BROMINE

one of the archæal elements, which being developed from its combinations at the positive pole of the voltaic circuit, has been therefore deemed to be idio-electro-positive like oxygen and chlorine. It derives its name from its nauseous smell, Βρῶμος, fœtor . It occurs in various saline springs on the continent of Europe, in those of Ashby de la Zouche, and some others in England; in the lake Asphaltites, in sponges, in some marine plants, in an ore of zinc, and in the cadmium of Silesia. At ordinary temperatures it is liquid, of a dark brown colour in ma , but of a hyacinth-red in thin layers. Its smell is rank and disagreeable, somewhat like that of chlorine. It has a very caustic taste. Its specific gravity is 2·966. Applied to the skin it colours it deep yellow and corrodes it. One drop put within the bill of a bird suffices to kill it. It combines with oxygen with feeble affinity, forming bromic acid. Its attraction for hydrogen being far more energetic, it forms therewith a strong acid, the hydrobromic. Bromine di olves very sparingly in water, but it is very soluble in alcohol and ether. It combines with carbone, phosphorus, sulphur, and chlorine, as well as with most of the metals. From its scarcity it has not hitherto been applied to any purpose in the arts, but it is supposed to po e powerful discutient effects upon scrophulous and other glandular tumours, whence the waters containing it are prescribed as an internal and external remedy in such forms of disease.