Cap. 5. Part 2. dug in Marle pits These are less transparent and as a Species of Gypsum may be called Selenites Gypseus To the second sort which I take only to be the proper Selenites belong those of these Purging Wells This distinction I think necessary to be observed for though I am inclinable to believe that the Waters wherein the others are found may Purge yet the Selenites as they are related to another sort of Stone and have some variety in the Matrix may vary reasonably enough in their Qualities as the Talceus being produced at a Stone-Quarry the Waters can scarce be supposed to want the Coldness or Hardness such Quarries are wont to communicate And so of the rest The Origine of the Salt of these Waters appears most evidently in the Salt of this Species or sort of them which I shall therefore inquire into by examining the Reason of their Production and compare with the Salt that is nearest in resemblance The Salt contain'd in the Waters which I call Selenitical hath these Qualities or Properties peculiar to them To be soft and melt in the warmth of a Hand to be unfigur'd and â—ret the parts of Excretion besides the middle Nature of it and its being void of Corrosiveness which are common to the other sort In its Softness and Fluxilness Nature and Manner of Production it exactly resembles the Salt that damp Cellars produce and is fix'd in the middle to Cobwebs being the steam of the Earth and more liquid part of what is extracted from it and flows in the moist Air there condens'd And no known Salt in Nature hath the Quality of running in so easie a Heat beside the Selenitical but that And as this confirms its Original so the Reason it further complies with this Account For this soft Salt in these Wells is the flowing part of the Matter produced in them the more solid Particles and figurable being detain'd at the Loam and employ'd in forming the Selenites Now that the Lime-stone which is concern'd in this Production naturally effects this separation by shooting the more dense parts is evident in the use of it to precipitate Metalline parts but more plainly in boiling Sugars The slackning quality of this chalky or limy Salt I hinted before to agree with the Earth of these Wells and it is to be noted That the Salt of the Selenitical is accordingly more uniform not so thickning with Gall nor varying so much towards Nitres and Vitriols as the others do but nearer the Spirit So I conclude the Salt of these Purging Waters of a middle Nature between Nitres and Vitriols and form'd out of the Loam by the help of a Vitrioline Juyce or liquid Salt and collected in moist Cavities The Tryal of the Stones THE Stone which I have before describ'd and is common to all the Wells hath when broke the Loam hardned and is invested with a Gypsum or Trichitis Richmond stone is of a light colour and pale near an Ash-colour not divided by the Gypsum but coated with it some Ferrugineous stains were in one piece In the Air weigh'd two Ounces and 50 Grains on the Water one Ounce two Drams and 26 Grains Epsam a more lax stone like a hardned clod incrusted with a grey chalky coat which Acids wrought on with Ebullition but did not slack in the Water weigh'd in the Air two Ounces and 47 Grains in the Water one Ounce one Dram and 26 Grains Dulwich a darker stone and very hard as Flint and inclin'd to a greenish in the body of it in several places and the Cellulae smaller than Woodham-Ferrys or Harwich or any yet observ'd by me where not greenish it had many sparkles of shining small Particles and when beaten fine was whiter than any In the Air two Ounces and 47 Grains in the Water one Ounce two Drams and 39 Grains and a half Woodham-Ferrys Cells as the former but larger the body oft greenish where expos'd to the Air else Loam-like but the Gypsum seem'd to have penetrated the body of the stone In the Air two Ounces and 46 Grains and a half in the Water one Ounce two Drams and 17 Grains Common Loam in the Air weigh'd two Ounces and 49 Grains in the Water one Ounce and 67 Grains Chalk in the Air two Ounces and 47 Grains and in the Water one Ounce one Dram and one Scruple besides four or five Grains lost by its sâ—ackning The Salts extracted from the Stones they all smelt Lixiviat in boyling Richmond stones Lixivium with Lignum Nephriticum took the colour of Rhenish or White-wine or near a Buff-colour With Tincture of Logwood a Red tawnyish Gall a faint Tincture of Red but clear Turnsole Liquor sharpned with Spirit of Vitriol it brightned the Red a little Oyl of Tartar per deliquium no alteration but did not readily mix The Lye of the Roasted Richmond Stone With Tincture of Logwood brighten'd the Red higher than Pump-water With Turnsole preserv'd the Red. With Gall a high Lemmon colour and clear Lignum Nephriticum clear and not colour'd as Spirit of Vitriol does Oyl of Tartar p. d. thick large curdle The Lye exceeded not Pump or common Water in weight Aqua fortis wrought violently on this Stone but extracted no Tincture but jelly'd but not so firmly as the other no Precipitation could be obtain'd from the Jelly No Efflorescence when mix'd with common Salt and expos'd to the Air some time as mineral bodies do Dulwich raw stones Lixivium remain'd thickish white and of taste brackish With Lignum Nephriticum a deep Malaga Sack colour and not very clear as Alkalys Redded the tawny of Tincture of Logwood deep as Alkalys though not so purplish but near that of Acids Gall yellow like small Beer and very thick did not precipitate though it stood a night the cloud gather'd upward and at bottom more clear like common Salt Tunsole it dull'd as Alkalys toward a Blew Liquid Salt of Tartar it curdled large and precipitated as Sal Marine Upon the whole it resembled common Salt especially with a little of the Nature of Sal Gem or withall somewhat Allkalisat The Lye of Dullwich Stone Roasted With Tincture of Logwood a dull Ale-colour as Cellar-Salt and â—laubers Salt Gall a pale Red not more cloudy than the Lye Liquid Salt of Tartar a thick curdle Syrup of Clove Gilliflowers took away the Red and rendred it durty and dark as Alkalys effect With Lignum Nephriticum a pale yellow and clear which grew thicker upon standing six or eight hours like Spirit of Salt Solution of Sublimate no alteration as Vitriols About six Drams with an Ounce and half of Aqua fortis made considerable Effervescence and thickned in two or three hours to a Jelly of a grey dirty colour the powder of the Stone not settling to the bottom Aqua fortis on Chalk wrought thickned a little but not Jelly'd on common Loam did not work Brick Earth only a small Effervescence Cimolia purpurascens
Fluxile and not of the Nature of common Salt which precipitates not Vitriols North-Hall Water in Hartfordshire WEigh'd heavier than Epsam and pleasant not so nauseous to taste It preserved the blew of Syrup of Violets which Nitres and Alkalys chang'd to a green It disturbed not a Solution of Sublimate in common Water It was not acid enough nor Alkalisat enough to give either a red or dirty brown with Tincture of Logwood but gave it a yellow which grew paler upon standing as I judged somewhat like Glaubers Salt which is made of common Salt and Spirit of Vitriol and which likewise purgeth It took very little yellowness from Galls and what it took it would not hold but suffer'd to precipitate presently The first being the effect of Spirit of Salt the last of Spirit of Vitriol It curdled soapy Water in large Curdles and Ol. Tartari per deliquium the same and upon shaking this Water rais'd a great Froth which it kept a great while I judged therefore this Water to contain a Salt resembling common Salt and that part of it which is condens'd and christalliz'd through Cold in a Humid as in Cellars the Coagulation with Liquid Salt of Tartar being not so universal as with the other part of common Salt Lambeth nearer Well in Surry THIS Water beside the Virtues which it hath in common with other Purging Waters has the Property of caring Leprosies and cleansing and clearing Scorbutick Scurss and Spots which how the Nature of the Salt accounts for is worth Observation This Water try'd at the Well after a dry Season was clear but not so Limpid as common Spring Water having somewhat of the colour of Rain-water it was of the taste of Saltpetre or nearer Saltpetres second Salt but left a Vitriolick brackish or nauseous taste on the Palat. Half a Pint and half an Ounce of this Water exceeded common Water in weight 24 Grains it made no alteration in a Solution of Sublimate in fair Water which Nitres and Alkalys disturb it agreed with common Salt in changing the Red of Syrup of Clove Gilliflowers into a cloudy pale colour in which the Red upon 24 hours standing was wholly lost but was restored by a drop of Spirit of Nitre it had the Effects of the same Salt in curdling strongly with Ol. Tartar per deliquium in giving a pale yellow not very fine with Gall and with Tincture of Logwood a brown exactly resembling Ale that is not fine a little browner if any thing than what common Salt produceth But in this it agreed with Saltpetres second Salt and it disturb'd a Solution of Sal Saturni in fair Water just to that degree that Saltpetres second Salt does and with Lignum Nephrâ—ticum gave a Whitewine yellow and clear quickly as Saltpetre does common gravelly Spring-water gives near the colour but upon longer standing It agreed besides only with Glaubers Salt in the Essay with Gall and Logwood The Water standing on Iron 24 hours gave with Gall a reddish Purple which turn'd Inky and although the grosser parts precipitated as where there is a mixture of Nitre and in the Vitrioline Waters impregnate with the Salt of the upper Soil yet the colour remain'd in the clear Liquor much deepâ—â— than a Violet though it stood open some days This one drop of Spirit of Nitre turn'd â—â—een as it doth Ink made with English 〈◊〉 A drop or two of this in common 〈◊〉 a Gravel resumed the Red. This