Experiments on the Fufion of Platma, 479 



ment in one hour and a half the crucible was 

 melted flat, and the platina loft in the clinkers 

 and alhes, which were thrown away. 



I made another experiment, and though I 

 did not keep the fire fo ftrong, yet the upper 

 crucible was partly melted, and by its preffure 

 cracked the bottom one, and the contents were 

 again difcharged among the afhes and clinkers : 

 thefe next day were carefully examined, and 

 where any fmall globules of platina could be 

 traced among the clinkers, thofe were faved as 

 well as the allies, and were very eafily melted 

 into a flag. A button of platina was found at 

 the bottom of the crucible, which weighed near 

 three parts of the whole weight that was put 

 in, but it was of a dull colour. — Finding that in- 

 verted crucibles, in an intenfe fire, were impro- 

 per, I have ever fince ufed flat covers to them. 



EXPERIMENT XVI. 



Hearing, very lately, that in France platina 

 had been melted eafily with glafs of phofpho- 

 rus firft, and afterwards by itfelf, and that it 

 was rendered malleable by this procefs, I put 

 half an ounce of glafs of phofphorus in powder, 

 to one ounce .of platina, and after two hours 

 expofure to a ftrong heat there was only a ftrong 

 adhefion, not a complete fufion. The mafs 

 was bruifed and put into a crucible with very 

 little charcoal at bottom, and in two hours 



there 



