Fluxile and not of the Nature of common Salt which precipitates not Vitriols North-Hall Water in Hartfordshire WEigh'd heavier than Epsam and pleasant not so nauseous to taste It preserved the blew of Syrup of Violets which Nitres and Alkalys chang'd to a green It disturbed not a Solution of Sublimate in common Water It was not acid enough nor Alkalisat enough to give either a red or dirty brown with Tincture of Logwood but gave it a yellow which grew paler upon standing as I judged somewhat like Glaubers Salt which is made of common Salt and Spirit of Vitriol and which likewise purgeth It took very little yellowness from Galls and what it took it would not hold but suffer'd to precipitate presently The first being the effect of Spirit of Salt the last of Spirit of Vitriol It curdled soapy Water in large Curdles and Ol. Tartari per deliquium the same and upon shaking this Water rais'd a great Froth which it kept a great while I judged therefore this Water to contain a Salt resembling common Salt and that part of it which is condens'd and christalliz'd through Cold in a Humid as in Cellars the Coagulation with Liquid Salt of Tartar being not so universal as with the other part of common Salt Lambeth nearer Well in Surry THIS Water beside the Virtues which it hath in common with other Purging Waters has the Property of caring Leprosies and cleansing and clearing Scorbutick Scurss and Spots which how the Nature of the Salt accounts for is worth Observation This Water try'd at the Well after a dry Season was clear but not so Limpid as common Spring Water having somewhat of the colour of Rain-water it was of the taste of Saltpetre or nearer Saltpetres second Salt but left a Vitriolick brackish or nauseous taste on the Palat. Half a Pint and half an Ounce of this Water exceeded common Water in weight 24 Grains it made no alteration in a Solution of Sublimate in fair Water which Nitres and Alkalys disturb it agreed with common Salt in changing the Red of Syrup of Clove Gilliflowers into a cloudy pale colour in which the Red upon 24 hours standing was wholly lost but was restored by a drop of Spirit of Nitre it had the Effects of the same Salt in curdling strongly with Ol. Tartar per deliquium in giving a pale yellow not very fine with Gall and with Tincture of Logwood a brown exactly resembling Ale that is not fine a little browner if any thing than what common Salt produceth But in this it agreed with Saltpetres second Salt and it disturb'd a Solution of Sal Saturni in fair Water just to that degree that Saltpetres second Salt does and with Lignum Nephrâ—ticum gave a Whitewine yellow and clear quickly as Saltpetre does common gravelly Spring-water gives near the colour but upon longer standing It agreed besides only with Glaubers Salt in the Essay with Gall and Logwood The Water standing on Iron 24 hours gave with Gall a reddish Purple which turn'd Inky and although the grosser parts precipitated as where there is a mixture of Nitre and in the Vitrioline Waters impregnate with the Salt of the upper Soil yet the colour remain'd in the clear Liquor much deepâ—â— than a Violet though it stood open some days This one drop of Spirit of Nitre turn'd â—â—een as it doth Ink made with English 〈◊〉 A drop or two of this in common 〈◊〉 a Gravel resumed the Red. This Water precipitated fine Silver out of Spirit of Nitre but not so quick and strongly I thought as Rock-salt and Sea-salt This Water accordingly changed not the colour of Syrup of Violets neither doth common Salt Thus the Salt of this Water agreeth with common Salt but comes not up to its power of Precipitating or Coagulating which Properties would rather set and fix the Humour and so promote the Distemper as appears in the Effects of Bay-salt to produce the Scurvy which Property is observ'd to lye in the hardness of the second or less coagulable part and not to be found in the Salt when purified It agrees in some Tryals with Saltpetres second Salt which is not wholly differing from common Salt But because Salts differ I examined the Water more nicely It disturb'd a Solution of Hungarian Vitriol which common Salt did not Rock Salt very little but the second Salt of Saltpetre readily effected likewise but scarce in so high a Degree for this sent down a yellowish Precipitate forthwith yet it did not trouble a Solution of Mercury Sublimate as Sal Gem. nor precipitate it as do the Nitres and Lime-salt of a yellow or as Salt of Chalk and Marle white The Salt was gray near white mostly near Cubes or in thick plates as common Salt some scurfie light parts with it which was the Scum which precipitated in Boyling no Stiriae or pointed parts could I observe The Water did early raise or bear a Scum The Salt readily ran per deliquium and leâ—t a leafie Earth and grey about 24 Grains out of a Quart of Water This leafy Earth was very light and made a very small Effervescence with distill'd Vinegar nor would it wholly take away its Acidity This Salt precipitated fine Silver out of Spirit of Nitre in hard large Curdles Saltpetres second Salt only whitens and disturbs the Solution which at last precipitates it Ol. Partari per deliquium works on it but does not precipitate the Silver But this Salt I thought did scarce so fully precipitate the Silver as Rock Salt ☞ I therefore refer the Nature of the Salt of this Water to that of common Salt whose power it hath even to the depurating a Solution of Vitriol but without either so gross and strong an Earth or so severe and coagulative an Acidity The Diseases that have been cur'd by these Waters as I found them registred in a Table at the Well were as I remember Leprosie Scurvy Vertigo's Jaundies Worms Stone and Colick To understand on what account this Water exerts its power beside Worms which every one knows to be destroy'd and the flatulent putrid matter suppress'd by Sea-salt I think the Leprosie may well illustrate To have a Notion of the Nature of this Disease It is not necessary here to inquire into the particular Juyce it is seated in and Vessels serving it it is sufficient that the Nature and Genius of the Humour or Salt is toward an Alkali exulcerating and dry seated or produced by too thick and luxuriant Chyle in too nitrous or scorching a Climate That the Cure of this Disease consists not only in somâ— Qualities that mortifie it but in some pungent parts that can retain their Nature and are apt to separate the grosser parts we are taught by the success of Vipers in this Disease which have a Faculty of separating Tartar from Canary in which they are infus'd which else yields none On which by the way I must observe the Error in choosing that Wine for the Infusion on which the
Cap. 5. Part 2. dug in Marle pits These are less transparent and as a Species of Gypsum may be called Selenites Gypseus To the second sort which I take only to be the proper Selenites belong those of these Purging Wells This distinction I think necessary to be observed for though I am inclinable to believe that the Waters wherein the others are found may Purge yet the Selenites as they are related to another sort of Stone and have some variety in the Matrix may vary reasonably enough in their Qualities as the Talceus being produced at a Stone-Quarry the Waters can scarce be supposed to want the Coldness or Hardness such Quarries are wont to communicate And so of the rest The Origine of the Salt of these Waters appears most evidently in the Salt of this Species or sort of them which I shall therefore inquire into by examining the Reason of their Production and compare with the Salt that is nearest in resemblance The Salt contain'd in the Waters which I call Selenitical hath these Qualities or Properties peculiar to them To be soft and melt in the warmth of a Hand to be unfigur'd and â—ret the parts of Excretion besides the middle Nature of it and its being void of Corrosiveness which are common to the other sort In its Softness and Fluxilness Nature and Manner of Production it exactly resembles the Salt that damp Cellars produce and is fix'd in the middle to Cobwebs being the steam of the Earth and more liquid part of what is extracted from it and flows in the moist Air there condens'd And no known Salt in Nature hath the Quality of running in so easie a Heat beside the Selenitical but that And as this confirms