34 PROCEEDINGS COTTESWOLD CLUB 191& 
supply of water was found, but as I could have predicted, it 
was useless for the purpose required, though it might have been 
of service if used for a hydropathic institution. 
The place to which I refer is Down Hatherley. Table V. 
illustrates my point. 
In ( a ) we have a dirty muddy water containing much clay 
suspended in the water, which did not clear for several days, 
so that only a partial analysis was made ; in ( b ) we had clear 
water, but as you see it contained more than an ounce and a 
half of mineral matter, and nearly half an ounce of salt per 
gallon, but as much sulphate of soda as is found in the best 
saline waters and also a very notable quantity of sodium 
carbonate. About this time a generous lady, knowing the 
difficulty of obtaining good water in the village, kindly under- 
took to provide a well for the use of her neighbours, and this 
unfortunately contained 166 grains per gallon of mineral 
matter, 52 of which were common salt and 20 of sodium 
sulphate. (Table V.) 
Concerning this question of sodium sulphate, which is 
probably the most important curative substance present in 
mineral waters, I would point out that the sulphuric acid may 
be divided between the sodium, magnesium and calcium, 
forming respectively Glaubers salt, Epsom salt, and Gypsum. 
It should be noted that the last (Gypsum) being the least 
soluble, will have the first claim on the sulphuric acid, in 
obedience to a well-known chemical law, that “ whenever the 
materials requii'ed to form an insoluble salt are present, that 
salt will be first formed,” and thus the calcium will be a first 
charge on the sulphuric acid, and as this is not only a useless 
body but positively injurious, it may interest you if I give a 
method by which the objectionable lime may be got rid of and 
tire valuable sodium sulphate substituted. 
In the year 1890 I examined the water from a well at 
Ashle worth which had the composition shown in Table VI. 
We see that it has valuable salts in small amounts but the 
objectionable Gypsum in excess. If such water be suitably 
treated the Gypsum may be got rid of and Glaubers salt formed. 
The method is extremely simple. 
