376 X Lawrence Smith on the Thermal Waters of Asia Minor. 



examining into the gaseous products of various springs, and I 

 then ascertained that the gas was found especially with warm 

 springs; the nitrogen, when found accompanied with oxygen, 

 existed in proportions much greater than in the atmosphere, and 

 in numerous instances it was almost pure. The question natu- 

 rally arisesj whence comes this nitrogen ? and as we know of no 

 other natural source of nitrogen than the atmosphere, it occurs to 



the mind that there is a source of the gas in the thermal waters, 



which, before they pass to the heated substrata, absorb a certain 

 amount of air ; the oxygen of the air contained in the water 

 combines with the rocks and minerals, or is taken up by some 

 de-oxydizing agent in the waters, which, as they return to the 

 siu'face naturally bring the nitrogen of the air freed of all or most 

 of its oxygen. 



This explanation, which appears so natural, does not, however, 

 account for the fact, and I have been obliged to abandon it. Did 

 the nitrogen in these waters occur in such small quantities, as we 

 might suppose to have been absorbed by water, the explanation 

 would hold good ; but the fact in the case of the springs at Ya- 

 lova and many other sources, is, that the gas, which is nearly 

 pure, bubbles up in great ahiindance. Again, if the nitrogen 

 evolved by springs be simply such as the water absorbs before 

 penetrating the surface of the earth, how does it happen that this 

 gas escapes from springs of ordinary temperature? For it is rea- 

 sonable to suppose that the water having once taken into solution 

 a gas, will not give it out except by heat or the presence of a 

 large amount of saline matter, neither of which occur to explain 

 the evolution of nitrogen gas from certain springs. 



Feeling thus satisfied that the nitrogen in the gaseous products 

 of springs is not owing to its absorption from the atmosphere, its 

 origin has been sought for elsewhere, but without success, and I 

 am constrained to believe that nitrogen is one of those elements 

 stored up in the interior of the earth, in more or less abundance 

 either pure oc combined, and frequently finds its way to the sur- 

 face through those fissures by which mineral waters are con- 

 ducted. Its more frequent occurrence with thermal waters is 

 doubtless owing to the greater depth from which the latter come. 



After all, however, that has been said, we must acknowledge 

 the explanation imperfect, and as only furnishing another evidence 

 of the difficulty of learning anything of the origin or uses of 

 this singular substance, nitrogen in its elementary state. 



On the Analysis of these tcaters, particularly with reference to 



the Silica and Alkalies, 



The general method of analysis adopted, differed but little 

 from that usually employed; and the construction of the salts 

 out of the acids and bases has been made entirely from the dic- 

 tates of my judgment in the matter. 



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