its Original so the Reason it further complies with this Account For this soft Salt in these Wells is the flowing part of the Matter produced in them the more solid Particles and figurable being detain'd at the Loam and employ'd in forming the Selenites Now that the Lime-stone which is concern'd in this Production naturally effects this separation by shooting the more dense parts is evident in the use of it to precipitate Metalline parts but more plainly in boiling Sugars The slackning quality of this chalky or limy Salt I hinted before to agree with the Earth of these Wells and it is to be noted That the Salt of the Selenitical is accordingly more uniform not so thickning with Gall nor varying so much towards Nitres and Vitriols as the others do but nearer the Spirit So I conclude the Salt of these Purging Waters of a middle Nature between Nitres and Vitriols and form'd out of the Loam by the help of a Vitrioline Juyce or liquid Salt and collected in moist Cavities The Tryal of the Stones THE Stone which I have before describ'd and is common to all the Wells hath when broke the Loam hardned and is invested with a Gypsum or Trichitis Richmond stone is of a light colour and pale near an Ash-colour not divided by the Gypsum but coated with it some Ferrugineous stains were in one piece In the Air weigh'd two Ounces and 50 Grains on the Water one Ounce two Drams and 26 Grains Epsam a more lax stone like a hardned clod incrusted with a grey chalky coat which Acids wrought on with Ebullition but did not slack in the Water weigh'd in the Air two Ounces and 47 Grains in the Water one Ounce one Dram and 26 Grains Dulwich a darker stone and very hard as Flint and inclin'd to a greenish in the body of it in several places and the Cellulae smaller than Woodham-Ferrys or Harwich or any yet observ'd by me where not greenish it had many sparkles of shining small Particles and when beaten fine was whiter than any In the Air two Ounces and 47 Grains in the Water one Ounce two Drams and 39 Grains and a half Woodham-Ferrys Cells as the former but larger the body oft greenish where expos'd to the Air else Loam-like but the Gypsum seem'd to have penetrated the body of the stone In the Air two Ounces and 46 Grains and a half in the Water one Ounce two Drams and 17 Grains Common Loam in the Air weigh'd two Ounces and 49 Grains in the Water one Ounce and 67 Grains Chalk in the Air two Ounces and 47 Grains and in the Water one Ounce one Dram and one Scruple besides four or five Grains lost by its sâ—ackning The Salts extracted from the Stones they all smelt Lixiviat in boyling Richmond stones Lixivium with Lignum Nephriticum took the colour of Rhenish or White-wine or near a Buff-colour With Tincture of Logwood a Red tawnyish Gall a faint Tincture of Red but clear Turnsole Liquor sharpned with Spirit of Vitriol it brightned the Red a little Oyl of Tartar per deliquium no alteration but did not readily mix The Lye of the Roasted Richmond Stone With Tincture of Logwood brighten'd the Red higher than Pump-water With Turnsole preserv'd the Red. With Gall a high Lemmon colour and clear Lignum Nephriticum clear and not colour'd as Spirit of Vitriol does Oyl of Tartar p. d. thick large curdle The Lye exceeded not Pump or common Water in weight Aqua fortis wrought violently on this Stone but extracted no Tincture but jelly'd but not so firmly as the other no Precipitation could be obtain'd from the Jelly No Efflorescence when mix'd with common Salt and expos'd to the Air some time as mineral bodies do Dulwich raw stones Lixivium remain'd thickish white and of taste brackish With Lignum Nephriticum a deep Malaga Sack colour and not very clear as Alkalys Redded the tawny of Tincture of Logwood deep as Alkalys though not so purplish but near that of Acids Gall yellow like small Beer and very thick did not precipitate though it stood a night the cloud gather'd upward and at bottom more clear like common Salt Tunsole it dull'd as Alkalys toward a Blew Liquid Salt of Tartar it curdled large and precipitated as Sal Marine Upon the whole it resembled common Salt especially with a little of the Nature of Sal Gem or withall somewhat Allkalisat The Lye of Dullwich Stone Roasted With Tincture of Logwood a dull Ale-colour as Cellar-Salt and â—laubers Salt Gall a pale Red not more cloudy than the Lye Liquid Salt of Tartar a thick curdle Syrup of Clove Gilliflowers took away the Red and rendred it durty and dark as Alkalys effect With Lignum Nephriticum a pale yellow and clear which grew thicker upon standing six or eight hours like Spirit of Salt Solution of Sublimate no alteration as Vitriols About six Drams with an Ounce and half of Aqua fortis made considerable Effervescence and thickned in two or three hours to a Jelly of a grey dirty colour the powder of the Stone not settling to the bottom Aqua fortis on Chalk wrought thickned a little but not Jelly'd on common Loam did not work Brick Earth only a small Effervescence Cimolia purpurascens
alter'd not I essay'd Tinore Cellar-Salt and Lapis Calaminaris which last communicated only a dry â—aste more Corrosive Half the Jelly dissolved in a great quantity of fair Water precipitated not any heavy Powder the dirt flying about in it light The other half distill'd sent over a Liquor near the scent of Spirit of Salt but no Butter The Earth expos'd to the Air had no Efflorescence Dullwich stone melted with Glass did not tinge the Glass but penetrated the Vessel it was melted in which was of Tobacco-pipe Clay which broke smooth like China an effect which the other stones melted at the same time had not Woodhâ—m-Ferrys stones Lixivium tasted sweetish Redded Tincture of Logwood near a Claret but deeper and darker With Gall whitish and turbid as Nitâ—es Note that this was made of the burnt stone but with some Gall flying in it and curdled which is the effect of Salâ—petre Lignum Nephriticum it took a clear Tincture from and of a Canary colour The stone wash'd Jelly'd in Aqua fortis from which nothing could be separated by Sublimation or Precipitation no Efflorescence upon the exposing it to the Air nor was any Metalline Tincture discover'd by Fusion with Glass Epsam stones Lixivium with Oyl of Tartar per deliquium grew white and thick with Gall a fine and clear Yellow With Tincture of Logwood a dull pale Tawny It slack'd not in Water it jelly'd not in Aqua fortis the Powder remaining heavy and close at the bottom I boyl'd some of the Stain in Lye and in Water sharpen'd with Spirit of Nitre I infus'd some but from neither could make any discovery by Colour or Precipitation So now I come to the Essays of the Waters and Nature of the Salts therein contain'd Selenitical Waters Ebbisham commonly Epsam Water in SURRY EPsam Water was the first of the Purging kind discover'd in England viz. 1630 or soon after The Hill is a Clay of a brown colour and reddish and where the Wells are more grey The Well is about twelve foot deep the Earth where the Spring is afforded the Selenites plentifully at a private Well they were Columns the sides and superficies of which were inequilateral Parallelograms posited with their edges downward and their ends meeting in the centre In a Well a few feet distant and at the publick Well they were Rhomboid At both ends of the Town is Châ—lk dug and the Hill here and there hath veins of blew Loam Of the private Well which was newly sunk I inform'd my self by examining the Earth cast out of it which I receiv'd of the Owner Mr. Symonds together with this Account The upper Earth for two Spit deep was the same then they came to a harder and Loamy which lasted about seven feet then to a looser which sparkled with small Selenites as at the publick Well this held for two feet where they came at the Stones and Water together The Water in Summer-time flow'd in at the rate of an Ale-barrel in 24 hours Below the Selenites they came at a dead heavy Earth and black partaking of Iron under which was the common dead Loam or Cortex of the Mineral Region And though they dug three or four feet deeper yet neither was Water or the former signs found As the Selenites had somewhat of the shape of Vitriol of Iron so where they lay were veins of Iron and colour'd Earth the Iron was pure and obey'd the Load-stone the Earth which was either of a Brimstone colour or