52 i- j^ddihonal A^oies. 



perlments \n tiiis hrancli of Hydrology, we owe much to 

 Sparrman, Bergman, Lord Mulgrave, M. Pages, M. 

 Bladh, Dr. Watson, and Mr. Ktrwan. 



Alincral IValcrs. p. 199. 



Mr. Boyle may be considered ?s the first person who, 

 pointed out the method of examining mineral waters. He 

 first ascertained the existence of air in water, and directed to 

 a number of tests, by means of which conjectures might be 

 made concerning the saline bodies whicli the water examined 

 held in solution. He was soon followed by Du Clos, of 

 France, by Hierne, of Sweden, and by several other phi- 

 losophers in diiTerent parts of Europe, who made considerable 

 additions to the tests employed, and the facts ascertained by 

 Boyle. In 1726 Boulduc pointed out a method of precipi'-. 

 tating several of the saline contents of water by means of 

 alcohol. But it was not till after the discovery of carbonic 

 i^id by Dr. Black, that any great progress was made in as- 

 certaining the composition of mineral waters. That subtle 

 acid, which is so often contained in them, and which serves 

 as a most powerful solvent to many of the earths, and even 

 of metallic bodies, had thw^arted all the attempts of former 

 chemists to detect the composition of these liquids. Since 

 the discovery of that acid, the analysis of mineral waters has 

 advanced with great rapidity; so that, at the present period, 

 this may be considered as one of the most advanced parts of 

 chemical philosophy. — Thomson^' Chemistry. 



The Dissertation on the Analysis of Mineral Waters, pub- 

 lished by Bergman in 1778, may be considered as the first 

 great work on this subject. No general mode of analyzing 

 mineral waters was known prior to this publication. The 

 author, in this admirable work, not only shed much new light 

 on the subject, but he also carried the investigation of it, at 

 once, to a very high and honourable degree of perfection. 

 His method, with many additions and improvements, has 

 been generally adopted by succeeding hydrologists. He 

 was followed by the distinguished persons whose names are 

 enumerated in the above-mentioned i^age. Besides these, the 

 names of Breze and Hassenfratz are worthy of respectful 

 notice, for their analyses of the waters of Pu and Poiigiics. 

 T)r. Pearson, more particularly examined the waters oi Bux- 

 ton; Dr. Garnett, those oi Harrow gate ; and Mr. Lambf, 

 those of Lcmington Priors, 



