It was discovered in 1886 by C. Winkler in argyrodite, a mineral found at Freiberg in Saxony.
When passed with carbon dioxide through a red-hot tube it yields carbon oxysulphide, COS (C. Winkler), and when passed over sodamide it yields ammonium thiocyanate.
Other elements predicted and characterized by Mendeleeff which have been since realized are gallium, discovered in 1875, and germanium, discovered in 1885 by Clemens Winkler.
C. Winkler decided the atomic weight of germanium by similar reasoning.
Winkler (1703-1770), professor of physics at Leipzig, substituted a leather cushion for the hand.