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 Mni LansinaluraA 
 
A 
 
 DISSERTATION 
 
 ON THE 
 
 MINERAL WATERS OF SARATOGA. 
 
 INCLUDING AN ACCOUNT OF THE 
 
 WATERS OF BALLSTON. 
 
 Second Edition ...Enlarged. 
 
 M@«— 
 
 By VALENTINE SEAMAN, M. D. 
 One of the Surgeons of the Nciv-Yorh HofpitaL 
 
 " What dire neceflities on every hand, 
 " Our art, our ftrength, our fortitude require ! 
 " Of foes inteftine what a numerous band 
 " Againft this little throb of life confpire ! 
 " Yet Science can elude their fatal ire 
 " Awhile, and cum alid> Heath's Wel'd dart, 
 " Soothe the fharp pang, allay the fever's fire, 
 " And brace the nerves once more, and cheer the heart; 
 ■ ; And yet a few foft nights and balmy days impart." 
 
 NEW- YORK: 
 
 Printed and Sold by Collins & Perkins, No. 189 Pearl-ftrca - 
 
 1809. 
 

 Diflria of New-York, /■. 
 
 B< 
 
 )E IT REMEMBERED that on the fixth 
 day of July, in the thirty-fourth year of the 
 Independence of the United States of Ame- 
 rica, Collins and Perkins of the faid Diftridt, 
 (L. S.) have depofited in this office the title of a book, 
 the right whereof they claim as proprietors, 
 in the words following, to wit : " A Dif- 
 fertation on the Mineral Waters of Saratoga* 
 Including an account of the Waters of Ballflon. 
 Second Edition.....Enlarged. By Valentine Seaman, J\T. D, OIW 
 of the Surgeons of the New-York Hofpital. 
 " What dire neceflities on every hand 
 u Our art, our ftrength, our fortitude require ! 
 " .Of foes inteftine what a numerous band 
 " Againft this little throb of life confpire ! 
 " Yet Science can elude their fatal ire 
 <{ Awhile, and turn aiide death's level'd dart, 
 " Soothe the fharp pang, allay the fever's fire, 
 " And brace the nerves once more, and cheer the heart, 
 ;c And yet a few foft nights and balmy days impart." 
 
 IN CONFORMITY to the Adfc of the Congrefs m the 
 United States, entitled, " An A6t for the Encouragement of 
 Learning, by fecuring the Copies of Maps, Charts, and 
 Books, to the Auihura and Proprietors of fuch Copies, du- 
 ring the times therein mentioned ;" and alfo an Aci, enti- 
 tled, " An Act fupplementary to an Act, entitled, An Acl 
 for the Encouragement of Learning, by fecuring the Copies 
 of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the Authors and Proprie- 
 tors of fuch Copies, during the times therein mentioned, and 
 extending the Benefits thereof to the Arts of Defigning, En- 
 graving, and Etching Hiftorical and other Prints." 
 
 CHARLES CLINTON, 
 Clerk of the Difri® of New-York. 
 
JOHN COAKLEY LETTSOM, 
 M. & L. L. D. 8cc. 
 
 IT is hoped that one whofe life has 
 been fo confpicuoufly devoted to 
 the diffufion of ufefol knowledge, 
 in the promotion of human happi- 
 nefs, and whofe beneficent exertions, 
 unlimited by the boundaries of his 
 own country, have been fo fenfibly 
 extended to this, will not view with 
 indifference, an attempt to invefti- 
 gate the real nature of the moft ce- 
 lebrated of its medicinal w 7 aters. 
 Indeed the lively intereft he has ma- 
 nifefted, as the naturalijf s compani- 
 
IV 
 
 on> in refearches of this kind, is an 
 almofl fure pledge of his approba- 
 tion. 
 
 Under thefe impreffions, the fol- 
 lowing pages are, with due conside- 
 ration, refpedtfully infcribed, by 
 his friend, 
 
 THE AUTHOR, 
 New-Tort 9 6 Mo. 1809. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 IT was a remark of the celebrated 
 Bergman, that " In all ages good 
 Phyficians, defirous of eftablifhing 
 the falutary art, on a firm founda- 
 tion, have confidered it incumbent 
 on them, to fubmit to chemical ana- 
 lysis, fuch waters as were famous 
 for the cure of any difeafe." And 
 indeed it is with juftice expected 
 of every phyfician, that at leaft he 
 will enquire into the virtues of fuch 
 fubitances, as £hall offer themfelves 
 to his obfervation, fiippofed to pof- 
 fefs adtive medicinal qualities : for 
 " The Lord hath created medicines 
 
 A 2 
 
out of the earth, and he that is wife 
 will not abhor them." And as there 
 ftill remain difeafes, which raife up 
 their reproachful heads, in obflinate 
 defiance of our art, it is more efpe- 
 cially our duty to fearch out means 
 for their deftrudlion : for it is not 
 confident with our ideas of the 
 goodness of the Deity, to fuppofe 
 that he would have permitted the 
 favourites of his creation to be af- 
 flicfled with difeafes, without hav- 
 ing formed remedies for their re- 
 lief: but for them, as for relief from 
 fpiritual evils, we muji feek, and we 
 Jhall JincL 
 
 What a glorious era will the pre- 
 fent time exhibit in the hiftory of 
 medicine ; for befide the many 
 other late improvements in the 
 
Vll 
 
 practice of phyflck, the fingle eftab- 
 lifhment of Vaccination alone, has 
 afforded more unblemifhed comfort 
 to fuffering humanity, than any 
 other difcovery ever made by the 
 profeffion. For before that period, 
 even where Inoculation for the 
 Small Pox was, not only tolerated, 
 but encouraged, as for inftance in 
 this city, more than one tenth part 
 of all the perfons that died, funk 
 under the immediate effects of that 
 mod loathfome of human mala- 
 dies*. What a flimulus this is to 
 
 * By a register kept by the Sexton super- 
 intending the large cemetery in Broadway, it 
 appears that during the fifteen years immedi- 
 ately preceding the introduction of Vaccina- 
 tion into New- York, of 5756 persons that were 
 interred in that ground, 610 died with the 
 Small Pox. 
 
via 
 
 a perfeverance in our refearches ; — 
 for who, twenty years ago, could 
 have believed that the fufceptibility 
 to Small Pox, which feemed an im- 
 movable intailment upon human 
 life, would have been fo eafily cor- 
 rected. 
 
 American phyficians, in particu- 
 lar, from their being fituated in a 
 country, with refpecl to medical re- 
 fearches, almoft unexplored, fliould 
 confider it doubly incumbent on 
 them, to attend to its productions ; 
 for befides the Ipecacuanha, the 
 Snake Root, the Jalap, and many 
 other ufeful remedies, America has 
 alfo already furnifhed a Bark which 
 has removed the fatality of that dif- 
 eafe which in lefs than forty years 
 deprived Britain of two of its mo- 
 
IX 
 
 narchs*. And " Who knows but 
 that at the foot of the Allegany 
 Mountains, there blooms a flower 
 that is an infallible cure for the e- 
 pilepfy ? Perhaps on the Mononga- 
 hela, or the Potomack, there may 
 grow a root, that fhall fupply, by 
 its tonic power, the invigorating 
 effects of the favage or military life, 
 in the cure of confumptions.f" — 
 And why may there not fpring up 
 a water, in fome neglected valley, 
 whofe folvent quality may melt 
 down the torturing ftone, or whofe 
 penetrating influence may wafh a- 
 
 * The intermittent fever, which is now con- 
 sidered a trivial complaint, was arranged in 
 the class of incurable diseases, till the discove- 
 ry of the Peruvian Bark. James the First, and 
 Oliver Cromwell, both died of this complaint. 
 
 t Dr. Rush's concluding lecture. 
 
Xll 
 
 when he confiders, that in this 
 work I have adled in the dangerous 
 and toilfome capacity of a pioneer, 
 opening a way to the analyfis of 
 thefe waters, whereby others may 
 follow on, perhaps with more fuc- 
 cefs, at leaft with lefs difficulty*. 
 
 It has been my intention to ren- 
 der this treatife as generally ufeful 
 as poflible. I have, therefore, in 
 addition to the prefent accurate 
 terms of the new nomenclature, 
 given the more common names of 
 fuch fubftances as have occurred in 
 
 * No one has heretofore attempted to ana- 
 lyse these waters : all that has been done was 
 a mere enquiry into the air discharged from 
 them : see Dr. Mitchill's experiments, related 
 in the American Museum, Vol. 4. This is 
 the first attempt made to search into their real 
 substance, to ascertain the ingredients of their 
 composition. 
 
xai 
 
 the courfe of the work : and have 
 alfo, in other refpedls, employed as 
 familiar a language as the nature of 
 the fubjedl would admit of; and as 
 in compoiitions of this kind, beau- 
 ty of ftile is of lefs confequence 
 than perfpicuity of expreffion, I 
 doubt not but that the reader will 
 excufe me, if he finds fentences 
 which might have been more ele- 
 gantly expreffed. 
 
 Whether water, of itfelf confider- 
 ed, is a fimple elementary fubftance, 
 according to the opinion of the an- 
 cients, or a compound, as believed 
 by moft of the moderns (though 
 perhaps well defer ving of attention) 
 is not the bufinefs of this difTerta- 
 tion to determine ; its views being 
 confined, merely to difcover the na- 
 
 B 
 
XIV 
 
 ture of fueh mineral fubftances as 
 are often diflblved in it, and to 
 which many waters owe their par- 
 ticular medicinal virtues. 
 
 Such mineral waters have been 
 noticed as far back as the time of 
 Hippocrates. Pliny mentions certain 
 of them, as poflefling medicinal 
 properties ; but we do not find any 
 account of a method to detedl their 
 compolition, till about the middle 
 of the feventeenth century, when 
 Boyle fir ft obferved, that the infu- 
 fion of vegetable blues, was an ac- 
 curate teft for difcovering the pre- 
 fence of uncombined acids or alka- 
 lies, by becoming red with the for- 
 mer, and green with the latter. He 
 afterwards found out many other 
 fubftances for the more full exami- 
 nation of waters. 
 
XV 
 
 During the time that Boyle was 
 employed in thefe refearches, Duclos 
 was bufy in the analyfis of the wa- 
 ters of France, and made feveral 
 improvements, by the addition of 
 galls, and the tin&ure of turnfol, 
 to our flock of reagents. Hierne, 
 Valerius^ Boulduc^ and many other 
 eminent chemifts, continued to ren- 
 der this branch of fcience more per- 
 
 f e a. 
 
 In the beginning of the prefent 
 century, Hoffman^ followed by 
 Springsfeld and Venel, paid particu- 
 lar attention to what they called the 
 mineral fpirit of waters, and which 
 fince, by Dr. Prieflly, has been pro- 
 ved to be the carbonic acid gas, or 
 fixed air, as he termed it. 
 
 The mode of analyfing waters has 
 
XVI 
 
 been continually improving, fince 
 the firft experiments of Boyle , till at 
 length the celebrated Bergman has 
 given the finifliing flroke of its pre- 
 fent perfection. 
 
 In examining thefe waters, I have 
 proceeded firft by reagents, to afcer- 
 tain the different ingredients in 
 their compofition ; for notwith- 
 flanding fome authors confider thefe 
 as mere amufing experiments, yet I 
 rather fuppofe them very ufeful for 
 that purpofe, particularly when em- 
 ployed in the extenfive way that 
 has been done in this enquiry ; and 
 I fancy every intelligent reader will 
 agree with me, upon a candid pe- 
 rufal of them. It muft be acknow- 
 ledged that we are thereby only en- 
 abled to difcover the different in- 
 
XV11 
 
 gredients of mineral waters, but 
 not the proportion of each. It be- 
 came, therefore, neceffary to apply 
 to diftillation, to obtain the propor- 
 tions of their aerial, and to evapo- 
 ration and chryftalization, that of 
 their fixed principles. 
 
