THE DISCOVERY OF THE ELEMENTS. METALS*
VIII. THE PLATINUM
The earliest scientz$c descriptions of platinum are those of Dr. Brovmrigg and Don Antonio de Ulloa i n the middle of the Eiehteenth century. Rhodium, palludium, osmium, and iridium were discovered in 1803 and 1804, the first two by Dr. Wollaston and the others by his friend, Smithson Tennant. Thomson's "Ilistory of Chemistry" and Berzelius' correspondence and diary present a pleasing picture o f these two great English chemists. Ruthenium, t h Russian member of the platinum,family, was discovered much later by Karl Karlouich Klaus, whose life story h s been beautifully told by Professor B . N. Mcnschutkin of the Polytechnic Institute of Leningrad.
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A successful pursuit of science makes a man the -benefactor of all mankind and of every age (1). Platinum Althouxh occurs as grains and nuggets in the alluvial sands of . platinum . many rivers, there is no evidence of its discovery or use by ancient peoples. Charles Wood, a metallurgist and assayer, found platinum in Carthagena in New Spain, took it to Jamaica, and in 1741 sent some of it to his relative, Dr. Brownrigg. After preparing a thorough and accurate description of the metal and its properties, Dr. Brownrigg in 1750 presented these specimens to the Royal Society of London. The exhibit included the ore as found in Nature, the purified metal, the fused metal, and a sword with a pummel made partly of platinum ( 2 ) . In 1735 the French and Spanish governments sent a scientific expedition to Peru and toEcuador to measure a degree of meridian a t Quito, close to the equator. One of the two naval Spanish mathematician, naval officer, officers appointed by Philip V to take and traveler. The log of his voyage to Peru published in 1748 contains a charee of the ex~edition was the description of platinum. brilliant young mathematician, Don Antonio de TJlloa (171G1795). The French ship on which he returned in 1744 was compelled to surrender to the British a t the port of Louisburg, ~
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' Illustrations by F. B. Dains, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. 1017
1018
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION . ,,
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JUNE,
1932
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XXXIII. I. 1 t ~ k ethe freedom to inclofe to you an accounr of asmeark h i - m e r a l called Plarino di Pinto; whic!~, To far as I know, hafh notpcrsnncrrrken taken notice of by any writer on rnincrals. Mr Hill, who is ~ n e ~ t ~ ~ ~ , * sf thc 6noR rncdcrn, makes no mention ot it. Prcluming therefore thatr.lldPh,inx; the iubjc€~i. ncw, I requrfi the favour of you to lay this account befereron-icGt,d [he R. S. to be by them read and p u b l i k d , if they think it defiwingnrk Royal ihofr honours. I hould lloner have publihcd thw account, but wait- Sw'cV *J 'M ed, in h o p of finding leirure t o make further experiments on this body with hlphurious and other cements ; all0 with ~Vcrcury, and kveral 496. $8,. corrofwc mmqhm. Bur rhrfe exp~rirnentsI hall now defer, until I Nm. kr. learn lhow the alxlve is received. l'herxperimrnrs whbch f have rrlatedr750. fiJ . were revrrai of them made by 'a friend, whok cxatlnclr in @ming them, and veracity m rclatmg them, 1 can rely on : however, lor gm- he,,, & ,, rer certunty, I hall myfrlf repeat thrm. WdI.Brent.
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z. Although the hiRory of minerals, and ahcr f o a l i u b h l u a , hyh M a b r r f r k n diligently cultirated, dprcially by the Modrrns; yet i t muR b e S m ' d J acknowledged,
