Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  ) 
Feb.,  1878.  j 
The  Bedford  Springs. 
59 
In  comparing  these  two  analyses,  which  differ  so  essentially  in 
quality  and  quantity  of  the  constituents,  it  must  be  remembered  that 
it  is  possible — though  not  very  probable — that  the  composition  of  a 
mineral  spring  may  become  essentially  different  in  the  course  of  half 
a  century.  The  water  on  its  way  through  the  earth  will  extract  the 
soluble  matter  of  the  rocks  or  strata  it  meets,  and,  after  exhausting 
them,  obtain  its  mineral  constituents  from  other,  may  be  different,, 
rocks  it  may  come  in  contact  with  on  its  subterranean  journey.  This 
may  explain  the  difference  in  our  results  ;  one  statement,  however,  is 
decidedly  incorrect  in  Dr.  Church's  analysis,  namely,  the  presence  of 
calcium  chloride,  as,  according  to  the  well-established  laws  of  chem- 
istry, calcium  chloride  cannot  exist  in  an  aqueous  solution  in  presence 
of  an  excess  of  sulphate  of  magnesium.  If  a  solution  of  calcic 
chloride  is  added  to  magnesium  sulphate,  the  acids  will  change  places, 
forming  gypsum,  calcic  sulphate  and  magnesium  chloride  :  CaCl2-f- 
MgS04=CaS04+MgCl2. 
However,  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  in  1825  chemistry,  and 
particularly  analytical  investigations,  had  not  yet  reached  so  high  a 
degree  of  perfection  as  now-a-days,  where  it  ranks  among  the  most 
exact  of  the  exact  sciences.  Since  gasometric  estimations,  and  even 
spectrum  analysis,  have  found  their  way  into  the  laboratory  of  the 
"practical  chemist,"  it  is  quite,  excusable  if  an  analysis  of  fifty  years 
ago  does  not  correctly  correspond  with  one  made  in  our  days. 
II.  The  Bedford  Sulphur  Spring. — The  water  of  this  spring  in  many 
respects  resembles  that  of  the  former  one,  with  the  sole  exception  that 
it  contains  sulphhydric  acid,  or  sulphuretted  hydrogen,  the  solid  min- 
eral constituents  being  exactly  the  same.  It  is  perfectly  clear,  strongly 
exhibiting  the  smell  of  rotten  eggs,  and  contains  besides  sulphuretted 
hydrogen  and  carbonic  acid,  gypsum — the  chief  constituent — sulphate 
of  magnesium,  carbonate  of  calcium,  sulphate  and  chloride  of  sodium^ 
traces  of  alumina,  and  no  iron.  On  standing,  it  soon  loses  the  odor 
of  sulphuretted  hydrogen  and  deposits  a  fine  white  precipitate  of 
sulphur.  One  liter  leaves  on  evaporation  on  the  water  bath  2*6792 
grams,  which  on  ignition  give  2*0475  grams,  equal  '20475  per  cent, 
of  saline  matter. 
As  to  the  medical  qualities  of  these  springs,  I  am  indebted  to  my 
friend  Franklin  N.  Staub,  M.  D.,  for  the  following  notes  on  this 
subject  : 