Water precipitated fine Silver out of Spirit of Nitre but not so quick and strongly I thought as Rock-salt and Sea-salt This Water accordingly changed not the colour of Syrup of Violets neither doth common Salt Thus the Salt of this Water agreeth with common Salt but comes not up to its power of Precipitating or Coagulating which Properties would rather set and fix the Humour and so promote the Distemper as appears in the Effects of Bay-salt to produce the Scurvy which Property is observ'd to lye in the hardness of the second or less coagulable part and not to be found in the Salt when purified It agrees in some Tryals with Saltpetres second Salt which is not wholly differing from common Salt But because Salts differ I examined the Water more nicely It disturb'd a Solution of Hungarian Vitriol which common Salt did not Rock Salt very little but the second Salt of Saltpetre readily effected likewise but scarce in so high a Degree for this sent down a yellowish Precipitate forthwith yet it did not trouble a Solution of Mercury Sublimate as Sal Gem. nor precipitate it as do the Nitres and Lime-salt of a yellow or as Salt of Chalk and Marle white The Salt was gray near white mostly near Cubes or in thick plates as common Salt some scurfie light parts with it which was the Scum which precipitated in Boyling no Stiriae or pointed parts could I observe The Water did early raise or bear a Scum The Salt readily ran per deliquium and leâ—t a leafie Earth and grey about 24 Grains out of a Quart of Water This leafy Earth was very light and made a very small Effervescence with distill'd Vinegar nor would it wholly take away its Acidity This Salt precipitated fine Silver out of Spirit of Nitre in hard large Curdles Saltpetres second Salt only whitens and disturbs the Solution which at last precipitates it Ol. Partari per deliquium works on it but does not precipitate the Silver But this Salt I thought did scarce so fully precipitate the Silver as Rock Salt ☞ I therefore refer the Nature of the Salt of this Water to that of common Salt whose power it hath even to the depurating a Solution of Vitriol but without either so gross and strong an Earth or so severe and coagulative an Acidity The Diseases that have been cur'd by these Waters as I found them registred in a Table at the Well were as I remember Leprosie Scurvy Vertigo's Jaundies Worms Stone and Colick To understand on what account this Water exerts its power beside Worms which every one knows to be destroy'd and the flatulent putrid matter suppress'd by Sea-salt I think the Leprosie may well illustrate To have a Notion of the Nature of this Disease It is not necessary here to inquire into the particular Juyce it is seated in and Vessels serving it it is sufficient that the Nature and Genius of the Humour or Salt is toward an Alkali exulcerating and dry seated or produced by too thick and luxuriant Chyle in too nitrous or scorching a Climate That the Cure of this Disease consists not only in somâ— Qualities that mortifie it but in some pungent parts that can retain their Nature and are apt to separate the grosser parts we are taught by the success of Vipers in this Disease which have a Faculty of separating Tartar from Canary in which they are infus'd which else yields none On which by the way I must observe the Error in choosing that Wine for the Infusion on which the
Stones and Sticks they pass over That this stony Matter is precipitated out of other Waters which flow into it by the Virtue of this Water and proceeds not from the Chalybear Water it self beside the Argument that may be drawn from the Lightness in weight of the Chalybeat appears fully demonstrated at many Springs indeed at all where the rill of common Water runs along the side of the Soyl whence the Chalybeat issues especially when it is in a Meadow as it was at Felstead where I first observ'd it no Incrustation or Precipitation of stony Matter being to be found either in the Meadow where the Chalybeat lyes or above before the other Water joyns it The Water I now nam'd is one of the light sort being near ten Grains in seven Ounces lighter than common Water and the Water that joyns it a hard gravelly one which with Tincture of Logwood gave a Rasberry red as Acids which is not amiss to mention The Reason which I intimated above to be from the differing Natures of Nitres and Vitriols may help make this intelligible The Lightness in weight of the Chalybeat Waters that as they are void of Salt may properly enough be said to be more simple is owing to the same Cause and proves the same thing being not from difference of the Season as is usually judg'd which can never make it lighter than even that Rain-water distill'd that must render it so but from the Depuration it has receiv'd by the Precipitation of the Earthy parts And the Property is the same by which these Waters even in Human or Animal Bodies Cure the Stone by removing the Disposition to it as well as early Precipitation of the Matter and this Virtue in the Waters is so constant as to have made them Famous in this particular The last considerable Sign and Attendant of these Waters is the Bituminous Scum appearing on them how far the fatness of the Earth of these Waters is assisting in separating this Spirit or whether it is the Effect of it is not plain nor very material to learn That it is of the Nature of common Salt to assist in the Separation of Oyly parts is evident in pickling Roses and distilling Oyls but whether it be from this or the Putridness of the Soyl and Earth I shall submit and leave These Waters differ not only in Degrees of Hardness and Coldness which is best taken notice of in the Examination of each Water but may be distinguish'd into these two Heads 1. The Light ones which have more of the Spirituous Parts of the Vitrioline Spirit and more Simply 2. The Heavy ones that contain a Salt approaching to a Nitre or is Nitrous Of the Heavy ones first and then I ascend to the Lighter which thereby may be illustrated The First Class Chalybeat Waters that contain a Nitrous Salt and equal at least common Water in weight THE Salt of these Waters I conclude to be owing to the Soyle because it is found to be of the same Nature and has some Differences but those being small I omit and forbear insisting upon them In the general Design of the use of Chalybeats these Nitrous Waters are not so Effectual and the more Nitrous the worse by which I mean the more Alkalisat which is easily prov'd by the early Precipitation of the Black and the change towards a Green which is the Effect of Alkalys with Ink though at first they change the Blew Black into a Purple The Characteristick Notes of these Waters beside the weight are to drop the Inky colour they receive with Gall to take a high colour with Lignum Nephriticum and when the Water has stood to be effete it will not precipitate Silver out of Spirit of Nitre I have not found any of this kind so fully Nitrous or Alkalisat as to trouble a Solution of Sublimate much less to precipitate it Yellow both which indeed are inconsistent with Vitriols nor any that bear a Salt of the Nature of Saltpetre A Water in a Field adjoyning to the Right Honourable the Earl of Manchester's Place at Leez in Essex THis Spring is in a Gravel and is so small as to be considerable only in that it is in a breeding Pond This Water disturbs not a Solution of Sublimate in fair Water it render'd milky a Solution of Sal Saturni by which it distinguish'd it self from Saltpetre but yet not much more than Saltpetres second Salt does With Lignum Nephriticum it gave a pale Yellow and not fine exactly the colour of small Beer which at four days end precipitated so as to leave just the top of the Liquor clear The Water kept till it had lost its Spirit and with that its power of striking black with Gall which was 24 hours essay'd with Gall was thick and dirty white which precipitated in the former Experiment shewing an Affinity with common Salt in this with Nitrous It is much of the weight of common Water and takes a blew black with Galls The Water at Witham in Essex in Sir Edward Southcot's Ground WITH Gall a deep Purple turning to Ink not very clear and with Lignum Nephriticum a faint dull reddish I judged this to have more of the nature of the Salt of common Water and that the Spirit of this Water to be a little finer than the other sort which give a direct Black with Gall because distill'd Acids give this Red. The Red that Alkalys give turns greenish upon standing these Waters are all inclin'd to the same The Chalybeat Water of Knarsborough in Yorkshire KNarsborough Water as Dr. French relates is of a Vitrioline Taste and Odour The Water riseth in a moorish boggy Ground within less than half a Mile from which there is no considerable Ascent and springeth directly up from the Sandy bottom It is of the same weight with common Spring Water The colour with Syrup of Violets is much the same as in the Chalybeat Waters at Islington and Hamstead not so intense as in Tunbridge or the German Spa as the Learned Dr. Tancred Robinson my Informer prov'd it at the Spring And as this colour is not so deep as that made by Vitriols so the residuous dark colour'd Earth after Evaporation was insipid The pitch of the Volatility of the Spirituous part of this Water is observable in that it tinctur'd with Powder of Galls at two days end and suffer'd not by Warming yet lost that Quality wholly in Distilling Neither does this Water coagulate Milk The Redness that this Water takes with Galls is effected by spirituous or distill'd Acids unmix'd with gross Salt of the Soyle of a Forreign Nature which would disturb the Colour and the larger Proportion of the Acid to the Steel or the very small quantity of the last may effect it But the Quantity of the Acid Spirit must be judg'd here to be considerable For the Nature of the Acidity I have before distinguish'd it by the Effects and so need here only observe it to be Vitrioline
