Springs at Lemingion Priors. 195 
» 
properties of this salt and the phenomena of the 
water, that the water contains this very salt: now, I 
conclude, that they contain a matter, be it what it 
may, produced by the action of hepatic gas on 
iron. But they are the very same facts which form 
the basis upon which each separate inference is built: 
—does it not then follow as'a necessary conse- 
quence that the hepatised solution itself contains a 
muriat of iron highly oxygenated, and that there-_ 
fore in this process muriatic acid is generated? This 
conclusion seemed authorized by reason, and expe- 
riment has confirmed it. 1. I evaporated a small 
quantity of the solution (v111. 1.) in a watch-glass 
to dryness: a bitter deliquescent salt is left behind: 
on this salt a little strong sulphuric acid was drop- 
‘ped, and paper moistened with ammoniac was held 
over the glass; white vapours were immediately 
formed over the glass: some volatile acid is, there- 
fore, separated by the sulphuric acid. 2. I evapo- 
rated about eight ounce-measures of the same liquors 
and, as before, dropped a little sulphuric acid on 
the residuum; in this case a strong effervescence 
was excited, very pungent acid fumes arose, which, 
from their smell, were readily known to be muri- 
atic. The same truth was established beyond a doubt 
by holding a bit of paper moistened with simple 
water, which made the vapours visible in the form . 
of a grey smoke—a distinguishing characteristic of 
