﻿Chemistry and Physics. 405 



capable of acting as trp and pentatomic. With oxygen (di- and 

 hexatomic) and fluorine (mon- and heptatomic) the same law 

 holds and one half-oscillation of the pendulum is completed. 

 Again passing the neutral line the electro-positive elements, 

 sodium (monatomic), magnesium (diatomic), aluminum (tri- 

 atomic), and silicon (tetratomic), are successively formed and the 

 first complete oscillation of the pendulum is finished by the birth 

 of the electro-negative elements, phosphorus, sulphur and chlorine; 

 these three — like the corresponding elements formed on the oppo- 

 site homeward swing — having each at least a double atomicity 

 depending on position. Let us pause at the end of the first com- 

 plete vibration and examine the result. We have already formed 

 the elements of water, ammonia, carbonic acid, the atmosphere, 

 plant and animal life, phosphorus for the brain, salt for the sea, 

 clay for the solid earth, two alkalies, an alkali-earth, an earth, 

 together with their carbonates, borates, nitrates, fluorides, chlor- 

 ides, sulphates, phosphates and silicates, sufficient for a world and 

 inhabitants not so very different from what we enjoy at the 

 present day. True the human inhabitants would have to live in 

 a state of more than Arcadian simplicity and the absence of calcic 

 phosphate would be awkward as far as bone is concerned. But 

 what a happy world it would be ! No silver or gold coinage, no 

 iron for machinery, no platinum for chemists, no copper wire for 

 telegraphy, no zinc for batteries, no mercury for pumps and alas ! 

 no rare earths to be separated." After a discussion of the pro- 

 cess as it continues to form the other elements, and the conse- 

 quences naturally resulting therefrom, the author says : " Sum- 

 ming up all the above considerations, we cannot indeed, venture 

 to assert positively that our so-called elements have been evolved 

 from one primordial matter; but we may contend, I think, that 

 the balance of evidence fairly weighs in favor of this speculation. 

 — Nature, xxxiv, 423-432, Sept. 2, 1886. 



3. On Austrium, a new metallic element. — Linnemaistn has 

 announced the discovery of a new metallic element in the orthite 

 from Arendal to which he has given the name Austrium. To ob- 

 tain it the mineral is treated with hydrochloric acid, the solution 

 treated with hydrogen sulphide to remove the lead, copper, tin 

 and arsenic, the filtrate nearly neutralized or mixed with sodium- 

 acetate and hydrogen sulphide again passed through it. The 

 precipitate now obtained contained copper, lead, zinc, cadmium, 

 thallium, iron, calcium, magnesium and austrium, these metals 

 being detected by the spark spectra of their chloride solutions. 

 This precipitate was dissolved in hot hydrochloric acid, the ex- 

 cess of acid evaporated, the solution treated with caustic soda in 

 excess, filtered, the filtrate precipitated after warming, with 

 sodium sulphide, the precipitate filtered off and the filtrate 

 allowed to stand exposed to the air. The austrium which it 

 contains is thus converted into carbonate and partly precipitated, 

 mixed with sulphur. On acidifying the filtrate with acetic acid, 

 evaporation to dryness, solution in water and treatment with 



