STKANGWATS: HAREOGATE WELLS. 
335 
up in the Yoredale rocks. Hence it is not unreasonable to believe 
that the putrifactive distillation of such organic matter, acting very 
slowly, and through long periods of time, effects more or less the 
complete deoxidization of the sulphites, and that to this we owe the 
quantity of sulphide present in the Harrogate waters. The consid- 
erable quantity of carburretted hydrogen, and of nitrogen, found by 
Hoffmann, favours this view, which is much strengthened by the 
almost complete absence of oxygen, showing that the nitrogen 
present is due to organic decomposition. At the same time, the 
very slight traces of phosphoric acid would show that this mainly 
arises from vegetable matter."* 
Taking all these things into consideration, it seems the simplest 
and most probable theory, for theory it must be ; firstly, that each 
spring has its own independent source, with which it is connected 
by a separate and distinct channel formed by the alternating series 
of pervious and impervious strata which connects Harrogate with 
the hilly region to the west, for it is only from such a source as this 
that a large body of water could flow year after year with such slight 
alteration, both in quantity and quality ; secondly, that the chemical 
impregnation of the water is caused during its passage through 
these strata, and that it is from this source that the bases of all the 
salts are derived. 
In conclusion, let me observe that I do not offer this short 
exposition as an exhaustive treatment of the subject, my object has 
been rather to draw attention to the phenomena of these wells, now 
that all the neighbouring country has been geologically surveyed, the 
waters more carefully and frequently analysed, and we have more 
solid data on which to build an explanation of their peculiarities. 
* Proc. oj the York. Geol and Polytechnic Soc, New Series, Vol. VIIL, 
p.p. 122 and 123. 
