The mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1863-1943, 1864-12-24

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06e drr rrN1fSr tbdSt, CURIOUS amd6E tae
modern scientific discoveries is shat ID
called the spectrum snalysiS A cOmmon
prism, It Is we'll knowR, breaks up she
rays Of the light Of the snn into eertain
co!ors. This is, the foundation Of the
spectral science. It has also been dis
covered that certain substances, When
burning, invAFiably AstAAgS the lieaC 10
the prism spectrsm In lines 0fnRVaEy.
ing color. Gold, silver, platina, copper,
lead, and all other metals 10 the form Of
oxide, chloride, sulphide, OF any other
combustible shape, whether separate or
mixed with other substances, give Oh
distinct and characteristie lines in the
spectrum, by which the presence Of each
metal, in the smallest quantity, may inva.
riably be detected. The science seems 70
be positive and fxed. The only error
which can arise in its application may be
attributed to the want Of skill on the part
OF observers, or to q bewildering compli-
cation of elements burning at the same
time in the substance under investigation,
and producing q great variety, almost .
confusion, of colors and lines. So subtle
is this mode Of analysis that the presence
Of sodium in common salt (Which Is the
chloride Of sodium( or in the suIphate,o or
carbonate, or any other combination Of
soda, can be detected, il there is no more
than ono one.hundred. and eighty mill
ionth Of grain In the compound. So.
dunn is always known BY its yellow lines
in the spectrum. Potassium discloses IT,
self, even in the minutest proportion, BY
its pink lines; strontium, by its blood
red lines, etc., etc. The combustion q
best carried on in hydrogen fame, which
is intensely hot, and gives Of itself but
little light There are several inventions
for using the prism In the observation Of
the fame.
The uses of this discovery has already
astonishcd the scientific world. To'onO
who studies the spectrum, and has be-
come familiar with the arrangement Of
the lines Of the prism, it speaks with un-
erring certainty. Whatever it may b
which is in process Of combustion,i ,if there
are metals in the composition, they re-
veal themselves. If there are metals 10
combination hitherto unknown, these
minerals are shown by lines different from
any yet recorded. By this means alone,
five metals have been discovered within
the past two years, viz: cesium, rubid-
ium, thallium, ithium, indium. They
are all alkaline metals, possessing the
general properties Of sodium and potss.
stun. Cesium is found in several Of The
mineral waters Of Europe, and 10 the
blood and tissues of the human anatomy.
1t is known by its light blue line. Ru6i.
dium exists in tea, coffee, the beet, lettuce,
and probably other vegetables, and is re-
vealed by dark red bands. ThalliVm Was
discovered in the refuse Of sulphur and
shows a beautiful dark green fine. Eith.
ium has been extracted from seA weed,
tobacco and milk. Il shows bright red
and faint yellow lines. Indium belong
to Freiburg ore, and is known by iti
dark blue.
These metals have not yet been pro.
duced in quantities which would make
them useful for the ordinary purposes ol
mankind but it is not certain that they
may not be made Of value hereafter.
But the spectrum analysis is Of the Ut
most importance in more practical Oh.
jects. BY its use the presence of arsenic,
or other metallic poison, can be iniallibly
detected. No matter how minute the
quantity, the characteristic spectrum Of
the metal is plainly shown. This appli-
cation of the analysis will be Of great ad-
vantage in post mortem examinations 0l
persons supposed to have been poisoned.
1t is also used (and will be hereafter, To q
great extenO, in the rough analysis oi
ores, to determine the presence of certain
metals. 1t has been recently applied,
with remarkable success, to the spectrum
OF molten iron, to discover when the car.
bon. silicon, fulphur and phosphorus, in.
furious to the metal, have burned them.
selves out, or nearly so. .a e.,,
Whilst there are many utilitArian pro-
cesses to which this system may minister,
there are also philosophical uses for the
analysis which will add to the sum Of hu.
man knowledge. The light Of the sun Is
now subjected to examination By this pro-
cess, to determine with what metallic sub
stances are glowing In its composition
They have discovered sodium, magnesium
and calcium in certain quantities but
have not yet agreed as to the existence Of
iron, nickel and tin. Applying the spec
trum to the stars, they find that the rays
and metallic indications are the same AZ
given out by the sun; and they are of
opinion that the sources of light in the
sun and stars are, as far as ascertained,
of similar composition. These are won
derful things, and they show that science
and enlightenment are In many things
yet in their infantiIe days.