 In the prefent edition, belides giv- 
 ing a plan of the furrounding coun- 
 try, and the relative fituation of the 
 Springs at Saratoga and Ballfton, as 
 taken from De Witt's Map of the 
 State, I have alfo exhibited a view 
 of the R ock Spring at Saratoga; ho- 
 ping thereby to aflift in giving it a 
 proper ftation among the extraordi- 
 nary productions of our country. 
 The more we reflecft upon it, the 
 more we muft be convinced of the 
 important place this rock ought to 
 B 2 
 
XV111 
 
 hold among the wonderful works of 
 nature. Had it flood upon the bor- 
 ders of the Lago cfagnano, the noted 
 Grotto del cani % (which burdens al- 
 mod every book which treats upon 
 the carbonic acid gas, fince the pe- 
 culiar properties of that air has been 
 known), would have remained an 
 obfcure cleft in a rock, and if no- 
 ticed at all, would never have been 
 heard of beyond the environs of 
 
 * The carbonic acid gas in this cavern, not- 
 withstanding its being stated by some as form- 
 ing a stratum about knee high, and by others 
 as rising a foot from the surface of the floor, 
 does not in fact, or at lea?t did not when I vi- 
 sited it in 1803, rise above a few inches from 
 the ground ; even so as to make it necessary 
 for the person who attended to shew the expe- 
 riments, to seek out some hollow place to ex- 
 tinguish the torch used upon the occasion, and 
 also for him to force down the nose of his dog 
 verv near the ground, to exhibit its noxious 
 
XIX 
 
 Naples ; while this fountain, in its 
 place, would have been defervedly 
 celebrated in ftory, and fpread upon 
 canvafs, to the admiration of the 
 world, as one of its greatefl curio- 
 lities. 
 
 As an objecfl of admiration the 
 Grotto del cani can no more bear a 
 comparifon with the Rock at Sara- 
 toga, than the Water Falls of Tivoli 
 could with the Cataract of Niaga- 
 
 effects upon animal life : nor indeed did the 
 natural situation of the place at that time, ad- 
 mit of its being ^otherwise, for the bottom of 
 it, if not descending from its inner extremity 
 towards its mouth, was at most not more than 
 upon a level, and from its mouth outwards the 
 adjoining ground was very considerably de- 
 scending. Hence we can hardly conceive but 
 that this air, which is about 50 per cent heavi- 
 er than the air of the atmosphere, would ne- 
 cessarily flow out, before it could rise to such 
 a height. 
 
XX 
 
 ra, or the Lake of Avernus (the 
 Tartarus of Virgil) with the ex- 
 panded waters of Ontario. 
 
 As the burning mountains of Ita- 
 ly command the aftonifhment of 
 mankind, fo the cold boiling Springs 
 of Saratoga ought, I had almofl faid, 
 to demand their adoration. How 
 vaftly different, yet how equally 
 curious are thefe two fubjedts ! 
 while the magnitude of Vefuvius 
 defies any comparifon with the di- 
 minitive fize of the Rock of Sarato- 
 ga, flill the compadl petrified hard- 
 nefs of the latter, equally abhors 
 comparifon with the cineritious 
 crumbling texture of the former : 
 while that occafionally burfts forth in 
 furious flames and torrents of fiery 
 lava, to the terror and oftentimes to 
 
XXI 
 
 the deJlruElion of the furrounding 
 neighbourhood, and requires a 
 blind confidence, in a fuppofed pro- 
 tecting faint, to preferve the inhabi- 
 tants from incejfant apprehenfion, 
 this conjiantly boils up a refrefhing 
 fountain, attended as it were by 
 Hygea herfelf, difpenfing health and 
 binefs to all around. 
 
MINERAL WATERS 
 
 OF 
 
 SARATOGA, &c. 
 
 Topographical Description of the Coun- 
 try y and situation of the several 
 Springs. 
 
 JL HESE Springs are fituated on 
 the fide of a valley, which lies about 
 twelve miles weft of the confluence 
 of Fifh creek with the Hudfon or 
 North river, in the county of Sara- 
 toga and ftate of New-York, and 
 about two hundred miles above that 
 city. This valley, at leafl the part 
 of it where the Springs rife, runs a 
 northerly and foutherly courfe, and 
 appears to have been formed by a 
 
24 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 branch of the Kayadaroforas river, 
 which flows through the middle of 
 it, and empties itfelf into Owl pond, 
 whence it efFedls a junction with 
 the main ftream, at a fmall diflance 
 from where that terminates in the 
 Saratoga Lake. 
 
 The high ground that forms the 
 wefterly bank of the valley, whence 
 the waters of thefe fprings, which 
 are fituated at its foot, appears to 
 have been derived, is compofed al- 
 moft entirely of calcarious rocks, 
 whofe furface however, is moftly 
 overfpread with a fand and clayey 
 foil, and covered with tall pines and 
 oaks. There are feveral deep fub- 
 terraneous caverns obferved in it, 
 which open but a fmall diftance 
 from where the declivity commen- 
 
Saratoga and Ballston. 25 
 
 ces. The bank on the eafterly fide 
 appears almoft entirely fand, with 
 not the leaft veftige of calcareous 
 earth, and is a perfedl pine plain. 
 
 The caufe of this fudden change 
 of foil, and alfo of the rivers mak- 
 ing its way, at this particular junc- 
 ture, I leave to the fpeculation of 
 the naturalift to determine : a mere 
 knowledge of their exiltence and 
 fituation being all that is neceffary, 
 either as to their affording us an a£- 
 fiftant means for afcertaining the 
 nature of the Mineral Waters in 
 their neighbourhood, or as enabling 
 us to account for the prefence of in- 
 gredients found in them. About 
 four miles weft of thefe fprings, I 
 am informed there is a flrong fcent- 
 ed fulphureous fpring. 
 c 
 
26 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 The fprings are eight or ten in 
 number, and all are within the fpace 
 of about half a mile. THE ROCK 
 SPRING has particularly attradled 
 the attention of the curious, and is 
 moftly drank of by valetudinarians. 
 It rifes about midway between the 
 others, and is entirely furrounded 
 by a rock of a conical fhape, which 
 is about five feet high, and nine feet 
 in diameter at the bafe ; it has a cir- 
 cular hole in its apex, of near ten 
 inches acrofs, which is the opening 
 of its inner cavity where the water, 
 enlivened by continued ftreams of 
 air-bubbles pafling through it, rifes 
 to within about two feet of its top. 
 This cavity, like the outfide of the 
 rock, enlarges as it defcends. The 
 furface of this rock is of an afh 
 colour, and appears compad; and 
 
Saratoga and Ballston. 27 
 
 polifhed* ; it has a crack in one 
 fide, which is fuppofed to defcend 
 internally, and form fome vent be- 
 low the furface of the ground, by 
 which the water makes its way out, 
 as it has not been known to over- 
 flow for feveral years paft.f 
 
 * The general substance of this rock is very 
 different from that of its surface, for instead 
 of being compact and solid, it is of an open and 
 spongv texture. 
 
 t This circumstance would seem, at first 
 sight, to be a matter of regret ; but when it is 
 considered that we have thereby in the upper 
 chamber, a well contrived reservoir for the 
 collection and preservation of the gas that is 
 constantly accumulating therein, it becomes 
 questionable whether it ought not rather to be 
 considered as a fortunate occurrence, for while 
 the water is not thereby put out of reach, its 
 surface is constantly protected from coming in 
 contact w T ith the atmospheric air, which might 
 deprive it of a portion of its sparkling brisk- 
 ness: it at the same time furnishes the chemi- 
 cal operator with a considerable quantity of the 
 
28 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 This fra&ure in the rock, is be- 
 lieved to have been produced by the 
 fall of a tree acrofs it ; and the re- 
 mains of the upper part of one 
 which lies in the marfli below, and 
 whofe body is directed immediately 
 towards it, renders this opinion ve- 
 ry probable, fince its fize and filia- 
 tion prove that it muft have flood 
 on the oppofite fide of the fpring. 
 Indeed I am informed by a man of 
 that country, that he very well re- 
 colledls when the tree flood there, 
 and that then the water overflowed 
 
 pure unmixed air, ready collected to his hand, 
 for making such experiments as he may wish, 
 either to ascertain its nature or to demonstrate 
 its qualities. The specific gravity of this air 
 being greater than that of the- atmosphere, pre- 
 vents it from being readily dislodged from its 
 apartment. 
 
Saratoga and Ballston, 29 
 
 the rock. Another perfon inform- 
 ed me, that he knew it to overflow 
 in the time of the late revolutionary 
 war. 
 
 All thefe waters naturally depofit 
 a petrifa6live matter over where 
 they flow, thereby forming to 
 themfelves a barrier againft the in- 
 trufion of foreign fub fiances. How 
 the Rock Spring, in particular, has 
 furrounded itfelf by fuch a regular 
 formed conical mafs, is a fubjedl of 
 curious inveftigation. For my own 
 part, I am difpofed to conjecture, 
 that the main body of it was origi- 
 nally formed below the furface of 
 the earth, by the calcareous fub- 
 ftance which is continually fepara- 
 ting from the water, (in confe- 
 quence of the efcape of the fupera- 
 c 2 
 
30 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 bundant carbonic acid) insinuating 
 itfelf among, and in fome degree 
 uniting with, the furrounding hete- 
 rogeneous earthy matters : whence 
 the reafon of its fpongy texture. 
 This hardened mafs then refitting 
 the floods of rain, which wafhing 
 down the bank, and gradually car- 
 rying off the loofer earth from a- 
 round it, it neceflarily would, in 
 time, become above the level of the 
 adjacent ground, the natural Situa- 
 tion of this fpring rendering it of 
 more difficult accefs than the others, 
 would fecure it from being tram- 
 pled down by fuch animals as may 
 have reforted there for drink. Since 
 its expofure to the air, perhaps du- 
 ring the courfe of ages, the water 
 has been permitted unmoleftedly to 
 
Saratoga and Ballstoji. 31 
 
 precipitate particles upon particles 
 of the ftony matter upon its furface, 
 till finally it has become covered 
 with that compacl, folid fubflance, 
 which adds fo much to the beauty 
 of its prefent appearance. . 
 
 THE BATHING SPRING. 
 
 This has obtained its name from 
 its furnifhing the waters that are 
 continually conveyed from it into 
 the bathing-tub, which is in a log 
 inclofure juft below it, in the marfli. 
 It is fituated a fmall diftance from 
 the Rock Spring, and has afforded 
 a much greater quantity of the pe- 
 trifactive depofition ; fo much in- 
 deed, as to have formed an irregular 
 rock around itfelf, of upwards of 20 
 
32 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 feet in diameter ; but by being more 
 eafily come at, its tender layers have 
 been continually trodden down, as 
 they formed, before it could affiime 
 any regular fhape. 
 
 TheJIony matter of thefe Springs, 
 by calcination, formed quicklime. 
 
 A piece of it put into fulphuric 
 (vitriolic) acid, caufed a great efFer- 
 vefcence, and formed a felenites, or 
 plaifler of paris, and alfo a fmall por- 
 tion of alum, as was proved by the 
 folution depofiting a cloudy fedi- 
 ment, on paffing volatile alkaline gas 
 through it. This folution alfo con- 
 tained the fulphate of iron (copperas) 
 whence it affumed a beautiful blue 
 colour, bv the addition of lime water 
 faturated with Prujfian blue, and be- 
 came purple by dropping into it the 
 
Saratoga arid Ballston. 33 
 
 tinclure of galls. Thefe experiments 
 lead to the conclufion that the petri- 
 faction muft be compofed of an 
 argillo calcareous earth and iron*. 
 To this laft is owing the reddifh co- 
 lour with which great part of it is 
 tinged. 
 
 Having fettled thefe prelimina- 
 ries, we proceed more particularly 
 to enquire into the 
 NATURE OF THE WATERS. 
 
 I. Of their Phyjical Properties. 
 
 i ft. Thefe waters, in general, ap- 
 pear nearly tranfparent, yet none of 
 
 * The circumstance of this petrifaction con- 
 taining argillaceous earth, supports in some de- 
 gree the conjecture respecting the original for- 
 mation of the conical Rock, since this earth 
 could not have been derived from the water it- 
 self, as that does not appear to contain any in 
 its composition, 
 
34 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 them perfectly fo, excepting that 
 which rifes up in a barrel, which 
 the neighbours have fixed for the 
 purpofe of collecting it, and is call- 
 ed the Barrel Spring. They are co- 
 lourlefs) and emit a great quantity of 
 air by agitation ; even by {landing 
 {till, in an open veffel, it almoft im- 
 mediately forms bubbles around its 
 infide, which foon rife up and are 
 difcharged. The veffel ufed to dip 
 the water out of the rock, and alfb 
 the bathing tub, foon gather an 
 ochery cruji upon their inner furfa- 
 ces. Wherever thefe waters ftag- 
 nate, around the fprings, befides de- 
 politing the ftony matter before 
 mentioned, their furface alfo foon 
 becomes overfpread with an iri<- 
 
Saratoga and Ballston. S5 
 
 defcent pellicle of a metallic fplen- 
 dour, reflecting variegated colours. 
 
