418 J)r. Thomas Thomsons Analysis 



Article IV. 



Analysis of the Water of Nutshill Spring. By Thomas 

 Thomson, M. D., F. R. S. L. & E., Regius Professor of 

 Chemistry in the University of Glasgow. 



This spring occurs at Barhead in the parish of Neilston, 

 situated about five miles south-west from Glasgow. It is 

 a chalybeate, differing in its constitution from all other 

 chalybeates that I have had an opportunity of examining. 

 In chalybeates the iron is sometimes held in solution by 

 carbonic acid, as is the case with the water of Tunbridge 

 Wells; the small quantity of iron in Bathwater, is also 

 in all probability kept in solution by carbonic acid. In 

 such water the iron is always in the state of protoxide, 

 when it is sure to be most active. In other chalybeates 

 the iron is held in solution by sulphuric acid, in which 

 case the iron may be either in the state of protoxide or 

 peroxide. But I have most frequently found it in the state 

 of peroxide ; and the quantity of salt of iron present in 

 such waters is often enormous. There are two chalybeates at 

 Moffat in Scotland. One of these the Hartfell Spa contains 

 36'75 grains of proto-sulphate of iron in the imperial gallon. 

 The other spring called the strong chalybeate, contains 

 591 grains of sulphated peroxide of iron in the imperial 

 gallon. But the strongest chalybeate of this kind which 

 I have ever met with, is that at Vicar's Brig about two 

 miles east from Dollar, and at the foot of the Ochil Hills 

 in Scotland. From the imperial gallon of this water (which 

 has a deep red colour,) I obtained 



Common salt 5*87 grains 



Sulphate of soda .... 170*99 

 Sulphate of alumina . . . 953-18 

 Bi-sulphated peroxide of iron 1 753- 1 

 Sulphated peroxide of iron . 141-55 

 Silica 58-70 



3083-39 

 This is by far the strongest mineral water that I have 

 ever had an opportunity of examining. 



Nutshill water is much weaker ; but it owes its chaly- 

 beate properties to chloride of iron. Its taste is saline and 



