ALUMINOUS CHALYBEATE SPRING IN I, OF WIfiHT. 



IX. 



A chemical Account of an Aluminous Ckahjheate Spring in 

 the Isle of Wight. By Alexander Marcet, M. Z)., 

 F. R. S., one of the Physicians to Guy's Hospital, and 

 Member of the Geological Society*. 



Analysis of Jl_ HE accurate analysis of a Mineral Water, .although at- 



mineral wa* tended with considerable difficulty and labour, must be al- 

 ters. - 



lowed, in a general point of view., to be an object of so little 



importance, that unless there be some interesting medical 

 question to investigate, or some new analytical methods to 

 point out in the course of the inquiry, it may be questioned 

 whether researches of this kind are worth the time and at- 

 tention which they require, or deserve to be placed amongst 

 the records of natural science. 

 Importance of Having thought it necessary, in the present essay, to eon- 

 sul-ecT 601 fine m y self t0 tIie Ratura l and chemical history of the spring 

 in question, without any digression upon its medicinal qua- 

 lities, and being well aware, that chemical details are consi- 

 dered by geologists merely as collateral subjects, some apo- 

 logy may be required for the length of this communication. 

 Eutif the relation which the history of mineral waters bears 

 to geological and mineralogical inquiries, and the peculiari- 

 ties of composition, for which this spring is remarkable, 

 entitle the subject to the attention of this society, I hope, 

 that the general views and investigations which I have oc- 

 casionally introduced respecting the analysis of mineral 

 waters, and the composition of several salts connected with 

 this inquiry, will be deemed a sufficient excuse for having 

 thus expanded an account, from which they were almost 

 inseparable. 

 Inducemfnts It * s about two years since my attention was directed to 

 to the analysis, this chalybeate spring by Dr. Saunders, to whom, in conse- 

 quence of his valuable treatise on mineral waters, inquiries of 

 this kind are frequently referred. Having been requested by 

 him, and soon afterward by the discoverer of the spring, Mr. 

 Waterworth, surgeon, of Newport, to examiue this water, I 



* Transactions of tho Geological Society, vol. I, p 2 IS. 