that of Iron rust I prov'd by washing to be the same only joyn'd by an Acid Juyce like Spirit of Vitriol which in the yellow had no taste of the Iron but a distinct pleasant Acid which with the Jellying of some parts of the Earth in Aqua fortis especially of the whiter part of it where the Selenites lay is what I observed there I shall not therefore repeat my Tryals of the Earths which were fruitless The Water is moderately clear of Taste bitter together with a muakish Saltishness not manifestly Lixiviat but a little of the taste of the second Salt of Salt Marine and of that Cellar Salt that is gather'd by things hanging in the middle of Cellars and not what fixes to the Walls Epsam Water precipitated not Vitriol dissolv'd in it but promoted its atramentous Quality as doth the Salt not precipitating the Colour as Salt of Lime or Chalk nor turning it red as some others particularly Salt of Cellars Notwithstanding this it agreed with that sort of Alkaly particularly which is calcarious in that it restor'd the blew of Tincture of Turnsole sharpen'd it took a Purple with a Tincture of Logwood in common Water lively and full not dull red a little purplish and dusky as Salt of Tartar made with Saltpetre and Alkalys produce nor tawny as Salt of Cellars Further as Salt of Chalk it troubled a Solution of Sublimat in fair Water and sent down a white precipitate which Alum doth not With Syrup of Violets a Grass-green as the same Salt Yet it peculiarly differ'd from the Salt of Chalk and all grosser Salts in taking a high Yellow and clear Tincture from Gall which is peculiar to Spirit of Nitre it being not of the Nature of Saltpetre which is the only Salt that takes a pale but clear Tincture With Syrup of Cloves it became dark â—ooty and greenish as do Alkalys and Fuligo of Vitriol that adheres to places where the Fume of boyl'd Coporas comes ☞ The peculiar Nature of the Salt of this Water is to be Calcarious yet agreeing with Vitriols and particularly to resemble Spirit of Nitre rather than Nitre it self yet to resemble the Salt of Chalk in precipitating a Solution of Sublimate which Spirit of Nitre will not The Acidity that came over in Distilling was little and pleasant The Salt Grey near a White and unfigur'd or uncapable of Christallization but soft like Barbadoes or Lisbon Sugar It did not cast up a Scum till it was near boyled up and the Salt precipitated in boyling This Salt was wrought on by Acids yet it coagulated Salt of Tartar rendred Liquid called Ol. Tartari per diliq it did not inflame with Sulphur but blister'd on a hot Iron and was not Caustick either burnt or unburnt The Earth of this Salt was white and dissolv'd in part in distill'd Vinegar and was about an eighth of the Salt The Salt of the Water which is said to amount in some dry Seasons to the proportion of seven Drams in a Gallon scarce then exceeded the half of that quantity after a wet one when I had it indeed not so much The Salt purged pleasantly in the quantity of half an Ounce as I try'd it but it seems to require a very gentle Evaporation to the due Preparation of it that Acidity of Alkalisatness may be preserved entire This Salt dissolv'd in some of its own Water deepned the yellow colour of Galls to a Pink and at last to a Red or very near as Spirit
of Nitre does upon long Infusion but thickish as embody'd Salts I saw some Salt boyl'd up in Copper without any Verdigrease Tincture so mild is the Acid. Acton Water in Middlesex THE Earth of this Well afforded Rhomboid Tale as a Gentleman that liv'd at the place and inform'd me express'd it Much Nitrous Efflorescence appears in the Clay about the Well The Spring opens Northerly is reputed one of the strongest Purgers about London It is noted to occasion a great Soreness of the Intestine and Fundament which is reasonably refer'd to the quantity of Salt they wash from the Body but the Penetration of the Salt of the Water may make it more pungent and keen The Water was whitish not so clear as Epsam not saltish but rather to me seem'd sweet with a little of the Bitterness of Epsam It curdled with Soap as do all The Salt of this Water is soft and not christalliz'd wherein it agrees with Epsam Salt though I thought scarce so soft The distinct Nature of this Water or Salt of this Water consists in that this Salt is more Calcarious or of the Nature of Salt of Lime for the Water boyl'd high disturb'd a Solution of Sublimate in fair Water whence it precipitated a yellowish Sediment a little more yellow than the Water which it left white And this Salt is likewise more Nitrous or hath more of the Nature of the Salt of the upper Soyle as appears in that it takes a pale Yellow from Gall but dusky and disturb'd as common Salt doth effect not so dirty nor so apt to precipitate as Sal Calcarium With Syrup of Violets it took a Green with Tincture of Logwood made with Brandy a deep Red and purplish as Nitrous Salts do with cold Tincture of Logwood which hot would give a full Purple The Salt did not precipitate fine Silver out of Spirit of Nitre which common Salt would A Pint and half of the Water yielded forty eight Grains of Salt in which was six Grains and a half of reddish Earth on which Acid Spirits wrought The Earth precipitated in Boyling Colchester Water from the North end in ESSEX THE Water boyl'd Meat without discolouring the Flesh which it rather whiten'd The Water was much the same with Acton giving with Tincture of Logwood a purplish Red a little Tawny and with Gall a clear Yellow and pale but in half an hour grew turbid with a whitish Cloud But with Lignum Nephriticum it became a little darkish but clear a little toward what Spirit of Vitriol does Woodham Ferrys in Essex being a Chalybeat is reserv'd to that Class The Water at 〈◊〉 THis Water claiâ—s the principâ—l Place being made Illustrious 〈…〉 in which His Majesty hath 〈…〉 his Mansion Palace The 〈…〉 at this Well hath much the 〈…〉 cluster'd Columns form'd at 〈…〉 this difference that this at Kensington is depress'd and flat on one side as they are prominent on the other and at the base or flat side are more truly separable than the Sâ—â—â—nites of these Waters usually are and so nearer resemble the â—uscovy Glass The Pyrites which I received from this Well was very hard of a greenish Gray or Hazel colour and 〈◊〉 it differ'd from all in wanting the crust of Gypsum or Trichitis so upon infusion of Aquaâ—ortis it did not coagulate into a Jelly but yet after the working of the Aqua fortis which was very violent the Powder settled not but remain'd of a yellow or Iron rust colour Flâ—ing or turbid though it stood some days The Mineral Matter therefore being reâ—â—iv'd or taken up by the 〈…〉 with fair Water and 〈…〉 and not much 〈…〉 â—â—rrosive Acidity This Liqâ—or which remain'd 〈…〉 the Settlement of the Powder or Dust upon further Diluting sent down no Mineral parts but upon mixing a little powder'd Gall turn'd immediately of a blew Black as is the Property of Iron to produce Distill'd Vinegar on this Stone made no Effervescence yet extracted the Chalybeat parts as appear'd in the Taste The weight of this Stone was one Ounce and one Grain in the Air and just six Drams in the Water which was the weight of the piece which I had The Water was clearer than these usually are and less bitter than Epsam but of a more manifestly Saline Taste In the Quantity of nine Ounces and five Drams and 48 Grains it outweigh'd common Water 37 Grains It s Alkalisate Nature appear'd in giving a Red inâ—lin'd to a Purple with Tincture of Logwâ—â—â— in that Spirit of Nitre did not disturb it in that it troubled and rendred Milky a Solution of Sublimate in fair Water and sent down a white Precipitate as Salt of Chalk doth and in giving the same Green with Syrup of Violets It became dark and sooty with Syrup of Cloves as Alkalys yet not so much Alkalisate as to turn greenish nor indeed to lose all the Red. It had an Acidity in that it curdled Spirit of Harts-horn and the same it produced with the Lixivium of Salt of Plants With Gall it became thick and white as the Salts of Earths that are not perfectly Nitrous but of a mix'd Nature or where the Acid and Salt disturb each other or oppose Earths as they approach to Nitres or are more Alkalisate darken this white With Lignum Nephriticum it took a deep Yellow or Orange and clear as