172 TEAR-BOOK OF FACTS. 



netic. The strongly diamagnetic character of phosphorus, antimony, 

 and bismuth would render a re-examination of this point interesting. 

 Arsenic, however, is said to be very feebly diamagnetic, and is 

 placed by Faraday close to osmium in the list of metals examined, 

 though on the opposite side of the line of magnetic neutrality or in- 

 difference. 



Reviewing, now, the united physical and chemical characters of 

 osmium, and comparing them with those of the generally recognised 

 members of the "arsenic group," we are, I think, justified in con- 

 cluding that here this curious metal should be placed in a natural 

 arrangement of the elements; while important distinctions seem to' 

 separate it from some, at least, of the platinum metals, with which it 

 is usually associated and described. 



ORGANO-METALLIC BODIES. 



Dr. FnAXKLAND has read to the Chemical Society a paper " On 

 the Organo-Metallic Bodies." He considers that all those bodies 

 might be represented as derivatives of metallic oxides or chlorides, 

 in which some, or all, of the oxygen or chlorine atoms were replaced 

 by organic radicles. He remarked that, in many of these bodies, 

 there are two distinct points of saturation, and that sometimes the 

 higher, sometimes the lower, point is the most stable. 



NEW FUSIBLE METAL. 



Dr. B. Wood, of Nashville (U.S.), has patented an alloy com- 

 posed of cadmium, tin, lead, and hismuth, which fuses at a tempe- 

 rature between 150° and 160° F. The contents of this Fusible 

 Metal may be varied according to the other desired qualities of the 

 alloy, viz., cadmium, one to two parts ; bismuth, seven to eight 

 parts ; tin, two parts ; lead, four parts. It is recommended as 

 being especially adapted for all light castings requiring a more fusible 

 material than Rose's or Newton's "fusible metal," it having the 

 advantage of fusing at more than 40° F. lower temperature than 

 these alloys, anil, owing to this property, may replace many castings 

 heretofore made only with amalgams. Its fusing-point may be 

 lowered lo any extent by the addition of mercury, which may be 

 employed, within certain limits, without materially impairing the 

 tenacity of the metal. In a letter to the editors, dated Nashville, 

 June 9th, lSu'O, Dr. Wood says :— 



" One point in particular that strikes me as bong worthy of note, is the remark- 

 able degree in which cadmium possesses (he property or promoting fusibility in 

 these combinations. The alloy of one to two parts cadmium, two parts lead, and 

 four parts tin is considerably more fusible than an alloy of one or two parts bis- 

 muth, two parts lead, and tour parts tin; and when the lead and tin are in larger 

 proportion the effect is still more marked, li takes less oadmium to reduce the 

 melting-point a certain number of degrees than it requires of bismuth, besides 



that the former does not impair the tenacity and malleability of the alloy, but 

 increases its hardness and peneral strength. 



" Bismuth has always held a pre-eminent rank among metals as a fluidifying 

 agent in alloys. Its remarkable property of 'promoting fusibility' is specially 

 noted in all our works on chemistry, Bui l do not find it intimated in any that 

 oadmium ever manifests a similar property. The l'aet indeed appears to have been 



