62 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1713. 



of sal ammoniac, &c. but these made no ferment, nor any motion or change 

 in these waters. 3. I considered the diseases in human bodies, for which phy- 

 sicians prescribe these waters; and that they were often such as proceeded from 

 sharp, acid, or acrimonious causes, as cardialgiae or heart-burnings, sour vomit- 

 ings, corrosive diarrhoeas, coHcs from scurvies and stranguries; and that 

 sweetning and alkalisate remedies are used for these distempers. 



I consider these waters as containing in them the properties of iron; and I 

 find by experience, that it is most opposite to acids, being one of their great 

 correctors, and therefore rather to be esteemed an alkaU. Thus, 1. Take some 

 filings of iron, perhaps a drachm, and pour on them about an ounce of the 

 milder acids, such as vinegar, verjuice, or the juice of lemons, and it will 

 destroy the sharpness of these juices: or if you pour on these filings mineral 

 acids, as the very corrosive spirit of nitre, or of salt, or what is called oil of 

 vitriol, they will immediately lose their acidity, be disarmed of their sharp 

 points, and by evaporation give a salt that will taste sweetish, and is by chemists 

 called saccharum martis, if duly prepared; which is safely given inwardly, and 

 is esteemed a good altering medicine. 2. Steel beaten to a fine powder is, 

 without any further preparation, given inwardly with great success tor stomachic 

 diseases, as in the green sickness, hypochondriac, and various other acid and 

 acrimonious disafFections. 



I considered milk to be a very proper and obvious subject to bring this con- 

 troversy to a plain and unquestionable decision. I made this experiment with 

 all possible exactness : I first proved the chalybeate waters, more particularly 

 the spa-waters, by trying whether they tinged with galls. These being very 

 good, I put part of the waters to cold milk; some I made only luke-warm, and 

 some I boiled together, in equal proportions : but they were so far from 

 affording any curd or coagulation, that they continued several days without 

 being sour. 



The German physicians, supposing these waters to be sour, prohibit the use 

 of all lacticinia, as if they were as noxious as deadly poisons, while any are in 

 a course of their medicinal waters. But I have frequently advised, in some 

 cases, milk to be given daily in the evening, through a whole course of steel- 

 waters, with good effect : and some could not even bear the waters without 

 having a third part of milk or more mixed with them, and have continued 

 them so for many weeks, with good benefit: nor do I find the least reason to 

 prohibit the use of milk in a course of Bath waters, having for more than a 

 year and half been making the best scrutiny I can into the properties, virtues, 

 and vices (if any) of these waters, 



Siupe our,epcperiments discover, that those things which are of a sweetning 



