MINERAL WATERS OF DUNBLANE. 483 



I may add, that the iron in the Bath water is probably not 

 in the state of oxide or carbonate, as has been supposed, but 

 in that of muriate. The muriate is the most active prepara- 

 tion of iron, and so far, increased activity may be given to the 

 slight chalybeate impregnation ; and some modification of 

 power may even be derived from the combined operation of 

 muriate of lime and muriate of iron. 



It deserves to be remarked, that in the most essential ingre- 

 dients, the muriate of lime and the iron, the Dunblane and 

 Pitcaithly waters are similar to the Bath water, only with re- 

 gard to the former ingredient much stronger ; the other differ- 

 ences are unimportant ; the larger quantity of sulphate of lime, 

 and the small quantity of silica in the latter, cannot be suppo- 

 sed to contribute any thing to its medicinal operation ; the dif- 

 ference in the proportion of sulphate of soda is trivial, and the 

 larger proportion of muriate of soda in the other waters, may 

 rather be an advantage, rendering them more agreeable to the 

 taste and to the stomach. The principal difference will there- 

 fore be that of strength with regard to the most active ingre- 

 dient, the muriate of lime. The quantity of this is so large, 

 that the tonic quality of the Dunblane or the Pitcaithly waters 

 can scarcely be observed, and perhaps even scarcely obtained ; 

 their action being more peculiarly on the bowels. It is ac- 

 cordingly as a saline purgative that the Pitcaithly water has 

 been celebrated ; and it is principally in those diseases in 

 which this effect is sought to be obtained, that it has been 



used. 



held in high estimation as a remedy in scrofulous affections by several 

 eminent medical practitioners, to be water uncommonly free from all foreign 

 matter, with the exception of very minute quantities of muriate of soda, and 

 muriate of lime. I had the opportunity of observing, at the same time, proofs 

 of its medicinal efficac)^ 