 2d. They diffufe a fubtle pene- 
 trating odour, which is molt parti- 
 cularly experienced by breathing in 
 the orifice of the rock. 
 
 3d. When drank, their firft im- 
 preflion on the palate, is agreeably 
 acidulous^ fucceeded by a naufeous 
 /aline taite ; they afterwards give up 
 accfcent emulations •, like fermented 
 liquors, and which are no ways un- 
 pleafant. 
 
 4th. The hydrometer ftands at the 
 fame height in thefe, as in fnow- 
 water. 
 
 5th. Notwithftanding the dif- 
 charge of air, from thefe waters 
 makes them appear to be in a con- 
 tinued ebullition, yet they are cold. 
 
36 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 Their temperature, however, is not 
 the fame in all the fprings, but 
 feems to diminifh in proportion to 
 their brilknefs. Thus the Bathing 
 Spring and the Barrel, each of which 
 difcharges about twenty gallons in 
 an hour, lowered Farenheit's ther- 
 mometer from 72 , the heat of the 
 atmofphere, to 52 while in the 
 others, which are much flower, it 
 flood at 56° and 58°,but in the Rock 
 water it remained at 67 . 
 
 6th. By the application of a gen- 
 tle beat, thefe waters difcharge a 
 great quantity of air in bubbles : 
 it is upon this property that their 
 ufe in railing bread depends, and for 
 which purpofe they are carried a- 
 way in confiderable quantities dai- 
 ly, even fometimes to eight or ten 
 
Saratoga and Ballston. 37 
 
 miles diftance ; all that is neceflary 
 being merely to make the dough, 
 with flour and this water alone, and 
 it is immediately ready to be put 
 into the oven. 
 
 II. Experiments upon the Air. 
 i ft. A lighted candle let down in the 
 crater of the rock, was immediately 
 cxtingnijhed^ both blaze and wick, 
 before it came within a foot of the 
 furface of the water. The air ob- 
 tained by agitating the water of 
 this, as well as of the other fprings, 
 was equally incapable of fupporting 
 combuftion, as was alfo that collect- 
 ed from the bubbles, that were con- 
 tinually difcharging from the dif- 
 ferent fprings. 
 
 2d. A chicken being immerfed in 
 
 this air, expired in three minutes. 
 D 
 
38 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 A kitten confined in it for one and a 
 half minutes, appeared very flaccid 
 and almoft dead ; yet, on being 
 brought out, into the atmofpheric 
 air, its fleeting life was foon recall- 
 ed, through the medium of violent 
 convulfions. Being again put into 
 the noxious gas, in fourteen mi- 
 nutes it was irrecoverably dead. 
 
 3d. The air being made to pafs 
 through lime-water, immediately 
 rendered it very turbid. 
 
 4th. A diluted tinclure of turnfol 
 was tinged red by having a portion 
 of this air pafled through it. 
 
 From the phyfical qualities men- 
 tioned, and from the above experi- 
 ments, we may fafely conclude, that 
 this air is the true carbonic acid gas , 
 the fpiritus mineralis of Hoffman, 
 
Saratoga and Ballston. 39 
 
 thegasjilve/lre of Van Helmont,the 
 aerial acid of Bergman, the Jixed air 
 of Prieftley, Cavendifti and Black, 
 the cretaceous acid of Fourcroy, and 
 what is generally known with mi- 
 ners by the name of choak damp: it 
 is flmilar to the noxious gas which 
 rifes up to the height of fome inches 
 in the famous grotto del cani in Ita- 
 ly. This cave having received its 
 name from its fatality to dogs, they 
 from carrying their heads below 
 the furface of this ftratum of air, 
 being the animals which are gene- 
 rally fubmitted to experiments, to 
 fatisfy travellers of its deleterious 
 effects. 
 
 It is this air which is fo plenti- 
 fully given out during the fpiritu- 
 ous fermentation, and is what gives 
 
40 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 that brifknefs to porter, champagne 
 and other fermented liquors. Be- 
 ing united with the vegetable alka- 
 li, it forms the common potafh of 
 commerce. Hence the reafon why 
 our good houfewives are enabled, 
 any time, at half an hour's warning, 
 to furnifh us with a well raifed cake 
 merely by mixing up the flour with 
 a lbiution of potaih and four milk. 
 Here the acid of the milk, from a 
 greater attraction, joins itfelf to the 
 alkali, while the carbonic acid taking 
 its aerial form upon being fet at li- 
 berty, and affifted by the expanfive 
 power of heat, penetrates and puffs 
 up every particle of the dough. It is 
 this air alfo which conftitutes the 
 difference between quick-lime and 
 chalk or limeflone. Its difcharge 
 is the effecft of their calcination, 
 
Saratoga and Ballston. 41 
 
 III. The effecls of Re-agents upon the 
 Waters. 
 
 i ft. The Rock water had a little 
 of the tinclure of tarnfol dropped in- 
 to it, which immediately gave it a 
 reddijh tinge. 
 
 2d. The infufion of the blue petals 
 of our common larkfpur* was not 
 changed by it. 
 
 3d. In lime-water , it inftantly in- 
 duced a milky turbidnefs^ followed by 
 a depofition of a white powder. 
 
 4th. Tinclure of galls rendered it 
 purple^. 
 
 * The infusion of blue larkspur I have 
 found to be a most accurate test for discover- 
 ing the presence of the smallest quantity of al- 
 kalies and of fixed acids, but not the carbonic. 
 
 ■\ It has been observed, that notwithstanding 
 this water mixes with gin, without discoloura- 
 tion, yet it will not make grog j for immediate- 
 D 2 
 
42 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 5th. Pruffiate of lime produced no 
 change in it. 
 
 6th. A folution of potofh (cauftic 
 vegetable alkali) produced a turbid- 
 ?iefs in it. 
 
 7th. It was alfo made turbid by 
 carbonate of potafh (aerated vegeta- 
 ble alkali). 
 
 8th. Ammonia (cauftic volatile al- 
 kali) forms a cloudinefs in it, yield- 
 ing a white precipitate. 
 
 9th. Sulphuric acid (oil of vitriol) 
 dropped into the water, caufed a 
 great ejfervefcence^ and a little tur- 
 bidnefs. 
 
 ly upon pouring in the spirits, it becomes 
 blackish. This, though unaccountable to ma- 
 ny, is no more than what every chemist would 
 expect, when he considers that from the oak 
 casks in which spirits are kept, it generally be- 
 comes a true tincture, of a vegetable astringent, 
 
Saratoga and Ballston. 4S 
 
 10th. After fulphuric acid had 
 been dropped in the water, it then 
 became blue by Prujfian lime-water. 
 
 nth. Nitrate of filver dropped 
 into the water, formed an immedi- 
 ate copious white curdled precipitate ; 
 this, as alfo the water itfelf, foon at 
 fumed a dirty bluiJJj colour. 
 
 1 2 th. Nitrate of mercury produced 
 a copious yellowifh precipitate. 
 
 13th. Acid of fugar occafioned a 
 cloudinefs which foon fettled down 
 in a white precipitate. 
 
 14th. Acetite of lead produced a 
 copious white, but not granulated, 
 precipitate. 
 
 Molt of thefe experiments were 
 frequently repeated, and with limi- 
 lar refults. 
 
 The waters of the other fprings 
 
44 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 exhibited the fame appearances, 
 with the above re-agents, as the 
 Rock water, excepting that of the 
 Bathing Spring, and of the Barrel, 
 both of which ftiewed a deeper pur- 
 ple tinge with tin6ture of galls. By 
 boiling the water, it difcharged a 
 great quantity of air , and formed a 
 pellicle upon its furface, and depojited 
 a white powder. Afterwards it had 
 not that brifk acidulous tafte, as be- 
 fore, but was extremely naufeous : 
 it was not reddened by tindlure of 
 turnfol, nor rendered purple by 
 tindture of galls : with infulion of 
 larkfpur it became green : it ftill 
 precipitated lime-water^ though not fo 
 plentifully as before, and alfo effer- 
 vefced (lightly, with fulphuric acid, 
 but was not made turbid thereby : 
 
Saratoga and Ballston. 45 
 
 it changed the yellow matter oftur- 
 merick to an orange redox brick colour. 
 Acid of fugar did not induce any 
 turbidnefs in it ; it formed a light 
 cloud upon (landing a little time 
 with the caiiflic vegetable alkali, but 
 was not altered by the aerated vege- 
 table alkali (carbonate of potafh). 
 
 From the foregoing experiments, 
 I conclude that thefe waters contain , 
 
 i ft. An uncombined acid, whereby 
 they become red by tincture of 
 turnfol, and that this cannot be a 
 fixed acid, fince it does not redden 
 infufion cf larkfpur, and is evapo- 
 rated by boiling ; for afterwards 
 the water does not change the tinc- 
 ture of turnfol, therefore it mud be 
 the carbonic acid gas, (fixed air) the 
 fame as has been heretofore proved 
 
46 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 to be continually difcharging from 
 them, in large quantities. It is from 
 the prefence of this, that lime-water 
 becomes fo very turbid, for with 
 lime, unlefs by a fuperfaturation, it 
 forms a compound infoluble in wa- 
 ter. 
 
 2d. Iron. — Hence it takes a pur- 
 ple tinge, with tindlure of galls ; 
 and alfo, when previoufly joined 
 with fulphuric acid, becomes blue^ 
 with pruffiate of lime (Pruffian lime 
 water). The iron is not kept in fo- 
 lution by the fulphuric acid, or it 
 would have become blue by this 
 teft before the acid was added to it, 
 but by the carbonic acid. Hence 
 after being boiled, this water is not 
 difcoloured by tindlure of galls. 
 
 3d. A quantity of lime held in fo- 
 
Saratoga and JSallston. 47 
 
 lution by a fuperfaturation with 
 carbonic acid; for notwith (landing 
 lime, as before obferved, is render- 
 ed infoluble by uniting with this 
 acid, yet it is otherwife when fuper- 
 faturated therewith ; for then it is, 
 to the contrary, much more foluble. 
 Hence the caufe of a precipitation^ 
 by the pure potalh and by the am- 
 monia. They, from their affinity 
 to the acid, deprive the lime of its 
 fuperabundance, and permit it to 
 fall down in a white powder. The 
 fulphuric acid, on the contrary, at- 
 tracts the lime, and forms a gypfe- 
 ous depofition, while the carbonic 
 acid flies off in a great effervefcence. 
 The acid of fugar, alfo evinces the 
 prefence of lime, by uniting and 
 forming an infoluble compound 
 
48 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 with it. Thefe tefts did not exhibit 
 the fame appearances with the water 
 after ebullition. Hence the pellicle 
 and deposition, formed during that 
 procefs, I take to be calcareous earth 
 and iron. 
 
 4th. A muriatic acid. — Hence with 
 nitrated filver it forms a fudden, 
 cafeous precipitate, and alfo a preci- 
 pitate with nitrated mercury ; this 
 laft, on being fublimed, afforded 
 corrofive fublimate. 
 
 5th. A neutral fait. Since it is 
 evident from the two laft mention- 
 ed experiments, that thefe waters 
 contain a marine acid, and by fome 
 of the previous ones, that this does 
 not exift in them in a feparate ftate, 
 it muft therefore be united either 
 with an earth or an alkali ; and as * 
 
Saratoga and Ballston. 49 
 
 a carbonated alkali will be fliewn to 
 be prefent in them, it is evident that 
 it mud be joined with the latter, 
 fince alkalies have a greater attrac- 
 tion for acids than earths have. 
 
 6 th. A carb 07i cited alkali^ where- 
 by, after the water has been boiled^ 
 it rendered the infufion of larkfpur 
 green, and eftervefced with vitriolic 
 acid : hence alfo the caufe why 
 lime-water was flill preripitated by 
 it ; the carbonic acid qui k die alkali 
 to unite with its more attracting 
 lime, formed therewith, as above 
 mentioned, an infoluble compound. 
 And that the phenomena were pro- 
 duced, at leaft in part by carbonate 
 of an alkali, and not by the carbo- 
 nate of magnefia alone, is evident 
 from its changing the yellow colour 
 t 
 
50 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 of turmerick to that of a brick red, 
 which could only have been effect- 
 ed by the prefence of an alkali. The 
 reafon why the water did not 
 change the infufion of larkfpur, be- 
 fore it was boiled, muft have been 
 owing to the alkali's being fuperfa- 
 turated with the carbonic acid ; in 
 which cafe, (as I proved by an expe- 
 riment inftituted for that purpofe) 
 it may exift in confiderable quanti- 
 ty in water, without changing ve- 
 getable blues. 
 
