WATER. 



The»M<'i//rtW^/'i!)^^rtJwofthefe different fprings of courfe magnefia and iron in brown cryitals, highly tonic; fub. 



vary according to their compofition and ftrength. Mr. carbonate of magnefia in powder, and calcined magnefia. 



Thomfon, the proprietor, procures from them fix different b. As an example of the acidulous chalybeates, we may ad- 



faline preparations, neither of which, however, is precifely duce the celebrated waters of Spa. (See Spa.) Dr. Jones 



fimilar to the water drank at the fpa. Thefe he denomi- has lately pubUfhed an interefting paper on thefe waters, 



nates, cryftallized alkaline fulphates ; ditto efflorefced and which contains, among other things, analyfes of the different 



ground to an impalpable powder for hot climates ; magne- fprings, of the refults of which the following table prefents 



fian fulphate in a ftate of efflorefcence ; a murio-fulphate of a fummary view. 



Table exhibiting the Nature and Proportion of the Subftances contained in One Gallon of the refpeftive Spa Waters. 



With refpeft to the medicinal properties of the compound 

 chalybeates, they are, as might be expefted, of a mixed cha- 

 rafter, and ufually correfpond with the nature of the pre- 

 dominant impregnating ingredients ; hence their proper- 

 ties will be readily underftood from what has been ad- 

 vanced. For further particulars refpefting the medicinal 

 properties of the Cheltenham and Spa waters, we refer 

 our readers to thefe articles. 



4. Simple Jcidulous Waters. — Under this denomination 

 may be included all waters whofe charaAeriftic ingredient is 

 an acid. They may be confidered as of two defcriptiona : 

 a. Thofe impregnated with a volatile acid, as the carbonic 

 and fulphurous acids ; and b. Thofe containing a fixed acid, 

 as the muriatic and fulphuric acids. 



a. The waters of Seltzer may be adduced as an example 

 of the firft variety of acididous waters. " Seltzer is a village 

 fituated in a fine woody country, about ten miles from 

 Frankfort, and tljrty-fix from Coblentz, in a diftriift which 

 abounds with valuable mineral fprings." This water has 

 been examined by Hoffmann, Bergman, and others. When 

 frefli from the well, it is perfectly clear and pellucid, and 

 fparkles much when poured into a glafs. Its tafte is flight- 

 ly pungent, but at the fame time gently faline and alka- 

 line. On expofure to the air for a fhort time, the carbonic 

 acid efcapes, and the alkaline tafte becomes more per- 



ceptible. According to Bergman, an Englifti pint con- 

 tains of 



Carbonic acid upwards of 



Carbonate of lime about 

 Carbonate of magnefia 

 Carbonate of foda 

 Muriate of foda 



Cub. Inches. 

 17 



29.5 



b. Waters containing a free mineral acid in excefs are 

 very rare, and chiefly confined to volcanic countries. Mr. 

 Garden has lately examined a water of this defcription from 

 White ifland, on the coaft of New Zealand : it was of a pale 

 yellowifh-green colour ; its odour rcfembled that of a n»ii- 

 ture of muriatic and fulphurous acids. Its tafte was 

 ftrongly acid and ftyptic, like that of a chalybeate. Its 

 fpecific gravity 1. 073. On being fubmitted to analyfis, its 

 contents were found to conlift chiefly of muritltic acid, a 

 night trace of fulphur, fmall proportions of alum, muriate 

 of iron, and fulphate of lime. Waters impregnated with 

 C 2 fulphuric 



