Smith on the Harrodsburg Salts. 40" 



Art. XVI. Analysis of the Harrodsburg Salts, by Ed- 

 ward D. Smith, M. D. Professor of Chemistry and 

 Mineralogy in the South-Carolina College. 



ItAORE than a year since I received a quantity of a white 

 earthy substance, which was said to be obtained by the evapo- 

 ration of certain mineral waters at Harrodsburg, Kentucky, 

 and there vended at a considerable price, under the name of 

 Epsom salts. The respectable character who presented this 

 powder to me, requested that I would make an analysis of it ; 

 but I had not sufficient leisure until lately, to pay the requisite 

 attention to this subject. The results of my examinations are 

 now submitted to the public eye. 



The external qualities of this substance are as follow : small 

 white lumps, hard to the touch, but dry and easily yielding to 

 pressure, somewhat gritty to the teeth, and imparting an earthy 

 and saline taste to the tongue. 



1. 120 grains of the powder were put into about a half ounce 

 of alcohol, digested for six hours, then washed with more al- 

 cohol, filtered and carefully dried. 



2. On weighing the dry powder, the loss appeared to be but 

 one grain, so that it contains very httleofany substance which 

 is soluble in alcohol. 



3. 116 grains (four grains having been lost in the transfer 

 from the filter) were collected and put into rather more than 

 eight times their weight of cold distilled water, and digested 

 for two hours. 



4. This watery solution was then filtered, and on weighing, 

 the residue appeared to be 48 grains, so that 67 grains must 

 have been dissolved, 



6. 10 grains of the insoluble residue (4) were put into a 

 flask, with 10 ounces of distilled water, and boiled for 1 hour. 



6. A small portion of this solution, on being tested with ni- 

 trate of barytes, gave a copious white precipitate, with oxalic 

 acid, a white cloud ; with ammonia, a slight white cloud ; with 

 muriatic acid, a slight bluish tinge. From these tests it was 