 7th. A flight impregnation of ful- 
 phur, thereby darkening the nitra- 
 ted filver. This is what might be 
 reafonably expected, as within about 
 four miles there is a ftrong fcented 
 fulphureous fpring. 
 
 The laft mentioned experiment, 
 
Saratoga and Bailston. 51 
 
 on the waters, previous to ebullition 
 (fee p. 43) proves, by the precipi- 
 tates not appearing granulated, that 
 fulphuric acid does not exift in the 
 waters, either in a fimple or combi- 
 ned ftate. 
 
 The prefence of a carbonated alka- 
 li in thefe waters, clearly proves that 
 they cannot contain any earthy or 
 metallic falts other than carbonates, 
 fince the alkali, from its fuperior at- 
 traction to acids, would neceffarily 
 prevent their formation. From the 
 above effects of re-agents, it appears 
 that the waters contain 
 
 Carbonic Acid, 
 
 Carbonate of Iron, 
 
 Lime Superfaturated with Carbo- 
 nic Acid, 
 
 Muriatic Salt, 
 
52 The Mineral Waters of 
 Carbonated Alkali, 
 
 *3 
 
 Carbonated Magnefia, and a 
 
 Sulphureous Impregnation. 
 
 The proportion of each of the a- 
 bove ingredients, and the nature of 
 t;he bafe of the neutral fait, and the 
 fpecies of the carbonated alkali yet 
 remained unknown, I therefore pro- 
 ceeded by the more tedious procefles 
 of Diftillation, Evaporation, and 
 Cryftallization, to afcertain thefe 
 points. 
 
 IV. Diftillation. 
 
 From the experiments of Berg- 
 man and Henry, it appears that wa- 
 ter is capable of abforbing about 
 equal its bulk of carbonic acid gas, 
 at the temperature of 55°, and pro- 
 portionably lefs as its temperature 
 is increafed. Now, as the bubbles 
 
Saratoga and Balkton. 53 
 
 of this air are continually palling 
 through the waters under examina- 
 tion, it is clear that they mud be 
 fully faturated with it ; and as they 
 are of the temperature at which wa- 
 ter will retain about equal its bulk, 
 we of courfe conclude, that they 
 contain that proportion. The fol- 
 lowing experiment tends to confirm 
 that opinion. 
 
 By means of a Florence flafk, 
 with a fyphon properly affixed to 
 it, and the application of heat, I 
 colledled, from a given quantity of 
 this water, upwards of its bulk of 
 aerial fluid, the greater part of 
 which I take to be the above men- 
 tioned acid j the reft perhaps, part- 
 ly azote (atmofpheric mephitis), 
 and partly oxygen gas (vital air). 
 E 2 
 
54 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 That the water contains this laft, is 
 proved by its precipitating an oche- 
 ry fubflance^ after having had fome 
 
 fulphate of iron (green vitriol) dif- 
 folved in it, in a well corked vial. 
 V. Evaporation. 
 By evaporating ten pounds of the 
 water of the Rock, in glafs veflels, 
 by the heat of a water bath, I ob- 
 tained an afh -coloured refidue, 
 which when dried weighed 403 
 grains. This refiduum was put in- 
 to four times its weight of fpirits of 
 wine, which after (landing a consi- 
 derable time, being frequently agi- 
 tated, was filtered and dried, and 
 was found to have loft about 17 
 grains, which proved to be common 
 
 fait ; for by evaporating the fpirits, 
 I obtained it in regular cubic cryftals* 
 
Saratoga and Balkton* 55 
 
 This circumftance of fpirits of 
 wine difTolving a portion of marine 
 fait, I take to be owing to its not be- 
 ing fo highly rectified as it ought to 
 have been, for if perfectly pure it 
 would only have taken up muriate 
 of lime, muriate of magnefia, ni- 
 trate of lime, nitrate of magnefiai 
 and muriate of terra ponderofa ; 
 but when fomewhat diluted, it will, 
 befides thefe falts, alfo take up 
 others. However, as by evapora- 
 tion I obtained nothing but cubic 
 cryflals,Iagain conclude, pofitively, 
 what in fadl was before proved by 
 re-agents, that there are none of the 
 above mentioned earthy falts in 
 thefe waters. 
 
 I now immerfed the refiduum in 
 8 oz. of cold water, which after re- 
 
5$ The Mineral Waters of 
 
 maining feveral hours, being fre- 
 quently agitated, was filtered. The 
 infoluble part, when dried and 
 weighed, was found to have loft 182 
 grains. This watery folution, by 
 turning the infufion of larkfpur 
 green, appears to contain an alkali 
 uncombined with any of the fixed 
 acids. This folution not changing 
 the colour of the infufion of larkfpur 
 to a red, renders it evident that the 
 muriatic acid before ihewn to be 
 contained in thefe waters, cannot be 
 in an uncombined ftate : and in- 
 deed the prefence of a carbonated 
 alkali in them, proves that it mufl 
 be in combination with a fait of 
 that kind ; for having a greater at- 
 traction for them than the carbonic 
 acid has, it would neceflarily pre- 
 
Saratoga and Balhton. 57 
 
 vent the exiftence of a carbonate, 
 unlefs it was itfelf previoufly fatu- 
 rated. We may therefore now again 
 conclude that the waters contain a 
 muriatic neutral fait. 
 
 This folution of a muriatic neu- 
 tral fait and an alkali, I fubmitted to 
 the heat of the fun; whereby, after 
 great part of the water was evapo- 
 rated, fome cubic cryftals appear- 
 ed to form upon its furface, but 
 which were foon difturbed by irre- 
 gular faline concretions. 
 
 Having afcertained the prefence 
 of a muriatic neutral fait, and an al- 
 kali, but not knowing decidedly, 
 either the fpecies of the alkali, or 
 the bafe of the neutral fait, I made 
 a faturated folution of this mixed 
 fait, and added thereto acid of tar- 
 
58 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 tar, and no precipitation taking 
 place, I concluded that the alkali 
 could not be of the vegetable kind, 
 or it would have fallen down in the 
 form of cream of tartar : therefore 
 the aerated alkali muft be the mine- 
 ral alkali, (carbonated fbda) and the 
 bafe of the neutral muft be the 
 fame, which with its acid, forms our 
 common fea fait (muriate of foda). 
 To find the proportion of the ma- 
 rine fait and the foda, I difTolved 
 the mixed fait in water, and added 
 diftilled vinegar thereto, until I 
 brought it to the exadl point of fa- 
 turation. I then faturated an equal 
 quantity of diftilled vinegar, with 
 carbonate of foda, for which purpofe 
 it required 26 grains ; whence it 
 appears that ten pounds of this mi- 
 
Saratoga and Bathton. 59 
 
 neral water contain 26 grains of 
 carbonate of foda ; the remainder, 
 156 grains, mud be muriate of fo- 
 da, which added to the 1 7 grains 
 diflblved in the fpirits of wine, 
 makes 173 grains, the amount con- 
 tained in that quantity of the water* 
 The remaining 204 grains I ex- 
 pofed to the fun, for feveral weeks, 
 moiftening it frequently with rain 
 water. This was done in order to 
 ruft the iron, fo as to make it folu- 
 ble in diitilled vinegar, in which this 
 refidue was afterwards digefted and 
 filtered. The filtered liquor was 
 then evaporated, and what was left 
 was re-diffolved in fulphuric acid, 
 with which it formed fulphate of 
 lime (gypfum) but no bitter fait. 
 Hence, as there were but about 1 2 
 
60 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 or 14 grains remaining on the filter, 
 it appears that ten pounds of this 
 water contain 190 grains of lime, 
 but very little if any magnefia. 
 
 The fubftance remaining on the 
 filter, by being diflblved in vitriolic 
 acid,afforded 81-2 grains of iron, 
 precipitated in form of Pruflian 
 blue, by the Pruffian lime-water. 
 
 It appears from a review of thefe 
 experiments, that ten pounds of this 
 water muft contain, 
 
 Carbonic Acid (fixed air) which 
 when extricated inform of gas,mea- 
 fures about 200 cubic inches, 
 Carbonate of Soda 26 grso 
 
 Muriate of Soda (feafalt) 173 
 Super-Carbonated Lime, 190 
 Carbonate of Iron, 8.5. 
 
Saratoga and Ballston. 61 
 
 Befides the Mineral Waters that 
 have been already noticed, there are 
 others in the county of Saratoga. 
 About three miles below the junc- 
 tion of Fifli creek with the North 
 river, and about two miles weft of 
 the latter, in a hollow immediately 
 back of the dwelling houfe of Wil- 
 liam Barker^ are fevcral Mineral 
 Spring s, the waters of which, both 
 by their fenfible qualities, and by 
 the operation of re-agents, appear 
 to be very fimilar to thofe hereto- 
 fore mentioned. They do not, how- 
 ever, depofit the ftony matter, nor 
 do they in other refpe&s, appear to 
 be fo ftrongly impregnated with 
 Mineral fubftances. 
 
 They are fituated in a clayey foil, 
 with no appearance of lime-ftone in 
 
 F 
 
62 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 their neighbourhood. The land is 
 covered with beach and oak trees. 
 
 The air which bubbles up in thefe 
 fprings, appears to be the fame acid 
 as is difcharged from the other 
 iprings: it equally extinguifhes flame 
 
 . and renders lime-water turbid, &c. 
 Aquatic animals cannot fupport life 
 when fubmerfed in this water. A 
 
 fiflo in two and a half minutes died 
 in it. 
 
 Iron appears to exift in thefe wa- 
 ters, by their becoming tinged, 
 though flightly, with tinclure of 
 galls ; and it muft be held in folu- 
 tion by means of the carbonic acid 5 
 as they were not changed by the 
 tincture after they had been boiled. 
 Lime rendered foluble by a fuper- 
 abundance of carbonic acid, was 
 
Saratoga and Balls ton. 66 
 
 detected in thefe, by the fame means 
 as were ufed with the other waters. 
 They probably contain a carbonat- 
 ed alkali, for after being boiled, they 
 (till effervefced with fulphuric arid* 
 Muriatic acid is proved to exift in 
 them, by the nitrated friver and ni- 
 trated mercury , and it muft be in 
 combination ; thereby forming a 
 neutral fait) whofe bafe, though not 
 fully afcertained, is prefumed from 
 its tafte, and the great fimilarity 
 there is between thefe and the other 
 waters, to be of the mineral kind; 
 therefore the neutral I believe to be 
 fea fait. 
 
 Beiides thefe afcefcent fprings, 
 there is another in the fame hollow, 
 about a flone's throw diftance from 
 them, which is entirely of a differ- 
 
tj4 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 ent nature, and from its fmelling 
 like the wafhings of a gun-barrel, 
 has obtained the name of Gunpow- 
 der Spring. The water is tranfpa- 
 rent ; its temperature 58 ; it fmells 
 and tqjles like fidphur, or rather 
 hepar fulphuris. By boiling, it 
 lofes both its difagreeable fmell 
 and tafte. 
 
 The air difcharged from it by 
 boiling, being made to pafs through 
 lime-water, produced no turbidnefs : 
 hence it contains no free carbonic 
 acid. 
 
 This water is not difcoloured either 
 by tincture of galls or Prujfian lime- 
 water. With nitrated mercury it 
 forms a precipitate. 
 
 With nitrated filver it alfo forms 
 a precipitate ; which, as well as the 
 
Saratoga mid Ballston. 65 
 
 water, directly affumes a dark pur- 
 pli/h brown colour. This precipitate 
 is fufpedled to arife from a marine 
 acid, and the dark colour from a 
 hepatic or fulphureous gas. 
 
 Sulphuric acid produces an effer- 
 vefcence. This muft be owing to the 
 prefence of a carbonated alkali. It 
 alfo rendered lime-water turbid: this 
 might be from the fame caufe. 
 Hence the above-mentioned muria- 
 tic acid muft have been in combina- 
 tion in form of a neutral fait. 
 
