=Amalgam, Gild′ing.= _Syn._ AMALGAM OF GOLD. _Prep._ Take of grain-gold, 1 part; mercury, 8 parts; put them into a small iron saucepan, or ladle, and apply a gentle heat, using a smooth piece of iron as a stirrer; when the solution or combination is complete, pour it out on a clean plate or smooth stone slab. _Use._ To gild brass, copper, &c., in the common process of wash or fire-gilding. A less proportion of gold than the above is used when a thin and cheap gilding is required; as by increasing the quantity of the mercury the same weight of the precious metal may be extended over a much larger surface. =Amalgam, Sil′vering.=——_a._ For METALS. _Syn._ AMALGAM OF SILVER. _Prep._, _Uses_, &c. As the last, but substituting silver for gold. _b._ For GLASS. _Prep._ 1. Lead, tin, and bismuth, of each, 1 _oz._; bees’ wax or resin 1/4 _oz._; melt, skim off the dross, cool to the lowest point at which the mixture will remain liquid, and add of quicksilver 10 _oz._; mix well with an iron rod. 2. Lead and tin, of each, 1 _oz._; bismuth, 2 _oz._; quicksilver, 4 _oz._; as the last. _Uses, &c._ For silvering the insides of hollow glass vessels, globes, convex mirrors, &c. The glass being thoroughly cleaned and dried, is carefully warmed, and the amalgam, rendered fluid by a gentle heat, is poured in, and the vessel turned round and round, so as to bring the metal into contact with every part which it is desired to cover. At a certain temperature it will be found to readily adhere to the glass. The excess is then poured out, and the vessel set aside to cool. =Amalgams, Tooth.= See DENTISTRY and TOOTH-CEMENTS. =Amalgam, Var′nisher’s.= _Prep._ Melt grain-tin, 4 _oz._, with bismuth, 1 _oz._; add quicksilver, 1 _oz._, and stir till cold; then grind it very fine with white-of-egg or with varnish, and apply the mixture to the figure or surface with a soft brush. It is used in several of the ornamental trades. =Amalgamating Salts.= Boil a solution of pernitrate of mercury with excess of equal parts of powdered persulphate and perchloride of mercury, and decant the liquid portion of the result for use. Chiefly used for amalgamating the zinc plates of galvanic batteries, also as a substitute for mercury in gilding by the amalgam process. =AMAL′GAMATED.= _Syn._ AMALGAMA′TUS, L.; AMALGAMÉ, Fr. Compounded or blended with quicksilver; formed into an amalgam. =AMALGAMA′TION.= [Eng., Fr.] _Syn._ AMALGAMA′TIO, L.; VERQUICKEN, Ger. The act or process by which an amalgam is formed; hence loosely, the mixing or blending of different things. In the art of the refiner, the operation of separating gold and silver from their ores by means of mercury.