142 ARTIFICIAL CHELTENHAM WATElt. 



and this may It occurred to me, that if by any means this gas ceroid 

 be retained in b e confined at its first disengagement, and a sufficient 

 quantity of water present, it would be absorbed by that very 

 water in which it would be disengaged, and serve the same 

 purpose as when afterward driven into it by the force of a 

 condensing apparatus* I made many experiments to this 

 effect, with different proportions, and with different quanti- 

 ties of the ingredients, and with the most satisfactory re- 

 sults: and found, that the entire process could be safely and 

 Id a common conveniently conducted, in a pint, or half pint bottle of 

 ixnerkneiit comuio>1 green glass. Having calculated what quantity of 

 proving this, the carbonates of soda and magnesia (properly propor- 

 tioned J would yield on decomposition a volume of carbonic 

 acid, that might without danger be confined in a half pint 

 bottle; I found the quantity of dilute sulphuric acid neces- 

 sary to decompose it, and measured it out in a graduated 

 glass. I then put the carbonates into the bottle, together 

 with one grain of the sulphate of iron f green vitriol) ', and 

 nearly filled it with cold water; just leaving room to add 

 the sulphuric acid, which 1 next put in, and instantly closed 

 the bottle, securing the cork with a string. By a little agi- 

 tation, the salts were soon dissolved, and the liquor became 

 transparent : and on removing the cork, I had the satisfac- 

 tion to find the process had succeeded equal to my most 

 sanguine expectations: for the lkiuor was so highly impreg- 

 nated with the gas, as to be scarcely distinguishable in taste 

 from the best prepared soda water, and it flowed with ebul- 

 lition from the bottle, the instant the string was untied, 

 driving out the cork with considerable violence. The quan- 

 tities here employed were too great for general use, being 

 nearly one half greater than the proportions, which farther 

 experience has enabled me to recommend: however, they 

 tshow, that the strength of the water may be much increased 

 without bursting the bottles. 



Farther particulars of the process, and cautions to be ob- 

 served in conducting it. 

 The carbonate of soda employed was the common soda of 

 kuig Cnel- commerce, that prepared from the muriate of soda (sea 

 tenham water. ^. ^ ^ p atent process, which neither deliquesced nor 

 effloresced by exposure to the air; and by a very delicate 



test 



Process for 

 ma 