 F2 
 
BALLSTON. 
 
 jr LACES, like perfons, after hav- 
 ing attained a certain degree of cele- 
 brity, frequently undergo a change 
 in their names. Thus the modeft 
 fontaine de belle eau has become the 
 admired Fontainbleau^ and the once 
 obfcure town of Brighthelmeftone 
 has become the brilliant Brighton. 
 So alfo Ballftown, which afterwards 
 to diftinguifh it from a place of the 
 
 
68 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 fame name in the Diftridl of Maine, 
 was called Balltown, has finally, in 
 feeming fubferviency to the ton of 
 the times, affumed the more fafhi- 
 onable title of Ballfton. 
 
 THE BALLSTON SPRINGS 
 arife about feven miles to the fouth- 
 ward of the Rock Spring at Sarato- 
 ga, and like that, they are fituated in 
 a valley, through which alfo runs a 
 branch of the Kayadaroforas. The 
 foil nearly adjacent to the Spring, 
 is poor and fandy. Upon digging 
 down into it, Dr. Vandervoort fays, 
 it becomes intermixed with clay 
 and with fome ferruginous particles 
 appearing like the ruft of iron ; and 
 in fome places he obferves, large 
 quantities of bog ore are found : 
 one bed in particular, he notices, a 
 
Saratoga and Ballston. 6 9 
 
 little to the weftward, and almofl 
 adjoining one of the Springs. 
 
 The produce of the foil in the im- 
 mediate vicinity of the Springs, is 
 chiefly pines, fcrub oaks, and fome 
 chefnut, together with ferns and 
 mulleins. 
 
 The temperature of the water of 
 thefe Springs in the fummer, varies 
 from 50 to 58 ', about the fame as 
 the medium temperature of the wa- 
 ters of Saratoga. Thefe waters have 
 air bubbles conftantly pafling up 
 through them ; they fparkle in the 
 glafs, and when drank give an aci- 
 dulous, followed by a f aline tajle^ 
 though not fo naufeous as thofe of 
 Saratoga. They affedt the nofe and 
 palate with a pungent penetrating 
 fliarpnefs, like mead or lively bot- 
 
70 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 tied cyder, and oftentimes a draught 
 of them is fucceeded by fimilar 
 eradiations. From experiments 
 made upon it, this air appears equal- 
 ly, with that from the waters of the 
 other fprings, to be incapable of fup- 
 porting combuflion or animal life. 
 
 From the effedls of re-agents and 
 from evaporating this water, and fe- 
 parating the different parts of the 
 refiduum, it appears to be very fi- 
 milar to the water of the Rock 
 Spring, Dr. Vandervoort found it 
 to contain, 
 
 Muriate of Soda, 
 Carbonate of Lime, 
 Carbonate of Iron, and 
 Carbonic Acid. 
 This account of Dr. Vandervoort's 
 experiments was publiihed in 1795, 
 
Saratoga and Ballston. 71 
 
 about two years after the publica- 
 tion of the firft edition of my Dif- 
 fertation on the Waters of Saratoga. 
 In the year 1808 there appeared 
 in feveral of our newfpapers, an ac- 
 count of the analyfis of a bottle of 
 the Ballfton water, faid to have been 
 made in France. This account was 
 afterwards treafured up in the form 
 of an article in the Medical Repofi- 
 tory of New- York, and again re- 
 published in the Monthly Antho- 
 logy of Boflon, ftating it, at the 
 fame time, as a public benefit, &c. 
 From this account having thus ob- 
 tained a place in fuch refpedtable 
 publications, and differing as it 
 does, in feveral refpedls, from the 
 analyfis before mentioned, juftice 
 to Dr. Vandervoort and duty to the 
 
72 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 community require, that we give it 
 fome attention, and that the waters 
 fhould be more particularly exam- 
 ined ; not merely to fettle the dif- 
 ference between the two experi- 
 menters, but for the more important 
 purpofe of afcertaiiiing what, in 
 truth, are their real contents ; efpe- 
 cially as they now have got into 
 fuch general ufe, and are fo fre- 
 quently prefcribed by phyficians. 
 Silence, upon this occafion, would 
 feem to give a fandlion to what it is 
 prefumed the following inveftiga- 
 tion will prove to be highly erro- 
 neous in that account, which is fta- 
 ted to be an accurate analyfis, pub- 
 lilhed under the impofing authority 
 of a perfon, who (though his name 
 is not mentioned) is faid to be one 
 
Saratoga and Ballston. 73 
 
 of the mod celebrated chemifts of 
 France. The account fays, that a 
 bottle of the water, after having 
 been tranfported to France, contain- 
 ed three times its bulk of carbonic acid 
 gas. Whereas, by a well diredted 
 experiment, Dr. Vandervoort could 
 obtain at moft, not above a third 
 part of that quantity from it, and 
 that when frefh from the fountain. 
 This experiment, related at full 
 length, ought of itfelf to fatisfy us 
 as to his conclufions. But when in 
 addition thereto, we confider that 
 neither Bergman nor Henry could 
 caufe water, at the temperature of 
 the Ballfton Waters, to abforb more 
 than about that proportion, we can 
 no longer doubt that the French ac- 
 count is greatly exaggerated, and in- 
 
 G 
 
74 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 ftead of the waters containing tre- 
 ble their quantity, that they have 
 not more than equal their bulk of car- 
 bonic acid gas fixed in their compo- 
 fition. 
 
 Further, the two accounts differ 
 in refpe(5l to the ftate of the calcari- 
 ous matter held in folution ; for 
 while the French chemift afferts 
 that they contain a quantity of the 
 muriate of lime, Dr. Vandervoort 
 makes no mention of that, as a part 
 of their compofition. To deter- 
 mine this point, having procured 
 fome of the Ballfton water, I evapo- 
 rated it to one fourth part of its ori- 
 ginal quantity, decanted and filter- 
 ed the liquid, and dropped into it a 
 folution of oxalic acid, which pro- 
 duced a flight effervefcence^ but no 
 
Saratoga and Ballston* 75 
 
 doudinefs or precipitation took place ; 
 whence it is evident that no muriate 
 of lime ex i fled in it. 
 
 To afcertain flill further what 
 other matters were contained in 
 this water, the evaporated portion 
 of it was fubmitted to the follow- 
 ing experiments, viz. 
 
 i . A paper flained blue with the 
 petals of the common iris, was 
 changed to a green by being im- 
 merfed in it. 
 
 2. Strips of the fame paper, pre- 
 vioufly reddened by a very diluted 
 nitric acid, were by it, firft gradual- 
 ly reftored to their original blue, 
 and then alfo became green. 
 
 3. Lime-water rendered it milky ^ 
 and depofited a copious precipitate. 
 
76 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 4. Nitric acid dropped into it, 
 produced a difcharge of air bubbles. 
 
 5. A folution of potafh produced 
 a flight turbidnefs in it, which by 
 {landing, formed a permanent thick 
 cloud near its furface. This after- 
 wards was diflblved with efFervef- 
 cence, by the addition of a few 
 drops of the fulphuric acid, and 
 the liquid refumed its former trans- 
 parency. 
 
 6. The muriate of lime rendered 
 it turbid^ and let fall a denfe and 
 apparently heavy precipitate. 
 
 7. Carbonate offoda exhibited no 
 evident effecl^ upon being mixed 
 with it. 
 
 8. The carbonate of ammonia ad- 
 ded to it, did not effect its tranfpa- 
 rency. 
 
Saratoga and Balls ton. 77 
 
 9. This mixture of it with carbo- 
 nate of ammonia^ immediately loft 
 its tranfparency, became turbid and 
 let fall a precipitate by the addition 
 of the phofphate offoda. 
 
 1 o. The yellow colouring matter of 
 turmerick was changed to a brick red 
 by being mixed with it. 
 
 All thefe phenomena, as well as 
 the difcharge of air by the addition 
 of the oxalic acid, in the firft afore- 
 faid experiment, are eafily explain- 
 able, upon the prefumption of the 
 prefence of the carbonate of magne- 
 fia and the carbonate offoda ; and as 
 they feem inexplicable upon any 
 other principle, in my opinion they 
 fully eftablifh the fact of thefe fub- 
 ftances being a part of the compo- 
 fition of thefe waters. If then thefe 
 
 G 2 
 
78 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 waters contain the carbonate of fo- 
 da, it is impoffible that the muriate 
 of magnefia (ftated by the afore- 
 mentioned account to be a part of 
 their compofition) fhould exift in 
 them ; for the fuperior attraction 
 of the alkali for the muriatic acid, 
 would utterly prevent the forma- 
 tion of a magnefian muriate. 
 
 Finally, I think we may fafely 
 conclude that the Mineral Waters 
 of Ballfton hold in folution, 
 
 Carbonic Acid, 
 
 Muriate of Soda, 
 
 Carbonate of Lime, 
 
 Carbonate of Soda, 
 
 Carbonate of Iron, and 
 
 Carbonate of Magnefia. 
 Nor will any experiments yet pub- 
 lifhed, warrant us in concluding 
 that they contain any thing elfe. 
 
OF THE 
 
 USE AND MEDICINAL VIRTUES 
 
 OF THE 
 
 WATERS 
 
 OF 
 
 SARATOGA AND BALLSTON. 
 
 E< 
 
 I VERY local confideration, be- 
 fide the highly medicinal virtues of 
 the waters themfelves, tends to ren- 
 der thefe Springs equal, if not fu- 
 perior, as a place of general refort, 
 to any of the moft diftinguifhed 
 watering places in Europe. The 
 face of the furrounding country ^ 
 diverfified with Lakes and inter- 
 fered with the branches of the 
 
80 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 Kayadaroforas, the vicinity of the 
 majeftic Hudfon, with its fine hang- 
 ing bridge, on the eaft ; the rich 
 Mohawk, and the roaring cataracft 
 of the Cohoos, on the fouth ; toge- 
 ther with the romantic mountain 
 fcenery on the north and weft, all 
 confpire to make this one of the 
 moft interesting fpots that the ima- 
 gination could conceive. The 
 fportfman here, need never lan- 
 guifh for want of employment : 
 fhould filhing be his favourite a- 
 mufement, he has the lakes and ri- 
 vers at his command : if he de- 
 lights in his gun, here are not want- 
 ing objedls whereupon to try his 
 ikill. To thofe who are fond of 
 riding and of enjoying the fublime 
 and varied fcenery of nature, no 
 
Saratoga and Balls ton. 81 
 
 country is better calculated than 
 this to gratify their tafle. When to 
 all this, we add the extraordinary 
 accommodations and entertainment 
 furnifhed at Ballfton, equalling the 
 moft unbounded wifh, we cannot 
 be furprifed that thefe, like moft 
 other celebrated Medicated Springs, 
 from having at firft been the re- 
 fuge of fuffering humanity, the 
 comfortable afylum of the afflidled 
 invalid, mould become the feat and 
 empire of luxury and diffipation, 
 the rallying point of parties of plea- 
 fure. "Where one perfon now ap- 
 plies there to repair a difordered 
 conflitution, twenty go, in the gai- 
 ty of health, to fport a found one, 
 againft the enervating influence of 
 revelry and riot. It is hoped, how- 
 
82 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 ever, that like the faftiionable refort 
 at Spa, the diftant fituation of the 
 different Springs from each other, 
 will aflift in preventing thofe vota- 
 ries of pleafure from finking into 
 that ftate of indolence and ina<5ti- 
 vity, fo apt to prevail at fuch places 
 of public rendezvous. 
 
 The favourable circumftance of. 
 the relative fituation of the feveral 
 objedls of attention in this neigh- 
 bourhood, taken all together, is cer- 
 tainly matter for congratulation to 
 that clafs of vifitors w hofe chief view 
 is to pafs their time agreeably ; for 
 befides the fources of amufement 
 juft mentioned, other confiderations 
 will, in addition, impofe a kind of 
 neceffity on many of keeping them- 
 felves a&ively engaged. For while 
 
Saratoga and Ballston. 83 
 
 the fuperior accommodation fixes 
 upon Ballflon as the place of dwell- 
 ing, the Springs of Saratoga will 
 command frequent vifits. For who, 
 making the lead pretenfions to the 
 character of a virtuofo, would iloop 
 to drink of the waters of Ballfton, 
 when a few miles ride would treat 
 him freely with plenteous draughts 
 from the fine ftone vafe y that fu- 
 perb piece of nature's unaflifted 
 workmanfhip. The more power- 
 fully purgative quality of the water 
 of the Congrefs Spring, will fecure it 
 a repeated call from thofe who re- 
 quire its evacuative operations. 
 And as to the Lakes, which are in- 
 terfperfed in different directions a 
 few miles diftant from the Springs, 
 no profeffional man can entertain a 
 
84 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 doubt that the more detergent 
 properties of their foft waters? 
 will richly reward thofe for their 
 trouble, who may vifit them for the 
 purpofe of Bathing. 
 
