P Y R 



V Y R 



no regularly angular figure, and of a fimply ftriated internal 

 ftrufture. 



Of this genus of pyritas there are three known fpecies. 

 All the three fpecies are found plentifully in different parts 

 of the kingdom : the firft in all forts of llrata, and often 

 loofe on the ground ; the fecond principally in the chalk- 

 pits of Kent and Sudex ; and the lad in Efl'ex and Hamp- 

 ihire, and very frequently in the German mines, plill. 



PYRITZ, in Geography. See Piiirrz. 



PYRMONT, a town of Germany, and capital of the 

 country fo named ; its citadel is fortilied with a broad ditch, 

 high ramparts, and fubterraneous paflagcs and vaults; 12 

 miles S.W. of Hamala. N. lat. 51° 57'. E. long. 9'-" 17' — 

 Alfo, a county and principality of Germany, bounded on 

 the N. by the principality of Calenberg, on the E. by 

 Wolfenbuttle and Calenberg, on the S. by Wolfenbuttlc, 

 and on the W. by the county of Lippe ; about nine miles 

 long, and three broad. The revenues are eftimated at 

 30,000 rix-dollars, principally arifnig from the fprings and 

 falt-works. 



Pyrmont Water, in Phyfiology and Msdk'ine, a very 

 brifl<, fpirituous chalybeate, abounding in fixed air, and 

 which, when taken up from the fountain at Pyrmont, in 

 Germany, whence its name, fparkles like the briftefl Cham- 

 paign wine. It has a pleafant, vinous tatle, and fomewhat 

 fulphureous fmcU. It is perfettly clear, and bears carriage 

 better than the Spa water. 



The hiilory of thefe waters is accurately given by Hoff- 

 mann in his obfervations on them, both in their natural ftate, 

 and in mixture with other bodies. 



He firfl obferves, that they contain 3 volatile and fubtile 

 principle, much more penetrating and ilrong, as well as in 

 larger quantity, than any other mineral water ; but that 

 this is not to be expected in them any where but upon the 

 fpot, for thofe who tranfport them to other places are con- 

 ftrained to let a part of this fly oft, to preferve the reft. 

 If either glafs or earthen veffels be tilled at the fpring, and 

 immediately corked and faftened down, the confeqiience is, 

 that they will burll on the firlt motion, or heat of the 

 weather. They are, therefore, forced to fill them only in 

 part at firft, and let them Hand awhile for this fubtile fpirit 

 to exhale ; and then awhile after the filling them up, to cork 

 and fit them for carriage. 



2. If they are drank upon the fpot in a morning, on an 

 empty ilomach, they affett the nofe with a pungent tingling, 

 and difturb the head for many hours afterwards. 



3. If they are taken at the fpriag, they purge but ver)' 

 little ; but if taken in another place, after tranfportation, 

 they purge confiderably more, and render the ilools black. 

 It is obfervable alfo, that if they are left in an open veffel a 

 few days, their virtue wholly exhales, and they no longer 

 purge nor render the flools black. 



4. If tea-leaves, bauluftinc-flowers, or galls, are put into 

 this water, they firil change it to a blue, from that to a 

 purple, and finally to a black. This is a ready proof that 

 black is only a deep purple, and purple only a deep blue : 

 a little fpirit of vitriol added to this liquor deftroys all the 

 colour, and renders it limpid as before. 



5. If any acid be mixed with Pyrmont water, there is 

 raifed an eftervefcence, and bubbles of air are carried up in 

 great quantity ; and this whether the ilronger acids, fueh 

 as fpirit of vitriol, or aqua fortis, be ufed ; or the weaker, 

 as vinegar, lemon juice, or Rhenifh wine. 



6. If an alkaline liquor be added, whether it be volatile, 

 as tlie fpirit of fal ammoniac, or fixed, as the oil of tartar, 



9 



there is no ebullition raifed, but the liquor becomes turbitf 

 and milky. If fpirit of vitriol be afterwards added to this, 

 to faturate the additional alkali, the liquor becomes limpid 

 again. 



7. Cow's milk mixed in equal quantity with Pyrmont 

 water does not coagulate, but, on the contrary, becom.es 

 thinner than before, and is proferved from turning four fo 

 foon as it otherwife would in hot weather. This is a proof 

 that there is no piedominating acid in thefe waters. 



8. If fyrup of violets be added to Pyrmont water, it 

 turns it to a beautiful green. This is a proof of the alkaline 

 nature of thefe waters ; and it is further proved, by adding 

 fpirit of vitriol, or any other acid, to this green liquor, 

 which on that become8 limpid again. 



9. Four pints of this water evaporated over a gentle fire, 

 yield no more than two fcruples of a dry refiduum. Oil of 

 vitriol being poured on this, an acid effervefcence arifes, and 

 with it an acrid and pungent vapour, like that produced 

 by mixing oil of vitriol and common fait. If fpirit of 

 vitriol be ufed inftead of the oil, the effervefcence is in a 

 lefs degree, and the fait is in part changed to a bitter falino 

 mafs, the remainder feparated from which proves to be 

 a calcareous earth, no longer fermenting with the fpirit of 

 vitriol. 



10. If a quantity of Pyrmont water be expofed twenty- 

 four hours to the open air in a bafon, it will at the end be 

 found to have loft alt its virtues, tafbng wholly infipid, and 

 being turbid, inilead of the fine clearnefs it had before, and 

 a yellow ochreous earth is precipitated to the bottom : after 

 this the liquor will no longer fhew any of thofe qualities, 

 which were before its diilinguifhing characters ; it will no 

 longer ferment with acids, nor turn black with galls, nor 

 green with fyrup of violets. 



It appears from the whole, that the Pyrmont waters pof- 

 fefs a pure, extremely penetrating, and elaitic mineral fpirit, 

 and that in a very large proportion ; and to this their virtues 

 are principally to be attributed. This mineral fpirit, while 

 it remains engaged in a calcareous earth, imitates the pro- 

 perties of an alkaline fubllance _: and when joined with a 

 fubtile martial earth, it emulates the properties of vitriol, 

 giving the Ifools a black colour, and turning a tinfture of 

 galls into ink : and while this remains in the water in thefe 

 forms of an alkaline or vitriolic principle of fo g^eat fubtilty, 

 it cannot but give them very great virtues in ilrengthening 

 the tone of the vifcera, opening obftrucfions, and ftimulat- 

 ing In a proper manner the excretory dufts, fo as to make 

 them duly perform their office ; but as foon as by the fland- 

 ing of the water open, or by any other accident, this fubtile 

 element is evaporated, all the virtues of the water mull be 

 gone with it. 



The great quantity of this powerful fpirit contained in the 

 waters, makes them more fit for the robufl and itrong con- 

 ftitutions, when depraved by illnefs, than for the weak and 

 tender ones ; but even the tenderefl people may take them, 

 only obferving to take but a fmall dofe, or to dilute them 

 with an equal quantity of common water immediately before 

 the taking them. 



Hoffmann alfo recommends the Pyrmont water mixed 

 with equal quantities of milk, on his own experience, in 

 fcorbutic and gouty cafes. Hoffm. Oper. torn. v. p. 143, 

 feq. 



We have already obferved, under the articles Acidul.* and 

 Carboxic Ac'id, that Pyrmont '., aterj and other mineral wa- 

 ters of a fimilar nature, owe their acidulous tafte and peculiar 

 virtues to the fixed Air (carbo:iic acid) which they contain ; 

 and to thofe articles the reader is referred for a brief hiftory 



of 



