Temperature of Springs. 27 



riate. What is more natural than to inquire, Are these salts of 

 soda also found in other springs, which rise in other volcanic 

 ridges ? Berzelius has already preceded us in the exposition 

 and answering of this question. 



This excellent chemist says *, that, as the atmospheric wa- 

 ter, which enters pure into the earth, reissues charged with the 

 carbonate, sulphate, and muriate of soda, these salts must be 

 a universal and common product of volcanic activity. But 

 who, he continues, if he considers the immense volcanic masses 

 which suiTound Carlsbad, from Engelhaus to Schlackenwerth, 

 will hesitate to apply this conclusion to the springs of Carlsbad ? 

 He then shews the great similarity between a great part of the 

 north of Bohemia, and particularly where the mineral waters 

 are most abundant, and the provinces of Auvergne and Vivarais, 

 in France. He says, that even here, between the lava-streams, 

 which have flowed from the extinguished volcanoes surrounding 

 the Puy de Dome in Auvergne, in all directions, into the 

 plains of Limagnes, a greater or less number of warm springs 

 issue, which are rich in the carbonate, sulphate, and muriate of 

 soda, and even deposite carbonate of lime. Berzelius mentions 

 several of these springs, which bear great resemblance to Carls- 

 bad, and observes, that whenever we recede from the volcanic 

 district, no spring of that peculiar composition is to be met 

 with ; but they reappear when we reach Cantal, which is also 

 volcanic ; and that, finally, the alkaline natron springs appear 

 in Vivarais (department of Ardeche). This chemist, in conclu^ 

 sion, remarks, that he is far from maintaining, that all natron 

 springs, saturated with carbonic acid, with or without a propor, 

 tion of iron, must necessarily have the same oi'igin : to be jus- 

 tified in maintaining such a position, researches would be re- 

 quired, which have not yet been made, and which could be 

 effected by no single naturalist. I agree with Berzelius in 

 thinking, that a more exact investigation of the environs of 

 such springs, will I'ender more apparent to us their connexion 

 with ancient volcanic appearances ; and I have endeavoured to 



" Researches on the Mineral Waters of Carlsbad, Toplitz, and Koiiigs. 

 wart, in Bohemia, by J. Jierzelius. From the Transactions of the lloyal 

 Academy of Sciences of Sweden for 1822; Iranslaled by Gustavus Rose, 

 with some illustrations by Gilbert, in his Annalcn der I'liysik, vol. Ixxiv, 

 j>. n:{. and 27(1. 