alter'd not I essay'd Tinore Cellar-Salt and Lapis Calaminaris which last communicated only a dry â—aste more Corrosive Half the Jelly dissolved in a great quantity of fair Water precipitated not any heavy Powder the dirt flying about in it light The other half distill'd sent over a Liquor near the scent of Spirit of Salt but no Butter The Earth expos'd to the Air had no Efflorescence Dullwich stone melted with Glass did not tinge the Glass but penetrated the Vessel it was melted in which was of Tobacco-pipe Clay which broke smooth like China an effect which the other stones melted at the same time had not Woodhâ—m-Ferrys stones Lixivium tasted sweetish Redded Tincture of Logwood near a Claret but deeper and darker With Gall whitish and turbid as Nitâ—es Note that this was made of the burnt stone but with some Gall flying in it and curdled which is the effect of Salâ—petre Lignum Nephriticum it took a clear Tincture from and of a Canary colour The stone wash'd Jelly'd in Aqua fortis from which nothing could be separated by Sublimation or Precipitation no Efflorescence upon the exposing it to the Air nor was any Metalline Tincture discover'd by Fusion with Glass Epsam stones Lixivium with Oyl of Tartar per deliquium grew white and thick with Gall a fine and clear Yellow With Tincture of Logwood a dull pale Tawny It slack'd not in Water it jelly'd not in Aqua fortis the Powder remaining heavy and close at the bottom I boyl'd some of the Stain in Lye and in Water sharpen'd with Spirit of Nitre I infus'd some but from neither could make any discovery by Colour or Precipitation So now I come to the Essays of the Waters and Nature of the Salts therein contain'd Selenitical Waters Ebbisham commonly Epsam Water in SURRY EPsam Water was the first of the Purging kind discover'd in England viz. 1630 or soon after The Hill is a Clay of a brown colour and reddish and where the Wells are more grey The Well is about twelve foot deep the Earth where the Spring is afforded the Selenites plentifully at a private Well they were Columns the sides and superficies of which were inequilateral Parallelograms posited with their edges downward and their ends meeting in the centre In a Well a few feet distant and at the publick Well they were Rhomboid At both ends of the Town is Châ—lk dug and the Hill here and there hath veins of blew Loam Of the private Well which was newly sunk I inform'd my self by examining the Earth cast out of it which I receiv'd of the Owner Mr. Symonds together with this Account The upper Earth for two Spit deep was the same then they came to a harder and Loamy which lasted about seven feet then to a looser which sparkled with small Selenites as at the publick Well this held for two feet where they came at the Stones and Water together The Water in Summer-time flow'd in at the rate of an Ale-barrel in 24 hours Below the Selenites they came at a dead heavy Earth and black partaking of Iron under which was the common dead Loam or Cortex of the Mineral Region And though they dug three or four feet deeper yet neither was Water or the former signs found As the Selenites had somewhat of the shape of Vitriol of Iron so where they lay were veins of Iron and colour'd Earth the Iron was pure and obey'd the Load-stone the Earth which was either of a Brimstone colour or that of Iron rust I prov'd by washing to be the same only joyn'd by an Acid Juyce like Spirit of Vitriol which in the yellow had no taste of the Iron but a distinct pleasant Acid which with the Jellying of some parts of the Earth in Aqua fortis especially of the whiter part of it where the Selenites lay is what I observed there I shall not therefore repeat my Tryals of the Earths which were fruitless The Water is moderately clear of Taste bitter together with a muakish Saltishness not manifestly Lixiviat but a little of the taste of the second Salt of Salt Marine and of that Cellar Salt that is gather'd by things hanging in the middle of Cellars and not what fixes to the Walls Epsam Water precipitated not Vitriol dissolv'd in it but promoted its atramentous Quality as doth the Salt not precipitating the Colour as Salt of Lime or Chalk nor turning it red as some others particularly Salt of Cellars Notwithstanding this it agreed with that sort of Alkaly particularly which is calcarious in that it restor'd the blew of Tincture of Turnsole sharpen'd it took a Purple with a Tincture of Logwood in common Water lively and full not dull red a little purplish and dusky as Salt of Tartar made with Saltpetre and Alkalys produce nor tawny as Salt of Cellars Further as Salt of Chalk it troubled a Solution of Sublimat in fair Water and sent down a white precipitate which Alum doth not With Syrup of Violets a Grass-green as the same Salt Yet it peculiarly differ'd from the Salt of Chalk and all grosser Salts in taking a high Yellow and clear Tincture from Gall which is peculiar to Spirit of Nitre it being not of the Nature of Saltpetre which is the only Salt that takes a pale but clear Tincture With Syrup of Cloves it became dark â—ooty and greenish as do Alkalys and Fuligo of Vitriol that adheres to places where the Fume of boyl'd Coporas comes ☞ The peculiar Nature of the Salt of this Water is to be Calcarious yet agreeing with Vitriols and particularly to resemble Spirit of Nitre rather than Nitre it self yet to resemble the Salt of Chalk in precipitating a Solution of Sublimate which Spirit of Nitre will not The Acidity that came over in Distilling was little and pleasant The Salt Grey near a White and unfigur'd or uncapable of Christallization but soft like Barbadoes or Lisbon Sugar It did not cast up a Scum till it was near boyled up and the Salt precipitated in boyling This Salt was wrought on by Acids yet it coagulated Salt of Tartar rendred Liquid called Ol. Tartari per diliq it did not inflame with Sulphur but blister'd on a hot Iron and was not Caustick either burnt or unburnt The Earth of this Salt was white and dissolv'd in part in distill'd Vinegar and was about an eighth of the Salt The Salt of the Water which is said to amount in some dry Seasons to the proportion of seven Drams in a Gallon scarce then exceeded the half of that quantity after a wet one when I had it indeed not so much The Salt purged pleasantly in the quantity of half an Ounce as I try'd it but it seems to require a very gentle Evaporation to the due Preparation of it that Acidity of Alkalisatness may be preserved entire This Salt dissolv'd in some of its own Water deepned the yellow colour of Galls to a Pink and at last to a Red or very near as Spirit
Water is a level Spring the Wells are on the side of the Hill a few Rod from the River Thames in a brown leamy Clay which are about nine feet deep to the bottom of the Water as the Digger inform'd me there There is a Tile-Kill adjoyning to the Ground where the Wells are This Water was first discover'd about 1686 the account that the Possessor of one of the Wells Mr. Brown gave me was that the Earth was an even Loamy Clay that the Water issued into the Well from the side among the Stones whereof I brought away as many pieces as I could dispose of No Selenites found here The Loam and Clay about the Wellâ— had a Nitrous Efflorescence the Earth above and about Richmond a Gravel This Water purgeth well but I think scarce so much as Epsam and Acton but more smoothly The Water is smooth on the Tongue scarce any appearance of bitterness salutes the Palat with the taste of common Water but leaves a farewel a little nauseous and sharp The Water curdled Milk but not so hard or strong as others with Syrup of Violets a mild Green not so deep as Vitriols make it resembled common Salt or a Vitrioline in that Spirit of Nitre drop'd into it made no Alteration though the Water was boyl'd half away Spirit of Sal Armoniack rendred it thick white and curdled and sent down a large Precipitate Spirit of Harts-horn made a small Curdle and Precipitate Spirit of Salt no Alteration With Galls it grew immediately turbid white and thick not Milk-white like what Salt of Hungarian Vitriol produceth not dark as Alkalys not coloured as common Salt not clear as Saltpetre nor reddish as Chalk nor dark and ready to precipitate the Colour as Spirit of Vitriol The Water standing a while on pieces of Iron with Gall chang'd dark with a reddish cast as Alkalys render Ink In both these it resembled Salt of Cellarsâ— yet differ'd in giving a wan dusky Red with 〈◊〉 of Clove Gilly flowers as common Salt and â—â—â—ding Tincture of Logwood â—s Acids ☞ The Salt of this Water hence appears to be Acid of a Vitrioline Nature yet to be a little Alkalisate or Nitrous â—ot so deeply as Alkalys but resembling the Salt embodying Vitriols or the uniting of Vitrioline Salt with the Salt of common Earth and which our common Water contains Richmond Water distill'd in a Glass retort yielded a Water which was Acid enough to redden a little the colour of Syrup of Violets and to give a faint Red with Tincture of Logwood but took no Quality from Iron and it was very light in weight equal to Tunbridge and the light Chalybeats The Salt was gray and figur'd like the Bacilli of Nitre flat and long and many of the Sâ—iriae were pointed like Needles some Prisms some Camellae it melted not easily yet I thought sooner than Vitriols It chang'd not the colour of Salt of Tartar but curdled its Deliquium inflamed not with Sulphur The Earth was smaller than in most Waters was gray and Acid Spirits as of Salt Aqua fortis and Spirit of Nitre would not touch it It alter'd not in the Fire but made a small Decrepitation or Spitting I judged a little more than Allum The Salt of this Water did not disturb nor change the colour of Sublimate Water which Alkalys and Salt of Cellars does It was a little sweetish and not cold as Saltpetre is The Stone found in this Well resembled Loam The Loam cast up for Tiles in the Ground joyning to this