MINERAL WATERS OF THE UNITED STATES. 



INTBODUCTION. 



In this study of the chemical composition of American mineral 

 waters an attempt .has been made to obtain all the most prominent 

 spring waters as they are sold on the market and to compare the com- 

 position of such samples with the composition as advertised by the 

 owners of the springs. To do this, agents of the Department visited 

 all of the large mineral-water depots in both Washington, D. C., 

 and Baltimore, Md., and purchased 2 to 5 gallon samples of the various 

 waters in the original bottles. These samples were shipped to the 

 laborator} T , where all the waters of one kind were mixed in one large 

 bottle, and subjected to analysis without delay. In every case where 

 it was possible the advertising matter relating to individual samples 

 was obtained and the analysis as given compared with the analysis as 

 obtained at this laboratory. Where advertised analyses could not be 

 found, the results obtained at this laboratory were compared with the 

 results given in Crook's Mineral Waters of the United States, since 

 most of the analyses in that volume are the same as those advertised by 

 spring owners. Because of different methods of calculating the results 

 of water analyses by different chemists it was necessary to compute all 

 salts to their ions and make the comparisons on this basis. 



It will be found in the following pages that the composition of 

 waters as determined by the authors is often different from the com- 

 position as given in the advertising matter. This does not necessarily 

 mean that there has been any attempt at fraud on the part of the 

 owner of the spring. Sometimes the difference between the analyses 

 may be small and immaterial, falling within the limits of error of 

 analyses by different analysts and the natural change in the composi- 

 tion of the water from time to time. Sometimes the difference in 

 analyses may be due to the fact that the advertised analysis was made 

 years ago and that since that time the composition of the water has 

 gradually but steadily changed. On the other hand, these differences 

 may sometimes be due to poor analytical work on the part of the com- 

 mercial chemist, sometimes to fraud on the part of the retail dealer, 

 and sometimes even to fraud on the part of the spring owner. 



The authors are now making a further study of all well-known 

 spring waters from their source, and the second part of this report sets 



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