Springs at Lemington Priors. 213 
Extract of a letter to Dr. Hoime, dated Septem- 
ber 25th, 1797. 
In the analysis of the waters of the new baths, I have 
conjectured, that the decomposition of oxygenated muriat 
of mercury is occasioned by a minute portion of sulphur, 
attached to some of the substances dissolved in the water 
({111.). Since writing that paper, I have attempted to 
verify this conjecture; and not without success, Wish- 
ing to collect some quantity of the precipitate, I evapo- 
rated a gallon of the water to half its bulk ; but found, that 
now the salt of mercury was dissolved without decomposi- 
tion. I added, therefore, the salt to the water without 
boiling; and suffered the precipitate to subside. By this 
process, I could collect no more than a grain froma gallon 
of water. I threw this uponalkali heated toredness; but 
the whole instantly evaporated with a dense smoke, I 
mixed, therefore, another portion (procured in the same 
manner) with alkali; and heated them in a crucible: still 
I failed to collect any sulphur from the alkali (as I had 
hoped); but I now perceived that, as the crucible became 
hot, the matter burnt away with a blue flame, as sulphur 
‘does. 
Sulphat of argill is not decomposed by this water when 
it has been reduced by evaporation: however, it gradually 
separates some of the abundant sulphat of lime: which is 
probably caused by its attracting the water which held it 
in solution, 
I think it right here to observe, that I have recently met 
with this water in such a condition, that it caused a per- | 
manent decomposition of sulphat of argill, This precipi- 
tate is extremely minute: I have not as yet determined the 
cause of it, but I suspect it to be carbonat of magnesia. 
WILLIAM LAMBE, 