Well had a Nitrous Efflorescence The Stone had a Tincture of Iron The Tile-earth in the Ground adjoyning I infus'd in warm Water sharpned with Oyl of Vitriol This Water gave a Green with Syrup of Violets and with Tincture of Logwood a sooty dusky colour a little reddish Dullwich Water HAS its name from the Town near it but the Wells are in Lewisham Parish in Kent The Wells are in the foot of a Hill about twelve in number The Hill and Ground adjoyning is a stiff Clay with some Wood upon it These are next in Antiquity to Epsam being discover'd about the Year 1640 The Hole dug is about nine feet deep as I judg'd and the Water about half a Yard deep being usually emptied every day The bottom is a Loam as is the Hill and where the Water issues in is found the Lapis Lutoso-Vitriolicus which glitters with Vitriolick sparkles and is divided into Parcels by the Trichitis This Water purgeth very quick and are not to be drank by a Body out of Temper or Heat by walking without inconvenience I was there Iuly 1696 after some wet days This Water is bitter like Epsam it curdled with Soap or Milk much more than Richmond and equal to Epsam Taken the same day with Richmond in the quantity of nine Ounces and near a quarter was 28 Grains heavier than common Water and 12 Grains than Richmond With Gall it turn'd â—st yellow and clear then thick and muddy white and a little yellowish in which it resembled common Salt and with that it agreed in making no alteration in a Solâ—tion of Sublimate and in making an 〈◊〉 with Spirit of Nitre and in not disturbing Spirit of Salt It agreed with Acids in not relieving the Red of Tincture of Turnsole sharpned in curdling Spirit of 〈◊〉 very much but Spirit of Sal Armoniâ—â—◠〈◊〉 little or rather in a more fine Cuâ—â—le In which Trial this resembles common Salt more than Richmond which curdles thâ— last most and in giving a Red with Tinctâ—re of Logwood The particular Nature is somewhat pointed at in that this Water after an Infusion some hours on points of Nails with Gall became dusky and thick of a foot colour which precipitated and left the Liquor yellow in this it differ'd from 〈◊〉 Salts The Stone prov'd it self to have much of the Nature of Rock-salt such as is brought from the West of England near Chester The Salt shot into Stiriae which being heat blister'd and lost much by a hot Fire so as to have only 12 Grains remaining of 40 but this was done in Earth the more fix'd parts remain'd angular and flat like Sea-salt The stone melted pierced the Clay readily and made it break like China The Calx of the Salt remain'd Gray Though I must not adventure to determine the particular Nature of the Salt of this Water which made the stone sparkle yet I may say it is Marcasitical and that it contains no fresh or new Metal or Mineral but that it varies in the Salt as the Gravels and Loams meeting and joyning produce the common Vitriol stone which here seems of kin to that of common Gravels and that it has some cold Nature proportionable to such an Original but fluxile withall being apt to set the Blood flowing The Salt I conclude by the Essays to resemble common Salt and to be of kin to Mineral Salt as is our Rock salt but yet to differ in its being more Penetrative and
fair water Barnet Water in Hartfordshire WAS very clear had much the taste of common Pump water but with an addition of bitterness though less than in the other in the quantity of ten Ounces this Water taken in Summer-time as were the others surmounted common water in weight near a Dram or within a Grain of a Dram. The Salt of this Water exactly answer'd a Salt Alkalisate particularly that of Chalk in all Tryals with Gall it became thick disturb'd and whitish not free of the yellow Tincture with Syrup of Violets a deep Verdigreese green with Syrup of Cloves a sooty dusky colour with Tincture of Logwood cold an Orange tawny with Lignum Nephriticum yellow and clear It rendred a Solution of Sal Saturni in common water milky It rendred a Solution of Mercury Sublimate milky It disturb'd and made thick a clear Solution of Hungarian Vitriol and did not precipitate fine Silver out of Spirit of Nitre The same in all these doth Salt of Chalk only Moreover this curdled the Deliquium of Salt of Tartar and also Spirit of Harts-horn but both fine Stretham VVater in Surry OF Odour sweetish of Taste it was nauseous and Saline not so bitter as Barnet taken at the same time and was lighter by ten Grains in seven Ounces and a half It answered the same Essâ—ys with Barnet water only with Syrup of Cloves a little more blew like common Salt or Saltpetres second Salt when near boyl'd up the Salt on the sides in the cold shot in long and flat Bacilli not ready to melt in heat and had the cold taste of Saltpetre but with a sweetness The bottom had three sorts some being flat broad and grained like common Salt and some soft like Epsam which had flakes in it four Scruples of Salt had about eighteen Grains of Earth the Earth and flakes were white and clearish they burnt white and Distill'd Vinegar wrought on it but did not take up any considerable quantity of it The Purging Chalybeat VVater of Scarbourgh in Yorkshire SCarbourgh Water is Chalybeat and Purges it has Qualifications of a Purging Water the Salt of it is figur'd approaching to a Nitre and which is really Nitrous and the Earth over the Spring shews the Nitrous Efflorescence that at other Purging Waters is an Index of the Earth whence the Salt is derived As Chalybeats it is a running Spring and proceeds from a Gravel and expos'd to the Air some days loses its power of making a black with Gall the Salt remaining being purely Nitrous It has the Virtue of both Waters and is sufficiently celebrated by the Frequenters of it And I hence conclude it to be either two Waters joyn'd or a Chalybeat Water washing a Nitrous Vault The Spring is upon the Sea-shore and flows from or near an Alum Mine It is observable that other Springs that flow over Alum Mines here in England yet differ not the least from common Water the black slaty stone not yielding the least Aluminous Taste before Ustion I shall clear it from partaking of Alum or Sea-salt by Tryals which will confirm my Account of the other Waters since it is clear of participating any thing with the Mine over which it runs and the Mine would probably discover any other Minerals joyn'd if such there were and the same Nitrous Earth here sound that is common to the others makes this more plain The proportion the nature of this Salt bears to the Nitre of common Water and true Nitres is discoverable by the quantity of time the Water retains its Ink-making quality Alkalies and so the true Nitre of the Ancients precipitate their dirty black presently The 〈◊〉 was examin'd at the Spring at my direction by the accurate hand of my worthy Friend and Ingenious Gentleman Mr. Edward Carter of Scarbourgh in whose own words I shall deliver their Tryals of them only adding to each a Corollary of the use I make of them Quest. 1. What Colour Nutgall gives it and whether Turbid or Clear Answ. A Grain of Gall strew'd upon the Surface of eight or ten Ounces of the Water doth without any farther mixing immediately strike a deep reddish purple colour which presently becometh turbid if you let the same stand all night the Water will in a manner recover its pristine clearness and a Powder of the colour of colcothar will precipitate to the bottom in a large quantity Or if a few drops of Spirit or Oyl of Vitriol be instill'd into the foresaid Tincture it will presently be clear as at first without the Precipitation of any Powder The reddish Purple is effected by Alkalisate parts united to the Acid distill'd Acids to the like but that the Salt of this Water is Nitrous is observable in its turbidness but chiefly in the Precipitation of the colour upon standing which Precipitation Spirit of Vitriol prevents though it destroys the colour Quest. 2. Has the Water any Scum or bituminous Film Answ. When it stagnateth in any place or stands a few hours in an open Glass there is an Azure colour'd bituminous Film or Scum upon it and if the same be expos'd to the Air for about a Week there is one riseth up much like that which swims upon Lime-water The first is common to Chalybeat waters which appears upon the separation of the Nitrous and Vitrioline parts by the Air but the latter a peculiar of the Salt which being not calcarious I judge to be of such a Quality as complies with the Corruption of the Water so far as to suffer its grosser parts to be thrown up which Lime-water does by the motion of its own active Salt so far it differs from those of the Nature of common Salt which preserve Liquors Weal water has the same Disposition Quest. 3. What Colour the Water kept three days in an open Glass will take with Nutgall turbid or clear Answ. Galls give it a colour then much as before yet something more remiss but if it stand longer as about a week they cause no such alteration changing it only into a milky colour like Barly water as Salt of common Earth does which is not Alkalisate Quest. 4. What Colour with Syrup of Violets Answ. A light Green which may be turn'd into a reddish Purple by adding some Spirit or Oyl of Vitriol To these Remarks I have added some which perhaps may not be unacceptable touching the quantity of Salt and stone Powder contained in those Waters its Taste Odour and Figure when Christallized According to my nearest Computation it hath about an Ounce in four Gallons and almost as much of the stone Powder which is of the colour of Sand made use of in Hour-glasses I never could discover any of the blew Clay which some pretend to have found The Salt hath a very remarkable Bitterness and when newly made a strong sulphurous Smell The Christals are very clear and transparent comprehended under eight plains two of which are Sexangular and the other six are Rectangular Parallelograms which are disposed
