Artificial Preparation of Medicinal Waters. 333 
This is the principle upon which is founded the extemporaneous 
method of impregnating cold water, at all seasons, with carbonic acid 
gas. As has been already stated, it imparts to the water the same 
sub-acid and pungent taste which it derives from the gas of the natural 
spring, and the neutral salt causes it to acquire mild medicinal prop- 
erties. 
It must now be perfectly obvious how every medicinal water may 
be effectually imitated as soon as the nature, properties, and propor- 
tions of those substances, and their mode of combination are ascer- 
tained by a previous chemical analysis. With the acid and alkaline 
powders ilies as above, an aqueous solution can be instantly pro- 
duced so precisely similar in taste and in Medicinal qualities to the 
water intended to be imitated that no difference can be perceived ; 
thus proving at the same time, by synthesis, the correctness of the 
previous analysis. 
The advantages of these preparations are peculiarly great in this 
country. Mineral springs are distributed through every part of this: 
vast continent, and its inhabitants are thus furnished with these im- 
portant means of health in equal abundance as with the necessaries 
of life. Wherever these mineral waters are found, they are freely 
and advantageously used. As however the most valuable of these 
springs are not situated in those places where they are most required, 
many persons find great difficulty in having recourse to them at so 
great a distance from the fountain. “I need only refer to the waters 
of Ballston and Saratoga, and especially to the Congress spring which 
is unrivalled and unequalled in medicinal qualities ; but as these are 
more peculiarly adapted to a southern climate, frequent periodical 
journeys to these fountains, from such great distances, become not 
only inconvenient and expensive but for an invalid often impracticable. 
Impressed therefore with the same view of the subject that has 
been expressed by Bergman and other chemists, it early occurred 
to me on visiting the springs for the purpose of making a chemical 
analysis of them, that an artificial preparation of the Congress spring 
may be effectually attempted, so as not only to produce the same 
taste, but, by combining all the substances which I had discovered in 
the Congress water, that a substitute for the natural water might be 
artificially prepared so as to render it equally beneficial to health, as 
the water of the spring, at seasons when it cannot be procured with 
Convenience, and frequently not without the loss of a large portion 
of its useful properties. 
Vou. XXII.—No. 2. 43 
