152 Account of the New Mineral Spring at Albany. 



Exp. 6. Oxalat of ammonia produces a very slight cloud 

 in the glass. 



Exp. 7. Muriat of lime produces an immediate turbidness 

 in the water, and a deposition of a white powder in the bot- 

 tom of the glass. 



Exp. 8. Tincture of galls has no sensible effect upon the 

 water. 



Exp. 9. Prussiat of Potash produces no change in the 

 color of the water. 



From these experiments some new light has been thrown 

 on the contents of this water ; and it is decisively shown that 

 it has now been deprived of the carbonic acid, the iron and 

 the earths ; but it also appears from the result of experiment 

 the fourth, that this water contains an alkali which did not ap- 

 pear from the same experiment, when made previously to the 

 boiling and concentration of the water, nor indeed could it 

 be expected, as the effect of the test was repressed by the 

 carbonic acid, which we have seen, changed the color of the 

 litmus paper. That an alkaline carbonat was present in 

 the water was further evident by experiment seven, produ- 

 cing an immediate precipitation of the earthly carbonat. 



To ascertain as nearly as possible, the quantity of alkaline 

 salt which the water contained, I concentrated one pint of 

 it by boiling, and having filtered it, I carefully added pure 

 sulphuric acid, in small quantities, noting the effect with 

 litmus and turmeric paper, till I found the alkali was satura- 

 ted. To effect this I found required six and a quarter grains 

 of sulphuric acid. Now as it has been ascertained, that one 

 hundred grains of sulphuric acid, are sufficient to saturate 

 eighty grains of soda, it is evident that six and a quarter 

 grains, would saturate about five, grains of this alkali. We 

 shall therefore estimate the quantity of carbonat of soda in 

 one pint of the water at five grains. 



Examination of the Solid Contents of the Albany water, 

 collected by Evaporation. 



Although a tolerably accurate judgment may be formed 

 of the contents of this water, by the use of those reagents, 

 which we have employed, yet the only certain conclusion as 

 to the quantity and character of its solid contents in a given 

 quantity, can be drawn, by submitting it to evaporation, and 

 separately examining the different substances which we have, 

 by these means collected. For this purpose, I proceeded 