 Duly to attend to all the above 
 enumerated objedls, and to im- 
 prove them to the beft advantage, 
 will require*repeated and varied ex- 
 curfions, all which will occupy 
 time, and they will occupy it to 
 good purpofe ; for hereby, while 
 indulging in a pleafurable exercife, 
 we are gaining, as far as refpe&s 
 our conftitutions, all the advanta- 
 ges of labour, and that beguiled of 
 its toils. 
 
 " From labour health, from health content- 
 ment springs ; 
 
 Contentment opes the source of every joy." 
 
Saratoga and Ballstoiu 85 
 
 This mode of pafling the time, 
 it is true, may chill the mace and 
 paralize the balls of the billiard 
 board, but it will warm the heart, 
 and promote the healthy movement 
 of its blood : it may diminifh the 
 demand for cards, but it will en- 
 hance the value of life. 
 
 "... ut sit mens sana in cot-pore sano" 
 " A healthy body and a mind at ease." 
 
 Let us then be upon the alert, 
 and by well directed exertions repel 
 the approaches of difeafe, and keep 
 clear from the favours of the Facul- 
 ty : it is affuredly 
 
 " Better to hunt the fields for health unbought 
 Than fee the Doctor for a nauseous draught.' 
 
 Having difpenfed thefe whole- 
 fome admonitions to the well, we 
 
 H 
 
86 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 now fhall attend to the more ferious 
 calls of the fick, by noticing 
 
 The operation of thefe waters , and the 
 difeafes wherein they may be ufeful- 
 ' ly employed, 
 
 Thefe waters may generally be 
 taken in very large quantities with- 
 out producing any uneafinefs or 
 fenfe of weight in the ftomach ; but 
 in fome inftances they caufe a fenfe 
 of coldnefs, and fometimes, though 
 very rarely, prove emetic. Some 
 perfons will drink feveral quarts 
 within half an hour, without any 
 inconvenience, otherwife than af- 
 fecting the bowels two or three 
 times, and operating very copioufly 
 by the kidneys. They at the fame 
 
Saratoga and Ballston. 87 
 
 time produce a gentle diaphoresis. 
 They however ac5l more particular- 
 ly upon the two lafl excretions, 
 when taken in fmaller dofes, and 
 often repeated, as from half a pint 
 to a pint, every third or fourth 
 hour. 
 
 Their operation upon the bowels 
 may pretty certainly be calculated 
 upon, if taken before breakfafh : if 
 not taken till afterwards, they more 
 generally affec5l the other excre- 
 tions. Hence by a little attention 
 to the time, and to the quantity ta- 
 ken, we are enabled to determine 
 their action to fuch parts, as the na- 
 ture of the cafe for which they are 
 diredled, may require. 
 
 Thefe waters generally exhilarate 
 the fpirits, and fometimes produce 
 
88 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 a very troublefome vertigo. In 
 fome perfons they are faid to induce 
 a degree of inebriety, fimilar to 
 wine. They not unfrequently 
 caufe drowfinefs. They increafe 
 the appetite, and prove a pleafant 
 ftimulus to the ftomach. 
 
 Such are the effe&s of thefe wa- 
 ters upon perfons in health; but as 
 the medicinal virtues of mineral wa- 
 ters mud depend upon the different 
 fubftances that they hold in folu- 
 tion, fo their application in the cure 
 of difeafes muft be directed by a 
 knowledge of the qualities of the 
 predominating articles in their 
 compofition. Inattention to thefe 
 confiderations, ftill tends to fup- 
 port what former ignorance, as to 
 their contents, originally eftablifh- 
 
Saratoga and Ballston. 89 
 
 ed in refpedt to the ufe of them. 
 They had proved efficacious in the 
 cure of fome difeafes, but upon 
 what principle was unknown. — 
 Hence, like mod other remedies 
 which gain a degree of reputation 
 before their real qualities are 
 known, they were looked upon as a 
 kind of panacea, a cure for all dif- 
 eafes : fo that to be unwell was a 
 fufficient reafon for applying to 
 them for relief ; they were indifcri- 
 minately taken in difeafes of diredl- 
 ly oppofite natures : hence inter- 
 mittents and hedlic fevers, pleurify, 
 dropfies, manias, dyfpepfias, 8cc. all 
 equally were found hovering there 
 for help. When at the Springs, I 
 faw a perfon who had come up- 
 wards of three hundred miles to 
 H 2 
 
90 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 drink the waters for the cure of a 
 fiftula lachrymalis, and no doubt 
 many other poor fufferers have toil- 
 ed through difficulties to get there, 
 who finally, inftead of meeting with 
 a reward for their pains, have, to 
 their coft, experienced not only no 
 alleviation, but in fome inftances an 
 aggravation of their complaints, for 
 an univerfal remedy is a perfecl fole- 
 cifm. It is an unqueflioned law in 
 medicine, that that which poffeffes 
 aclive curative powers in one fet of 
 difeafes is equally detrimental in others* 
 The carbonic acid^ fait and iron 
 are the principles upon which we 
 fhould chiefly ground our calcula- 
 tions in the ufe of thefe waters. 
 The alkali may, in fome cafes, have 
 its effedls, and in others we may ex- 
 
Saratoga and Ballston. 91 
 
 pedl fome advantage from the car- 
 bonate of lime. In regard to the 
 comparative virtues of the waters 
 of Saratoga and Ballfton, little need 
 now be offered : the former, parti- 
 cularly the Congrefs Spring, is 
 fomewhat the moft purgative, they . 
 however, appear to be compofed of 
 very fimilar materials : it may ge- 
 nerally, perhaps with propriety, of 
 them be faid, that " that which is 
 beft adminiftered is beft." 
 
 Of the difeafes for which thefe 
 waters are prefcribed, there is pro- 
 bably none which will more cer- 
 tainly fupport their reputation and 
 keep up a round of company, than 
 Dyfpepfia. As long as the pamper- 
 ings of luxury and the love of eafe 
 fhall prevail over fimplicity in diet 
 
92 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 and an a&ive life, fo long will the 
 Springs be reforted to by a train of 
 invalids. The change of air and ex- 
 ercife neceflarily impofed thereby 
 uponthofe who refide in large cities, 
 the fruitful nurferies of fuch com- 
 plaints, together with the material 
 contents of the waters themfelves, 
 all feem calculated for relieving 
 fuch affedtions. The carbonic acid 
 furnifhes the cordial exhilarating 
 flimulus, the fait promotes digef- 
 tion, while the iron reftores the loft 
 tone of the enervated ftomach : at 
 the fame time the foda corredls the 
 acidity fo often predominating, and 
 the whole compofition, when judi- 
 cioufly managed, obviates that cof- 
 tivenefs, fo frequently an aggrava- 
 ting attendant upon them. Hence 
 
Saratoga and Balhton. 93 
 
 we have every feafon for counting 
 upon their falutary operation, and 
 experience fully juftifies our calcu- 
 late ons. 
 
 Calculous complaints are among 
 thofe which apply there in the 
 greatefl proportion for relief, nor 
 do they apply without reafon ; the 
 compolition of the waters being 
 fuch as would lead us, a priori, to 
 look to them as a remedy. From 
 the experiments of Saunders, Perci- 
 val and Falconer, we learn, that cal- 
 culi, immerfed in water impregna- 
 ted with the carbonic acid, were 
 diminifhed. Prieftley, Percival and 
 others have proved that fixed air, 
 as well as alkalies would, when ta- 
 ken into the ftomach, pafs through 
 the circulation and appear unde- 
 
94 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 compofed in the urine. Hoffman 
 and other German writers fpeak 
 highly of the efficacy of the Spa 
 and other acidulous waters, both in 
 preventing and diflblving the flone. 
 Springsfeld obferved that human 
 calculi were diminifhed by being 
 immerfed in the urine of a perfon 
 who drank of the acidulous waters, 
 while that of a healthy perfon, not 
 drinking of them, added to their 
 bulk. 
 
 Egan and Murray have again as- 
 certained, that both lime-water and 
 the carbonated alkalies deftroyed 
 and broke down calculous concre- 
 tions out of the body. Ancient 
 authority eflablifhes the practical 
 utility of the former, while it ap- 
 pears by the cafes related by Bed- 
 
Saratoga and Balkton. 95 
 
 does and other modern practition- 
 ers, that the latter have been fuo 
 cefsfully employed in relieving 
 both gravel and ftone. 
 
 Here then we have in thefe wa- 
 ters all the remedies that have pro- 
 ved the moll efficacious in fuch af- 
 fedtions, viz. A fuperabundant car- 
 bonic acid, the carbonate of foda 
 and lime. Indeed the benefit experi- 
 enced by thofe who have drank of 
 them, fully anfwers our expecta- 
 tions. A number of cafes have come 
 within my own particular know- 
 ledge, and Dr. Powell, whofe long 
 refidence at the Springs has givei^ 
 him a full opportunity of afcertain- 
 ing the facft, affures me that they are 
 a valuable remedy in gravely and that 
 he has rarely feen a cafe of it^ where 
 relief was not obtained. 
 
96 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 The powerfully antifeptic quali- 
 ty of the carbonic acid,^ has lately 
 been fuccefsfully employed by 
 means of the yeaft poultice, in the 
 treatment of ill-conditioned Phage- 
 denic and gangrenous ulcers : its effi- 
 cacy in correcting their putrid na- 
 ture, has been fuch in the New- 
 York Hofpital, that the furgical 
 wards which formerly were diftin- 
 guiflied by their peculiar offenfive 
 fmell, have, fince the more general 
 ufe of this remedy, become as fweet 
 and free from noifome fcent as any 
 of the other apartments. Befide 
 correcting the putrid nature of the 
 difcharge from the ulcers, it alfo 
 changes their difpofition, favours 
 the growth of healthy granula- 
 tions, and promotes their healing. 
 
Saratoga and Ballston. 97 
 
 Now from the eftablifhed falutary 
 operation of this predominating 
 principle in thefe waters, we can 
 have no doubt but that they may 
 be a ufeful remedy in fuch com- 
 plaints ; and indeed the general re- 
 port corroborates that opinion. Dr. 
 Powell fays, that in phagedenic ulcers 
 the mojl happy effecls may be expecled 
 from the ufe of them. 
 
 In Chronic rheumatifms thefe wa- 
 ters have been faid to be a remedy, 
 particularly when their internal ufe 
 has been accompanied by a judici- 
 ous application of them as a bath. 
 In General relaxations of the fyjlem^ 
 either from intemperance, or from 
 a long refidence in a hot climate, 
 from the effedts of fyphilis, or from 
 long and repeated courfes of mer- 
 
98 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 cury, their conjoined flimulant and 
 tonic powers promife to be of fer- 
 vice. 
 
 In Chlorofis and other affections 
 arifing from debility in the uterine 
 fyjiem, fuch mineral waters have 
 been fuccefsfully employed ; nor 
 need we doubt of their ufefulnefs, 
 particularly if their operation is 
 fupported by due attention to exer- 
 cife and a properly regulated diet. 
 From their conjoined purgative, an- 
 tifeptic and tonic qualities, they ap- 
 pear to be properly formed for the 
 cure of Dyfentery. A perfon at the 
 Springs, who was taking them for 
 this complaint while I was there 
 informed me, they had formerly 
 cured him of it. 
 
 Cutaneous eruptions frequently 
 
Saratoga and Ballston. 99 
 
 prove obftinate of cure ; they are 
 confequently found in great plenty 
 at thefe Springs"; and I am happy 
 to add, that they have generally dif- 
 appeared by the ufe of the waters : 
 for this purpofe they muft be ufed 
 externally as well as internally. 
 We need not be furprifed that 
 thefe waters are fo very ufeful in 
 fuch complaints ; (ince they are 
 gently diaphoretic, and their ap- 
 plication in bathing, befides keep- 
 ing the fkin moift, alfo furnifh- 
 es an alterative ftimulns by means 
 of the fea fait, carbonic acid and 
 the fulphureous impregnation 
 with which they abound, well cal- 
 culated for the purpofe*. The car- 
 
 * I am told that during the Revolutionary 
 
100 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 bonic acid itfelf, when applied in 
 another form, I have repeatedly- 
 found an effectual remedy in fome 
 obftinate herpetic affections, as the 
 pforiafis d'iffufa and in the palmata y or 
 what is commonly called the fait 
 rheum; a fimple folution of fait 
 has alfo fometimes effected a cure. 
 
