mercury, mercurie

[Norm. Fr. mercurie (Fr. mercure) from Lat. Mercurius =Mercury.] I. Ordinary Language: 1. Lit .: In the same sense as II. 2. Figuratively : *(1) A me enger, a courier, an intelligencer. "Following the mirror of all Christian kings, With winged heels, as English Mercuries ." Shakesp.: Henry V., ii. (Chorus.) (2) A common name for a newspaper or periodical publication. *(3) One who carries about newspapers for sale. (4) Liveline of temperament; spirit, volatility, sprightline , ficklene , changeablene . II. Technically : 1. Astron.: The planet nearest the sun, unle in deed it be established that the hypothetical Vulcan really exists. Its stationary points are from 15 to 20 degrees of longitude from the sun, hence it rises and sets not far from the time when the sun does so. The light of the sun and the haze of the horizon combine to render observation of the planet difficult; hence, as Sir John Herschel says, we "can see little more" of the planet "than that it is round, and exhibits phases. It varies in bright. ne from 15" to 12" of the celestial circle or vault. Hence it is sometimes telescopic, and at other times visible to the naked eye, being as bright as a star of the second magnitude. It was known to the ancients. Its diameter is about 3,200 miles; its ma about that of the earth; its sidereal period is eighty-eight terrestrial days. It is seen at its greatest brightne as an evening star, at average intervals of about 116 days. Its average distance from the sun is 36,000,000 miles. Its greatest and least distances differ nearly fifteen million miles. It moves in its orbit about 109,360 miles an hour against 68,040 performed in the same time by the earth. The orbit of Mercury is remarkable for its ex treme eccentricity, the distance from the sun varying periodically from about 28,500,000 to 48,500,000 miles The effect of this would be that, supposing there were any inhabitants of Mercury, within a period of about six weeks, the sun would double in apparent size, and give about double the quantity of light and heat. The planet is supposed to rotate on its axis in 88 days. Transits of Mercury over the sun's disc occur like those of Venus, but more frequently; those at the ascending node in November, those at the descending one in May. They are at intervals of about thirteen or seven years. Transits occurred in this century in 1802, 1882, 1845, 1848, 1861, 1868, 1891, 1894, . Spectroscopic observations indicate that Mercury has a thin atmosphere, in which water vapor is present. 2. Bot .: The genus Mercurial is (q. v.). 3. Chem.: A diatomic metallic element; symbol Hg; atomic weight, 200; specific gravity, 13-59; boiling point, 357-25; known from the earliest historical times, and the only liquid metal at ordinary temperatures. It is found most frequently in the form of mercuric sulphide, or cinnabar, an ore found in Spain, Austria, and other parts of the world, from which it is extracted by roasting the ore in a furnace, and conducting the vapors into a chamber where the mercury is condensed, while the sulphurous acid is allowed to escape. It po e es a luster like that of polished silver, and solidifies at 39-5 to a tin-white malleable ma , contracting at the moment of solidification. Hydrochloric acid is without action upon mercury. Cold sulphuric acid does not attack it, but the hot concentrated acid di olves it with evolution of sulphurous anhydride. It is soluble in cold dilute nitric acid, mercurous nitrate being formed. Mercury is invaluable to the chemist, who employs it in collecting gases which are soluble in water. It is also used in medicine, in extracting gold and silver from their ores, in silvering mirrors, and in gilding. The vapor of mercury, when inhaled, acts as a poison, producing salivation. 4. Cla . Mythol .: A Roman deity, identified with the Greek Hermes. He was the son of Jupiter and Maia. He was originally the god of traffic and gain (from Lat. merx (gen. merc is ) =merchandise, gain), and the protector of merchants and shopkeepers. Afterward, being identified with Hermes, he was regarded as the god of eloquence and commerce and the protector of robbers. He was also the me en ger and herald of the gods and as such he was rep resented as a youth, lightly clad, with the petasus or winged hat, and wings on his heels, bearing in his hand the caduceus or emblem of his office as a herald, a rod with two serpents twined round about it. 5. Med.: The chief preparations of mercury used in medicine are calomel, corrosive sublimate, hydrargyrum cum creta, and blue pill. Mercury should not be given in anemia, hectic, scurvy, scrofula, or tuberculous disease, nor in cirrhosis, melanosis, gangrene, fatty disease, or splenic diseases. In bilious affections, and dyspepsia, secondary syphilis, in some forms of diarrhea in minute doses, in iritis, and in acute and chronic rheumatism, it is a very valuable remedy, and in all forms of inflammation unaccompanied by dropsy. Its chief actions are absorbent, alterative, antiphlogistic, purgative, and also in a le er degree tonic, stimulant, and sedative. Children usually stand it better than grown-up people; with them the best form of administration is the gray-powder, and for adults, calomel or blue pill; and in syphilis, corrosive sublimate. As an external application, calomel, or calomel and lime water (black wash) are also useful remedies. 6. Min .: An isometric mineral, fluid at ordinary temperatures. Volatilizes at 662° F., and may be crystallized in octahedrons at -39° F. Specific gravity 13-568; luster metallic; color tin-white; opaque; composition, pure mercury, with occasionally some silver. Found in small globules scattered through cinnabar (q. v.), or its gangue. The most important mines are those of Almaden, Spain, and Idria, Carniola. In the Pioneer mine, Napa Valley, California, quartz geodes are sometimes found which contain several pounds weight of mercury. mercury-amalgam, s. 1. Chem. (pl.): The compounds formed by the union of mercury with the other metals. The solid amalgams appear to be definite compounds, while the liquid amalgams may be regarded in many instances as solutions of definite compounds in exce of mercury. The most useful and interesting are those of sodium, silver, and gold. 2. Min.: The same as AMALGAM (q. v.). mercury-antimonite, s. Min.: The same as AMMIOLITE (q. v.). mercury-chloride, s. Min.: The same as CALOMEL (q. v.). mercury-diethyl, s. C2H5, Mercuric ethide. Prepared Chem.: Hg like the methyl compound, and po e ing similar properties. It boils at 159°, and has a specific gravity of 2.44; at 200° its vapor decomposes into mercury and butane. IMG:content-1115.png:[blocks in formation] Chem.: Hg mercury-dinaphthyl, s. Chem.: Hg(C10H7) 2. A crystalline substance, prepared by boiling a mixture of bromnaphthalene and benzene with sodium amalgam. It melts at 243°, is insoluble in water, difficultly soluble in hot alcohol, but very soluble in chloroform. mercury-diphenyl, s. Chem.: C6H5HgC6H5. A crystalline body, obtained by heating brom-benzine with sodium amalgam and a sinall quantity of ethylic acetate. It becomes yellow on exposure to light, melts at 120°, and sublimes unchanged. It is insoluble in water, slightly soluble in alcohol and ether, but very soluble in benzene. mercury goose-foot, s. Bot.: Che no podium bonus henricus. It has hastate-triangular leaves, and compound and axillary spikes of flowers. The leaves are used for spinach. Called also Good King Henry. mercury-iodide, s. Min.: The same as COCCINITE (q.v.). mercury-selenide, s. Min.: The same as TIEMANNITE (q.ν.). mercury-sulphide, s. Min.: The same as CINNABAR and METACINNA. BARITE (q. v.). *mer-cu-rỹ, v. t . [MERCURY, s.) To treat with a preparation of mercury.