C 2^ ) 



From thcfe remarks we may reafonably infer, 

 that hard water cannot fo well anfwer the purpo- 

 fes of diluting and digefling our food -, as it will 

 not fo readily mix and unite with the different 

 parts of it, nor alTimuIate and fligeft them pro- 

 perly. Befides the large cuaniities of acid and 

 nitrous falts, with the loads of felcnite and calca 

 reous earth, which thefe waters generally contain, 

 will naturally difpofe them to form obftrutSlions, 

 when, by the courfe of circulation, thefe folid 

 particles come into the minutefl vefTels, more e- 

 fpecially thofe of the glands. Hence they are 

 ofcen blamed, as laying the foundation of fcro- 

 phulous, flrumous, and other glandular fwellings 

 and obflruflions. r- 



It is from the quantity of flony matter, 

 which the hard waters generally contain, that moft 

 of them have large incruftations upon the fides of 

 the vefiels, in which they are boikd; and they have 

 by fome beea difapproved for this reafon, as cauf- 

 ing the flone. But the calculous concretions in the 

 bladder and kidneys are of a very different nature 

 from thefe incruftations ; and; as Dr. Hebt-rden 

 juftly obierves, *^ they totally differ from all foffil 

 tlones in every thing except the name , and the 



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