Olid on the Absorption nf Gases by Water. 261 



visiud the spring, precisely the same phenomenon was exhibited. 

 If the ascent of the water took place Hke Hero's ball, then the 

 water and oas must alternate with each other, as is the case in 

 the Spriidd, and the Neu Brunn at Carlsbad,* where the spring 

 appears, as it were, by fits and starts; and also in a much larger 

 scale in the Geyser and Strok in Iceland.-^ But in all mineral 

 sprino-s, where there is a periodical ascent of carbonic acid gas, 

 there is no irregularity in the issuing forth of the water. It is 

 easy to see that the manner of the disengagement of the carbo- 

 nic acid is dependent on the varying direction and the width of 

 the veins of the spring, or small hollows in places where these 

 veins proceed with a slight inclination, and in which are formed 

 local accumulations of gas, and also on other differences in the 

 form of the subterranean water-course. The phenomena ob- 

 served during the boring for mineral springs and artesian wells, 

 shew that here and there, in the interior of the earth, there are 

 large clefts filled with carbonic acid gas, and also with other 

 kinds of gas J. 



Since, therefore, the flowing out of springs is, with very few 

 exceptions, a result of the hydrostatic pressure of water reser- 

 voirs situated at a higher level, we must propose the question, 

 how a gas can have access to a close subterranean water-course 

 without the pressure being disturbed. For we can hardly 

 imagine processes in the interior of the earth, in which, by 

 the mere meeting of waters with stony masses, perhaps with car- 

 bonate of lime, carbonic acid can be absorbed without having 

 been previously separated. Even though, in opposition to what 

 we have said above, we were to admit that carbonic acid ab- 

 sorbed by atmospheric water always existed in' a liquid condi- 

 tion, yet the water must speedily, after having taken up the li- 

 quid, reach the place where the acid had its origin. As, how- 

 ever, the comparatively inconsiderable quantity of fixed consti- 

 tuent parts in acidulous springs shows no traces of energetic pro- 

 cesses in and with the water, such will be rather disturbed than 

 favoured by the pressure of the water. 



• Gilb. Annal., vol. Ixxiv. p. 120. t (^iHj- Annal., voL xliii. p. 60. 



* See amongst other authorities, Brandes, die Miiieralyuellen, ^c. Zti Mein- 

 berg, Leingo 1832, p. 231. Die Artesischen Bnuineii in unil lan Wien von v. 

 Jacquin uud Partsch, Wien 1831. Hericart de Thury in Ann. de Chini. et 

 dc Phys. vol. liii. p. 208. 