And by this insight I cured others of the same Disease by Emulsions of Alkalys first to remove the Acidity and then by a Sudorifick Decoctum amarum and closing the Course with Chalybeats At the very same time Apoplexies insulted in a strange degree and Colds affecting the Head These all held in 97 which ending in a long and gentle Frost upon this in 98. This Disease became Epidemick in that it seiz'd so frequent and was the issue of other Diseases and from the general invasion of Vertiginous cases Acute Diseases of this Year proved to me the Matter to be an Acid Nitre dispos'd to corrupt and exulcerate by which the Diseases seiz'd usually with a Catarrh and ended with some Abscess Putrid Feavers began with the Spring and Catarrhal yet reigning from the declining Summer great fluor of the Blood appear'd at the same time with Dysenteries Gripes and ill-natured putrid Pains in the sides To all which the Cures happily succeeded that were directed by this reason of them and confirm'd to me that the matter in the Air was advanced to that Nature as to be more dispos'd to Putridness and Corrosiveness which I therefore assert to be the Nature of the Air in the present case in many these Vertigo's and Pains in the Head blinded the sight almost my opinion that in this the Nature of the Niter consisted and that it flow'd together with grosser parts of the Air was favour'd by the Observation of the Retinue of his Excellency the Earl of Manchester in their return from Venice this Spring who upon their passing the Sene suffer'd from the Wind which blew in their face an unusual effect of common Cold which was a Tumor of the whole Face and universal Scabbiness agreeable to the before observ'd Qualities of it I shall only add one Particular more which is that I have observ'd that those places that have been most troubled with Apoplexies have been level and moist so as in one Village so situate these that dy'd went off mostly on a sudden Having thus asserted the containing Cause of this Disease and shewn the Procatarctick to proceed from a Congestion of Chyle in this as in other Glands and to consist in the spoiling of its due Temper and Crasis by inducing a Corrosive and Nitrous Quality The Disposition to this Distemper appears likewise to be contracted by Replentia and Otium and which ruins the Tone and Temper of the Glands the same way but soonest thick Fermented Liquors especially the stalest The dexterous Effect of these in all Diseases of the whole Glandular kind is sufficiently known How much by this Observation we may hope to have this Disease within our power though we cannot mend the Air may be understood by considering that the Air hath no power to change our Bodies but as it hath a Delinquent Chyle to work on as I note afterwards But as this plainly exhibits the best method to prevent so also that the Chalybeat Waters are the best Cure Their power in Diseases of the Glands to remove Obstruction and restore the due Crasis and Temper of them I have shewn and as the Steel is the only proper Body to do this which mechonically serves our Life at least in preserving this Tone and Crasis which Alkalys and Niters destroy So it seems to affect the Glands only since in a Chlorosis it is not easie to conceive the so sudden raising the Blood by so small quantity of even a Tincture of Steel otherwise but to keep to experience as it appears that in these Distempers of the Glands the Chalybeat Waters are the only Remedy and as the light sort deobstruct best so the more Acid sort are peculiar in this Disease more powerfully resisting and correcting the Nature of the Chyle and rendring it more fluxile and suppressing Haemorrhage and to strengthen and make firm the Brain which is observable in their Virtues recited But to remove a Disposition to this Disease the Time or State or cause of it may either make the use of these Waters exceptionable or require a particular regard either before or in Conjunction with them I shall consider the differences thence arising and the distinct regard they claim that these may be distinguish'd with some certainty and may be of use to direct us there is the highest reason to believe that since in all the Cures recited by Authors the Nature of the Disease is ever found answerable Now considering that an Apoplexy consists in the Admission of parts to the Brain that either are Aerial as is what the Blood conveighs or Elastick and Flatulent as is the Matter in the Aged and that the admission of both is owing to the Crasis and Temper of the Brain as of the other Glands destroy'd or degenerated which is perform'd in the Chyle by the Air or degeneracy of the Juyce by other means as may abundantly be prov'd to be the Case of Hemorrhages in general we are hereby help'd to understand the reason of the variety of the Remedies that have been observed to set aside Apoplectick Fits And although in a Case of such danger Applications are justly made of universal Intention yet they usually succeed as they attend the State and Nature of it as well as are commanded by the strength of the part and Intentions are thus best urg'd that respect the Matter as confirm'd when Old 2ly When capable of Revulsion by Bleeding when that confines it as in the Plethorick by Vomits in full Feeders 3ly By promoting the Secretion by Catharticks as in the Phlegmatick Blisters c. 4ly By thinning and lessening the Flatulency of the Matter and driving it forward either into the Secretory Vessels or at worst through the Brain on which strong Apoplectick Waters are observ'd to effect when the Fit is without a Procatarxis or changes into a Hemiplegia being small in quantity Again Bleeding may be the only Remedy which ought to be urg'd from the Nature of the Disease impelling joyning and indicating as a Disposition to Haemorrhages or stopping of one and thus I have more than once by Bleeding chiefly made an Apoplexy remove and change it self into a Gout in the Foot Lastly Some Cures have been perform'd by Medicines that regard only the Nature of the Matter by resisting the Flatulency and Coldness of it and perhaps by strengthning the Brain withal And that is to be further and more nicely considered for beside the general Intentions which the State of the Matter requires to be particularly insisted upon with reference to the Fit either to be remov'd or prevented There are also some Conditions of this Disease particularly to be respected in curing a Disposition to it which it receives from the Constitution of the Part Confirmedness of the Matter Quality of the Matter and lastly the Causes original or concurring of this Distemper For although these Waters are experienced a compleat if not sole Remedy in the two common Cases of Apoplectick Persons a Haemorrhagious Disposition and a
or of the Nature of Spirit of Vitriol which is Essential to the Precipitations Marks-Hall Water in Essex THIS Water joyning another in crusts as do the rest it is much the same with the preceding containing little Steel but a large share of an Acid not so Fugitive as where it is in less quantity or ill coupled with a Salt It gave a bright Red a very little purplish not so deep as the preceding The Colour it advanc'd with Gall it lost again two days after without Precipitation of any Ferrugineous parts in which it differs from other Chalybeats It rendred a Solution of Sal Saturni troubled but not very milky much as the rest and it tinctur'd a high Yellow with Lignum Nephriticum as do Nitres and a little clouded It weigh'd likewise as the other just the weight of common Water Ilmington Water in Warwickshire THIS Water of Ilmington being of the same heavy kind and which as I observe above require less Accuracy I shall give the Examination of it out of Dr. Derham's Account of it With Syrup of Violets it turned Green with Galls Purple like Martial Vitrioline Waters It exceeded common Water in weight near half a Dram in a Pint being weigh'd in a dry Season Indeed it is much the heaviest of this kind in England for it purges not as he informs us p. 53. but by Urine However That it cannot vie with the lighter Chalybeats in Virtue I shall explain in treating of their Virtues The Water in an open Bottle drop'd its Ocre and with that its power of Tinging with Galls in twelve hours time that is a great part of it which it did not begin to do in a Bottle well stop'd under a Fortnight p. 88. It yielded a Salt of an irregular shape upon the residue after distilling Acid Spirits wrought with great Effervescence and not Alkalysat p. 82. The Salt was pale and would not flagrate p. 60. nor coagulate Milk p. 77. The Earth like Red Ocar and is contain'd in great quantity a Quart yielding near a Spoonsul It appears hence that the Salt of this Water is of an Alkalisat Nature and that it differs from the Salt of Fat Mellow or Loamy Earths which Purge as we shall find in the latter part of this History Aylesham Water in the County of Norfolk THIS Water is in a Gravel it has prevail'd in Fame and Resort over Oulton Water in the same County which is a lighter and far more effectual Water partly from the more convenient Situation of the place and partly from the wrong Estimate that is made of Chalybeat Waters by those that jndge of their Goodness by the depth of their Tinging with Galls It is heavier a little than ordinary Gravel Water with Galls or Oken leaves takes a blew black and makes a direct Ink as do those Waters whose Salt has somewhat of the Nature of common Salt That the Metalline parts of these Waters are purely Chalybeat I inform'd my self not in all but in some as that at Leez and some other smaller ones by exposing to the Air the subsident Okar lightly calcin'd with Sea-salt which would discover Copper if any were in it and besides by the colour they give upon Tryals with Gall the blew black colour being proper to Vitriol of Iron The lesser Springs of this kind are very numerous in Gravelly Countries scarce a Village without one upon the preceding