the Mineral Raters of Dunllane and 'Pitcaithly, 275 



derable advantages. Situated between the range of the Ochil 

 Hills and the Grampians, it is well sheltered, and hence enjoys 

 a mild atmosphere ; and the sril, from being a bed of gravel for 

 a number of miles around, is extremely dry, — an advantage in- 

 estimable in a moist climate. 



II. Ajialy sis of Pitcaithly Water. 



The water of Pitcaithly may be regarded as the principal mi- 

 neral water of the saline class in this country. Dr. Donald 

 Monro showed, that, along with a little mild calcareous earth, 

 it contained muriate of soda, with a deliquescent salt, which he 

 inferred to be chiefly " a calcareous marine," that is, muriate 

 of lime*. An analysis of it was j)ublished a number of years 

 ago,-executed by Messrs. Stoddart and Mitchell of Perth. There 

 are different springs, the waters of which they found to be some- 

 what different in strength. The nature of the impregnation is 

 in all of them, however, the same. — Selecting the strongest, it 

 contains, according to their analysis, the following ingredients 

 in an English pint : 



Atmospheric atr . . 0*5 cubic inch. 

 Carbonic acid gas . . 1 



Muriate of soda .. 12"5 grains. 



hme . . 22-5 



Sulphate of lime .. 0*7 

 Carbonate of lime . . O'Bf 



The composition of this water, according to this analysis, is 

 very similar to that of the Dunblane water. No account is 

 given, however, so far as I have been able to discover, of the 

 manner in which it had been executed, and it is therefore uncer- 

 tain to what state of dryness the ingredients had been brought 

 to which their proportions are referred. Hence no comparative 

 estimate can be made of it with any other mineral water ; and 

 this led me to undertake its analysis, in the same manner as that 

 of the Dunblane water. 



Pitcaithly is situated in the valley of Strathern ; and though at 

 rather a greater distance from the front range of the Grampians 

 than Dunblane, it is not improbable that the spring may have 

 a similar origin with the Dunblane one, and may rise from the 

 red sandstone which appears to form the first rock on descending 

 from the ]Himitive rocks, and to extend over all this district. 



The taste of this water is saline, and somewhat bitter. Com- 

 paring it with the Dunblane water, both being tasted at the 

 same time, the taste of the Dunblane water is stronger, and in 

 particular more saline than that of the other. The medicinal 



* Fhilosophicnl Transactions, vol. Ixii. 

 t Statistica.1 Accounl of Scotland, vol. viii. 



S 2 operation 



