The blowpipe vade macum : the blowpipe characters of minerals deduced from the original observations of Aquilla Smith ; alphabetically arranged and edited by Samuel Haughton and Robert H. Scott / [Aquilla Smith].

  • Aquilla Smith
Date:
1862
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The blowpipe vade macum : the blowpipe characters of minerals deduced from the original observations of Aquilla Smith ; alphabetically arranged and edited by Samuel Haughton and Robert H. Scott / [Aquilla Smith]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    43/76 page 35
    knifor In the forceps fuses readily, and with scarcely any efier- vescence, into a black globule [or black scoriaceous mass—En.] No water. With borax emits a few bubbles, and dissolves slowly. Hornblende, ferruginous (Th. 198; Al. 145).—Hardness = 4‘5 ; streak greenish. In the forceps intumesces and effervesces a good deal, and fuses very speedily into a black globule, feebly magnetic. No water. With borax dissolves speedily into a glass deeply coloured by iron. No manganese. Hydrolite ( G-melinite). (Tb. 340; Al. 119).—North of Ireland. Hardness about = 4-0. In the forceps becomes white, and falls to powder; if very slowly heated, it fuses into a blebby white globule. Contains much water. With borax effervesces a little at first, and fuses readily into a colourless glass, leaving a small residue, which is more slowly soluble. Hypersthene ( FicZe Pyroxene). (Th. 201; Al. 106).—Hardness about = 4 5. Superficial streak brown, deep streak greenish-grey. In the forceps a small portion fuses into a dark green bead; a large piece fuses only on the edge. Contains a trace of water. With borax fuses rather readily into a clear glass, coloured by iron. No man- ganese. It is rarely found crystallized. Hypersthene—Hardness about = 5'0 ; streak white. In the forceps in the inner flame fuses on the edge, with some ebullition, into a dark glaze. No water. With borax fuses very slowly into a glass co- loured by iron. Idocrase ( Fide Egeran ; Cyprine). (Th. 259 ; Al. 198).—Yields to the knife; streak white. Hardness aboiit = 5'5. In the forceps it fuses readily, with intumescence and effervescence, into a brilliant dark- coloured globule, which in the outer flame becomes nearly transpa- rent ; and its opacity is restored in the reducing flame. With borax it effervesces a little, and fuses speedily into a glass coloured by iron. Idocrase.—Norway. Resists the knife. In the forceps intumesces and effervesces much, and fuses readily into a dark, olive-coloured brilliant globule; not rendered more transparent by flaming. No water. With borax it breaks up, and fuses speedily into a clear glass, coloured by iron, which gives a trace of manganese on the addition of nitrate of potash. lolite ( Fide Hichroite ; Pyrargyllite). Iron, arseniate of,—Cornwall. Yields very readily to the knife; streak nearly white. On charcoal it fuses readUy, with intumescence, into a dark globule, attracted by the magnet; it emits some smeU of arsenic. Contains water. Dissolves readily with borax. Iron, carbonate of ( J'tde Sphaerosiderite).—Cornwall. Yields easily to the knife ; streak white. Does not effervesce ivith cold acids. In the forceps, by a gentle heat, it assumes a shining black colour, and becomes magnetic; in the inner flame it fuses on the edge. No water. With borax it emits bubbles at first, and dissolves readily into a glass deeply coloured by iron.
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3