H. Wurtz on Sodium Amalgamation. 217 
_ It appears, however, that my frequent communications had 
led to wide discussion of the remarkable phenomena involved, 
phenomena which I seldom hesitated to exhibit, even to the 
most casual acquaintances, taking only the precaution of silence 
as to the agent employed (the sodium); and the inevitable con- 
Sequence has been the occupation of other minds with the sub- 
Ject, both here and abroad. In fact, since the issue of m 
actually been done, and what it is proposed to do. I have, 
therefore, prepared an abstract of my specification, embodying 
in a condensed form such portions of its substance as appear of 
Present importance to miners and metallurgists. ; : 
Other portions of the subject-matter of the specification will 
form a sufficiently voluminous, and I hope interesting, topic o 
a future communication; as, for instance, my new modes of 
Preparing amalgams of the alkali-metals in large masses with 
any desired rapidity, safety and economy ; and which you, with 
other chemical scientists who have witnessed its operation, deem 
important in a purely scientific view; as involving novel phe- 
nomena, and illustrating molecular Jaws obscurely seen at 
present 
With a few explanatory observations, which seem needed, I 
shall conclude. I have found it necessary, for practical pur- 
Poses, to prepare three different grades of the sodium amalgams, 
differing from each other in their proportions of sodium about 
Mical dynamics, the apostles of the doctrine of correlation of 
Physical forces; and that the analogical element which I find is 
_ that between attractive and repulsive antagonistic force which — 
Am. Jour. Sc1.—Seconp Szrtes, Vou. XLI, No. 122.—Marcw, 1866. 
we 
