234 Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



"S 



This specimen had been carefully preserved by the Chevalier 

 nearly two years, being hermetically sealed at the spring, in a 

 dark glass bottle, scarcely sensible to the transmission of the rays 

 of light. Its foetid odour gave sufficient proof of the presence of 

 sulphuretted hydrogen — the chief gaseous principle; there was no 

 sediment deposited, and the water was clear and crystalline. Saline 

 solutions of tin, lead and mercury, corroborated this evidence by 

 their several dark-brown shades, while it was insensible to litmus, 

 Brazil, and turmeric papers ; hence the absence of free acids and 

 alkalies was inferred as well as that of the predominance of either 

 the acid constituent or the alkaline base of any salt. The several 

 tests for iron were inefficient in detecting the presence of that 

 metal, but lime was indicated by oxalate of ammonia; magnesia by 

 phosphate of soda ; a muriate by nitrate of silver, and a sulphate 

 by nitrate of baryta. 



A portion of the water, evaporated to one-fourth the former vo- 

 lume, was divided into equal parts : a few drops of sulphuric acid 

 having been added to one of these, supplied instant and complete 

 evidence of the presence of iodine, silver-leaf being tarnished,and 

 starch assuming a deep violet tint; while a stream of chlorine passed 

 through the other, imparted a reddish-yellow hue to it, and this 

 being subsequentlyagitated with sulphuric aether separated bromine, 

 which imparted to the supernatant stratum of sether its peculiar 

 hyacinthine colour. 



The constituents of this interesting mineral water, which may per- 

 haps challenge competition with the most celebrated springs on the 

 continent of Europe as to its healing virtues, appear to be sulphu- 

 retted hydrogen, sulphates of lime, &c, muriates of soda and mag- 

 nesia, with hydriodate and bromide of potassa, the presence of the 

 latter alkali being determined by the reagency of nitromuriate of 

 platinum. The first or gaseous constituent and penultimate of 

 these are its most valuable ingredients ; and the iodine appears to 

 be so abundant, as to promise curative success in bronchocele and 

 other morbid glandular affections, even when applied externally as 

 a lotion. I have the honour to remain, Gentlemen, yours, &c. 



Feb. 16, 1830. J. Murray. 



P.S. I may observe, that I have found the test of nitrate of silver,, 

 as proposed by Dr. John Davy, very sensible as a reagent in the 

 detection of animal matter in water. 



OCCULTATION OF ALDEBARAN BY THE MOON. 



On July 15th, at 23' 1 44 m apparent time, Aldebaran was observed 

 here to disappear behind the Moon's enlightened limb, about two 

 degrees to the left of her vertical point, and reappeared on the 16th 

 at 31 m 20 s apparent time, a little below the centre of her western 

 limb. Aldebaran as usual advanced upon the Moon's enlightened 

 limb at least four seconds of time, where it was distinctly seen before 

 it disappeared. The refraction of the atmosphere alone, it is supposed, 

 is not sufficient to account for this phsenomenon. An interesting 



explanation 



