378 Analysis of Scientific Books. 
judge, at all improve steel. With titanium we failed, owing to the imper- 
fection of crucibles. In one instance, in which the fused button gave a 
fine damask surface, we were disposed to attribute the appearance to the 
Baan ae of titanium ; but in this we were mistaken. The fact was, we 
iad unintentionally made wootz. The button, by analysis, gave a little 
silex and alumine, but not an atom of titanium ; menachanite, ina parti- 
cular state of preparation, was used ; this might possibly contain the 
earths or their basis, or they may have formed a part of the crucible. 
Our authors advert to the probable importance of certain 
triple, alloys only one of which is noticed in their paper, namely, 
that of steel, iridium, and osmium. ‘“ Some attempts toform 
other combinations of this description proved encouraging, but 
we were prevented at the time from bestowing on them that 
attention and labour they seemed so well to deserve.” 
The following is an important and curious paragraph of this 
paper : 
When pure iron is substituted for steel, the alloys so formed are much 
less subject to oxidation. 3 per cent. of iridium and osmium, fused with 
some pure iron, gave a button, which, when forged and polished, was ex- 
posed, with many other pieces of iron, steel, and alloys, toa moist atmo- 
sphere; it was the last of all showing any rust. The colour of this com- 
gene was distinctly blue ; it had the property of becoming harder when 
eated to redness, and quenched in a cold fluid. On observing this steel- 
like character, we epapacted the presence of carbon; none, however, was 
found, although carefully looked for. It is not improbable that there may 
be other bodies, besides charcoal, capable of ae to iron the properties 
of steel ; and though we cannot agree with M. Boussingault*, when he 
would replace carbon in steel by silica, or its base, we think his experi- 
ments very interesting on this point, which is worthy farther examination. 
In conclusion, our authors observe, that to succeed in making 
these compounds, much attention is requisite on the part of the 
operators ; that the purity of the metals is essential; that the 
perfect and complete fusion of both must be ensured ; that they 
must be kept a considerable time in a state of thin fusion ; that 
after casting, the forging is with equal care to be attended to; 
that the metal must on no account be over-heated ; and that the 
hardening and tempering must be most carefully performed. 
Upon the whole, though we consider these researches upon 
the alloys of steel as very interesting, we are not sanguine as to 
their important influence upon the improvement of the manu- 
facture of cutlery, and suspect that a bar of the best ordinary 
steel, selected with precaution, and most carefully forged, 
wrought, and tempered, under the immediate inspection of the 
master, would afford cutting instruments as perfect and excel- 
lent as those composed of wootz, or of the alloys. 
3. Some Observations on the Buffy Coat of the Blood. By 
John Davy, M.D., F.R.S. 
The peculiar appearance which the blood occasionally as- 
sumes in certain inflammatory diseases, and which it some- 
* Annales de Chimie, xvi. 1. 