Instances of them I shall make Observation of their differences and the Classes they must be reduc'd into whereinto yet I did not adventure to digest them lest in the Sense of others the difference should appear only gradual These weighty Waters are either 1. the more pure and simple Acidulae which bear less of the Steel retain their Acidity longer and have not their colour with Gall dark or disturbâ—d as the other sort nor contain any Salt collectible of this sort seems Knaresborough and which is yet the higher of this kind Marks hall Water which gives a thin and bright Red with Gall scarce beyond a Rasberry and loseeh its quality of Tinging without Precipitation of Okar is of a pleasing acid Taste as it were winy and yet gives not the proof with Lignum Nephriticum that Vitriols do or Spirit of Salt but thickish reddish and cloudy as the Seminitrous Salt shot in Cellars Or 2ly Atramentous which give a full Black with Gall and with respect to the colour they give they are either blewish or reddish the reddish as that at Wittham kept a Week will be thickish and turbid with Gall but disturb not a Solution of fine Silver in Spirit of Nitre which the Leez Water which gives a blew black being more related to common Salt did in a great measure precipitate Another difference that is considerable in these Waters is the bulk or quantity of Salt they contain as the Illmington Water proves which is not only much heavier than other Waters but varies in its Effects and equally to the grossness of the Salt neither reaches the recesses of Nature so far nor passes so well To obviate some Objections I shall observe that the Reason why these Waters which are equally with the other sort capacitated to precipitate the earthly parts out of gravelly Water are not likewise equally qualified with Lightness by the same Vitrioline Spirit is because the Salt of these Waters is so far Vitrioline as to be apt to joyn a Chalybeat Acid and consist with it but yet to be separated by Heat and is in some small measure of Nature the same with that which is an Ingredient in Vitriols for the Liquor of Vitriols if boyl'd with too great a Fire will precipitate their Ferrugineous parts which the Boylers cure by adding more Iron to it And these Waters after they have drop'd the Okar and cease to tinge Galls with Iron will become Atramentous again the first Alteration being chiefly perform'd by the Mortification of the Esurine Salt by the Nitrous For besides the Argument drawn from the not abiding of the Steel in these Waters the Nitrous Nature of the Salt is conspicuous in its high colour it takes with Lignum Nephriticum which Vitriols give not nor do the light Chalybeat Waters that proceed from a Ground where the Soyl is Fat and Bituminous as I observ'd that at Felstead to be and which yields little or no Salt Of the Waters that are Light and purely Chalybeat I Have clear'd the Reason of the Lightness of these Waters and with that have asserted the Nature of the Spirit to be Vitrioline since all those Waters are found to be so where these Incrustations are found And as the weighty Waters take a full high yellow Tincture from Lignum Nephriticum so this light sort take no slain with the same Wood but retain their colour only disturb'd with a light white Cloud flying in it Lignum Nephriticum makes no alteration in a Solution of Vitriol nor in Water sharpened with Oyl of Vitriol These Waters do not well conserve
have remedy only adequated to the Cause be it a flatulent putrid Matter which usually gives the Distemper the Denomination of Worms from the effect of it or be it from Melancholy Hypoch and Vapours Hysterical But if seated in the Brain or supervening an Ague or in a cold Constitution I think here can scarce have a proper Remedy So the Jaundies I acknowledge have been often cur'd by these Waters and some of the Purging ones when it ow'd its Rise to an Obstruction of the Catamenia a Clog of Phlegm or uncocted Chyle or Melancholy but I must not allow these or any Waters to cure this Disease de Essentia I think this Caution necessary to the understanding the proper Use of these and all Waters which by the help of this may be distinctly known and is of the greater Importance since upon many accounts Empirical Use of these and all other Remedies is found to be of Fatal Consequence The Virtues of the Atramentous Waters THese Waters though they have the same Virtues with other Chalybeat Waters in some degree and create an Appetite and wash the Viscera yet penetrate not so far open not Obstructions so well but are apt to raise a Heat in the Blood disagreeing to the design'd Effect have not that Acidity nor calm Astringence These inrich the Blood and where that is necessary and Obstructions remote do not contraindicate may happily be us'd and in the Stone are Competitors with others Agricola concludes these Effects as in common with other Vitrioline Waters To cure Corroding Ulcers Ulcers of the Bladder and Kidneys in the Mouth Weakness of the Nerves a weak Stomach they help And they may be used Internally and Externally But in Gout Stone or in Obstruction of the Glands and smaller Vessels are not to be used without Danger or Inconvenience so not in Hypochondriacal Cases These are valuable in proportion as they are rich of Steel keep it long and have little bulk of Salt The Virtues of the Light Chalybeat Waters THE Extraordinary Virtue of this sort consists in that as the Chalybeat Principles are in these most clean so the Spirit most thin and the Water both light and thin And so we have their Virtues not only most full here but somewhat differing They invigorate the Blood without Heating penetrate farther without Inconvenience Volatilize Attenuate more and their Acidity goes off without leaving impression behind it preternatural Thus as the heavy Waters that contain less of the Steel and whose Acidity is of a more fix'd Nature have a peculiarity of Astringing without Heating so this sort are extraordinarily qualify'd for opening Obstructions but seem not to have the same power of Astringing in an equal degree And on this account they do not mortifie a Scorbutick Leprous Humour or Itch so well nor are so powerful to stop Fluxes of Blood I think fit to observe these different Effects which being remark'd I refer the Reader for the reputed Virtues of these Chalybeats to the Virtues of the Knaresborow Water I shall therefore pass on to examine what Obstructions they remove which I shall do by exhibiting only Histories of my own Observation and from thence further to enlighten the use of them Among the Cures of this kind none is more familiar than that of the Stone by removing the Disposition to the Generation of it and restoring a good habit as well to the whole Body as to the parts immediately concern'd And although this Cure is perform'd by a timely Precipitation of the earthy parts out of the Latex and Juyces of the parts and restoring their natures and so is owing to the Qualities that these Chalybeat Waters seem to enjoy in common yet the fineness and penetration of this sort of them must be allow'd an extraordinary Qualification But the Obstructions that I principally intend here are such as yield to no other Remedy so constantly at least and whose fatal Consequence gives these Waters an inestimable value Of this sort I reckon first an Obstruction of the Glands of the Mesentery wherein beside the sign of Chylous Excrements and rejection of Food an hour or two after eating the Patient complains not of want of Appetite discernable Feaver or pain or other disorder till Feaver Cough and want of Rest which last often precedes proceed with the Emaciation upon the continuance of this Disease Of this I have found Tunbridge Water an effectual Remedy and most canstant never failing those that I have known to have try'd it who have been not a few And the small Spring at Felstead I find avail with equal success An Obstruction of the Thymus which discovers it self by pain at the Breast chiefly upon the Foods arrival at the place of its seat which upon the increase of the Tumour of this Gland resists the passing of the Food into the Stomach and makes the Patient reject it at least as soon as the Oesophagus is a little fill'd is a Disease of equal consequence with the other and which I have known these Waters speedily cure Another Disease from Glandular Obstructions cured by these Waters is the Dropsie a Cure of which is taken notice of by Mr. Boyle but the Design of these Observations being to form an Experience that may be distinct clear and not fallacious I must add That the Effects of the Waters in this Distemper fall not under so single a consideration as in the other but that there are so many requisites in the Cases where these are proper as make a good Judgment necessary in the use of them and â—orbid the drinking of them without good Advice For although I have reason to believe them to be constantly effectual timely taken by those whose Constitution was broken by trouble and perhaps to be the only Remedy and likewise in a Phlegmatick Constitution yet not only the seasonable and timely taking of them is to be consulted but a Crasis of Blood that needs not invigorating does sometimes receive damage by them And this I speak not by rote but have known some Quin Faeminae quinquagenariae florid and lively that the drinking of these Waters have affected with a beginning Dropsie the nature of these Waters being to invigorate the Blood and produce the Catamenia was so differing in effect And in a Dropsie that proceeds upon an Asthma in a person of a florid sanguine Complexion either a Chalybeat Water of greater astringency as the Knaresborow and that has least Steel or else a Chalybeat that Purges as Scarborow Water is much more proper I proceed to remark next the like extraordinary effect of these light Waters in Distempers of the Stomach the pain by which they discover themselves is most exquisite A painful Tumour of many Months at the pit of the Stomach and reputed Scirrhous I knew reliev'd and quite remov'd by Tunbridge Waters I might instance in other Flatulent Distentions of the Stomach and question not but they might be used with success in Ulcers of the Stomach though in them I
