SecrTioN III., 1910. [53] Trans. R. S. C. 
V.—On the amount of Radium and Radium Emanation present in the 
water and gases of the Caledonia Springs, near Ottawa. 
By A.S. Eve, M.A., D.Sc., McGill University. 
(Read 27th September 1910.) 
It has been proved by Strutt, Joly, Eve and McIntosh, and others, 
that soils and rocks usually contain minute quantities of radium. The 
amount of radium present is variable, but determinations of specimens 
from many parts of the earth’s surface give a mean value of about 
1.4x 10 !? gram of radium per gram of rock, that is, about one part 
in a billion (1017). 
Underground waters percolating through rocks dissolve some of 
the radium and, therefore, hold some radium in solution. The presence 
of the water also facilitates the escape of radium emanation from the 
soil to the air. Surface waters and river waters contain radium to a 
less extent than underground waters. 
The water and gases from the Caledonia Springs have been thor- 
oughly analysed by Dr. Ruttan, of McGill University. The principal 
salts present in the waters are sodium and magnesium chlorides and 
calcium and magnesium carbonates. The gases freely liberated at 
the Springs are mainly methane (63 per cent) and nitrogen (33 per 
cent). The remaining 4 per cent are mainly hydrogen, carbon mon- 
oxide, carbon dioxide, ethane; there is also a trace of helium. 
Not far from the springs is a large peat bog, and it appears that 
the water soaking through the peat is powerful with reagents, to the 
action of which the greater part of the chemical properties may with 
much probability be assigned. 
The writer has recently made an investigation of the amount of 
radium present in samples of the water taken by him from the wells, and 
of the amount of radium emanation present in the gases spontaneously 
liberated at some of the springs. It appears desirable to place these 
results on record. The following is a list of the springs. 
In front of the Caledonia Springs Hotel, 
(1) The Gas Spring, 
(2) The Sulphur Spring, 
(3) The Saline Spring. (The water from this is carbonated and sold 
as the well-known Magi Water.) 
Across the railway is 
(4) The Artesian Sulphur Spring, which supplies the baths of the 
Hotel. | 
Two. miles away from the Hotel is 
(5) The Duncan Spring. 
