Manufacture of Epsom Salts. 443 



the more costly stores, such as quinine. The government are 

 well aware of this, and in the paper above alluded to on this 

 subject in a former number, it is stated in a note that the 

 Governor General in Council was surprised to find no less 

 than 18 tons of Epsom salts and other bulky articles of a 

 similar nature included in our annual indents for medicines 

 on Europe, calling at the same time on the Medical Board 

 to institute enquiries as to the means of supplying such 

 articles in India. Now that we have succeeded so well with 

 regard to Epsom salts, we hope the Medical Board will be 

 induced to re-consider the subject, and authorise the necess- 

 ary supply to be furnished here, instead of occupying ships 

 with such unnecessary importations to the neglect of the 

 natural productions of this country. The production of Ep- 

 som salts from the Salem rock may be effected as above shewn 

 at so cheap a rate, as altogether to secure the public against 

 its adulteration in the bazars, with the numerous poisonous 

 articles which, from its high price at present, are frequently 

 mixed up with it. According to Lieut. Ouchterlony, of the 

 Madras Engineers, the rock is abundant in Trichinopoly, Co- 

 imbatore and Mysore, its principal localities being in Salem. 



Its sites are said by Lieut. Ouchterlony to be near enough 

 to the banks of the Cavery, to allow of its being brought down 

 that stream to Porto Novo on the coast, at a very low rate of 

 not so much as 10 Rs. per ton, or probably a great deal less. 



In the manufacture of sulphate of magnesia, from this rock, 

 in the Laboratory of the H. Co's. Dispensary, which proved 

 so satisfactory, it is first broken up into lumps of conve- 

 nient size and thrown into the fires which are kept up for 

 other purposes, and thus calcined. It is then pounded, 

 mixed with water, and dissolved at once with acid, and filter- 

 ed through cloth. The solution is then evaporated till a 

 pellicle forms, and set aside to crystallize. 



On a large scale the rock should be burnt in a kiln like 

 limestone ; but a quantity sufficient for the public expenditure 



