662 EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF THE 
(24), that antimony, when alloyed with iron, 
counteracts the magnetic action of the latter metal 
in a very eminent degree, rendering it almost un- 
detectable when the iron amounts to little less 
than a twentieth part of the mass: and I find that 
when the ferruginous metal amounts to no more 
than about one fortieth of the mass, its magnetic 
powers entirely disappear. 
54. There are several other metals, besides a 
number of other bodies, which either partially or 
wholly neutralize the magnetic actions of iron and 
nickel. The most eminent of the metals in this 
capacity is zinc. This metal, which, till these 
researches were undertaken, was not known to 
affect the magnetism of iron, neutralizes nearly 
the whole of that power when alloyed with an 
equal proportion of the ferruginous metal. And 
although from an accident with the melting pot I 
have not yet arrived at the fact, I have no doubt 
whatever that, when the iron amounts to no more 
than one quarter of the mass, its alloy with zine 
will be perfectly neutral to the magnet.* 
* Since this paper was read I have ascertained that an alloy 
of iron and zine in the proportion of 1 to 7 respectively, is 
quite destitute of magnetic action. 
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