Alkalys produce With Iron and Gall it took a reddish Black and rusty as Alkalys and not apt to hold it without Precipitation I found in two Quarts about 40 Grains of Earth light leafy and gray which Distill'd Vinegar wrought on The Salt was soft and unfigur'd mostly but had some Stiriae form'd in it flat and not pointed at least most of them This Salt melted not easily as Epsam Salt but bore a good Heat and had a much greater quantity of Earth in it the hardness of which was felt on the Tongue in tasting the Salt Much Earth precipitated in boyling as others but it bore not readily a Scum till near boyl'd up at least as in making other Salt till the falling of the Salt I judged this Salt of the Nature of an Alkaly and of kin to Epsam but yet to differ being not so resembling the Spirit of Nitre in the Tryal with Gall and accordingly that Water increas'd Ink-making without turning it Red so that this seems more related to the gross or embody'd Salt which accordingly makes it disturb a Solution of Gall. This Water differs from the rest in that it troubles but very little a Solution of Sal Saturni in common Water in which it resembles more Saltpetres which doth not disturb it at all The Salt of the Water did trouble a Solution of fine Silver in Spirit of Nitre which in a long time precipitated the Precipitation was neither so quick nor so full nor in so large Curdles as common Sea-salt or Rock-salt doth it Puring Waters in an even Loamy Clay more Simple and not variegated Richmond Water in SURRY THis
fair water Barnet Water in Hartfordshire WAS very clear had much the taste of common Pump water but with an addition of bitterness though less than in the other in the quantity of ten Ounces this Water taken in Summer-time as were the others surmounted common water in weight near a Dram or within a Grain of a Dram. The Salt of this Water exactly answer'd a Salt Alkalisate particularly that of Chalk in all Tryals with Gall it became thick disturb'd and whitish not free of the yellow Tincture with Syrup of Violets a deep Verdigreese green with Syrup of Cloves a sooty dusky colour with Tincture of Logwood cold an Orange tawny with Lignum Nephriticum yellow and clear It rendred a Solution of Sal Saturni in common water milky It rendred a Solution of Mercury Sublimate milky It disturb'd and made thick a clear Solution of Hungarian Vitriol and did not precipitate fine Silver out of Spirit of Nitre The same in all these doth Salt of Chalk only Moreover this curdled the Deliquium of Salt of Tartar and also Spirit of Harts-horn but both fine Stretham VVater in Surry OF Odour sweetish of Taste it was nauseous and Saline not so bitter as Barnet taken at the same time and was lighter by ten Grains in seven Ounces and a half It answered the same Essâ—ys with Barnet water only with Syrup of Cloves a little more blew like common Salt or Saltpetres second Salt when near boyl'd up the Salt on the sides in the cold shot in long and flat Bacilli not ready to melt in heat and had the cold taste of Saltpetre but with a sweetness The bottom had three sorts some being flat broad and grained like common Salt and some soft like Epsam which had flakes in it four Scruples of Salt had about eighteen Grains of Earth the Earth and flakes were white and clearish they burnt white and Distill'd Vinegar wrought on it but did not take up any considerable quantity of it The Purging Chalybeat VVater of Scarbourgh in Yorkshire SCarbourgh Water is Chalybeat and Purges it has Qualifications of a Purging Water the Salt of it is figur'd approaching to a Nitre and which is really Nitrous and the Earth over the Spring shews the Nitrous Efflorescence that at other Purging Waters is an Index of the Earth whence the Salt is derived As Chalybeats it is a running Spring and proceeds from a Gravel and expos'd to the Air some days loses its power of making a black with Gall the Salt remaining being purely Nitrous It has the Virtue of both Waters and is sufficiently celebrated by the Frequenters of it And I hence conclude it to be either two Waters joyn'd or a Chalybeat Water washing a Nitrous Vault The Spring is upon the Sea-shore and flows from or near an Alum Mine It is observable that other Springs that flow over Alum Mines here in England yet differ not the least from common Water the black slaty stone not yielding the least Aluminous Taste before Ustion I shall clear it from partaking of Alum or Sea-salt by Tryals which will confirm my Account of the other Waters since it is clear of participating any thing with the Mine over which it runs and the Mine would probably discover any other Minerals joyn'd if such there were and the same Nitrous Earth here sound that is common to the others makes this more plain The proportion the nature of this Salt bears to the Nitre of common Water and true Nitres is discoverable by the quantity of time the Water retains its Ink-making quality Alkalies and so the true Nitre of the Ancients precipitate their dirty black presently The 〈◊〉 was examin'd at the Spring at my direction by the accurate hand of my worthy Friend and Ingenious Gentleman Mr. Edward Carter of Scarbourgh in whose own words I shall deliver their Tryals of them only adding to each a Corollary of the use I make of them Quest. 1. What Colour Nutgall gives it and whether Turbid or Clear Answ. A Grain of Gall strew'd upon the Surface of eight or ten Ounces of the Water doth without any farther mixing immediately strike a deep reddish purple colour which presently becometh turbid if you let the same stand all night the Water will in a manner recover its pristine clearness and a Powder of the colour of colcothar will precipitate to the bottom in a large quantity Or if a few drops of Spirit or Oyl of Vitriol be instill'd into the foresaid Tincture it will presently be clear as at first without the Precipitation of any Powder The reddish Purple is effected by Alkalisate parts united to the Acid distill'd Acids to the like but that the Salt of this Water is Nitrous is observable in its turbidness but chiefly in the Precipitation of the colour upon standing which Precipitation Spirit of Vitriol prevents though it destroys the colour Quest. 2. Has the Water any Scum or bituminous Film Answ. When it stagnateth in any place or stands a few hours in an open Glass there is an Azure colour'd bituminous Film or Scum upon it and if the same be expos'd to the Air for about a Week there is one riseth up much like that which swims upon Lime-water The first is common to Chalybeat waters which appears upon the separation of the Nitrous and Vitrioline parts by the Air but the latter a peculiar of the Salt which being not calcarious I judge to be of such a Quality as complies with the Corruption of the Water so far as to suffer its grosser parts to be thrown up which Lime-water does by the motion of its own active Salt so far it differs from those of the Nature of common Salt which preserve Liquors Weal water has the same Disposition Quest. 3. What Colour the Water kept three days in an open Glass will take with Nutgall turbid or clear Answ. Galls give it a colour then much as before yet something more remiss but if it stand longer as about a week they cause no such alteration changing it only into a milky colour like Barly water as Salt of common Earth does which is not Alkalisate Quest. 4. What Colour with Syrup of Violets Answ. A light Green which may be turn'd into a reddish Purple by adding some Spirit or Oyl of Vitriol To these Remarks I have added some which perhaps may not be unacceptable touching the quantity of Salt and stone Powder contained in those Waters its Taste Odour and Figure when Christallized According to my nearest Computation it hath about an Ounce in four Gallons and almost as much of the stone Powder which is of the colour of Sand made use of in Hour-glasses I never could discover any of the blew Clay which some pretend to have found The Salt hath a very remarkable Bitterness and when newly made a strong sulphurous Smell The Christals are very clear and transparent comprehended under eight plains two of which are Sexangular and the other six are Rectangular Parallelograms which are disposed
