458  THE  ADELHEID  SPRING. 
glutinous  or  syrupy  liquid,  which,  by  enclosing  each  atom  of  the 
iodo-nitrate,  protects  it  from  decomposition  while  we  are  getting 
rid  of  the  superfluous  nitrate.* 
»  Is  it  not  also  highly  probable  that  the  accelerating  action 
of  many  salts,  as  acetates,  nitrates,  fluorides,  &c,  the  use  of 
which  has  been  so  much  questioned  by  some,  and  recommended 
by  others,  may  be  attributable  to  the  formation  of  iodo-acetate, 
iodo-fluoride,  &c.  of  silver  ?  Iodide  of  silver  is  not  the  only 
salt  of  this  metal  which  possesses  the  property  of  retaining  the 
nitrate  in  combination.  The  chloride  and  bromide  have  the 
same  property,  though  in  a  less  degree,  and  probably  many 
others  also ;  and  we  find  the  following  passage  in  Turner  s 
Chemistry,  under  the  head  of  <  Tribasic  Phosphate  of  Oxide  of 
Silver:' — 4  This  compound  subsides  of  a  characteristic  yellow 
color,  when  the  rhombic  phosphate  of  soda  is  mixed  in  solution 
with  nitrate  of  oxide  of  silver.  ...  It  is  apt  to  retain  some  of 
the  nitrate  in  combination.'  This  doubtless  arises  from  a  simi- 
lar reaction  to  the  one  I  have  described  above." — London 
Pharm.  Jour,  and  Trans.  July,  1859. 
THE  ADELHEID  SPRING, 
An  Iodo-bromine  Water  at  Heilbrunn,  in  Bavaria. 
Communicated  by  A.  Albright,  Esq. 
The  small  village  of  Heilbrunn  (literally  Healing-water},  lies 
eight  German  miles  from  Munich,  near  Benedictbeuren,  formerly 
a  monastery,  upon  a  considerable  elevation,  commanding  charm- 
ing prospects.  According  to  historical  traditions,  it  may  be 
considered  the  oldest  medicinal  spring  in  Bavaria,  and  it  is  said 
to  have  been  destroyed,  together  with  the  monastery  to  which  it 
*  "  It  was  the  knowledge  of  the  fact  of  the  existence  of  this  iodo-nitrate  of 
silver — which  is  decomposable  by  water,  but  not  so  by  washing  with  a  weaker 
nitrate  bath — which  induced  me,  when  I  first  published  my  e  Honey  Process, 
to  recommend  the  addition  of  nitrate  of  silver  to  the  syrup.  This  addition  has 
since  been  proved  by  Mr.  Shadbolt  to  be,  with  certain  precautions,  unnecessary, 
as  the  glutinous  nature  of  the  honey  itself,  coupled  with  the  porosity  of  the 
collodion  film  in  which  the  iodo-nitrate  is  formed,  suffices  to  protect  that  com- 
pound from  decomposition.5' 
