Expermenis with the Deflagrafor. 13 
On contemplating these phenomena, the conclusion almost 
irresistibly forces itself on the mind, that the agent producing 
magnetic phenomena is a specific fluid, which passes over 
these wires from one pole to the other, as on a bridge ; that 
the wire merely forms a substratum for it,—a line of passage ; 
and that it acts not by any virtue which it imparts to the 
wire, but in its own appropriate character. That hence we 
may infer, that the magnetism of the loadstone is nothing in- 
herent in the iron, but due to its affinity for the magnetic 
fluid; that where such an affinity exists, the body in which it 
dwells may become permanently magnetic, in a greater or 
less degree, while substances which are destitute of such an 
affinity, merely give a passport to the fluid without retaining 
it a moment, when separated from the poles of the battery. 
When the deflagrator is immersed, an overwhelming an 
astonishing flood of light instantaneously bursts forth, accom- 
panied by a degree of heat not surpassed by any arrange- 
ments hitherto adopted. The ingenious inventor performed 
‘with this instrument a series of some of the most brilliant 
and striking experiments that were ever exhibited; reaching, 
if not transcending, in effect the utmost powers of the Com- 
pound Blow Pipe, and of Children’s celebrated Voltaic bat- 
tery. 
It was not until two years afterwards that the deflagrator 
_came into the hands of Professor Silliman. This gentleman 
announced successively the fusion of several bodies hitherto 
regarded as infusible, as charcoal, plumbago, and anthracite, 
stance, namely, an actual transfer of the solid substance from 
the positive to the negative pole. Was this borne along by 
the mechanical action of the electric or magnetic current, or 
was it attracted from one pole to the other in consequence of 
the opposite states of excitement, which the two poles were 
in? Since the existence of an electric current, possessing suf-- 
ficient mechanical power to bear along with it such portions 