Stones and Sticks they pass over That this stony Matter is precipitated out of other Waters which flow into it by the Virtue of this Water and proceeds not from the Chalybear Water it self beside the Argument that may be drawn from the Lightness in weight of the Chalybeat appears fully demonstrated at many Springs indeed at all where the rill of common Water runs along the side of the Soyl whence the Chalybeat issues especially when it is in a Meadow as it was at Felstead where I first observ'd it no Incrustation or Precipitation of stony Matter being to be found either in the Meadow where the Chalybeat lyes or above before the other Water joyns it The Water I now nam'd is one of the light sort being near ten Grains in seven Ounces lighter than common Water and the Water that joyns it a hard gravelly one which with Tincture of Logwood gave a Rasberry red as Acids which is not amiss to mention The Reason which I intimated above to be from the differing Natures of Nitres and Vitriols may help make this intelligible The Lightness in weight of the Chalybeat Waters that as they are void of Salt may properly enough be said to be more simple is owing to the same Cause and proves the same thing being not from difference of the Season as is usually judg'd which can never make it lighter than even that Rain-water distill'd that must render it so but from the Depuration it has receiv'd by the Precipitation of the Earthy parts And the Property is the same by which these Waters even in Human or Animal Bodies Cure the Stone by removing the Disposition to it as well as early Precipitation of the Matter and this Virtue in the Waters is so constant as to have made them Famous in this particular The last considerable Sign and Attendant of these Waters is the Bituminous Scum appearing on them how far the fatness of the Earth of these Waters is assisting in separating this Spirit or whether it is the Effect of it is not plain nor very material to learn That it is of the Nature of common Salt to assist in the Separation of Oyly parts is evident in pickling Roses and distilling Oyls but whether it be from this or the Putridness of the Soyl and Earth I shall submit and leave These Waters differ not only in Degrees of Hardness and Coldness which is best taken notice of in the Examination of each Water but may be distinguish'd into these two Heads 1. The Light ones which have more of the Spirituous Parts of the Vitrioline Spirit and more Simply 2. The Heavy ones that contain a Salt approaching to a Nitre or is Nitrous Of the Heavy ones first and then I ascend to the Lighter which thereby may be illustrated The First Class Chalybeat Waters that contain a Nitrous Salt and equal at least common Water in weight THE Salt of these Waters I conclude to be owing to the Soyle because it is found to be of the same Nature and has some Differences but those being small I omit and forbear insisting upon them In the general Design of the use of Chalybeats these Nitrous Waters are not so Effectual and the more Nitrous the worse by which I mean the more Alkalisat which is easily prov'd by the early Precipitation of the Black and the change towards a Green which is the Effect of Alkalys with Ink though at first they change the Blew Black into a Purple The Characteristick Notes of these Waters beside the weight are to drop the Inky colour they receive with Gall to take a high colour with Lignum Nephriticum and when the Water has stood to be effete it will not precipitate Silver out of Spirit of Nitre I have not found any of this kind so fully Nitrous or Alkalisat as to trouble a Solution of Sublimate much less to precipitate it Yellow both which indeed are inconsistent with Vitriols nor any that bear a Salt of the Nature of Saltpetre A Water in a Field adjoyning to the Right Honourable the Earl of Manchester's Place at Leez in Essex THis Spring is in a Gravel and is so small as to be considerable only in that it is in a breeding Pond This Water disturbs not a Solution of Sublimate in fair Water it render'd milky a Solution of Sal Saturni by which it distinguish'd it self from Saltpetre but yet not much more than Saltpetres second Salt does With Lignum Nephriticum it gave a pale Yellow and not fine exactly the colour of small Beer which at four days end precipitated so as to leave just the top of the Liquor clear The Water kept till it had lost its Spirit and with that its power of striking black with Gall which was 24 hours essay'd with Gall was thick and dirty white which precipitated in the former Experiment shewing an Affinity with common Salt in this with Nitrous It is much of the weight of common Water and takes a blew black with Galls The Water at Witham in Essex in Sir Edward Southcot's Ground WITH Gall a deep Purple turning to Ink not very clear and with Lignum Nephriticum a faint dull reddish I judged this to have more of the nature of the Salt of common Water and that the Spirit of this Water to be a little finer than the other sort which give a direct Black with Gall because distill'd Acids give this Red. The Red that Alkalys give turns greenish upon standing these Waters are all inclin'd to the same The Chalybeat Water of Knarsborough in Yorkshire KNarsborough Water as Dr. French relates is of a Vitrioline Taste and Odour The Water riseth in a moorish boggy Ground within less than half a Mile from which there is no considerable Ascent and springeth directly up from the Sandy bottom It is of the same weight with common Spring Water The colour with Syrup of Violets is much the same as in the Chalybeat Waters at Islington and Hamstead not so intense as in Tunbridge or the German Spa as the Learned Dr. Tancred Robinson my Informer prov'd it at the Spring And as this colour is not so deep as that made by Vitriols so the residuous dark colour'd Earth after Evaporation was insipid The pitch of the Volatility of the Spirituous part of this Water is observable in that it tinctur'd with Powder of Galls at two days end and suffer'd not by Warming yet lost that Quality wholly in Distilling Neither does this Water coagulate Milk The Redness that this Water takes with Galls is effected by spirituous or distill'd Acids unmix'd with gross Salt of the Soyle of a Forreign Nature which would disturb the Colour and the larger Proportion of the Acid to the Steel or the very small quantity of the last may effect it But the Quantity of the Acid Spirit must be judg'd here to be considerable For the Nature of the Acidity I have before distinguish'd it by the Effects and so need here only observe it to be Vitrioline
are run off as Gentian Wine or the like or Chalybeat Wine in the Afternoon which I have â—ound to be very Helpful where the Moisture of the Season or Weakness of the Constitution made it necessary but not to be continued longer than it was so The difference of the Water makes some difference in the rule of Drinking the Heavy ones not allowing so long a Continuation of Drinking and often admitting if not requiring Purging during the Course which six Weeks may well determine whereas the light sort may safely and ought to be continued longer to prevent return of the Disease and establish the Constitution Else the Chalybeat Waters require the same common Rule which is to be observ'd before in the time of and after the drinking Before the drinking that the foulness of the first ways may not be carried farther and at least clog the Remedy and that Nature may be more light and easie that must be removed before the drinking of the Waters is entred upon And although it cannot be supposed that the proper Purges for particular cases can here be consulted yet that Emeticks in Cephalick Diseases are best and fittest to answer all the ends necessary is an Intimation I cannot allow my self to pass Catharticks ought to be doubled at about two days distance the first to regard the cleansing the first ways may be by a Bole of Lenitive Electuary and as much Resina Jallopii as may quicken it to desire or Pills or Draughts of Infusion of Sena and Rhubarb in both which forms I admire the additions of Salts either of Wormwood or Tartar that may make them more detersive and occur any unnatural or exorbitant Acid. The latter Purgation ought to regard the Disease as Lenitive Electuary with P. Diasenae and Dialtheae or Manna for Gravel In Colicks and where the Wind afflicts the Bowels Hiera Picra In Cephalick Distempers or where there is a Disposition