Account of the New Mineral Spring at Albany. 149 



spring, or after it has been boiled for some time, neither has 

 nitrat of barytes or muriat of strontian the smallest effect on 

 the water. These are decisive proofs that it contains no salt 

 combined with sulphuric acid. 



Exp. 9. Oxalat of ammonia produces an immediate cloud 

 and precipitate when the water is first taken from the spring, 

 but has a very slight effect when the water is boiled ; this 

 shows that the carbonat of lime is held in solution chiefly 

 by the carbonic acid. 



Exp. 10. Sulphuric acid. When a few drops of this 

 acid are poured into a glass of the water, the first effect is 

 an immediate and brisk effervescence, from the extrication of 

 carbonic acid gas ; in a short time, however, a cloud appears 

 and a white powder is deposited ; this powder is evidently 

 sulphat of lime, as when nitric or muriatic acids are applied, 

 although the same appearance takes place, no deposition 

 follows, nor is the transparency of the water altered. 



Exp. 11. Carbonat of Ammonia produces no effect when 

 added to the water fresh from the spring. 



Exp. 12. Carbonat of Potash does not disturb the trans- 

 parency of the water. 



Exp. 1 3. Pure Ammonia causes an immediate cloud in 

 the water, when added to it fresh from the spring, and a co- 

 pious flocculent precipitate takes plaee. This is evidently 

 caused by its combining with the excess of carbonic acid, 

 which holds the calcareous earth suspended, and becoming 

 itself carbonated, as when a mild alkali (a carbonat) is em- 

 ployed, no such effect is produced. Pure potash has pre- 

 cisely the same effect, and for the same reason, but when the 

 carbonates of potash or ammonia are employed no such ef- 

 fect is produced, as has been seen in the previous experi- 

 ments. When more than is sufficient either of the pure am- 

 monia or potash is added, the precipitate is again redissolved, 

 for the same reason that calcareous earth is dissolved in lime 

 water. In this case an excess of pure potash deprives the 

 lime of its carbonic acid and renders it again soluble ; in this 

 way the same may be precipitated or rendered soluble at 

 pleasure. 



These are the principal tests which I employed ; many 

 more may ha^e been used, but superfluous trials were unne- 

 cessary and tend only to perplex rather than to lead to useful 

 conclusions. 



