] 44 Bromine in the natural brine of Salina. 



According to the original process of the ingenious discoverer, M. Ba- 

 lard, I tried first, the bittern of the sea water evaporated upon this 

 coast, for the purpose of obtaining common salt, but, a stream of 

 chlorine gas, passed through it, produced no change in its color, ex- 

 cept what might be attributed to the solution of the chlorine. I next 

 tried the bittern of Salina, in the state of New York, where is a well 

 known and extensive manufactory of common salt, obtained by evap- 

 orating the salt water which there rises in great abundance. On 

 passing a stream of chlorine gas through a strong solution of this bit- 

 tern, there was an immediate change to yellowish red, and a peculiar 

 odor resembling that of a mixture of chlorine and bromine was per- 

 ceived ; the peculiar color and odor acquired their maximum in the 

 course of a few minutes, and I then agitated the entire fluid with very 

 good ether ; immediately, the ether became highly colored and float- 

 ed on the aqueous solution of the salts contained in the bittern ; a 

 distinct line of separation being observed between them. The limit- 

 ed quantity of the bittern in my possession, (only a few oz. measures,) 

 precluded the hope of obtaining the bromine in a separate state, by 

 distillation. It must however be obvious, to all who have studied the 

 properties of bromine, that these appearances decisively prove its 

 existence in the Salina waters, and it would seem in considerable 

 proportion. If I can obtain a sufiicient quantity of the bittern liquor 

 of that place, I shall hope to extract the bromine, and in the mean 

 time, I should be pleased to hear that it has been done by others ; 

 and it is probable that similar resuks may be obtained from our nu- 

 merous salt springs and fountains in the west. 



The subject is one of much practical interest, for such active agents 

 as iodine and bromine may produce important variations in the quali- 

 ty of salt, and it may become necessary for the manufacturer to know 

 how to separate them. 



In a theoretical view, iodine and bromine are among the most en- 

 ergetic and interesting of the bodies (considered as elementary) that 

 have been hitherto discovered, and we may expect much from the 

 farther development of their history and properties. The observa- 

 tion on the existence of bromine in the Salina waters was made and 

 communicated to my audience of pupils, in the first week of Febru- 

 ary, 1830. 



The bittern of this coast cpntains abundance of muriate of mag- 

 nesia, but very little muriate of lime ; just the reverse is the fact in 

 the bittern of Salina, 



