code: public static Object unifyReferences(final Hashtable hash, Object object) {
  		final Object itemAtHash = hash.get(object.hashCode());
  		if (itemAtHash == null) {
  			hash.put(object.hashCode(), object);
  		} else {
  			object = itemAtHash;
  		}
  		return object;
  	}
docs: return unified reference.
  
  @param hash   the hash
  @param object the object
  @return the object