to be Aguish gentle Emeticks Where Wind afflicts the more remote Passages or in the Blood afflicting the Muscular parts Infusions of Purging Ingredients as Sena and Rhubarb with a handful of Chamomel Flowers or the Weakness of the Stomach may require the Decotum amarum made Purging or Pills of Rudii and Ruffii mix'd and two or three drops of Oyl of Cinnamon The Dropsical Succus Ebuli in the quantity of Cochl 2 vel 3 is most proper for in my Judgment In the Melancholick Constitutions an Infusion of Sena and Salt of Tartar among others is one of the first rate The Scurvy bitter Decoctions The three last Diseases these Waters as other Chalybeats serve by strengthning invigorating and carrying off the offending Matter and therefore those need a due preparatory Course as is sufficient to bring the Blood and Vessels into such a state as may be fit for these Waters But yet beginning Dropsies and other Obstructions from Trouble of Mind admit these Waters as the only Remedy and require no course but this general Preparation Excepting Dropsies and Distempers that are attended with old Obstructions and Apoplectick Dispositions in Phlegmatick Brains I say setting aside these the Purging Waters are the best Preparative washing more universally and leaving the Body in the Temper that is most fit and sometimes prevents the necessity of these Chalybeat Waters the Proprieties of which will appear in a Table at the end of their History But because Pains of the Stomach often happen to be so violent as not to allow the use of these Waters before they are abated and sometimes require a particular Evacuation it seems incumbent on me to give some information how that Symptom may be reliev'd They are usually one of these three sorts First a Convulsive Nipping Pain at the pit of the Stomach that holds for some Weeks and soon upon eating is exacerbated This usually readily gives way either to an Infusion of Baccae Juniperi in Whitewine or Ol. Terebinth taken inwardly the last 16 drops at a time in Beer Another is a Pain all over the Stomach though sometimes gathering more to one part of it and is more violent and racking and goes off with a Looseness being from a Congestion of Watry Matter This yields to the common Domestick Glysters often repeated and is check'd by Ens Veneris and sometimes by Chalybeat Wine The Pain that attends a Chlorosis by Ol. Caryophyllorum taken in Sugar if from a depauperate Blood by Vinum Chalybeatum Phlebotomy here comes under consideration which although some Asthma's and other cases may render it necessary yet where not necessary is to be avoided as an ill Preparaâ—ivee for drinking of Water and must be referr'd together with other Preparations in particâ—â—â— Distempers to the Judgment of the Physician that knows the Distemper and consults the Constitution Of drinking I purpose not to prescribe either time or quantity which vary with the Disease and Constitution of the Drinker but only shall note that as rising gradually to a full quantity is required not only by the body that it may the better bear it but by the distemper'd part too So the Vessels that they may be cleansed and strengthned in their own Tone and Tension require a gradual decrease But though the continuation of this Remedy must be prescrib'd by the Nature of the Disease yet that a Caution is necessary that the drinking them be not left off too soon appears in that in my own Observation many having suffer'd a Relapse for want of continuing the Remedy some time after the Cure And this is so general that I may peremptorily assert that less than three Months is not generally sufficient to the drinking of them though they take effect in half the time It is not convenient to drink these Waters too early nor without some preceding walking to empty the Body neither is it safe to lye down upon them especially in Cephalick Distempers nor to allow any business to take place in the Thoughts on which score the distance of the Wells and the Resort recommends the drinking these Waters at their Springs But the most material Rule which the very design of them require is That during the Course the Drinker use Exercise avoid all Flatulent Diet and that of Gross and much Nourishment and drink as little fermented Liquor as he may And here especially drinking much Wine is to be condemned on a double account for beside that the inconvenient Temper that the Wine gives renders them unfit for drinking the Waters the Morning following it opposes the Remedy and renders it ineffectual by supporting the Morbid State and for this Reason as generous Liquors are not to be omitted at the beginning of the drinking so they ought wholly to be set aside when the Course is well enter'd without which Hypochondriacism which is the most general Case will not admit of any entire Conquest Neither is the Course of Living to be ended with the Course of drinking the Waters but that the use of them may be effectual a spare Diet and the
Water is a level Spring the Wells are on the side of the Hill a few Rod from the River Thames in a brown leamy Clay which are about nine feet deep to the bottom of the Water as the Digger inform'd me there There is a Tile-Kill adjoyning to the Ground where the Wells are This Water was first discover'd about 1686 the account that the Possessor of one of the Wells Mr. Brown gave me was that the Earth was an even Loamy Clay that the Water issued into the Well from the side among the Stones whereof I brought away as many pieces as I could dispose of No Selenites found here The Loam and Clay about the Wellâ— had a Nitrous Efflorescence the Earth above and about Richmond a Gravel This Water purgeth well but I think scarce so much as Epsam and Acton but more smoothly The Water is smooth on the Tongue scarce any appearance of bitterness salutes the Palat with the taste of common Water but leaves a farewel a little nauseous and sharp The Water curdled Milk but not so hard or strong as others with Syrup of Violets a mild Green not so deep as Vitriols make it resembled common Salt or a Vitrioline in that Spirit of Nitre drop'd into it made no Alteration though the Water was boyl'd half away Spirit of Sal Armoniack rendred it thick white and curdled and sent down a large Precipitate Spirit of Harts-horn made a small Curdle and Precipitate Spirit of Salt no Alteration With Galls it grew immediately turbid white and thick not Milk-white like what Salt of Hungarian Vitriol produceth not dark as Alkalys not coloured as common Salt not clear as Saltpetre nor reddish as Chalk nor dark and ready to precipitate the Colour as Spirit of Vitriol The Water standing a while on pieces of Iron with Gall chang'd dark with a reddish cast as Alkalys render Ink In both these it resembled Salt of Cellarsâ— yet differ'd in giving a wan dusky Red with 〈◊〉 of Clove Gilly flowers as common Salt and â—â—â—ding Tincture of Logwood â—s Acids ☞ The Salt of this Water hence appears to be Acid of a Vitrioline Nature yet to be a little Alkalisate or Nitrous â—ot so deeply as Alkalys but resembling the Salt embodying Vitriols or the uniting of Vitrioline Salt with the Salt of common Earth and which our common Water contains Richmond Water distill'd in a Glass retort yielded a Water which was Acid enough to redden a little the colour of Syrup of Violets and to give a faint Red with Tincture of Logwood but took no Quality from Iron and it was very light in weight equal to Tunbridge and the light Chalybeats The Salt was gray and figur'd like the Bacilli of Nitre flat and long and many of the Sâ—iriae were pointed like Needles some Prisms some Camellae it melted not easily yet I thought sooner than Vitriols It chang'd not the colour of Salt of Tartar but curdled its Deliquium inflamed not with Sulphur The Earth was smaller than in most Waters was gray and Acid Spirits as of Salt Aqua fortis and Spirit of Nitre would not touch it It alter'd not in the Fire but made a small Decrepitation or Spitting I judged a little more than Allum The Salt of this Water did not disturb nor change the colour of Sublimate Water which Alkalys and Salt of Cellars does It was a little sweetish and not cold as Saltpetre is The Stone found in this Well resembled Loam The Loam cast up for Tiles in the Ground joyning to this Well had a Nitrous Efflorescence The Stone