CADMIUM. 
151 
While  it  has  been  assumed  as  a  general  rule  as  above  quoted, 
that  the  combinations  of  cadmium  are  not  distinguished  for  flu- 
idity, I  have  not  found  its  fluidifying  properties  in  respect  to 
certain  metals  and  alloys  noticed  in  any  work  to  v/hich  I  have 
had  access.    Some  of  its  alloys  indeed  are  not  remarkable  for 
fusibility,  but  rather  for  the  reverse ;  such  are  its  alloys  with 
silver,  antimony,  and  mercury,  their  melting  point  being  but  lit- 
tle lower  or  even  higher  than  that  of  the  mean  of  their  constit- 
uents.   But  others  are  much  more  fusible  than  the  mean,  as 
its  alloys  with  lead,  tin,  copper,  bismuth,  zinc.    In  certain  in- 
stances it  manifests  this  property  in  so  eminent  a  degree  that 
it  is  singular  it  should  not,  if  known,  have  been  explicitly  stated 
in  all  professed  descriptions  of  the  metal.    Bismuth  holds  a 
high  rank  among  metals  for  its  property  of  promoting  fusibility 
in  alloys,  as  is  particularly  remarked  in  all  chemical  text-books, 
and  wherever  the  metal  is  treated  of,  its  alloys  with  lead  and  tin 
being  specially  noted  as  extraordinary  instances.    But  in  some 
combinations  cadmium  displays  this  property  more  decidedly 
than  even  bismuth.    The  alloy  composed  of  from  one  to  two 
parts  of  cadmium,  two  parts  of  lead,  and  four  parts  of  tin,  is 
more  fusible  than  the  corresponding  alloy  of  two  parts  {ov  less) 
of  bismuth^  two  of  lead  and  four  of  tin.     In  smaller  propor- 
tions its  superiority  is  still  more  marked,  requiring  much  less  to 
produce  the  same  eff'ect,  while  it  does  not  impair  the  tenacity 
and  malleability  of  the  alloys,  but  confers  hardness  and  general 
strength. 
As  to  the  brittleness  which  cadmium  is  said  to  communicate 
when  combined  with  any  other  metals,  the  facts  are,  some  of  its 
alloys  even  with  malleable  metals  are  '<  brittle."  But  others  are 
highly  tenacious  and  malleable.  Its  alloys  with  gold,  platinum, 
and  copper,  aftbrd  instances  of  the  former.  Its  combinations 
with  lead,  tin,  and  to  a  certain  extent  with  silver  and  mercury, 
are  examples  of  the  latter.  An  alloy  of  two  parts  silver  and 
one  of  cadmium  is  perfectly  malleable  and  very  hard  and  strong; 
with  equal  parts  of  each  it  is  also  malleable  but  possesses  less 
tenacity  ;  but  when  mixed  in  the  proportions  of  two  parts  of 
cadmium  and  one  part  of  silver,  it  is  brittle.  Equal  parts  of 
cadmium  and  mercury  form  a  tough  and  highly  malleable  com- 
position ;  in  the  proportions  of  two  parts  of  the  latter  to  one 