 Their ufe in hypochondria/is and 
 other nervous affeclions^ arifing from 
 the indolence and luxury of a city 
 life, and confequently a confidera- 
 ble diftance from the Springs, per- 
 haps depends in a great degree, up- 
 on the amufing fcenes, more fimple 
 food and conftant exercife, which 
 
 War, while the troops lay at Saratoga, many of 
 them were affected with the itch^and were sent 
 off in companies to these Springs, bv which 
 they were all cured. 
 
Saratoga and Ballst on. 101 
 
 are unavoidably connected with a 
 long journey : and if any advan- 
 tage is gained in co?ifumptions from 
 their ufe, I rather fuppofe it owing 
 to the fame circumftances ; fince 
 fixed air has, by thofe who have 
 made experiments thereon, general- 
 ly been found injurious in fuch af- 
 fections. In fad, the common re- 
 port condemns thefe waters as pre- 
 judicial in phthifical complaints, 
 and individual obfervations fup- 
 port the popular opinion. 
 
 Thefe waters have alfo been in 
 repute for the cure of Dropfy^ and 
 from their pofTefling fuch a con- 
 joined ftimulating and evacuative 
 quality as already mentioned, it ap- 
 pears no way improbable but that, 
 particularly in the early ftages of 
 I 2 
 
102 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 the diforder, they may promote the 
 abforption of the fluid in the cavi- 
 ties of the human body, and carry 
 it entirely out of the fyftem. 
 
 There are likewife very fatisfac- 
 tory accounts of Paralytic affections 
 having been cured, or at leaft con- 
 iiderably relieved, by the inward 
 and outward ufe of the Mineral 
 Waters. 
 
 It has alfo been related, upon un- 
 doubted teflimony, that fevers and 
 agues, or Intermit tents, have fre- 
 quently been cured by them. It is 
 however faid, to attain that effect, 
 that they muft, befide being drank, 
 alfb be ufed as a cold bath juft be- 
 fore the expected paroxyfm. 
 
 Among the difeafes in which the 
 waters may be ufefully employed? 
 
Saratoga and Ballston. 103 
 
 perhaps there is none of more im- 
 portance than Scrofula. It is re- 
 markable of this difeafe, that moft 
 of the remedies which have gained 
 any celebrity in its cure, have been 
 compofed in part of the muriatic 
 acid. Salt water and fea bathing 
 have been recommended from the 
 earliefl times, and ftill fupport a de- 
 ferving reputation ; of later date, 
 the muriate of barytes and the mu- 
 riate of lime have had their advo- 
 cates ; and perhaps no remedy, as 
 an external application, has been 
 found more ufeful than the muri- 
 ate of mercury ; and as an internal 
 remedy, I may fafely fay that I have 
 not witnefled any other prepara- 
 tion of mercury of more or equal 
 efficacy. 
 
104 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 Befides thefe remedies, general 
 flimulants and tonics, as barks 
 and chalybeates have very properly 
 been prefcribed. Whether the car- 
 bonic acid of itfelf, has ever been 
 adminiftered, I am not able to fay* 
 Marchard however (Dijfcrt. dePyr- 
 mont) fays that " the mineral waters 
 of Pyrmont) which much abound 
 with it, and whence their chief vir- 
 tue is probably derived, are employ- 
 ed infcrofula with much advantaged 
 In the firft edition of this work, not 
 then having known thefe waters to 
 have been ufed for that purpofe, I 
 ventured to fuggeft a trial of them 
 in this complaint, confidering that 
 from their containing the muriate 
 of foda (fea fait) and from their ge- 
 neral flimulating and tonic opera- 
 
Saratoga and Balls ton, 105 
 
 tion upon the fyftem at large ; from 
 their promoting the different excre- 
 tions, and from their acting parti- 
 cularly upon the glandular fyftem, 
 they were calculated to be a reme- 
 dy. I now have the pleafure to 
 add, from the friendly communica- 
 tion of Dr. Powell, that " in fcro- 
 fula their ufefulnefs is perhaps more 
 uniform and extenfive than in any 
 other difeafe 'whatever ; and fo nume- 
 rous are the injlances he has witneffed 
 of their happy effecl therein, that he 
 is inclined to believe a well direcled 
 courfe of drinking and bathing, in 
 thofe who are young, will totally era- 
 dicate its taint from the fyjlem" 
 
 Of the ufe of thefe waters in the 
 removal of Worms, little, from expe- 
 rience, can be faid. Sulphureous 
 
106 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 waters have long fupported a repu- 
 tation as anthelmintics, particu- 
 larly in cafes of afcarides ; but I do 
 not know that the acidulous waters, 
 fuch as thofe under confideration, 
 have ever had a trial as a vermi- 
 fuge. Were we, however, to rea- 
 fon from the known deleterious ef- 
 fects of the carbonic acid upon ani- 
 mal life, when applied io as to af- 
 fect the organs of refpiration, we 
 fliould naturally conclude them to 
 be a moil powerful remedy for that 
 purpofe. 
 
 From the experiment related in 
 page 62, it appears that nfh can live 
 but a very little time in thefe wa- 
 ters. To determine their efFedls 
 more particularly upon the life of 
 worms, the common earth worms 
 
Saratoga and Ballston. 107 
 
 were fubje&ed to the following ex- 
 periments : fome were fufpended 
 in carbonic acid gas, which produ- 
 ced immediate agitation and con- 
 tortion of their bodies ; this foon 
 fubfided, and in the courfe of from 
 two to three minutes they became 
 perfectly relaxed and motionlefs. 
 Others were immerfed in water ^ 
 impregnated with the carbonic 
 acid, they inftantly moved about 
 very brifkly, but in two minutes 
 became entirely motionlefs and ap- 
 parently dead. Thefe experiments 
 were frequently repeated, and with 
 fimilar refults. Other worms were 
 immerfed in an Artificial Saratoga 
 Mineral Water, with like effedls. 
 
 Now as thefe worms are fo fimi- 
 lar to thofe that molt generally exift 
 
108 The Mineral Waters of, 
 
 in the human ftomach, it is no 
 more than fair to conclude, that 
 they alfo would be equally affe&ed 
 by the fame means. 
 
 Hence then, as the whole alimen- 
 tary canal may be fafely inundated 
 with thefe waters, is it not highly 
 probable that they will prove a 
 complete remedy in fuch affec- 
 tions ? It muft be obferved, how- 
 ever, that in thefe experiments, the 
 worms when fubje&ed for fo fhort 
 a time only, to the operation of this 
 deleterious acid, recovered in a few 
 minutes after being reftored to the 
 atmofpheric air : but a reftoration 
 to pure air could not be effected in 
 the bowels ; particularly when un- 
 der the free ufe of thefe waters ; for 
 then they muft be conftantly expo- 
 
Saratoga and Ballston. 109 
 
 fed to the carbonic acid, until they 
 would be diflodged and carried 
 out of the body. With this view 
 then the waters fhould be taken in 
 large draughts and upon an empty 
 ftomach, to fecure their purgative 
 operation. 
 
 Notwitliftanding worms will re- 
 vive after having been expofed for 
 only a few minutes to the operation 
 of the carbonic acid, either in its 
 gafeous flate or when united with 
 water, (till it will, upon a longer 
 expofure, effectually kill them. By 
 fufpending fome of them in the air, 
 ^nd by immerfing others in the 
 water impregnated with it, they di- 
 ed irrecoverably in lefs than two 
 hours. 
 
 Should thefe waters not ad: fuf- 
 
 K 
 
110 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 ficiently upon the bowels, they may 
 be accompanied with fome aloetic 
 or other fuitable purgative medi- 
 cine. I have known an inftance 
 where the Mineral Water of Bed- 
 ford, in Pennfylvania, diflodged 
 and brought away a confiderable 
 portion of a tinea or tape worm : 
 its expulfion was finally completed 
 by taking the male fern and purga- 
 tives. 
 
 Would not injections of Ample 
 carbonated acidulous water, con- 
 joined with a little laudanum to fe- 
 cure their retention for a time in the 
 bowels, route the peftering little af- 
 carides or thread worms from the 
 rectum, where they fo often obfli- 
 nately refill almofl every means 
 ufually employed to remove them ? 
 
Saratoga and Balfston. Ill 
 
 I have frequently prefcribed decoc- 
 tions of the fpigelia, ( Carolina 
 pink) in that manner, in fuch in- 
 ftances with fuccefs. The acidu- 
 lous waters are certainly much 
 more immediately deftrudlive to 
 the living power of worms. 
 
 All thefe obfervations apply par- 
 ticularly to the acidulous Springs. 
 The fulphur water ', I imagine, may 
 be more ufefully applied in cutane- 
 ous eruptions^ particularly the itch ; 
 however I do not know of any trials 
 having yet been made with it in 
 any complaint. 
 
 A conjeclure upon the mariner of the 
 natural formation of thefe Waters, 
 
 The manner by which thefe wa- 
 
112 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 ters become charged with their 
 iron, lime, fait, and alkali, hardly 
 needs an explanation. As all thefe 
 fubftances exift ready formed in the 
 bowels of the earth, and water af- 
 ter being loaded with the carbonic 
 acid, cannot pafs over them without 
 taking up a part ; but the manner 
 in which it gains this aerial impreg- 
 nation, as the carbonic acid does 
 not naturally exift in an uncombi- 
 ned ftate in the earth, is not fo eafi- 
 ly accounted for. The carbonic 
 acid is extricated from its combina- 
 tions, in the large way, by three dif- 
 ferent procefles, viz. by fermenta- 
 tion, by the adlion of a ftronger 
 acid, and by heat : the firft method 
 cannot operate in this inftance, the 
 fecond may have its effects : let us 
 
Saratoga and Ballston. 113 
 
 try how far it will explain the fub- 
 jedt in queflion. 
 
 Suppofe this water firft contain- 
 ing a marine acid, mould have paffi- 
 ed over a quantity of carbonate of 
 foda ; here the acid contained in 
 ten pounds of it, would unite with 
 73 grs. of pure alkali, which con- 
 tained and accordingly would dis- 
 charge 58 grs. equal 116 fquare 
 inches of this acid. Now the wa- 
 ter is fuppofed to contain at lead as 
 much as twice that quantity ; hence 
 we fee the mofl favourable ftate- 
 ment of this mode, will not account 
 even for the quantity of air actual- 
 ly exifting as a component part of 
 the water, much lefs for the grea t 
 fuper-abundance which continuaL 
 ly bubbles up through it, and is 
 K 2 
 
114 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 difcharged. We can hardly fup- 
 pofe the fulphuric acid to act on 
 calcarious earth, and difcharge this 
 air, whereby the water might be- 
 come impregnated before it was 
 charged with fea fait and alkali ; or 
 elfe we mould have detedled fome 
 glauber fait, (fulphate of foda) in 
 the waters, as they would at the 
 time they received their air, alfb 
 unavoidably become faturated with 
 gypfum, which upon coming in 
 contacl with the alkali, would have 
 been decompofed thereby, and for- 
 med this fait. 
 
 We therefore conclude, that this 
 air is produced by fubterranean 
 heat acting on calcarious earth or 
 lime-flone, thereby fetting it at li- 
 berty in this great profulion ; iri- 
 
Saratoga and Ballston. 115 
 
 deed the deep caverns opening on 
 the lime-flone bank before men- 
 tioned, gives fome plaufibility to 
 this opinion, for it clearly evinces 
 that fome considerable operations 
 mufl be going forward in the earth 
 below. The coldnefs of the waters 
 may be objected againft this con- 
 jecture ; but this may be obviated 
 by considering, that even if they do 
 not come any great diftance after 
 their aerial impregnation, yet they 
 may have afterwards met with their 
 falts, which, as is the cafe with all 
 fub fiances going from the folid to 
 the fluid ftate,would abforb a confl- 
 derable quantity of heat, during 
 their difTolution, and thereby pro- 
 duce the coldnefs in queftion. — 
 Should any one fuppofe that this 
 
116 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 caufe is not adequate to the pro- 
 duction of the coldnefs of thefe wa- 
 ters, they are at liberty to confider 
 them as having been aerated at a 
 greater diftance from the Springs 
 than is fuggefled. The above ob- 
 fervations, however, will not per- 
 mit them to fufpe6t but that the air 
 they contain mufl moft probably 
 have been evolved from its combi- 
 nation by fubterranean fire. The 
 temperature of the Waters of New 
 Lebanon*, which is within about 
 50 miles, proves the exiflence of 
 
 * From my own experiments and observa- 
 tions, and from those of my friends Professors 
 Mitchill, Waterhouse and Post, all of whom 
 have visited and made experiments upon the 
 Water of this Pool, it appears to be a pure 
 Thermal Water, very similar to those of Mat- 
 lock and Buxton, in England; only that its 
 temperature, which is 72° by Farenheit's scale, 
 
Saratoga and Ballston. 117 
 
 iubterranean heat about this coun- 
 try. 
 
