[ i6 5 1 
As the foregoing experiments exhibit platina and 
gold difTolved in a mineral fluid, which by fimple 
mechanic agitation rejects the one and retains the 
other, and which difcovers this different appetite of 
union fo much the more remarkably, as the two 
metals have been the more intimately combined : — 
as they further exhibit platina difTolved in liquors in- 
capable of holding gold fufpended, — gold difTolved 
in liquors incapable of holding platina fufpended, — » 
gold totally precipitated by fubftances, which preci- 
pitate no particle of platina, — and gold, when mixed 
fer minima with platina, perfectly recovered from it 
by thefe means, without increafe as well as without 
diminution : — it follows, that platina is not, as Tome 
believe, gold naturally debafed by the admixture of 
Tome other metallic body, but a metal of a peculiar 
kind, efTentially different from all the others. Be- 
fore the difcriminating characters of platina were 
difcovered, fuch a notion was highly plaufible, and 
direCt experiment Teemed to confirm it : a portion of 
the platina might be feparated in the procefs ; a quan- 
tity of gold mixed with the remainder, in order to 
eolleCt the gold fuppofed to be contained in it ; the 
mixture fubmitted to operations, which gold alone 
was fuppofed capable of withftanding. j and the aug- 
mentation, which the noble metal dill retained, held 
to be true gold gained from the platina. 
The methods of trial above related will, it is pre- 
fumed, be fufficient to undeceive thole, who may 
have been impoled upon by fuch appearances, and 
betrayed into the practice of unintended fraud's : to> 
convince them, that all they have gained from pla- 
tina, after the moft laborious attempts to dived it of 
its- 
