Philosophical transactions, Vol. L. Part I. For the year 1757.: Giving some account of the present undertakings, studies, and labours, of the ingenious, in many considerable parts of the world.Various
History
Philosophical transactions, Vol. L. Part I. For the year 1757.: Giving some account of the present undertakings, studies, and labours, of the ingenious, in many considerable parts of the world.
Various
Science -- Periodicals
From these experiments it is evident, that there is a considerable
difference betwixt the waters of the two springs. The upper one
contains a much larger quantity of ochrous earth, and metalline cremor,
than the under one; which is the reason, why it yields a deeper colour
with galls, as may be observed in the first experiment. I suspected,
on the other hand, that the under water contained a greater proportion
of alum, than the water of the upper spring; but this I cannot affirm,
as I find I had neglected to make the experiment, which would have
determined whether it be so or not. Tho’ the mineral contents of these
two waters be similar, yet, if they be thus mixed in them in different
proportions, this must certainly create a difference between them,
which deserves to be attended to, as it may be sufficient to disallow
of their being used promiscuously, since their medicinal effects may be
thereby different.
But now, to sum up the evidence, which these experiments, taken all
together, do afford, concerning the mineral ingredients of this Spaw; I
think they determine, with some degree of certainty, that it contains
two different principles of iron, both of which are fixed. The one,
which is the ochrous earth, is a true _minera ferri_, and, altho’ it
be a crude mineral, exists in the water in a very fine and subtile
form; the other, which is the cremor or pellicle, whose parts are
also extremely attenuated in the water, appears to be iron, not in
its mineral, but in its metalline form, and, when thrown up upon the
surface of the water, shews itself like an extreme thin _lamina_ of
that metal. There seems also to be some small proportion of sulphur
joined with the metalline cremor. The other mineral ingredient, which
enters into the composition of this Spaw, is a considerable proportion
of an aluminous salt, which is conjoined with a small quantity of a
light brown-coloured earth (probably a part of the matrix whence the
salt is formed), and still more intimately connected with some of the
chalybeat parts of the water, which are not separable from it either
by elixation or evaporation. Whether these be saline or terrestrial, I
cannot determine.
Having thus endeavoured to discover, by some plain and simple
experiments, the mineral principles, with which this medicinal water
is impregnated; I shall now only add some observations, with respect
to the origin of steel waters, and particularly of this Spaw, whose
origin, I think, is thereby discovered and ascertained in a very
obvious manner.
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