal, it is true, Was 
exhibited in powder, just as it was obtained by precipitation by means 
of zinc, but was none the less the pur e for the 
his letter to the Cosmos, has the hardihood to assert, that Mr. Crookes 
‘contented himself with exhibiting to the public and the international 
jury of Class II, as thallium, some centigrammes of a black powder 
which was not thallium.’ We shall make no remark on this assertion 
of Mr. Lamy ; but, as some of our readers may be inclined to ask why 
the metal was not exhibited in the form of a button, we shall be excused 
for going into some detail. 
he source from which we extracted the metal, and the compounds 
exhibited, was sulphur from the Spanish pyrites mentioned in our paper 
of May 18, 1861. This sulphur contained no more than one pre’ 
grains of thallium in @ pound. The metal and compounds we exhi 
ely, the 
m in 
+] 
cimen for the sake of exhibiting it in a button; it was, the Wee 
