Still, this is an inconsistency, one that chemists are well aware of; but they pay no attention, for it does no damage to the architecture of the Mendeleyev Table.

   Alas, there is yet another, more ponderous inconsistency.

   In the Middle Ages miners sometimes came across strange ores, greatly resembling iron ores. But the trouble was that iron could never be extracted from them. The miners attributed their failures to the pranks of evil spirits - the noxious goblins called kobolds in German, and the old mocking devil Nick.

   Later on it became clear, of course, that evil spirits had nothing to do with it. The ores did not contain iron, but two other metals that resemble it. In memory of these old delusions they were called cobalt and nickel.

   Also in the Middle Ages the Spanish conquerors found a strange metallic substance on the banks of the River Platino del Pino in South America. This strange lustrous, heavy metal which would not dissolve in any acid, was named platinum. Three centuries later it was. found that platinum occurs almost always together with five companions: ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, and iridium. These six rare metals are very difficult to distinguish from one another and the practically inseparable group became known as the platinum family.

   There came the time to place them in the Big House.

   Now you are all set to hear an amusing story of how involved this was and how scientists overcame all the difficulties one by one. We are sorry to disappoint you, but it was all very simple.

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