74 M. H. Boye's Analysis of the Bittern 



converged or superimposed the images, and found them so nearly 

 to coincide, that the common outline was merely elegantly sof- 

 tened by the inequalities. In this experiment it appeared as if 

 the eye, when the figures did not exactly coincide, had some 

 power to complete the work or conceal the imperfections. 



I have just succeeded in substituting a blank tablet for one of 

 the pictures, and in tracing upon it with a pencil the illusive 

 image converged from the other tablet. But this is not a very 

 practicable method of copying pictures, requiring unusual com- 

 mand and steadiness of the optical axes for even the most mod- 

 erate success in the operation. 



Art. VII. — Analysis of the Bittern of a Saline on the Kiski- 

 minetas River, near F reexport, Armstrong County \ Pennsylva- 

 nia ; by M. H. Bori;, M.D., A.M. 



(Read before (he American Assoc, for the Advancement of Science, Philad., 1843.) 



The mother liquid, which remains after the brine has been 

 so far concentrated as to yield no more salt by crystalliza- 

 tion, is generally termed bittern, and thrown away. A great 

 difference exists in regard to the quantity of bittern which re- 

 mains at the different salines, some of them yielding a large 

 amount of it, others leaving hardly any. The bittern which is 

 the object of the present examination, was taken in the fall of 

 1841, from the first salt work on the Kiskiminetas river, above 

 Freeport, situated on the canal. It was selected on purpose 

 from this saline, which was said to yield it in larger quantity 

 than any other in the neighborhood, with a view to examine its 

 chemical constituents, and more particularly to test it for bromine. 

 Owing, however, to several causes, the examination was not be- 

 gun till the spring of 1844. In the quantitative estimation of 

 the different ingredients, I have been assisted bv Mr. J. Hewston, 



a pupil of the High School. 



depoi 



torn of the bottle in which it was contained, a crust of common 

 salt, covered with a slight film of oxyd of iron, from which it 

 was separated by careful decantation and subsequent filtration. 

 By a qualitative examination, the water was found to contain 



tassa 



chlorohydric acid. By the passage o 

 subsequent shaking with ether, the latter assumed a rich orange 

 color, indicating at once the presence of bromine. Chlorid of 

 palladium indicated only a trace of iodine. It contained no sul- 



1. The specific gravity of the liquid 



phuric acid and no lithia. 



Q 



ascertained 



Its 









