182 SILVER, 
liquor. With this the linen is to be thoroughly wetted 
at the part intended to be marked. The linen is to be 
dried, and then to be written upon by a clean pen dip- 
ped in- the marking ink. The letters will at first be 
pale, but by exposure to light and heat, they will soon 
become black ; and be so permanently fixed, that no 
washing nor bleaching can efface them. 
The attention of the curious has of late been turned 
to a very extraordinary compound catted fulminating 
silver, which explodes without heat, and with even the 
slightest degree of friction. Of this compound little 
fulminating balls have been made. These are globules 
of thin glass, each somewhat larger than a pea, and 
containing a grain or two of fulminating silver. After 
the silver is put in, it is secured by a piece of soft pa- 
per, pasted over the ball, so as completely to cover it. 
These balls explode by merely crushing them under the 
heel of the shoe. What are called fulminating bombs 
are similar balls, but of the size of hazel nuts. No one 
should attempt to explode these by crushing them with 
the shoe, as their explosive effect is so violent as some- 
times to prove injurious. 
Fulminating silver requires the utmost care. It 
should never be put into phials, nor should it be in any 
way handled so as to produce much friction. It is the 
most dangerous preparation that is known. The mere 
touch of a hard substance will sometimes explode it : 
and its very preparation is so hazardous that this ought 
never to be attempted without a mask upon the face 
with strong glass eyes. 
The following are three pleasing experiments with 
preparations of silver : 
1 . Mix or amalgamate together four parts of silver 
leaf with two parts of mercury (228) and dissolve this 
in diluted aqua fortis. To the solution add as much 
water as will be equal to thirty times the weight of the 
metals employed. Pour a portion of the above mixture 
into a phial, and place at the bottom a small piece of 
silver. After it has stood awhile, little filaments of silver 