 By the waters running over a bed 
 of fulphur, their alkali may form a 
 
 is about 4 degrees higher than that at Matlock, 
 but not quite as warm as the Buxton Waters. 
 
 The Water of this Pool is transparent. 
 It has a constant ebullition of air bubbles pass- 
 ing through it. 
 
 This air appears to be the common azotie 
 gas. It will neither burn itself nor support 
 the combustion of inflammable substances. It 
 does not render lime-water turbid, by being 
 made to pass through it : nor does it communi- 
 cate any effect to water, unfavourable to the 
 life of animals immersed in it : frogs are found 
 voluntarily swimming in the pool. 
 
 The water, when drank, produces no other 
 effect than that of common spring or river wa- 
 ter. It contains no iron or lime nor any other 
 metallic or earthy matter : hence its transpa- 
 rency is not affected either by Prussian alkali, 
 tincture of galls, carbonated alkali, or the acid 
 of sugar. It does not effervesce with the sul- 
 phuric acid, nor does it change the colour of 
 gold, silver, copper or lead. It neither curdles 
 milk nor soap : it lathers and washes well. 
 
118 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 hepar with this mineral, the gas 
 difcharged from which, gives them 
 their fulphureous impregnation. 
 
 This water, however, precipitates the solution 
 of corrosive sublimate (the muriate of mercu- 
 ry) of a yellow colour : it forms also a white 
 precipitate with the acetite of lead : hence it 
 probably contains a small proportion of some 
 alkaline matter, but in such a very small quan- 
 tity as not to unfit it for culinary purposes. 
 
 Let it not be inferred from these observa- 
 tions, that this water can be of no use in a me- 
 dical point of view. No one can doubt but 
 that free ablutions with pure warm water, both 
 internally and in bathing, may produce saluta- 
 ry effects; particularly in cutaneous eruptions, 
 and in cases where the system has been loaded 
 with peccant humours, and also where irregu- 
 lar action in an irritable habit, has been aggra- 
 vated by draughts of a more stimulating na-- 
 ture. 
 
Saratoga and Ballston. 119 
 
 A method of making an Artificial Mi- 
 neral Water ', refembling in every re- 
 fpecl that of Saratoga. 
 
 One great advantage refulting 
 from the analyfis of Mineral Wa- 
 ters is, the being enabled thereby to 
 make Artificial Waters fimilar to 
 them, whence all their virtues may 
 be obtained at pleafure, and at any 
 place, without the inconvenience or 
 expence of attending at the Springs. 
 There are fome mineral waters, that 
 from the fixed nature of their in- 
 gredients, may be kept for a confi- 
 derable time and tranfported from 
 place to place, without fuffering 
 much, if any, alteration in their na- 
 ture : as for inflance, thofe of Ep- 
 fom, Richmond, Swanfey, and the 
 
120 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 like ; while others, as thofe of Pyr- 
 mont, Seltzer, Saratoga, &c. not- 
 withftanding our greatefl care, can 
 be kept but a fhort time, and con- 
 fequently cannot be conveyed to 
 any great diftance, without loling 
 in a confiderable degree their me- 
 dicinal qualities : for befides the 
 cretaceous acid, which from its vo- 
 latile nature flies off, the iron that 
 was kept in folution thereby, is al- 
 fo depofited ; whence they muft 
 lofe the moft a&ive and eflential 
 parts of their compofition. There- 
 fore if any one would have thefe 
 waters at a diftance from the 
 fprings, it is art alone that can fup- 
 ply him. The manner in which I 
 prepared a water refembling the 
 Saratoga waters, was as follows : — ■ 
 
Saratoga and Ballston.* 121 
 
 To a gallon of fimple water in 
 Nooth's apparatus, I added fome 
 pieces of marble, (carbonate of 
 lime) 138.4 grs. common fait, and 
 20.8 of carbonated foda; that quan- 
 tity being juft the proportion ob- 
 tained from the Mineral Water. I 
 alfo fufpended in it fome rufl of 
 iron, tied up in a linen rag. I then 
 caufed the air that was difcharged 
 from powdered lime-flone, by a di- 
 luted vitriolic acid, to pafs through 
 the water above mentioned, till it 
 appeared to be fully faturated. To 
 this water was added fome coarfely 
 powdered fulphur, which after 
 flanding awhile was decanted ofE 
 
 This liquor was now acknow- 
 ledged by feveral perfons who had 
 
122 The Mineral Waters of, &c. 
 
 drank of the Saratoga Waters, per- 
 fectly to refemble them in tafle. 
 
 Moll of the re-agents ufed on the 
 natural waters, were repeated on 
 thefe, and with like effedts. Here 
 then is a clear proof of the fuccefs 
 of the analyfis ; for fynthefis, or the 
 re-compofition of a fubftance, with 
 fimilar ingredients to what were 
 obtained from it, is the fureft evi- 
 dence of the correcflnefs of an ana- 
 lyfis. 
 
 Notwithftanding I have not had 
 an opportunity of trying the effedls 
 of this water in many difeafes, yet 
 it being compofed of the fame in- 
 gredients as the natural waters, 
 leaves no doubt but that it mud 
 po-flefs the fame medicinal virtues. 
 
CONSIDERATIONS 
 UPON THE USE 
 
 OF 
 
 ARTIFICIAL MINERAL 
 WATERS 
 
 AS PREPARED IN THIS CITY : 
 
 Both as a Remedy in Diseases and as 
 an Ordinary Drink. 
 
 SlNCE the firft publication of this 
 account of the Waters of Saratoga, 
 and of making Artificial Waters fi- 
 milar to them, a number of Artifi- 
 cial Fountains have been eftablifh- 
 ed in this city, furnifhing a plenti- 
 ful fupply of thefe and feveral other 
 Mineral Waters ; and they appear, 
 as far as the tafte can difcover, (for 
 
124 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 I have not analyfed them) to be to- 
 lerably well imitated. 
 
 As a Remedy in Diseases can 
 we calculate as much upon them as 
 upon the Natural Waters at the 
 Springs ? In calculous complaints I fee 
 no reafon why we may'not ; indeed 
 upon fome confiderations I mould 
 prefer them : our citizens may take 
 them without being expofed to the 
 injurious jolting of a jaunt to Sara- 
 toga ; they may be accommodated 
 comfortably in the quiet of home, 
 in the bofom of their friends, and 
 may have the different materials in 
 the waters varied, as their com- 
 plaints may require*. As a vermi- 
 
 * It is presumed however, that if any vari- 
 ation should be made in the composition of the 
 water, so as to meet the particular complaints 
 
Saratoga and Balhton. 125 
 
 fuge we may look for as much ad- 
 vantage from the artificial as from 
 the natural mineral waters 5 and as 
 in this inftance it is upon the car- 
 bonic acid in them, that we chiefly 
 reft our hopes, perhaps the artificial 
 waters may here alfo be entitled to 
 a preference. Certainly, by means 
 of pf effure, a much greater propor- 
 tion of this acid may be made to 
 combine with water, than the natu- 
 ral mineral waters contain. 
 
 In fome other complaints they 
 may be of equal efficacy with the 
 
 of individuals, that that variation will be made 
 known to those who may take it. It would 
 be an unwarrantable imposition to dispense an 
 Artificial Mineral Water, under the name of 
 an Established Natural Water, unless it be as 
 nearlv like it, as the composer's art would en- 
 able him to make. 
 
 L 2 
 
126 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 natural waters ; but in cafes where 
 general bathing in them becomes 
 neceflary, the artificial waters muft 
 be out of the queftion. 
 
 That they may be ufefully taken 
 in Dyfpepfia there can be but little 
 doubt ; but we fhould recollect 
 what has been before obferved un- 
 der that article, that the adv ■} A tage 
 to be gained, depends in confidera- 
 ble degree upon the exercife and 
 change of air, incumbent upon a vi- 
 fit to the Springs. Hence then this 
 clafs of invalids ought not to be 
 difappointed, if they mould not be 
 as much benefited by the artificial, 
 as they may have had reafon to be- 
 lieve that they would be, by the na- 
 tural waters at Saratoga. 
 In Scrofulous affeclions, bathing and 
 
Saratoga and Ballston. 127 
 
 the exercife, change of air, &c. at- 
 tendant upon an excurfion to Ballf- 
 ton, are of material confequence : 
 drinking the waters, of itfelf, will 
 have its ufe ; but Scrofula is not 
 a trifling complaint, eafily to be 
 managed ; it requires the united 
 operation of a variety of means to 
 remove it. 
 
 As an Ordinary Drink, thefe 
 waters hav? become very fafhion- 
 able, and as 
 
 44 Fashion in every thing bears solemn sway, 
 
 And founts and public haunts have each their 
 day," 
 
 fo they mofl probably will, for a 
 time, continue to be the favourite 
 beverage of the feafon ; but whe- 
 ther judicioufly fo, or not, remains 
 to be determined. 
 
128 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 From obfervations delivered in 
 the foregoing pages, it would ap- 
 pear that the Waters of Saratoga 
 and Ballfton poffefs adiive medicinal 
 qualities, oftentimes very ufefully 
 employed, not for them that be whole 
 who need not a phyfician^ (no medi- 
 cines) but for them that are fick. If 
 they are adlive medicines, they 
 muft be unfit, as an ordinary drink, 
 for perfons in health. Ncverthe- 
 lefs, if from a multitude of evils we 
 were forced to make a choice, I 
 fhould not hefitate in giving them 
 a preference to many of the beve- 
 rages too frequently indulged in 
 during the heat of fummer, in this 
 city, as brandy and water, lemon- 
 ade, lime punch, &c. I believe the 
 carbonic acid to be much more 
 

 Saratoga and Ballston. 129 
 
 grateful and bracing to the ftomach 
 than the citric. Were I to recom- 
 mend any Mineral Water as a com- 
 mon drink, it would not be the 
 Ballfton, the Soda nor the Seltzer* 
 but the fimply carbonated^ i. e. wa- 
 ter impregnated with fixed air 
 alone, uncombined with any faline, 
 earthy or metallic matter whatever. 
 We can hardly believe that that 
 which the ftomach loathes, and the 
 palate rejects with difguft, can be 
 proper for perfons in health : all 
 alkalies are naufeous, and it is not 
 improbable but that they may in- 
 tercept, by their decompounding 
 chemical powers, the important 
 procefs of digeftion. It is very true 
 that the alkaline tafte of the foda 
 water is very much covered by itfi 
 
130 The Mineral Waters of 
 
 fuperfaturation with the carbonic 
 acid, and becomes thereby recon- 
 ciled to the palate , and thus pafles 
 by this garde-du-corps, unexamin- 
 ed, into the ftomach : but an ene- 
 my in the citadel, is none the lefs fo 
 for having gained admittance in 
 difguife. Sweetening a potion does 
 not deftroy its power. 
 
 The carbonic acid, however, 
 feems free from all thefe objec- 
 tions : it is found in greater or lefs 
 proportions in moft of the ordinary 
 fpring and well waters, and is what 
 chiefly conftitutes their life and 
 brifknefs : water faturated with it, 
 is grateful to the palate and pleafant 
 upon the ftomach : the weaknefs 
 of its chemical affinities, leaves not 
 much to apprehend from its de- 
 
Saratoga and Balls ton. 131 
 
 ranging the affimilating operations 
 of digeftion : it is cordial, antifep- 
 tic and exhilarating. 
 
 There is, however, a clafs of the 
 community, for whom I feel a near 
 fympathifing intereft, who cannot 
 too cautioufly avoid having any 
 thing to do with this or either of 
 the other of thefe waters : I mean 
 thofe of weak lungs, thofe who are 
 confumptively difpofed : the uni- 
 form opinion of phyficians, con- 
 curring with general obfervations, 
 has been fully confirmed by my 
 own perfonal experience, that fuch 
 drinks are highly prejudicial to per- 
 fons of this defcription. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
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