'^ OS SU^rHUROUS MINERAL WATERS. 



rt'ssels, and the residuum dissolved in alcohol, which thlces 



up tliis resin and the earthy muriates. By evaporating tlie 



alcohol, this substance apy)ear8 at Hrst as a yellowish fat, 



'which jwradually assumes a brown colour, and becomes resin- 



^\\s. By repeated solutions in alcohol and evaporations it is 



decomposed into sulphur^ and h blackish bronn resiii; It 



^ ,, ... emits a earlic smell ; which becomes very strono;, and similar 



Smells like ", ' -i -n . . 



garlic. to that of assatetida, if water be poured into the alcoholic 



solution. Its solution acts as an acid. 



The resin is soluble in ammonia, and communicates to it 



monia. «i yellow colour. This liquid comportsiitseJf Ike that of 



Vorms hidro- ^^o^^"* With timewater a hidrosulphuvet is formed. All 



sulphurets. the&'e sollltions act ou metallic compounds in the «ame man- 



•li'^r'ks sulphuretted liidrbgeri. " 



As sulphurous milieral waters arise from strata of pltcoal, 



th^e bitumen of i^^i'^i^ps the source of this bituminous principle may be 



coal. traced to the coal itself. ' ' 



„, , , c '' "Rouiid the baths' of Eilsen, as round those of St. Amand, 

 Black mud of , ... 



the baths of k mud accumulates, which in time grows darker coloured, 



Eilsea. ^^^ ultimately black. From this are obtained, on analyzing 



it, fetid sulphurous resin, hidrosulphuret of lime, sulphur, 



lime, alumine, magnesia, charcoal, an<i sand, with some fi- 



' brous substances;' and a little sulphuretted hidrogen gas, 



• • •'' 'i and carbonic acid gas. » ■ 



' ' ",■,, Whatever maybe the origin of the bituminous principle 



Charcoal- afid . , ^ , . -« r ^xr .l i • i i T»/r 



the fetid resin m the sulphurous waters, Mr. W estrumb, assisted by Mr. 



produced from Basse, has been able to produce charcoal and the fetid resin 

 f>u P ^^- |-j.Q^ py,.g sulphur. For this purpose he has digested in al- 



cohol sulphur precipitated from sulphuretted hidrogen by 

 an acid. On distilling off part^of the alcohol, sulphur is se- 

 parated in yellow crystals, or in a yellowish gray powder. 

 The fetid resin is then completely formed in the superna- 

 tant liqtibr, and possesses aU the properties mentioned 

 above. 

 Not formed b^' Its formation may be ascribed to the concurrence of the 

 the alcohol. alcohol,* particularly as after its separation from the resi- 

 duum left on evaporating sulphurous water, the pungent 

 ^mell iiS ipanifested on its being taken up by alcohol. But 

 eeveril observations lead Mr: WestrUmb to believe, that, 

 'alcohol does not contribute to the formation of this sub- 

 stance. 



