146 Account of the New Mineral Spring at Albany. 



which ascended, had a peculiar saline taste, and a sparkling 

 appearance. During the progress of boring through an uni- 

 form, argillaceous, schistose rock, they also observed, when 

 they arrived at the depth of 250 feet, that as they proceeded, 

 a stream of gas, of an inflammable nature, occasionally 

 arose ; it was perfectly devoid of smell, but easily took fire 

 when ignited. It was soon perceived that the water possess- 

 ed sensible medicinal qualities, which induced the proprietor 

 to take the necessary steps for excluding any communication 

 between it and the neighboring springs. A tube* 33 feet 

 long and about four inches in diameter, was accordingly 

 passed down from the surface till it penetrated the rock from 

 which the water originally flowed. It now rises in this tube, 

 within two feet of the surface, and is dipped out, in a glass 

 tumbler for the use of the visitors, exactly in the same manner 

 as is practised at Ballston and Saratoga. 



It is not ascertained what quantity flows in a minute, but 

 it is by no means so abundant as the water of the Congress 

 spring, and from the information which I have obtained, 

 would not afford a supply more than sufficient for 4 or 500 

 visitors daily. 



I shall now proceed to give a chemical analysis of the water. 



External character, temperature, and specific gravity. 



The sensible qualities of this water have a great resem- 

 blance to those of the Congress Spring, at Saratoga. Its 

 temperature is uniformly from 51° to 52° of Farhenheit at 

 all seasons of the year ; its specific gravity when taken with 

 great care, and after repeated trials, was found to be as 1010 

 to 1000. When a glass of water is taken immediately from 

 the spring, it is perfectly clear and transparent, and minute 

 air bubbles are seen rising from it which adhere to the side of 

 the glass. The taste of the water is purely saline, somewhat 

 pungent, and by no means disagreeable, but those who are 

 best acquainted with it, think it by no means so stimulating 

 and pungent as the waters of the Congress Spring ; it has 

 no sensible chalybeate taste, and no perceptible smell which 

 could lead to the suspicion of its holding sulphuretted hydro- 

 gen gas in solution. As to the gas which ascends through 

 the tube and has been described as inflammable, it appears 

 to be either hydrogen or carburetted hydrogen, similar to 

 the gas which is so frequently observed to accompany the 

 saline springs in the State of New York, but which passes 