are run off as Gentian Wine or the like or Chalybeat Wine in the Afternoon which I have â—ound to be very Helpful where the Moisture of the Season or Weakness of the Constitution made it necessary but not to be continued longer than it was so The difference of the Water makes some difference in the rule of Drinking the Heavy ones not allowing so long a Continuation of Drinking and often admitting if not requiring Purging during the Course which six Weeks may well determine whereas the light sort may safely and ought to be continued longer to prevent return of the Disease and establish the Constitution Else the Chalybeat Waters require the same common Rule which is to be observ'd before in the time of and after the drinking Before the drinking that the foulness of the first ways may not be carried farther and at least clog the Remedy and that Nature may be more light and easie that must be removed before the drinking of the Waters is entred upon And although it cannot be supposed that the proper Purges for particular cases can here be consulted yet that Emeticks in Cephalick Diseases are best and fittest to answer all the ends necessary is an Intimation I cannot allow my self to pass Catharticks ought to be doubled at about two days distance the first to regard the cleansing the first ways may be by a Bole of Lenitive Electuary and as much Resina Jallopii as may quicken it to desire or Pills or Draughts of Infusion of Sena and Rhubarb in both which forms I admire the additions of Salts either of Wormwood or Tartar that may make them more detersive and occur any unnatural or exorbitant Acid. The latter Purgation ought to regard the Disease as Lenitive Electuary with P. Diasenae and Dialtheae or Manna for Gravel In Colicks and where the Wind afflicts the Bowels Hiera Picra In Cephalick Distempers or where there is a Disposition to be Aguish gentle Emeticks Where Wind afflicts the more remote Passages or in the Blood afflicting the Muscular parts Infusions of Purging Ingredients as Sena and Rhubarb with a handful of Chamomel Flowers or the Weakness of the Stomach may require the Decotum amarum made Purging or Pills of Rudii and Ruffii mix'd and two or three drops of Oyl of Cinnamon The Dropsical Succus Ebuli in the quantity of Cochl 2 vel 3 is most proper for in my Judgment In the Melancholick Constitutions an Infusion of Sena and Salt of Tartar among others is one of the first rate The Scurvy bitter Decoctions The three last Diseases these Waters as other Chalybeats serve by strengthning invigorating and carrying off the offending Matter and therefore those need a due preparatory Course as is sufficient to bring the Blood and Vessels into such a state as may be fit for these Waters But yet beginning Dropsies and other Obstructions from Trouble of Mind admit these Waters as the only Remedy and require no course but this general Preparation Excepting Dropsies and Distempers that are attended with old Obstructions and Apoplectick Dispositions in Phlegmatick Brains I say setting aside these the Purging Waters are the best Preparative washing more universally and leaving the Body in the Temper that is most fit and sometimes prevents the necessity of these Chalybeat Waters the Proprieties of which will appear in a Table at the end of their History But because Pains of the Stomach often happen to be so violent as not to allow the use of these Waters before they are abated and sometimes require a particular Evacuation it seems incumbent on me to give some information how that Symptom may be reliev'd They are usually one of these three sorts First a Convulsive Nipping Pain at the pit of the Stomach that holds for some Weeks and soon upon eating is exacerbated This usually readily gives way either to an Infusion of Baccae Juniperi in Whitewine or Ol. Terebinth taken inwardly the last 16 drops at a time in Beer Another is a Pain all over the Stomach though sometimes gathering more to one part of it and is more violent and racking and goes off with a Looseness being from a Congestion of Watry Matter This yields to the common Domestick Glysters often repeated and is check'd by Ens Veneris and sometimes by Chalybeat Wine The Pain that attends a Chlorosis by Ol. Caryophyllorum taken in Sugar if from a depauperate Blood by Vinum Chalybeatum Phlebotomy here comes under consideration which although some Asthma's and other cases may render it necessary yet where not necessary is to be avoided as an ill Preparaâ—ivee for drinking of Water and must be referr'd together with other Preparations in particâ—â—â— Distempers to the Judgment of the Physician that knows the Distemper and consults the Constitution Of drinking I purpose not to prescribe either time or quantity which vary with the Disease and Constitution of the Drinker but only shall note that as rising gradually to a full quantity is required not only by the body that it may the better bear it but by the distemper'd part too So the Vessels that they may be cleansed and strengthned in their own Tone and Tension require a gradual decrease But though the continuation of this Remedy must be prescrib'd by the Nature of the Disease yet that a Caution is necessary that the drinking them be not left off too soon appears in that in my own Observation many having suffer'd a Relapse for want of continuing the Remedy some time after the Cure And this is so general that I may peremptorily assert that less than three Months is not generally sufficient to the drinking of them though they take effect in half the time It is not convenient to drink these Waters too early nor without some preceding walking to empty the Body neither is it safe to lye down upon them especially in Cephalick Distempers nor to allow any business to take place in the Thoughts on which score the distance of the Wells and the Resort recommends the drinking these Waters at their Springs But the most material Rule which the very design of them require is That during the Course the Drinker use Exercise avoid all Flatulent Diet and that of Gross and much Nourishment and drink as little fermented Liquor as he may And here especially drinking much Wine is to be condemned on a double account for beside that the inconvenient Temper that the Wine gives renders them unfit for drinking the Waters the Morning following it opposes the Remedy and renders it ineffectual by supporting the Morbid State and for this Reason as generous Liquors are not to be omitted at the beginning of the drinking so they ought wholly to be set aside when the Course is well enter'd without which Hypochondriacism which is the most general Case will not admit of any entire Conquest Neither is the Course of Living to be ended with the Course of drinking the Waters but that the use of them may be effectual a spare Diet and the
discover'd only Iron and the Juyce or Salt mix'd with it and as at Epsam so here the Earth clear'd of these was loose and open and was but common Earth as appear'd by weighing it Hydrostatically The Particulars see in the Account of the Wells Hence I was apt to think from the Nature of the Juyce approaching to that of Spirit of Vitriol and upon the slackness of the Earth of these Wells that the Disposition towards an Alkaly of the admix'd Earth had detected and separated these Juyces which seem lock'd up in the Loam of the other But the Pureness of the Vitrioline Juyce in these make me suspend that opinion and as I intimated before hence Epsam Water remains clear with a mixture of Galls whereas the other gives a dark Purple I shall for clearness sake inquire now into the Origine of the Selenites and determine the Species of them these Waters belong to which are a Species of the Purging Kind For the Salt of these Waters differ from that of the other as well as the Ingredients in that the Salt here is unfigur'd soft and melts in the warmth of a hand In their Operation they are accordingly more penetrating and gall the parts of their Excretion or near it which that it is owing to the softness of the Salt and Calcarious Nature of it appears in that Woodham-Ferrys does it not so as Epsam and Acton The different Virtues shall be taken notice of in their place as the differences of the Salt shall be in the Examen of the Waters Now I observe all Waters that afford the Selenites at least of this Kind and Figure to be Purging and because the Wells that afford them are capable to be proved beyond dispute as at Kettering and in Oxfordshire it will much conduce to the clear proof of the Ingredients and Principles of these Waters to give a good account of these which are a member of them At the places now named the Selenites are found in a blew Loam over a Stone Quarry as I am inform'd by those that have brought me the Account from Kettering and of Oxfordshire by Dr. Plot The Circumstances of which considering the Salt is not volatile do evince That the Ingredients of these Waters do not lye lower since these Stones are so usually found to have the same Foundation and constantly the same Matrix for these Selenites never being found the Index of any Metal or Mineral nor hard enough to be a Spar but being observ'd to agree universally in constant Materials which are the same with the other sort of my Waters that is a Loam And the Mixture of a Lime-stone accounting for the Production of the Selenites I conclude my account genuine and clear of them all The Selenites of these Wells is form'd near the bottom in the Loam at the Water as they ever are and the Spring small some are found of all sizes from the largest to so small as scarce allow their Figure to be observ'd and the Loam I found figur'd like the