Re: chemical name question

John Bordley (jbordley@sewanee.edu)
Tue, 17 Feb 1998 14:42:17 -0600

>I was looking through some photo books from the 1800's and came across
>this. I was wondering if anyone knows what the twentith century name for
>this chemical is.
>
> ferro-sesquicyanuret of potassium.
>
>Okay I get the potassium ferro part, what is sesquincyanuret?
>
>thanks
>
>Joe Portale
>Tucson, AZ.

The dictionary defines 'sesqui-' as one and a half; half again. Thus
sesquicentennial is 150 years- 100 plus half.

It can also mean a combination, and they give the example of
sesquicarbonate which in not just carbonate or just bicarbonate, but a
mixture of the two.

I imagine, but don't know, that your reference is meaning a mixture of
potassium ferricyanide and potassium ferrocyanide.

John Bordley