Smith on the Harrodsburg Salts. 403 
— 
Art. XVI. Analysis of the Harrodsburg Salis, by Enwarp D. 
Smita, M. D. Professor of Chemistry and Mineralogy in the 
South-Carolina College. 
More than a year since I received a quantity of a white 
earthy substance, which was said to be obtained by the evapo- 
ration of certain mineral waters at Harrodsburg, Kentucky, 
and to be there vended at a considerable price, under the name of 
Epsom salts. The respectable person who presented this 
powder to me, requested that I would make an analysis of it; 
but I had not sufficient leisure until lately, to pay the requisite 
attention to this subject. The results of my examinations are 
now submitted to the public eye. 
The external qualities of this substance are as follows: small 
white lumps, hard to the touch, but dry and easily yielding to 
pressure, somewhat gritty to the teeth, and imparting an earthy 
and saline taste to the tongue. 
1. 120 grains of the powder were put into about a half ounce 
of alcohol, digested for six hours, then washed with more al- 
cohol, filtered and carefully dried. 
2. On weighing the dry powder, the loss appeared to be but 
one grain, so that it contains very little of any substance which 
is soluble in alcohol. 
3. 115 grains (four grains having been lost in the transfer 
from the filter) were collected and put into rather more than 
eight times their weight of cold distilled water, and digested 
for two hours. 
4. This watery solution was then filtered, and on weighing, 
the residue appeared to be 48 grains, so that 67 grains must 
have been dissolved. , 
5. 10 grains of the insoluble residue (4) ‘wers put into a 
flask, with 10 ounces of distilled water, and boiled for 1 nour. 
6. A small portion of this solution, on being tested with ai 
trate of barytes, gave a copious white precipitate ; with oxalie 
acid, a white cloud; with ammonia, a slight white cloud i with 
muriatic acid, a slight bluish tinge. From these tests it was 
