3. Analysis of Berg-Meal from Umea Lapmark

Abstract

Professor Traill gave an account of the composition of a substance brought under the name of Berg-Meal from Swedish Lapmark by Mr Laing in 1838. It was found just under a bed of decayed mosses, forty miles above Degersfors, in Umea Lapmark. When examined by the microscope, it was found to consist of several species of minute organic remains, which Ehrenberg has considered as the siliceous skeletons of infusoria; the largest measured from 0.006 to 0.0005 of an inch. On analysis, Dr T. obtained 22 per cent, of organic matter, entirely destructible by a red heat; and he found the snow-white residue, which still retained the microscopic forms, to consist of 71.13 of silica, 5.31 alumina, and 0.15 oxide of iron.