542 
ARSENIC  IN  A  DRINKING  WATER. 
rence  of  this  element.  And  now  that  the  influence  on  the 
animal  economy  of  arsenic  in  minute  but  repeated  doses  is  at- 
tracting so  much  attention,  I  think  that  the  following  account, 
incomplete  as  it  at  present  is,  of  an  arsenical  drinking  water, 
will  prove  interesting.  My  attention  was  first  directed  to  the 
subject  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Wilkin,  of  Booth,  to  whom,  as  well  as 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Ormandy,  of  Whitbeck,  and  Dr.  Fidler,  of  White- 
haven, I  am  indebted  for  much  information  and  assistance. 
From  the  northern  and  western  sides  of  Black  Combe,  a 
mountain  in  the  southern  part  of  Cumberland,  situated  near  the 
sea,  numerous  streams  or  becks  originate ;  I  believe  that  one 
only  of  these  exhibits  any  marked  peculiarity.  Whitbeck,  such 
is  the  name  of  this  stream,  is  fed  by  several  small  springs,  and 
it  was  from  the  source  of  the  most  southerly  of  these  where  it 
rises  from  the  ground,  and  at  an  elevation  of  about  900  feet 
from  the  sea,  that  I  obtained  a  specimen  of  the  water  for  ex- 
amination. On  the  29th  of  June  in  the  present  year,  the  water, 
at  the  time  of  collection,  had  a  temperature  of  8°  5'  C,  the  air 
being  10°  6r.  The  reaction  of  the  water  as  it  issues  from  the 
earth  was  faintly  but  unmistakeably  alkaline  :  on  testing  the 
water  after  ebullition  the  effect  was  more  decided.  The  water 
from  many  other  sources  in  the  neighborhood  of  Whitbeck,  where 
decomposing  granite  is  of  common  occurrence,  has  an  alkaline 
reaction.  A  large  and  deep  pool  in  the  course  of  Whitbeck 
towards  the  sea  shows  the  color  of  the  water  to  be  a  rich  clear 
greenish  blue. 
The  water,  on  examination,  gave  distinct  indications  of  the 
presence  of  arsenic.  This  element,  which  here  probably  exists 
as  an  alkaline  arsenite,  occurs  not  as  a  mere  trace,  but  in  de- 
terminable quantity.  I  have  not  yet  ascertained  the  amount 
present,  but  hope  to  do  so  shortly,  when  I  have  obtained  speci- 
mens of  the  water  collected  at  different  seasons  of  the  year, 
I  have  satisfied  myself,  however,  that  in  some  seasons  of  the 
year  the  quantity  present  approaches  a  good  fraction  of  a  grain 
of  arsenic  (  metallic  )  in  each  gallon  of  water.  At  the  same 
time  I  am  desirous  of  furnishing  complete  analyses  of  some  in- 
teresting minerals  obtained  from  the  vicinity  of  the  spring  
For  on  ascending  the  gulley,  a  few  yards  above  the  source  of 
Whitbeck,  we  arrive  at  the  entrance  to  a  mine,  which,  some 
