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.

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    'll time. With borax, it fuses speedily with efTei’vescence, and in large quantity, into a colourless glass. [The borax bead, held in the oxy- dating flame, acquires an amethystine colour, indicating the presence of manganese—Ed.] I could not detect boracic acid by the blow- pipe with Dr. Tui-ner’s flux of bisulphate of potash, and fluate of lime. While fusing, it tinges the flame behind the assay carmine- red, particularly if the jet be passed near the assay and does not en- velope it; if the assay be fused with powdered fluor spar, the red colour is readily perceived. Heated with sulphuric acid on platina foil, and a piece of glass placed over it, it gives a trace of fluoric acid. Ijeucite (Th. 286; Al. 112) Yields to the knife. In the forceps emits a brilliant light, and in good blast fuses on the edge into a clear glass. With borax dissolves very slowly into a clear glass. Xievyne (Th. 335; Al. 118).—Benevenagh, county Derry. Yields to the knife. In the forceps becomes white, intumesces much, and fuses into a white blebby globule. Contains much water. With borax dissolves speedily into a transparent glass, with slight effervescence. Does not gelatinize with nitric acid. liievrite (Th. 148 ; Al. 230).—Eio la Marina, Island of Elba. Hard- ness about = 5’5 ; powder blackish-green. Not magnetic before roasting. In the forceps it becomes magnetic when gently heated, and fuses readily, with slight effervescence, into a black magnetic bead. With borax effervesces for an instant and fuses rather slowly into a transparent glass deeply coloured by iron. Does not contain manganese. Ijime, bisesquihydrous arseniate of, (Pharmacolite) (Th. 135 ; Al. 21).—Princess Sophia Mine, near Wittichen, Baden. On charcoal it gives out a faint arsenical odour. In the forceps it fuses readily, with some effervescence and intumescence, into a bluish globule, opaque. Contains much water. With borax fuses readily into a pale cobalt-blue glass. liime, phosphate of {Vide Apatite).—Arendal. Hardness about = 4‘5; streak white. In the forceps fuses slowly on the edge into a white glaze. No water. With borax it dissolves very slowly, and becomes opaque by flaming; it is entirely soluble in biphosphate of soda. liime. Tungstate of (Ph. 182).—Bohemia. Hardness = 4-0 ; streak white. In the forceps it becomes white, then grey, and fuses on the edge, with difficulty, into a dark grey glaze. No water. With borax dissolves, rather readily in the inner flame, into a glass bluish-grey when cold, and it becomes white by flaming. liime. Tungstate of, amorphous.—Schoenfield, Bohemia. Hardness == 4-0. Decrepitates a little ; acts with fluxes like the preceding, ex- cept that it does not become grey in the reducing flame. liithomarge (Th.''374).—Adheres to the tongue. Yields to the nail, and receives a polish from it. In the forceps whitens, and is infusible. Contains much water. Nearly infusible with borax. M’’ith cobalt becomes blue.
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