Swallow.] 428 [February 17, 



itated by ammonia, dissolved, neutralized, and treated with car- 

 bonate of ammonia. This was repeated three times, as also in the 

 same manner the iron precipitate, and thus the separation of the 

 uranium was nearly or quite complete. 



Mr. Bouve also presented a paper by Miss Swallow upon 

 the occurrence of Boracic Acid in mineral waters, with the 

 results of numerous analyses made by her of waters not 

 before analyzed. This, too, will be found by chemists and 

 geologists to be a very valuable contribution to our knowl- 

 edge of mineral waters. 



On the occurrence of Boracic Acid in Mineral Waters. 

 By Ellen H. Swallow. 



In May, 1872, a small bottle of water from Bitlis, Turkey, was 

 given me to analyze. In making the qualitative tests I found boracic 

 acid in considerable quantity. I do not remember what led me to 

 test for it ; probably it was a suggestion of Prof. Ordway. The pres- 

 ence of boracic acid in this water caused me to make special test for 

 it in all the mineral waters that I had occasion to analyze. 



It occurred in the hot spring of Idaho, Colorado, in Chicken Soup 

 Spring and Bath Spring, both hot waters of Elko, Nevada, and in 

 a cold water from Laramie Plains, Wyoming. These all belong to 

 the class of alkaline waters. It was also found in a chalybeate spring 

 in Albany, Maine, which is in the tourmaline region, and probably 

 that fact may account for its presence in the Albany spring as well 

 as in a spring of very pure water on Pike's Hill, Norway, Maine. 

 It was observed in one of the Spa Springs, Wihnot, Nova Scotia, 

 which belongs to the class of calcic waters, and it occurred in consid- 

 erable quantity in the mud of another of the Spas. It will be remem- 

 bered that ulexite and other borates are frequent in the gypsum of 

 Nova Scotia. 



The query is at once suggested what are the properties of boracic 

 acid and what are its effects upon the system when taken internally. 

 There seems to be little known as regards its effect in mineral waters, 

 but by comparing the medicinal properties as given in medical trea- 

 tises with the reputed effects of noted springs which are known to 

 contain boracic acid, we may hope to get a hint of the value of this 

 constituent. Externally applied, borax is very effective in allaying 



