In the works where antimonial ores are smelted, by means of tartar (argol), the alkaline scoriæ, which cover the metallic ingots, are not rejected as useless, for they hold a certain quantity of antimonial oxide in combination; a property of the potash flux, which is propitious to the purity of the metal. These scoriæ, consisting of sulphuret of potassium and antimonite of potash, being treated with water, undergo a reciprocal decomposition; the elements of the water act on those of the sulphuret, and the resulting alkaline hydro-sulphuret re-acts on the antimonial solution, so as to form a species of kermes mineral, which precipitates. This is dried, and sold at a low price as a veterinary medicine, under the name of kermes, by the dry way.
Metallic antimony, as obtained by the preceding process, is the antimony of commerce, but is not absolutely pure; containing frequently minute portions of iron, lead, and even arsenic; the detection and separation of which belong to the sciences of chemistry and pharmacy. Antimony is a brittle metal, of a silvery white colour, with a tinge of blue, a lamellar texture, and crystalline fracture. When heated at the blowpipe, it melts with great readiness, and diffuses white vapours, possessing somewhat of a garlic smell. If thrown in this melted state on a sheet of flat paper, the globule sparkles, and bursts into a multitude of small spheroids, which retain their incandescence for a long time, and run about on the paper, leaving traces of the white oxide produced during the combustion. When this oxide is fused with borax, or other vitrifying matter, it imparts a yellow colour to it. Metallic antimony, treated with hot nitric acid and in a concentrated state, is converted into a powder, called antimonious acid, which is altogether insoluble in the ordinary acid menstrua; a property by which the chemist can separate that metal from lead, iron, copper, bismuth, and silver. According to Bergman, the specific gravity of antimony is 6·86; but Haidinger makes the Swedish native metal only 6·646. The alchemists had conceived the most brilliant hopes of this metal; the facility with which it is alloyed with gold, since its fumes alone render this most ductile metal immediately brittle, led them to assign to it a royal lineage, and to distinguish it by the title of regulus, or the little king.
Its chief employment now is in medicine, and in making the alloys called type metal, stereotype metal, music plates, and Britannia-metal; the first consisting of 6 of lead and 2 of antimony; the second of 6 of lead and 1 of antimony; the third of lead, tin, and antimony; and the fourth also of lead, tin, and antimony, with occasionally a little copper and bismuth.—For Glass of antimony, see [Pastes].
ANTISEPTICS. Substances which counteract the spontaneous decomposition of animal and vegetable substances. These are chiefly culinary salt, nitre, spices, and sugar, which operate partly by inducing a change in the animal or vegetable fibres, and partly by rendering the aqueous constituent unsusceptible of decomposition. See [Provisions, curing of].
ANVIL. A mass of iron, having a smooth and nearly flat top surface of steel; upon which blacksmiths, and various other artificers, forge metals with the hammer. The common anvil is usually made of seven pieces: 1, the core, or body; 2, 3, 4, 5, the four corner pieces which serve to enlarge its base; 6, the projecting end, which has a square hole for the reception of the tail or shank of a chisel on which iron bars may be cut through; and 7, the beak, or horizontal cone round which rods or slips of metal may be turned into a circular form, as in making rings. These 6 pieces are welded separately to the first, or core, and then hammered into an uniform body. In manufacturing large anvils two hearths are needed, in order to bring each of the two pieces to be welded, to a proper heat by itself; and several men are employed in working them together briskly in the welding state, by heavy swing hammers. The steel facing is applied by welding in the same manner. The anvil is then hardened by heating it to a cherry red, and plunging it into cold water; a running stream being preferable to a pool or cistern. The facing should not be too thick a plate, for, when such, it is apt to crack in the hardening. The face of the anvil is now smoothed upon a grindstone, and finally polished with emery and crocus, for all delicate purposes of art.
The blacksmith, in general, sets his anvil loosely upon a wooden block, and in preference on the root of an oak. But the cutlers and file-makers fasten their anvils to a large block of stone; which is an advantage, for the more firmly and solidly this tool is connected to the earth, the more efficacious will be the blows of the hammer on any object placed upon it.
AQUAFORTIS. Nitric acid, somewhat dilute, was so named by the alchemists on account of its strong solvent and corrosive operation upon many mineral, vegetable, and animal substances. See [Nitric Acid].
AQUA REGIA. The name given by the alchemists to that mixture of nitric and muriatic acids which was best fitted to dissolve gold, styled by them the king of the metals. It is now called [nitro-muriatic acid].
AQUA VITÆ. The name very absurdly given to alcohol, when used as an intoxicating beverage. It has been the aqua mortis to myriads of the human race; and will, probably, ere long destroy all the native tribes of North America and Australia.