152 PotLoK— On the Extraction of Glucinum from Beryl. 
Evidently glucinum chloride melts at about 400°C., and boils at about 500° C.; and 
I cannot understand how Carnelly gave the melting-point as between 585°C. and 
617° C., and maintained the accuracy of these figures after Nilson and Pettersson 
pointed out that it boiled at 520°C. There is absolutely no doubt that anhydrous 
glucinum chloride melts below, and near to, the boiling-point of sulphur, 440° C., 
and that its vapour condenses just below a red heat, as can easily be seen 
when its preparation is conducted in a glass tube. As a red heat begins 
somewhere between 500 and 550°, according to the manner in which the 
observation is made, this agrees very well with Nilson and Pettersson’s figures. 
X. Merauuic GLucinum. 
To reduce the anhydrous chloride to the metallic state, a piece of sodium was 
pressed into the bottom of a good-sized nickel crucible, the anhydrous chloride 
shot in, more sodium placed on the top, and the crucible gently heated until the 
reaction went off. The lid, which was blown off, was quickly replaced with a 
pair of tongs, and the whole crucible plunged into absolute alcohol to dissolve 
out the excess of sodium, boiled with fresh portions of absolute alcohol once 
or twice, and then finally washed with hot water. There always seemed to be a 
good deal of action when the water was first applied; and this was, no doubt, 
due to the impossibility of completely removing all the sodium hydrate; and 
caustic soda has a vigorous action on glucinum. After washing, the water had 
no further action on the glucinum, even on boiling. The glucinum thus obtained 
was in the form of a dark grey powder, which assumed a bright grey or white 
metallic lustre under the burnisher. 
A nickel crucible is quite unacted on by metallic sodium, and comparatively 
large quantities may be operated on with safety, if no water is near into which 
the molten sodium might find its way in the event of an accident. The lid is usually 
shot off when the reaction starts, and the whole charge catches fire; but this is at 
once extinguished by replacing the lid with a pair of tongs. It is well to 
have a thick glass plate in front of the crucible to protect the eyes when the 
action starts. 
An attempt was made to fuse the metal, but without success. When heated by 
the electric arc, in an atmosphere of hydrogen, the metal volatilized without 
fusion, and condensed to a grey metallic mirror, like arsenic. 
Royat CoLuecGe OF SCIENCE FOR IRELAND, 
17th May, 1904. 
