260 Chemistry. [Lecture 33. 



in some springs in Arabia, and that of magnesia 

 in some others. 



3. The muriats are more general ingredients 

 Indeed, hardly a spring has been analysed in 

 which muriat of soda, or common salt, has not 

 been found. Muriat of potass is less common, 

 and so are the muriats of ammonia, baryta, 

 alumina, and manganese. Muriats of lime and 

 magnesia are common ingredients. 



4. The carbonats are very general in mineral 

 waters, those of soda and of lime in particular : 

 the latter is generally held in solution by an ex- 

 cess of acid. Carbonat of magnesia is also very 

 common, and generally accompanied by car- 

 bonat of lime. Carbonat of iron is the com- 

 mon ingredient in those waters which are called 

 chalybeate. 



In examining any MINERAL WATERS, the first 

 object of attention is to have the water as fresh 

 as possible, as some of the parts are very volatile, 

 and fly off in a short time ; a great number of 

 trials are therefore to be made on the spot. 

 We must next notice the soil, situation, and 

 nature of the country in the neighbourhood of 

 these springs, whether it is hilly or flat, whether 

 the hills are rocky, what sort of stone they con- 

 tain, and whether there are any mineral appear- 

 ances in the neighbourhood; for it commonly 

 happens that a spring of this kind takes its rise 

 from the bottom of a mineral vein. Another 

 circumstance to be attended to is the degree of 