had a Tincture of Iron The Tile-earth in the Ground adjoyning I infus'd in warm Water sharpned with Oyl of Vitriol This Water gave a Green with Syrup of Violets and with Tincture of Logwood a sooty dusky colour a little reddish Dullwich Water HAS its name from the Town near it but the Wells are in Lewisham Parish in Kent The Wells are in the foot of a Hill about twelve in number The Hill and Ground adjoyning is a stiff Clay with some Wood upon it These are next in Antiquity to Epsam being discover'd about the Year 1640 The Hole dug is about nine feet deep as I judg'd and the Water about half a Yard deep being usually emptied every day The bottom is a Loam as is the Hill and where the Water issues in is found the Lapis Lutoso-Vitriolicus which glitters with Vitriolick sparkles and is divided into Parcels by the Trichitis This Water purgeth very quick and are not to be drank by a Body out of Temper or Heat by walking without inconvenience I was there Iuly 1696 after some wet days This Water is bitter like Epsam it curdled with Soap or Milk much more than Richmond and equal to Epsam Taken the same day with Richmond in the quantity of nine Ounces and near a quarter was 28 Grains heavier than common Water and 12 Grains than Richmond With Gall it turn'd â—st yellow and clear then thick and muddy white and a little yellowish in which it resembled common Salt and with that it agreed in making no alteration in a Solâ—tion of Sublimate and in making an 〈◊〉 with Spirit of Nitre and in not disturbing Spirit of Salt It agreed with Acids in not relieving the Red of Tincture of Turnsole sharpned in curdling Spirit of 〈◊〉 very much but Spirit of Sal Armoniâ—â—◠〈◊〉 little or rather in a more fine Cuâ—â—le In which Trial this resembles common Salt more than Richmond which curdles thâ— last most and in giving a Red with Tinctâ—re of Logwood The particular Nature is somewhat pointed at in that this Water after an Infusion some hours on points of Nails with Gall became dusky and thick of a foot colour which precipitated and left the Liquor yellow in this it differ'd from 〈◊〉 Salts The Stone prov'd it self to have much of the Nature of Rock-salt such as is brought from the West of England near Chester The Salt shot into Stiriae which being heat blister'd and lost much by a hot Fire so as to have only 12 Grains remaining of 40 but this was done in Earth the more fix'd parts remain'd angular and flat like Sea-salt The stone melted pierced the Clay readily and made it break like China The Calx of the Salt remain'd Gray Though I must not adventure to determine the particular Nature of the Salt of this Water which made the stone sparkle yet I may say it is Marcasitical and that it contains no fresh or new Metal or Mineral but that it varies in the Salt as the Gravels and Loams meeting and joyning produce the common Vitriol stone which here seems of kin to that of common Gravels and that it has some cold Nature proportionable to such an Original but fluxile withall being apt to set the Blood flowing The Salt I conclude by the Essays to resemble common Salt and to be of kin to Mineral Salt as is our Rock salt but yet to differ in its being more Penetrative and
after this manner The sides are constituted of the two Sexangular Planes alternately interpos'd to two of the largest Parallelograms each side standing at right Angles with the other The ends are terminated by the four lesser Parallelograms inclining to each other from the Extremities or lesser sides of the lateral Parallelograms as the two Lines mark'd with the points and dash Thus I have described the Form of it as intelligibly as I can in words but because a Figure will help to explain what hath been said and be a means to represent the Idea better to the Understanding I shall endeavour to give you the best Delineation I can Half of the Planes or Surfaces may be represented thus but the other which are opposite must be supplied by the Imagination a exactly represents one of the Sexangular Planes which hath another like it directly opposite c b d do shew the Proportions of the greater and lesser Parallelograms but they cannot be represented Rectangular in the Scheme as indeed they are as was mentioned above the sides a and b do stand at right Angles and so do the sides opposite to them Thus ◠b. Thus far is the Account received in the Gentleman's Letter dated Scarbourgh June 22. 1697. Some Christals of the Salt of this Water with the Earth or stony Powder of it I received since from the same hand The Salt was clear and uniform or single and not an aggregate consisting of Bacilli or Columns nor plected as the Alum there produced appears the Figure was the same now describ'd only one of the ends was not so exact being a little broken and the Christal in bulk hardly amounted to half the measure of the Figure This Salt precipitated not fine Silver out of Spirit of Nitre as Sea-salt and our Rock-salt does do yet disturb'd not a Solution of Sublimate which Alkalies and Nitres do and which Alum thickens and whitens A few drops of this Salt dissolv'd in fair Water rendred a Solution of Sal Saturni white as milk which Saltpetre does not disturb It curdled Ol. Tartari per deliquium but not so strongly as Epsam Salt The Salt inflam'd not upon a hot Iron though with Brimstone added nor was very fluxile ☞ In Sum The Salt partakes not of either Alum or Sea-salt but is Nitrous not of the Nature of Saltpetre or its second Salt nor so Alkalisate as to discover it self in Sublimate Water or to give a deep Green with Syrup of Violets but which allows a mixture with Vitriols and is not so Alkalisate or full of Nitre as to precipitate but near that imperfect one of our common Earth and which is not so fix'd as to keep in one state or Solution of it in Water but hinders not if not promotes the Fermentation or intestine Motion of the Liquor which it clears by throwing up a Scum For as far as appears to me Salts that have a Solidity and yet a disposition to Fermentation that in burning throw up a Scum rather than precipitate as the Salt of Weal Water and that that stagnates on rich common Earth does among the Nitrous sort It would be advantageous to the discovery or distinguishing of the Nature and Virtue of this Salt to put some up in a Bottle with Sack which is a Wine that makes no Tartar to observe whether a Precipitation would result only to Fine it or a Fermentation or disturbance would be renewed The Propriety of this Water consists in the middle nature of the Salt which keeps thick with Galls as the Salts that Vitriols embody with effect which are not purely of the nature of common Salt yet is so familiar to Vitriol as not to disimbrace soon beside the Chalybeat parts and its less volatile Acidity The Chalybeat Purging Water of Woodham-Ferrys in Essex THE Earth cast out of this Well contain'd many discolour'd Parcels of mellower Earth the colours of which were two that of Brimstone and a Ferrugineous and which yielded Iron upon Essay when only well wash'd And as at Epsam these Veins attend the Selenites so the same stone is plentifully found here most of them were in one half resembling the Rhomboid the other had a differing Figure by the declining of the two opposite grand Planes till they determin'd at an edge which was Semicircular as in the Figure In parcels of this Loam inclos'd I found great plenty of Vermicular bodies which were mere Iron of which Metal one Tubulus Marinus and several pieces I brought away with me and reserve The stone or imperfect Marcasite which I call Lapis Lutosovitriolicus here had many shining Particles in it and consisted of Parcels divided by a thin Wall of Gypsum or Trichitis and precipitated some Iron when dissolved in Aqua fortis and diluted with fair Water The Water was clear of Taste Chalybeat but had more of the nauseous sweetish taste of the Purging Waters not void of Bitterness with Gall a thick Purple as Saline Chalybeats In the quantity of nine Ounces five Drams and 24 Grains exceeded common Water in weight thirteen Grains It chang'd not the colour of Syrup of Violets it took not away the colour of Syrup of Cloves which Alkalies do by inducing a sooty or green and common Salt by rendring it pale and cloudy It agreed with Vitriols and common Salt in making no alteration in a Solution of English and German