Antedating of "Helium"

[Shapiro, Fred]

helium (OED 1872)

1871 _Nature_ 3 Aug. 268 (Nature Digital Archive)  It seems to have been proved that at least some sensible part of the light of the "corona" is a terrestrial atmospheric halo or dispersive reflection of the light of the glowing hydrogen and "helium"* round the sun. ... * Frankland and Lockyer find the yellow prominences to give a very decided bright line not far from D, but hitherto not identified with any terrestrial flame.  It seems to indicate a new substance, which they propose to call Helium.

Fred Shapiro

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