323 7he Vitriol 



neral do, which lie directly under the furface of 

 the earth, as thofe of Akfattel, Almerode, &c. 

 For the fame reafon alfo we deny the copper-pyrites? 

 or copper- ores, as thcfe always fupply a vitriol^ if 

 not entirely, yet in part coppery • confequently, a 

 fomething not to be met with in our medicinal 



waters. 



We muft therefore have rccourfe to pyrites? 

 breaking in liffures and veins, and not coppery •, 

 and affecting, if not the cubical, yet the angular 

 figure •, which are not, or leaf! of all, coppery, 

 yet vitriolfing difficultly arid fparingly. 



As to the other query ; namely, how fuch op- 

 pofite matters, without being thrown up together, 

 and thus continuing in their mixtion and nature, 

 can remain feparate and undeftroyed. This is not 

 the only inftance we have in nature, being furnifhed 

 with a fimilar one in the above vitriolic refidue, 

 wherein an alcaline and acid fait lie contiguous, 

 and remain at reft, though at length they are em- 

 bodied, and difcover themfclves by a lermenta- 

 tion or heaving : nor again, are we at a lofs to 

 account for it ; for the higheft mineral acid never 

 remains in a feparated ftate, but always united to 

 fomething; as here in medicinal waters, either to 

 an alcaline or metallic earth. Now, when fuch 

 waters come to ferment and heave with acid falfs, 

 we muft certainly conclude, the alcali therein is 

 neither combined with, nor fubdued by the acid •, 

 and though, by means of evaporation, a yellow 

 earth falls down, fuch muft ariie from the de- 

 ftruction of the vitriol ; and from the falling down 

 of the earth, we may conclude to the prefence 

 of the acid, as being feparated from this earth, 

 and only unobfervedly infmuateel into the adjacent 



alcali j 



