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count of the Sun's Heat, or that of the Subterraneat 
Regions of the Earth,the Rain- Water is impregnated with 
Volatile (not Acid) Spirits, like thofe that are diftiird 
from Urine, and which I have for Curiofities fake, ob- 
tain'd from a Mineral Body, native Sal-armoniac ; upon 
which account I made a Trial, that inform'd me, that if 
Five or Sis drops of ftrong Spirit of Urine (whole drops 
I obferv'd to be but (mall) were ihaken into a thoufand 
Grains at leaft of diflill'd or Rain Water, impregnated 
with but one of Salt, our Precipitant would make a 
Dilcovery of fbme Saltiflinefs in the Liquor. And it 
were neither to be admird nor cenfur'd, if the Patentees 
Water fhould fometimes fliow a Change, when our Pre- 
cipitant is plentifully put or long kept in it, efpecially 
that Change being a more light one, than that I came 
from fpeaking of. Since, for ought I have yet obferved, 
not only fuch undiftili'd Waters as are generally allow'd 
to be freely potable, but even thole that Nature her felf 
diftils, arc not always quite devoid of Saitnefs. For I 
have found Rain- Water that IcausM to be carefully fav'd, 
after the Houfe-tcps had newly been well wafti'd with 
former Rdn 3 to grow a little troubled, if any ftore of 
our Precipitant were kept for fome competent time in it. 
And being gently diftiird off, it left a refidence, which 
with a little of our Solution afforded a far more fud- 
denly made and copious Precipitate, than had been pro- 
duct with the like quality even of Pump-Water it felf. 
And, the I have met with Rain- Water that was morefree 
from Salt than any Spring or River-water that I remem- 
ber, I have examin d yet, having for Curiofities fake 
made Trial of Snow-Water, (which if the Weather had 
been fomewhat milder, would have been Rain) this Li- 
quor, I fay, which is thought to afford the lighteft Wa- 
ter of all natural ones, I manifeftly found by our way 
of examining it, not to be devoid of Saitnefs. 
I 
But 
