Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1895-06-26
HELIUM AND ARCON.
Discovery of the Former Due to
an Accident.
THE TWO NEW ELEMENTS ADDED
Some Interesting Scientific Goss on the
Latest Acquisitions to Chemical
Knowledge-Search for Argon.

Professor Ramsay's discovery OF
Helium is due to lucky accident
following upon the happy blunder
of an American chemist. W. +. Hille-
brand in 1892 contributed to the Bulle
tin of the United States Geological
Survey monograph on the occurrence
of nitrogen in uraninite-a general
name for minerals containing uran-
ium. He thought he had obtained
nitrogen, and the tests he made show
that he had it. But had he pushed
his experiments further and with in
creased care he would have discovered
that the nitrogen he had came not
from the uraninite, but (probably)
from the atmosphere, says the London
Chronicle.
The method he used will not elicit
nitrogen. Nevertheless. Bulletin No.
rs" of the American Geological Survey
gave to Professor Ramsay the neces-
sary hint, and he acted upon it prompt
ly. His search was for argon, and he
got it. But he got something more.
The mineral with which he first exper-
imented was, as we stated on Saturday.
cleveite rare Norwegian mineral
found sparsely in the felspar OF Aren-
dial. 1t occurs in small crystalline
knobs. easily disengaged from their
surroundings
In appearance it resembles plum
bago, but is harder and more metallic
Its full chemical history has yet to be
explored, but its richness in argon and
: belium is such that very small por-
ton of it finely powdered and treated
with dilute sulphuric acid will pro-
duce no less than seven measured fluid
ounces of the compound gases.
. The argon and helium rise rapidly
and almost Immediately in tiny hub-
. bles, which break at the surface and
can easily be caught Professor Ram
/ say saw at once that he had some gas
and was eager to spark" ito run
the electric current through it-an1 to
| read it ON the spectroscope. To his
: surprise he discovered two things, one
r of which has not yet been mentioned,
3 though its Importance is enormous.
J The argon lines were not quite the
= same as in the spectra of argon OBJ
) tanned from the atmospheric point
, which may lead to new discoveries.
But. most astounding of all, he diseov-
) cred the yellow line which has not yet
3 been yielded by any known earthly
. substance.
, The yellow band of the spectrum has
? an almost romantic interest attached
: to it, since it represents. if an error has
not been made, the highest and lightest
a gases in the suns atmosphere. The
= heavier metals-lead and iron, for in
9 stance-lie low down on the surface.
, The lighter elements-hydroger, for
Z instance-are high up. Heliun is
: found in the gaseous solar atmosphere
: higher up than hydrogen. The st1ata
q in the glowing mist of the suns enrel-
, ope, which Mr.. Lockyer named D1 and
d., are lines of sodium. Above it
r was found the yellow yielding gas
Q which he called Do. 1t is this gas
Q which Professor Ramsay is believed to
: have discovered. Is he too hasty? Is
S he premature Professor Crookes, as
: we have already announced, is pretty
! positive. He has measured the spe'
+, trum again and again.
: The solar spectrum and the earthly
r spectrum are identical in his opinion.
s He is confirmed by one of the most
: eminent and cautious Of French ser
9 wants. M. Cornu has no superior al a
s spectroscopist. He also has made
e measurements, and says "Amen" to
n Mr.. Crookes. Mr.. Norman Lockye1
=. ON the other hand exhibits the patient
e skepticism of the philosopher who las
It learned to wait upon the clouds fol
Q nights together for glimpse of the
= star. That yellow band in the spec
Q trum is something extraordinary. he
n AYERS; he is deeply interested. but HI
O will not commit himself until he il
II satisfied. Mr.. Norman Loclyer will
IS not yet say helium.
10 1t will be observed that helium a
y this particular point of human knowl
|. edge is simply y low band in thu
}, spectrum. You can see it there; yor
A. know it has cone from gas out O
70 cleveite-you know no more. 1t ha'
lie not yet ever been ASSOCIATED from
q argon, and nobody yet knows how j
can be ASSOCIATED. We have never
ts seen it by itself. To use LORD Sails
n bury's adjective, it is merely SPECTRAL
r. But Professor Ramsay is eagerto gel
10 again to work upon it, so eager that
: he grudges himself his brief and ardly
Is earned holiday in Scotland.
ID Last week he was in Paris, here
!. he was dubbed "Pere de l'Argon,' and
j. where he received the Leblanc ledal
re of the Societe Chimique, lovelywork
&c of art, and historically interestingor it
D dates from the year of the Reptile.
N and SO boasts ON it's face. Whe he
IS comes back to Cover street, thepro-
is lessor will have all his students ard
IN at work upon argon and helium. His
IN enthusiasm is infectious and SOD Of
J. them are nearly as excited 'out
tho matter as he is himself 1ere