Hot and Thermal Springs. 345 



increase of temperature of P.35. Since, then, atmospheric 

 water, under similar circumstances, having the temperature of 

 the place, would, by dissolving so much of the above-mentioned 

 substances as to form one of the richest mineral springs of Ger- 

 many, only acquire a temperature of l.°35 higher than that of 

 the neighbouring fresh water springs, the increase of tempera- 

 ture caused by this process in such mineral springs as frequent- 

 ly only contain one-half to one-sixth as much of soluble ingre- 

 dients as the Heilbronn, could not be perceptible. 



If we even admit the most favourable case for an increase of 

 temperature, but in rei'tim naturd the most improbable case of 

 all, viz. that sodium should come in contact with water con- 

 taining the necessary quantities of sulphuric, muriatic, and car- 

 bonic acid to form such a mineral water as the Heilbronn ; 

 even then, only an inconsiderable elevation of temperature would 

 take place, as the following experiments verify. 



Fifteen grains of sodium were put into a goblet, and a small 

 glass funnel placed over it ; upon this were poured 1000 grains 

 of water in which so much sulphuric and muriatic acid were 

 mixed as would form such a mineral water as that of the Heil- 

 bronn. A violent explosion, accompanied with a shower of fire, 

 was the consequence, and the glass broke. 



The heat of the water was, — 



Before the experiment, ..... 52*. 9 25 

 After, 55'.850 



Increase of temperature, 2°.925 



In a repetition of the experiment in a metallic vessel, the in- 

 crease of temperature was 4.275. 



The increase of temperature, caused by the oxidation of the 

 alkaline metals by water, is, therefore, far from sufficient to ac- 

 count, as Von Buch has attempted,* for the existence of hot 

 springs. Neither is there more probability in I3oussingault\s 

 hypothesis,-f- that the hot-springs which rise in the granite of the 

 Littoral Corderillas may be the result of the action of water 

 upon sulphuret of silicium, by which warm water, containing 



• Abhandlungen der K. Akad. der Wisstnscha^en in Berlin au3 den Jah- 

 ren, 18IR, 1819, p. (J5. 

 t Annal. de Chimie et de Fbys. F^vrier, U33, p. 189. 



