New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-06-15
IyDIUAI.

Professors Reich and Rlcnter puDished preihinai!
notice of this metal in Erlmanns Journal September
1868.
f. Reich is Professor of Physics the School of Mines
Freiberg Saxony He is about 20 years of age and ia
well known for his important Investigations upon tho
density of the earth lie no longer delivers lectures but
directs the practical operations Of the Laboratory
tn Richter about 30 years Of age and was assistant
TO Professor Reich in the Laboratory lie gives instruc
ton in the bowppe and has edited the work Of the late
Professor Platner on Mealugy. He is great tayorite
Of tho pupils Of the School OF Mines and is destined II ne
lives to become one Of the prominent Professors Of
the ancient school Of Freiberg.
In consequence Of the fact that Thaum had been de-
tected in number of furnace products occurred to the
Professors to examine some impure Chloride Of Zinc which
they had obtained by dstilng an ore which contained
Arsenic, Sulphur Iron, Zinc, Manganese Copper, In
and Cadmium To their surprise there was 10 green INC
OF Thaum but two blue lines made their appearance on
different part of the spectrum. They immediately set
10 work 10 isolate the unknown body and were soon sue
cesfu They proposed the of lndum from the color
of the lines which lead to its detection Al tins early
stage all that they could say OF II was tha suPhureleu
Hydrogen did not prccpate It from acid solutions OF the
Chloride that Ammonia throws down an OXIDE ana that
il was easily reduced before the b0w-ppe TO metallic
bead second paper by the same authors appeared nov
l6 1863 In this the position OF the lines on the scaie
was more fully defined. Ii the soda line was al % and
Sroutia at l0I then the two Indium lines would be at
10 and 49, pure salt of Indium IN the haue OF gas
burner or alcohol lamp impats violet color lhey also
found that the Of the metal was the Bende ana
were able to recover OIL per cent indum from Metallic
Zinc.
The oxyd easily reduced by hydrogen gas te same as
the oxyd OF copper and can be melted 10 pellets IN a
glass tube Tho hydrogen gas after passing over the
metal burns with a blue flame The metal IS white,
brighter than tin approaching the luster OF silver IS
very soft and ductc and retains its lusicr II the air and
in water, in boiling water. Its specific gravity was
found to be IN on three determinations according to
r.,r.f Il 81 no nnfu a
that OF lead It, o1yd does not appear TO color glass IL
is soluble in hydrochorc and suphurc acids with eyo
luon OF hydrogen gas Is also easily soluble u nitro aelu
IL s completely prcCpitated from acid solutions az by
drafted oxyd By ammonia and potash, nsouDe IN an ex
cess of the rcagen the principal dstncton IRON zinc
and cadmium. The hydrated oxyd IS pure WHITE ana
peculiarly simv on which account Il adheres 70 the sides
of vessel Tartario acid prevents the precipitation OF
the oxyd The oxyd after heating and cooling becomes
Of strow-yelow color Sulphuietted uoes hol
preopitae any material amount OF the metal from strongly
acid solutions. The behavior Is Ike llnc IN tns respect
From solutions in Gcctic acid suphureited hydrogen
throws down a beautiful yellow suphde OF ludlunl,
recalling sulphde Of cadmium, and tins affords method
of separation from iron and manganese.
Tho chloride Of Indium resembles chloride of aluminium
and can be popard IN the same way, by passing chlorine
gas over the oNyd, mixed with carbon. IL Is very ny
goscapc and be driven from one place 10 another in
the tube The sulphate crystazes IN small white scales
The atomic weight is 81 according TO Nlnkler 59.s
The preparation Of Indium from blende Is as follows:
The bende is dgested In aqua regd, and sulphuretted
hydrogen passed through the solution 70 precptse all OF
oxydle the ftrae from the above and then add large
excess of ammonia by which the greater portion OF the
zinc will be dissolved and separated dissolve tho preep-
nte produced by the ammonia in acetic acid and throw
down the InduIn surhide by means OF sulphuretted
hydrogen In order to obtain pure salt this latter OF
Grafton viii require 20 be repeated number oI Tunes
Tho metal is moro easily obtained from graduated
zinc than from blende. -.
Shrtter has found Indium In the bende Of sch0nfed,
mar ScLlegenwad He roasts the finely stamped ore
and dgests it in sulphurc acid and throws down the In
dium hv metallic Znk, IN the same manner mat maj
hum Is precipiated from its solutions sch'oiier has
also determined the exact position Of the Indum lines
with reference 70 Krchhos chart of the solar spectrum,
and the photograph OF the spectrum taken BY Mr. Ruter-
furd Of Ncw-York
standard of measurment by the physicists OF Europe and
ia REGARDED as one of the most valuable contributions TO
science ever received from this country.
Streng has found lndum IN the furnace products OF the
Professor oy has examined fifteen specimens of bende,
from as many localities widely separated portions OF the
the United States but thus far no trace OF lndum has
been discovered ,,. .,
not been determined hut reasoning from analogy II APP
pears probable that it would lower the point OF fusion the
There is every reason to expect that the Indum-bende
y Do discovered lust as Cadmlumblende was found on
the estate of Lord Greenock in Scotland. What influence
tho bromide and iodde of ndum would have in photo
raphy also remains question for investigation
lndium is cmphaticaly metal OF the future.
RuBlDIuM
1861. Bunsen is native of Goettingen and is a cousin
of the late Cheyaer Bunsen well known for his theo
logical writings.
Robert Bunsen about IS years of age. lie at one
time tutor at Goettngen, where he published paper on
the employment Of the hydraed oxide Of iron remedy
for poisoning with This Of the earliest
scientific investigations made by him. Afterward ne
Travelled somewhat extcniycy-was appointed Professor
at Marburg later at Dreau and lastly at Heidelberg
where he has built up The largest scientific laboratory eH
ceptiug perhaps Gootincen, 10 be fonnd IN germany
krchhoil yet forty years old lie Is Professor OF
physics and great fayOrlte u Bunsen' ING w Ht
much together and throw ideas and wofk INTO ea an
Others hands. Bunsen engaged IN lo05 sLu To- ~
in the examination of the c0lored names prOuuccu ~
the combustion of certain substances no e4eihlntsu
these flames through different media and found tA4 nc
could distinguish potash in the presence OK SODA ~
ing the fame through cobalt-gass lie aiteIwar9 en-
p'oved wedged.shapee prismatc bottle, hied WIN
ammonia suphate of copper, to distinguish NINA
and noash We can well understand that the lansI,on
from coored glasses and prsmotic bottles 70 hih' gas
nss was very natural Heviewed the ghtirom burning
bodies through prsms Fraunhoer Draper a1t olAeIs
IJ done and found that each substance proalces us
Characteristic spectrum ,. , - ..,,,,..l