ON 



THE KEDUCTION OF LIMAILLE. 



Read before the Odontological Society, Fehrua/ry 2nd, 1857. 

 By AKNOLD KOGEES, F.R.C.S. 



Mr attention was directed, during the early period 

 of my practice, to the customary method adopted 

 for the reduction of ordinary tray, or skin limaille, 

 which operation consisted in the employment of the 

 magnet, burning, and then by the aid of a viscid 

 flux, gathering the button of metal at the bottom 

 of a crucible whilst in the furnace. All who have 

 used this process, will recollect how carefully regu- 

 lated the heat must be in the first instance ; and 

 even with all this care, some unexpected augmen- 

 tation of it has frequently caused a portion of the 

 contents of the crucible to rise up and be poured 

 over its mouth ; the addition of salt upon such an 

 emergency, might in some degree stay its refractory 

 tendency, but the loss consequent upon the overflow, 

 and other causes to which I need not refer, would, 

 I think, induce a young practitioner to relinquish 

 this method, and probably he would resolve to 

 dispose of his limaille to a refiner. It will be evi- 

 dent upon a little refiection, that the greatest attain- 



