276 An Analysis of 



operation of the Pitcaithly water, in the sensible effects it pro"-* 

 duces, is diuretic and purgative. 



The gaseous imprec,nation of the water could he examined 

 properly only at the spring, wh.ifh I had not the opportunity of 

 doing. But having procured a quantity of the water, I sub- 

 mitted it to the same examination as in the preceding analysis, 

 to ascertain its solid contents. The usual reagents produced the 

 following appearances ; 



1. The colours of litmus, violet, and turmeric, were scarcely af- 



fected. If there were any change, it was that of the lit- 

 mus becoming more blue, and that of the violet green; but 

 this was so slight as to be rather doubtful. The turmeric 

 underwent no change. 



2. Muriate of barytes produced a turbid appearance and preci- 



pitation ; but this was much less considerable than in the 

 Dunblane water. The transparency was not restored by 

 nitric acid. 



3. Nitrate of silver produced a very dense and copious precipi* 



tate. 



4. Water of potash gave a mrlkiness not very considerable. 



T). Carbonate of potash threw down a copious precipitate, which 



disapt)eared v.ith effervescence on adding nitric acid, 

 t). Lime water had no sensi})ie effect. 



7. Ammonia, when perfectly free from carbonic acid, caused no 



turbid appearance. 



8. Oxalate of ammonia produced an abundant precipitation. 



9. Tincture of galls, added in a very minute quantity, did not 



immediately produce any effect ; but after a few hours, a 

 dark colour api)earcd, which gradually deepened, inclining 

 to an olive-green. 

 With all these tests, the general results are tlie same as those 

 from the operation of the same tests on the Dunblane water. 

 In experiment 7tl), the ammonia, if not perfectly free from car- 

 Ijonic acid, produced a slight turbid appearance; and even wlien 

 in its purest state, a very slight opalescent hue was perhaps ap- 

 j)arent : l)ut this obviously depended on the presence of a little 

 carbonic acid ; for when a drop or two of nitric acid was pre- 

 viou'^ly added, and the water heated, no such appearance was 

 produced ; or, if boiled strongly, without any addicion of acid, 

 on restoring the original quantity of licjuid, liy adding distilled 

 v/atcr, the transparency was not in the slightest degree altered 

 on adding pure ammonia. The slight precipitate, too, which 

 did occur in any case, was dissolved by the most minute cjuantity 

 of muriatic acid with effervescence ; and this solution became 

 turbid on adding oxalate of ammonia, proving the precipitate to 

 have been carbonate of lime. 



The 