Vitriol nor in a Solution of Mercury Sublimate yet curdled not much or large with Spirit of Sal Armoniack and less with Spirit of Harts-horn and with Spirit of Nitre suffer'd no alteration with Logwood infus'd a Purple but more toward a Red or Murry Note I used in this Experiment the Water when boyl'd high toward a Salt The Salt differ'd from Saltpetre in rendring a Solution of Sal Saturni milky it precipitated a Solution of fine Silver in Spirit of Nitre immediately as common Salt yet made with Liquid Salt of Tartar but a fine curdle with Lignum Nephriticum a pale yellow and thick as common Salt with Iron and Gall infus'd a right blew Ink and which did not precipitate The Kensington Water gave a more red black and which soon fell and with Lignum Nephriticum a clear high yellow near an Orange This Water of Woodham-Ferrys did not precipitate any Ferrugineous parts or Okar upon its losing its power of Tinging with Galls Then the Water with Gall took a yellow tolerably clear but not purely clear of disturbance near the effect of common Salt The Salt of this Water comes near common Salt Bay Salt with Gall giving a reddish cloudiness as the other a Vitrioline or mix'd one The simplicity of the Salt appears in the colour and clearness with Gall. It precipitated a ruddy Earth in boyling which distill'd Vinegar wrought on with great Effervescence The Salt seem'd of two sorts the first being hard not readily flowing in heat and grain'd and crackling a little in the Fire and leaping Some flat shoots like Saltpetres Bacillis The Earth contain'd
is a natural Effect of a Plethora yet it must be allowed to be but answerable to the Quality of the Salt Epsam Salt hath a Qualification of softness to penetrate farther than others without Obstruction of the nature of Spirit of Nitre and so can both incide and mellow what it meets with The searching Quality of this Salt I have known universally complain'd of as raking and so heating by lean Persons both Men and Women but upon the same reason it is the most extraordinary Purge for grosser Bodies To know rightly the Intentions these Salts satisfie requires a good Understanding of the Nature of the Disease which here cannot be insisted upon only I shall give you one Instance in the Use of Epsam Water in Melancholy whether natural Melancholy be not produced by the Formation of the Vessels and Complication rather than by the nature of the Juyces I dispute not nor how the Brain is concerned The Disease effectively demonstrates it self to consist in the due Separation or discharge of the Excrements of the Body hindered and through want of that Salt that should be separated with them to promote their Expulsion whence their Spittle is fresh and stinking their Body bound and which is perhaps the Original of all this the Blood allows not of a due Separation of Choler and other parts that Nature alots to be amended In all these Intentions Epsam Water or Salt recommends it self by its calcarious Salt to advance the Heat and florid State of the Blood and mix with it by its Acidity to penetrate and incide yet not of power to precipitate and harden but above all by its Softness and Liquibility in Heat or Moisture it is disposed not only to cleanse but to render the Blood fluid and mellow and leave the Vessels lax And that I am right here and not wide from Experience it may be proper to inform the Reader that I have known this Disease cured by this Water only in those Persons who have taken the other Waters as well as other Medicines ineffectually And as Nitrous or Alkalisate Salts raise the Fermentation of the Blood which is the same Effect which they have on Liquors so Acids correct and suppress it The Effect of one is ever discernable by flushing Heats and the happy Effects they have in Malignant Feavers and the power of the last in correcting the Heat of the Blood and putting the Salt in condition for a Discharge is evident in the use of Acids in those Feavers that are attended with Exanthemata And this I mention because in the Choice of a Purging Water for Prevention of Sickness as they are often drank the Nature of the Feaver on foot ought to be consider'd I wave that and proceed to the Classes of the Waters and their several Virtues The Waters agree in general to create or restore an Appetite suppress Wind and relieve Hypoâ—hondriacism But the Virtues that result from their Specifick Nature both from my Judgment and Experience in many of them stand thus 1. A Water containing a Salt somewhat of the Nature of Salt of Chalk but more resembling the Spirit than body of Nitre and not corrosive Of this kind is Epsam whose Salt is unfigur'd or ungrain'd and melts in the warmth of a hand The Cases a Salt of this Nature is adequate to are Melancholy Cholicks and Cholical Pains in the Stomach Obstructions of the Glands and accordingly Heart-burning Pains in the Sides and any parts of the Body if not too confirm'd Scurvy Vertigo it cleanses gross Bodies and safely lessens Fatness relieves Redness of the Face relaxes a costive Disposition and cleanses the Kidneys and perhaps in Ulcers of the Kidneys or other parts may fitly precede Chalybeats 2. A Water more calcarious and whose Salt is more of the Nature of the Nitre of the Earth than of the Spirit such are Acton Barnet and Stretham Waters these I judge proper in the Stone Gout Diseases of the Lungs without Inflammation and for Heart-burning and where-ever the Intention of Sweetning the Blood is required or raising the warmth and heat of it this may be a suitable Purge and are good in Melancholy wherein Acton claims the next place to Epsam They restore a good Colour to the Face and remove or cure the falling away of the Flesh and promote Fatning 3. A Water whose Salt is Alkalisate and resembles Salt of Tartar and the Sulphurous Salts of Vegetables though not perfectly and as is Vpminster may be supposed to have the power of sweetning Acidities in remoter parts of the Body strengthens the Stomach checks Vomiting and where Alkalies suit is a good Diuretick and is a proper Purge where the Body has a Disposition to Agues or Dropsies only here the Salt is preferable to the Water as it may be taken in a more proper Vehicle 4. A Salt Alkalisate with a very hard coagulating Acidity namely Brentwood-weal hath the advantage of an Alkaly to sweeten the Blood but with Astriction it increases flushing Heats Scurfyness and Leprous Humours but is beneficial in any Fluxes through Coldness and Weakness and to the Hypochondriacal whose natural Temper is such checks the Catamenia and may be good to prevent Abortion back'd with Chalybeats 5. A Salt Alkalisate approaching a Saltpetre is that of the Water of Kensington the Virtues of an Alkaly appear before as relating to Saltpetre it may be more Diuretick it tempers Choler allays Thirst suppresseth inflammatory and putrid Heat and easeth Pain The Earth contained in this Water is so much in quantity and the leafy hard parts so many that I should think the Salt of this Water to be preferable to the Water it self Or else the Water ought to be boyl'd till half be evaporated and then depurated by suffering the grosser parts to subside All the Waters following partake of the Nature of a Vitrioline or common Salt or Sea-salt and so resist Putrifaction make a strong Concoction are proper in Worms may cure a Jaundies when it comes upon a Colick mortifie Scabs and remove Scurfyness and kill several Humours as Tetters and the like Eruptions their particular Natures are as follow 6. Waters which bear a Salt related to common Salt but clear of the Muriatick part are Alford in Somersetshire and Colchester To restore an Appetite for Worms and mortifying Eruptions and Hypochondriack Flatus 7. A Salt more fully of the Nature of common or Sea salt in its power of mortifying preternatural Salts in the Body without the severity of coagulating is found in Lambeth Waters whereof the nearest Well is the most perfect The Virtues see in the Examination of that Water Only observe that these are used outwardly as well as inwardly 8. A Salt of the Nature of that part of common Salt which Christallizes in the cold is found in North-Hall Water and may be beneficial in the Scurvy beyond any others as likewise in Rhumatisms and in what cases soever that are attended with Putrefaction 9. A Salt of the