50 University Geological Survey of Kansas. 
solution was proposed, to enable us to tell positively the action 
of ions of a single kind, in the absence of all others, except in 
a few cases. 
LIST OF ELEMENTS. 
The substances (ions) usually found in mineral waters are: 
Positive, Negative, 
or base-forming. or acid-forming. 
“Aluminum. : Arsenate. nd 
Ammonium. Borate. 
Barium. Bromid. 
Calcium. Carbonate. 
Iron. Chlorid. 
Lithium. Fluor. 
Magnesium. Hydrocarbonate. 
Manganese. lodid. 
Potassium. Nitrate. 
Sodium. Phosphate. 
Strontium. Silicate. 
Sulfate. 
Sulfid. 
Besides these there are some very rare ingredients found in 
such small quantities that their therapeutic action has not been 
studied. | 
ACID AND ALKALINE WATERS. 
Waters are divided into three classes, as far as their reaction 
is concerned, namely, neutral, acid, and alkaline. 
It is admitted that dilute acids and alkalies have an ion ac- 
tion, due to the presence of the characteristic acid hydrogen or 
of hydroxyl. They also produce osmotic changes and exert 
ordinary salt action. They also modify the process of digestion 
and absorption. Acids and alkalies are not absorbed as such 
in the body ; if in the intestines they are neutralized by the car- 
bonates, or in the stomach by the hydrochloric acid of the gastric 
juice. The system is so constructed that it can take care, fora 
time, at least, of an excess of acid or alkali. This is done by a 
change in the composition of the urine; so acids and alkalies are 
excellent diuretics, increasing the ammonia of the urine at the 
expense of the urea. 
As acid salts have some of the properties of acids, it follows 
that mineral waters containing these salts would have some acid 
