VOL. XX.J PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 337 



fs white, and the third the same colour as slate. These last two sorts give by 

 lixivium a salt like sal gemmae. This water in its spring is clear and luke- 

 warm. Its smell and taste like standing water. When exposed to the air, it 

 soon loses both ; whence one may judge that it has a very volatile sulphur ; and 

 on account of which it is almost impossible to make any experiments on it. 



This mineral water has the same weight as the vSeine river-water. It altered 

 not the colour of syrup of violets, nor the tincture of tournesol, lime water, 

 nor the oil of tartar ; the volatile spirit of sal ammoniac and hartshorn whited 

 the water, and made in it a light coagulum. This water, mixed with the dis- 

 solution of ammoniac salt, did not give any smell. It did not alter the infusion 

 of galls. Mingled with the solution of vitriol, it was troubled a little, and gave 

 a greenish colour, and at length it precipitated a yellow powder. Acid spirits 

 did not ferment at first with the water, but afterwards it gave some small 

 bubbles, which adhered to the side of the glasses, wherein the liquor was con- 

 tained. Having distilled 5 pints of that water ; the distilled water had not any 

 taste or smell : and it did not change tincture of tournesol, nor lime-water. 

 There remained from that 5 pints, or l6o ounces, 70 grains of residue ; which 

 by lixivium gave 34 grains of grey earth, and 15 grains of white salt, almost 

 like sal gemmje. 



The residue of the evaporated water put upon the burning coals, did not cast 

 any smoke, nor did it make any detonation; spirit of nitre being poured on it, 

 it fermented very much ; nor did spirit of wine extract any tincture from the 

 residue. 



From these experiments it may be concluded, that this water has no acidity ; 

 that it participates not of vitriol nor of alum : and that there is in it but a 

 small quantity of the white earth, and less also of salt, which is very like sea- 

 salt. That the parts which show themselves in the mixture of the lime-water, 

 &c. are the earth, and salt of fixed or volatile alcalis. These are the same parts 

 which begin the light fermentation in the mixture of acid spirits ; but that fer- 

 mentation is imperfect, because of the small quantity of the earth, which is 

 drowned in so great a quantity of liquor; indeed, when the water is evaporated, 

 the acid spirits ferment very much with the residue. 



It appears by the smell of this water, that it contains a sulphur very subtle, 

 which dissipates easily, and is not sensible in the experiments. However to 

 that sulphur are to be attributed the principal effects which are produced by that 

 mineral water ; such as relieving the palsy, &c. in other sorts of distempers where 

 the nervous system is attacked, in short-breath, and in all affections of the 

 lungs ; and relieving many other infirmities, which are caused by the sharp fer- 

 ments, which are sweetened by this water. As to its other properties, such as 



VOL. IV. Xx 



