Mr. West on Natural Waters. 45 



a greater portion of carbonic acid, as well as a greater volume 

 of the mixed gases. 



From hard, brisk pump water I obtained, by boiling, quanti- 

 ties which, in round numbers, and for the specific gravity, varied 

 but little, in repeated trials, from sixteen cubic inches of car- 

 bonic acid, and the same quantity of a mixture of azote with a 

 small quantity of oxygen. 



The water of the Aire, taken from the cut which supplies 

 the waterworks, gave two inches and three-quarters of carbonic 

 acid, and eleven inches and three-quarters of azote and oxygen, 

 the total quantity of gases being less than half that from pump 

 water. From that of a large fish-pond I obtained more gas 

 than from the river, but less carbonic acid, viz., two cubic 

 inches and a quarter of carbonic acid, fourteen inches azote, 

 and two oxygen. 



It is only within these very few years that carburetted hy- 

 drogen has been recognised in water. Its presence was first 

 noticed, I believe, by Dr. Scudamore and Mr. Garden, inHar- 

 rogate sulphur-water. It is found accompanying sulphuretted 

 hydrogen in every water which I have tried in which that gas 

 occurs, and is disengaged from many springs in much greater 

 quantity than the water can absorb, so as to form large bubbles. 

 This phenomenon has been observed in many parts of the 

 world, and the inflammability of the gas disengaged in such 

 situations had been often noticed, but its exact nature has been 

 in most cases rather inferred than proved. 



This circumstance of an inflammable gas, great part of which 

 is carburetted hydrogen, issuing spontaneously from water, 

 may be seen in several places in our neighbourhood. At Har- 

 rogate large bubbles occasionally rise through the water. At 

 Stanley there is a continual flow of small bubbles ; the dif- 

 ference depends upon the figure of the well or boring, and 

 that of the passages through which it is supplied. At Slaith- 

 waite the disengagement of gas is still more abundant, so that 

 there is a succession of large bubbles, and the gas may easily 

 be collected in considerable quantities, or set fire to at the 

 surface of the water. 



The nature and amount of gaseous impregnation, though 

 often of moment in medicinal waters, is almost immaterial for 



