Metallic Salts by the Magnet. 88 
Hence, fine steel filings magnetized and administered in sirup 
will be an admirable antidote to corrosive sublimate. 
Nitromuriate of platinum was decomposed with a brisk effer- 
vescence distinctly audible and with a visible spray between the 
eye and light. 
Fine Dutch steel wire was selected, and proved to be non-mag- 
netic.—It was thrown into nitrate of silver where it remained for 
14 hours without being affected, part of this was made the unit- 
ing wire between the N. and S. poles of 2 bar magnets; when, 
it became speedily plumed with crystals of silver. 
A portion of the same wire was snapped in twain and the mag- 
net passed over one of the fragments and both projected into so- 
lution of nitrate of silver—that which was magnetised reduced 
the silver, while the other remained inert. 
The magnetic bar was coated with copal varnish and placed 
into solution of muriate of mercury, but reduction took place as 
if no such film had interposed. 
Two magnetic bars were left for 2 days in phosporous acid. The 
acid was decomposed—the north pole of one of the bars was 
searcely affected, but the south pole of the other was corroded $ 
inch deep, and developed the fasciculated structure described by 
Mr. Daniel. 
The two magnetic poles (N. andS.) of two har magnets im- 
mersed in nitrate of silver were united about 4 inch from their 
extremities by a thread of steel; a precipitation of crystals of 
reduced silver took place about the uniting wire (very few below) 
and the uniting wire itself became so invested. 
I have succeeded in decomposing every metallic salt in this 
way to which I have applied the magnet; and I have yet to be 
informed that steel, simply as a carburet of iron, will attract all 
acids whatever from every metal whatsoever. 
A portion of platinum wire that suffered no change in nitrate 
of silver, in solution, was made the uniting wire between the 
poles of a powerful horse-shoe magnet (that supported 1 2lbs. 
weight). When this was immersed into nitrate of silver it soon 
became discoloured and acted upon. 
When a magnetic bar is plunged into solution of nitrate of 
silver it accomplishes its complete reduction, however conside- 
rable the quantity, the surface of the magnet in contact with the 
solution is not abraded, but the surface above the solution is much 
corroded from the escape of the acid vapour, the consequence of 
decomposition. 
When in the nitrate of silver the N. pole became instantly 
studded with brilliant pallets of silver, and formed more rapidly 
and more copiously round it than round the south pole. These 
crystalline 
