of a metallic Substance called Palladium. 303 
Exper. 12. I fused together, in a charcoal crucible, 100 grs. of 
platina, 200 of cinnabar, 100 of lime, and 400 of calcined borax ; 
and obtained a button, which weighed more than the platina, 
and was of the specific gravity of 15,7. It was not soluble in 
nitric acid ; but combined with sulphur, at a red heat. 
Exper. 13. In some experiments I had made, I found that the 
furnace in which I formed these alloys, was capable of melting 
platina, without the assistance of any flux except calcined borax. 
I therefore urged 100 grs. of platina, at a very strong heat ; and, 
when I judged the fire to have attained its greatest intensity, I 
poured mercury upon the platina, through a long earthen tube 
that terminated in the crucible, and immediately withdrew the 
apparatus from the fire. No sensible union of the metals had 
taken place ; nor had the platina increased in weight. 
Exper. 14. I put 100 grains of platina into an earthen tube, 
and placed the tube horizontally in the above furnace. At one 
end of it was a retort, containing elbs. of mercury. When the tube 
was at its greatest heat, the mercury was made to boil ; and the 
entire quantity passed over the surface of the platina, at that 
temperature. The experiment lasted one hour and a half; but 
the metals did not seem to have combined. 
Exper. 15. Mr. Pepys was so obliging as to try the effect of 
his very powerful Galvanic battery, in forming palladium. A 
piece of platina-wire was plunged into a bason of mercury, and 
formed part of a Galvanic circle. The wire was nearly in 
fusion ; but no combination seemed to take place. The nature 
of this experiment did not allow of very accurate weighing ; but 
the fused globules of platina did not appear to have acquired the 
properties that constitute palladium. 
Such are the experiments by which I attempted to form 
R r 2 
