480 ANALYSIS OF THE 



is even less ambiguous, if they be dissolved together in pure 

 water, they must by evaporation be obtained, as muriate of so- 

 da and sulphate of lime. The actual obtaining, therefore, of 

 these latter compounds, is no proof that they pre-existed as 

 such in the water, to the exclusion of the opposite view. 

 Which conclusion is to be adopted, must be determined on 

 other grounds ; and from the various facts I have stated, I be- 

 lieve it may be regarded as the more probable opinion in such 

 cases, that the original ingredients are sulphate of soda and 

 muriate of lime. Since sulphate of soda exists in the Bath 

 water, and since muriate of soda and sulphate of lime are ob- 

 tained in its analysis, it is scarcely possible to refuse assenting 

 to the conclusion, that these are formed by the action of sul- 

 phate of soda on muriate of lime. 



On this view of the composition of the Bath water, it is 

 easy to assign the proportions of the ingredients, from the pro- 

 ducts which are obtained in its analysis. In the formation of 

 3.3 grains of muriate of soda, which is the quantity obtained 

 from a pint of the water, 3.1 grains of muriate of lime must be 

 decomposed : 4 grains of sulphate of soda would be required 

 to produce this decomposition ; and, at the same time, 3.8 

 grains of sulphate of lime would be formed. 



The latest, and no doubt the most accurate analysis of the 

 Bath water, that by Mr Phillips, gives the following view of 

 its. composition : 



In an English pint, Carbonic acid, - 1.2 inches. 



Sulphate of lime, - 9 grains. 



Muriate of soda, - 3.3 



Sulphate of soda, - 1.5 



Carbonate of lime, 0.8 



Silica, - - 0.2 



Oxide of iron, - -^ grain. 



But 



