244 Mk. Muuray on the Waters of the Dead Sea. 



of salts is found to be nearly the same, but the relative projiortions of 

 the diflferent salts vary greatly. These varying results are partly 

 accounted for, by the specimens of water analysed having been collected 

 at different seasons, and at different parts of the Lake, — their composition 

 thus being modified by the proximity of the Jordan and other streams. 

 During the rainy season, the Lake rises ten or twelve feet. A sheet of 

 fresh water of that depth will thus be thrown over the Lake, which 

 water may be supposed to flow over a fluid nearly in 1 2 in density, 

 without greatly disturbing it. The salts rise from below into the superior 

 stratum of fresh water by the process of diflusion, which will bring up 

 salts of the alkalies with more rapidity than salts of the earths, and 

 chlorides of either class more rapidly than sulphates. The composition 

 of the water near the surface must therefore vary greatly as this process 

 is more or less advanced. 



The specimen which I have analysed was collected in April, 1847, on 

 the western shore of the Lake, and about a mile from the mouth of the 

 River Jordan. Its specific gravity at 60° Fab. was 1*156. Its taste 

 was intensely bitter and nauseous, but it had no unpleasant odour. 

 There was no definite reaction with either blue or reddened litmus paper, 

 proving the absence of any free acid or carbonated alkali. It did not 

 affect aeetate-of-lead paper, proving the absence of sulphuretted hydrogen. 

 Qualitative testing showed that it contained lime, magnesia, alumina, 

 potass, soda, chlorine, bromine, and sulphuric acid. Not a trace of iodine 

 could be detected. On the sides of the bottle in which it had been kept, 

 a deposit was formed, which was found to consist of carbonate of lime, 

 peroxide of iron, organic matter, and silica. 



Quantiiaiive Analysis. 



100 grs. evaporated to dryness with 10 grs. of pure carb. soda, gave 

 as the per centage of saline ingredients, 22'09. 



1000 grs. of the water were precipitated by BaO, NO*, and the pre- 

 cipitated BaO, SO^ weighed 1'51 grs. =: •0517 of sulphuric acid per cent. 



500 grs. were precipitated by NH'' -J- NH^Cl, which gave "05 of 

 alumina = "01 per cent. 



The solution filtered from the alumina was precipitated by NH*0, 

 0-fNH*Cl, which gave 10*50 grs. of carb. lime = 1*17 per cent, of 

 lime. 



The solution filtered from the lime was precipitated by phosphate of 

 ammonia, which gave 4*48 per cent, magnesia. 



500 grs. — The alumina having been separated by NH', the bromine 

 was precipitated by a saturated solution of Ag 01 in NH^, which gave 

 2*37 of Ag Br = -20 per cent, of bromine. 



50 grs were precipitated by AgO, NO'', which gave 57"96 grs. per 

 cent, of mixed Ag CI and Ag Br. Deducting -47, the per centage of 

 Ag Br, gives 57'49 of Ag 01 = 14*23 per cent of chlorine. 



100 grs. gave of mixed chlorides of sodium and potassium, 9 98. The 



