November 14, 1857
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This was a term formerly applied to cala-mine and to the substance which sublimes from the furnace during the manufacture of brass. Cadmium is a simple metal, and was discovered in 1817 by Stromeyer, while he was seeking to ascertain the cause of the yellow color of certain oxyds of zinc. It has since been found in several varieties of zinc ore. It resembles tin in its physical properties, but is rather harder and more tenacious ; its specific gravity is 8-60, and somewhat exceeds 869 after hammering. It fuses at a temperature a little above that required by tin. Air scarcely acts upon it except when heated, and then it forms an orange-colored oxyd. This metal has not been used in the arts, except in some cases for stopping teeth.
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