28 On the Chemical Constitution and 



prosecute the inquiry, as far as was possible, from the present 

 state of our knowledge of the geognostical relations of those 

 countries, with the chemical constitution of whose springs we 

 are acquainted. What has already been done in these districts 

 permits of an extent being given to these researches, which 

 could scarcely have been expected, and yet many observations 

 may easily have escaped me. But I flatter myself, that what 

 follows will answer the above question in the affirmative in a 

 general way. 



As this is the most proper place, I will first shortly treat of 

 those inquiries and considerations of other naturahsts, which 

 have any relation to the subject. 



The older naturalists almost unanimously attributed the heat 

 of warm springs to subterranean fire, or, at least, to the same 

 causes which produce this fire. On the erroneous view, that 

 they all contained sulphuretted hydrogen gas *, was founded the 

 supposition, that the water of these springs previously flowed 

 over beds of iron pyrites, and, by their action on them, ob- 

 tained both their sulphuretted hydrogen gas and their elevated 

 temperature. 



Becherf assumed, in reference to Carlsbad, that water, hold- 

 ing common salt in solution, flowed over a burning bed of py- 

 rites, the sulphuric acid of which changed the muriate into 

 the sulphate of soda. Berzelius has demonstrated | the untena- 

 ble nature of this assumption, which does not once refer to the 

 origin of the carbonate of soda. 



Klaproth §, who at once saw the difficulties of Becher's hypo- 

 thesis, believed, that the Carlsbad waters were heated by a large 

 bed of coal, set on fire by iron pyrites ; and that iron pyrites, 

 coal, limestone, and salt-springs, were the raw materials out of 

 which nature elaborated these hot mineral waters. But Leopold 

 von Buch ll, on geognostical, and Berzelius^, on chemical 

 grounds, have respectively shewn the untenableness of this pro- 

 position. 



The latter observes, that however easy it is to be convinced 



" Parrot, Grundriss der Physik der Erde und Geologie. | Riga and Leipzig, 

 1815, p. 315. 

 f New Treatises on Karlsbad, by David Becher, 2d edit. 1789. p. 20. 

 + Swedish Academy for 1822, p. 173. § His Beitrage, vol. i. 346. 



11 Bergmannische's Journal for the year 1792, p. 383, especially p. 412. 

 % Swedish Academy, p. 177- 



