Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-04-29
DEV0URS LIKE FIRE.
THE WONDERFUL EFFECTS PRODUCE
ED BY FDUCRlNE.
The Diamond Only Able to Absolutely Ec-
sist This Powerful Researches
Into the Nature of Hitherto Poorly
Known Chemical Element.

esb AhiS To"eriui soiVent-ResearcheS
Into the Nature of Hitherto Poorly
Known Chemical Element.
The alchemists Of the middle ages be-
lieved that somewhere in the universe
was to be found q universal solvent
which would dissolve the most refrao-
tory substances as readily as water dis
solves sugar. They named their solvent
liquor alkahest, and what time they
could spare from the search after the
elixir OF life and the philosopher S
stone was spent in the endeavor to OBJ
tain it. Science has yet to prove, by the
way, that there was not more method
in the madness Of the alchemists than
Is generally supposed, for in the re-
maTkable substance luorine chemists
possess material that approximates very
closely to q universal solvent. Its chem
ical energy is so fierce that, except gold
and platinum, nothing can resist il, and
even gold and platinum succumb TO
fuoriuo in time. The mere contact Of
most substances with fGoTine is sufii.
cignt to caase not mere solution, but
light, flame and fierce detCnations.
Dull, inert flint takes fire when exposed
to fEOrine vapor and becomes a bril-
liant incgGdescent mass. Lampblack
bursts into flame, while charcoal burns
wish bright scintillations Only the
diamond is able 20 resist this powerful
solvent, to which it does not succumb
even at high temperature. The similar
element silicon, which can be obtained
in a crystalline form closely resembling
the diamond, gives q magnificent dis
play in the presence of fuoring, the
crystals becoming white hot and throw
ing showers Of fiery spangles il all d.
r1e,!ons. The heat IS so intense that the
crystals melt, showing that their tenn
pcratura las reached 1890 degrees @.
Phosphorus combines lIcrcely with
GGo-ina. PInesian blue, Cn account Ct
the cyauoGCu it contains, burns with q
beautiful pink fame; while from a
crystal Of iodine placed in nuorine vapor
heavy liquid d.Gtills with pale fame.
This lqurd-Gn iodide Of auorine-
ctctCs glass, and i thrown into water
Misses like bet iron. The last named
metal bcclmCs white hos when exposed
to aHoriuc; even iron rust behaves in a
similar manner. Nearly all metals are
raised to vivid inCandosceuce in q cur
rent Of tine gas, many appearing very
beautiful, especially aluminium and
zinc. II tho latter be slightly warmed,
it bursts into a white fame too dazzling
TO gaze at or describe
Although it has leen known in vari.
Gus states of combination for many
years, having been first discovered by
Sohwankhardt Of Nuremberg, in 1870,
and redisCoTered by Scheele in I17I,
iuOrIne was not obtained as fluorine in
The free state until about six years ago,
when the french chemist Moissan sue
ceeded il isolat!ng it Iy employing a
current Of electricity from 26 or 2S
EuGsan batteries. The current was pass.
Cd through the compound Of fluorino
and hydrogen known az hydrofuoric
acid, which IS similar TO hydrochloric
acid. To improve the cordrctiyity of
the hydrofuoric acid it WAS necessary
to dissolve another fuorine compound
III the liquid. As Will readily be mag
jued, 10 is not so difficult to obtain free
huorinc as to keep it when obtained.
Every part of the apparatus used by NJ.
Molssan was made Of platinum, with
screw joints and washers Of lend, which
swell on contact with fucrine. all the
shoppers being Of fluorspar. Fluorine
has q powerful affinity for silicon, one
Of the principal constituents of glass, SO
that it was impossible TO use glass yes
sells or tubes to contain tho gas.
As regards the chemical nature of
fiuorire, it Is o gas at ordinary temper
allure and IS the lightest member Of the
series Of clements containing chlorine
bromine and iodine The attraction Of
fuoriro for hydrogen exceeds that of
chlorine and is SO great that if 4 slow
current of fiuoriuo gas be passed into
tube Of huOrspar containing a drop Of
water dark fog is produced, which
changes presently to a blue yapor con-
sisting Of ozone-tLe condensed form Of
oxygen. The last named substance an.
pears 30 be one Of the few materials
which has no affinity for hUorine. Moth
ing is observed to take place between
them even when they are heated up to
1000 degrees +.
So far all experiments had been con.
duc-ed with huorine gas, which, at tie
time it was isolated, resisted all at
tenpts TO reduce it to the liquid state.
Six years ago, however, there was no
iaboratory-such as that at the ROYAL
Notwithstanding powerful machinery
for producing liquid air Or liquid oxy-
gen at the compand Of the investigator.
In fact, liquid air itself was practically
unknown BY the aid of this weapon
Professors Dewar and MoiSsan have sue
ceeded in liquefying fiuorine. At the
extremely low temperature Of liquid
oxygen it was found that fucrine did
rot attack glass, and it was possible to
use glass vessels 70 hold the newly lioue.
fed element. &C. L. Townsend in
knowledge.