Arsenic

(symbol As, atomie weight 75), a metallic element of very common occurrence, being found in combination with many of the metals in a variety of minerals, It is of a dark gray color, and readily tarnishes on exposure to the air, first changing to yellow, and finally to black. In hardne it equals copper; it is extremely brittle, and very volatile, beginning to sublime before it melts. It burns with a blue flame, and emits a smell of garlic, Its specific gravity is 5.76. It forms alloys with most of the metals. Combined with sulphur it forms orpiment and realgar, which are the yellow and red sulphides of arsenic. It is usually seen in white, gla y, translucent ma es, and is obtained by sublimation from several ores containing arsenic in combination with metals, particularly from arsenical pyrites. Of all substances arsenic is that which has most frequently occasioned death by poisoning, both by accident and design. The remedies are hydrated sesquioxide of iron with copious draughts of gummy liquids. Arsino#, a city of ancient Egypt on Lake Meeris, said to have been founded about B. c. 2300, but renamed after Arsinoé, wife and sister of Ptolemy II. of Egypt, and called also Crocodilopolis, from the sacred crocodiies kept at it. - Arson, the malicious and willfu burning of a dwelling-house or out. house belonging to another person by directly setting fire to it, or even by igniting some edifice of one’s own in its immediate vicinity. It is a penal offense, whether succe ful or not.