Analysis of the " White Sulphur*' Water. 95 



any other in Virginia. They are ueful in bilious obstructions, and 

 in a variety of cutaneous diseases. The smell of sulphur is com- 

 municated to those who bathe in, and drink freely of the water ; the 

 effluvia changing the color of silver w-atches in their pockets. I 

 procured a bottle of the water last August, carefully corked at the 

 spring; but exposure to light and the agitation of the water, while 

 on the road, expelled all the sulphuretted hydrogen. The quantity 

 was too small to make any other than a qualitative analysis. The 

 following is the result for which I am indebted to R. Peter, M. D., 

 assistant Professor of Chemistry in the Transylvania Medical Col- 

 lege, Lexington, Ky. 



" Experiments 1 and 2. Added litmus and turmeric infusions ; 

 no change ; consequently, there was no sensible quantity of free 

 acid, or free alkali, present in the water. 



"3. Add solution of acetate of lead ; copious white precipitate, 

 acquiring, by standing, a slight buff tinge. If any quantity of sul- 

 phuretted hydrogen had been present, it would have been indicated 

 by a blac]{ precipitate ; the slight buff tinge was owing to a trace of 

 it. The white precipitate may have been produced by sulphuric, 

 muriatic, or carbonic acid. 



" 4. Added solution of nitrate of silver ; copious curdy white 

 precipitate, which was not dissolved by nitric acid, indicating the 

 presence of muriates. 



"5. Solution of muriate of barytes, produced copious white pre- 

 cipitate not dissolved by nitric acid ; indicating the presence of sul- 

 phates. 



"6. Lime water; slight turbidness; very little carbonic acid 

 present. 



" 7. Oxalate of ammonia produced copious white precipitate, 

 indicating the presence of some salt of lime. 



" 8. Carbonate of ammonia, do. do. Same inference. 



" 9. To the filtered liquid of the last experiment, I added phos- 

 phate of soda, which produced a copious white precipitate, indica- 

 ting the presence of magnesia — the cai-bonate of ammonia having 

 previously precipitated all the lime. > 



" 10. Added nitric acid and starch to the water; no change of 

 color ; no sensible quantity of iodine-present. 



" 11, 12. Added succinate of ammonia. 



" 13, 14. Infusion of galls — prus- ^ no change ; no sensible 

 siate of potash, sulpho-cyan- > quantity of oxide of iron 

 ate of potassium — severally,) present. 