Stones and lying in clusters in like manner The Figures of them I found much differing Those at Acton Rhomboid At Epsam many Rhomboid many imperfect ones or like Frustula of them but most of them Columns of six sides only each side was a Parallelogram inequilateral with a Pointing which is comprehended under as many Triangles and their Commissure or Origine unequal some of them were more Conical but mostly their Position was as that of those found by Dr. Plot at Cornwell and Hanwell many being fix'd like Radii to one center Thus I found them at Simpson's Well at Epsam with this Note That where-ever they stood thus the Earth adjoyning to it had much Iron in it Fusil and pleasantly Acid mostly At Woodham-Ferrys some â—ew were Rhomboid but most of them at one of the Lozenge Figure and resembling the Rhomboid at the other round and flat and sharp the two larger opposite Surface declining till they meet at an edge which was Semicircular The Selenites found at Colchester were thin and flat and bent a little consisted of Schizâ— or Flakes and are of no distinguishable shape I observe that where I could get a view of any quantity of the Earth cast out of any of these Wells there were some of them always Rhomboid as the more genuine Figure but others to differ with the Salt as I judged and sometimes to be ruled by the quantity of Iron and receive the Figure that Metal usually christallizes into What the Selenites owes its origine to I refer my self to the Sense and Observations of Naturalists who were not unacquainted with this Qualification of the Water in which they are generated That most accurate Learned and curious Naturalist Dr. Plot in his Natural History of Oxfordshire Cap. 5. Par. 9. Speaking of the Selenites Georgius Agricola differs from them all and makes it a product of Lime-stone and Water Gignitur says he Ex saxo calcis cum paucâ aquâ permisto And thus I find it to grow here with us at Heddington in a blew Clay that lyes over the Quarry whose outermost Crust is a hard Lime-stone For clearness sake this Stone may be distinguish'd into these four sorts 1. Those Selenites that are really Fissil into tough flexil Plates which is more properly the Glacies Mariâ— or Lapis Specularis Muscovy Glass 2. Those that consist of brittle Plates or Flakes which are not easily separable at least entire an unform'd sort of these are found in flat Plates not very thick near Colchester at the North end at a Publick-house half a Mile from the Town and in some Wells in the Town The formed ones usually consist of six sides the breadth being more than the thickness make the two level Surfaces broader than the rest In this they generally agree but the Rhomboid have their ends form'd in like manner to make that Figure so as to have ends and sides alike whereas those that are longer and narrower vary in the Figures that the Depressions at the ends make Some are imperfect Rhomboid in one half and of an irregular Figure the other half as at Epsam c. or thinning to an edge as at Woodham-Ferrys All these agree in an uniform glassy Surface 3. Rhomboid and in the Flakes of which it is compos'd resembling the other but the Superficies is divisible into strings the marks or lines of which appear in the Surface Perhaps these may be formed only where they are produced at a Stone-Quarry for of this kind is that at Heddington in Oxfordshire and that of Kettering in Northamptonshire and so may be distinguish'd in its name as a Species of Talc Selenites Talceus A 4th sort have a Cubico-Rhomboideal form these are constantly Hexaedra of equal obliqueangular sides or oblique-angled Parallelepipeds are Fessil into thick Plates or indeed consist of Cubick pieces of the same Figure such as at Slindon in Staffordshire mention'd by the same great Author Natur. Hist. of Staff
of Nitre does upon long Infusion but thickish as embody'd Salts I saw some Salt boyl'd up in Copper without any Verdigrease Tincture so mild is the Acid. Acton Water in Middlesex THE Earth of this Well afforded Rhomboid Tale as a Gentleman that liv'd at the place and inform'd me express'd it Much Nitrous Efflorescence appears in the Clay about the Well The Spring opens Northerly is reputed one of the strongest Purgers about London It is noted to occasion a great Soreness of the Intestine and Fundament which is reasonably refer'd to the quantity of Salt they wash from the Body but the Penetration of the Salt of the Water may make it more pungent and keen The Water was whitish not so clear as Epsam not saltish but rather to me seem'd sweet with a little of the Bitterness of Epsam It curdled with Soap as do all The Salt of this Water is soft and not christalliz'd wherein it agrees with Epsam Salt though I thought scarce so soft The distinct Nature of this Water or Salt of this Water consists in that this Salt is more Calcarious or of the Nature of Salt of Lime for the Water boyl'd high disturb'd a Solution of Sublimate in fair Water whence it precipitated a yellowish Sediment a little more yellow than the Water which it left white And this Salt is likewise more Nitrous or hath more of the Nature of the Salt of the upper Soyle as appears in that it takes a pale Yellow from Gall but dusky and disturb'd as common Salt doth effect not so dirty nor so apt to precipitate as Sal Calcarium With Syrup of Violets it took a Green with Tincture of Logwood made with Brandy a deep Red and purplish as Nitrous Salts do with cold Tincture of Logwood which hot would give a full Purple The Salt did not precipitate fine Silver out of Spirit of Nitre which common Salt would A Pint and half of the Water yielded forty eight Grains of Salt in which was six Grains and a half of reddish Earth on which Acid Spirits wrought The Earth precipitated in Boyling Colchester Water from the North end in ESSEX THE Water boyl'd Meat without discolouring the Flesh which it rather whiten'd The Water was much the same with Acton giving with Tincture of Logwood a purplish Red a little Tawny and with Gall a clear Yellow and pale but in half an hour grew turbid with a whitish Cloud But with Lignum Nephriticum it became a little darkish but clear a little toward what Spirit of Vitriol does Woodham Ferrys in Essex being a Chalybeat is reserv'd to that Class The Water at 〈◊〉 THis Water claiâ—s the principâ—l Place being made Illustrious 〈…〉 in which His Majesty hath 〈…〉 his Mansion Palace The 〈…〉 at this Well hath much the 〈…〉 cluster'd Columns form'd at 〈…〉 this difference that this at Kensington is depress'd and flat on one side as they are prominent on the other and at the base or flat side are more truly separable than the Sâ—â—â—nites of these Waters usually are and so nearer resemble the â—uscovy Glass The Pyrites which I received from this Well was very hard of a greenish Gray or Hazel colour and 〈◊〉 it differ'd from all in wanting the crust of Gypsum or Trichitis so upon infusion of Aquaâ—ortis it did not coagulate into a Jelly but yet after the working of the Aqua fortis which was very violent the Powder settled not but remain'd of a yellow or Iron rust colour Flâ—ing or turbid though it stood some days The Mineral Matter therefore being reâ—â—iv'd or taken up by the 〈…〉 with fair Water and 〈…〉 and not much 〈…〉 â—â—rrosive Acidity This Liqâ—or which remain'd 〈…〉 the Settlement of the Powder or Dust upon further Diluting sent down no Mineral parts but upon mixing a little powder'd Gall turn'd immediately of a blew Black as is the Property of Iron to produce Distill'd Vinegar on this Stone made no Effervescence yet extracted the Chalybeat parts as appear'd in the Taste The weight of this Stone was one Ounce and one Grain in the Air and just six Drams in the Water which was the weight of the piece which I had The Water was clearer than these usually are and less bitter than Epsam but of a more manifestly Saline Taste In the Quantity of nine Ounces and five Drams and 48 Grains it outweigh'd common Water 37 Grains It s Alkalisate Nature appear'd in giving a Red inâ—lin'd to a Purple with Tincture of Logwâ—â—â— in that Spirit of Nitre did not disturb it in that it troubled and rendred Milky a Solution of Sublimate in fair Water and sent down a white Precipitate as Salt of Chalk doth and in giving the same Green with Syrup of Violets It became dark and sooty with Syrup of Cloves as Alkalys yet not so much Alkalisate as to turn greenish nor indeed to lose all the Red. It had an Acidity in that it curdled Spirit of Harts-horn and the same it produced with the Lixivium of Salt of Plants With Gall it became thick and white as the Salts of Earths that are not perfectly Nitrous but of a mix'd Nature or where the Acid and Salt disturb each other or oppose Earths as they approach to Nitres or are more Alkalisate darken this white With Lignum Nephriticum it took a deep Yellow or Orange and clear as Alkalys produce With Iron and Gall it took a reddish Black and rusty as Alkalys and not apt to hold it without Precipitation I found in two Quarts about 40 Grains of Earth light leafy and gray which Distill'd Vinegar wrought on The Salt was soft and unfigur'd mostly but had some Stiriae form'd in it flat and not pointed at least most of them This Salt melted not easily as Epsam Salt but bore a good Heat and had a much greater quantity of Earth in it the hardness of which was felt on the Tongue in tasting the Salt Much Earth precipitated in boyling as others but it bore not readily a Scum till near boyl'd up at least as in making other Salt till the falling of the Salt I judged this Salt of the Nature of an Alkaly and of kin to Epsam but yet to differ being not so resembling the Spirit of Nitre in the Tryal with Gall and accordingly that Water increas'd Ink-making without turning it Red so that this seems more related to the gross or embody'd Salt which accordingly makes it disturb a Solution of Gall. This Water differs from the rest in that it troubles but very little a Solution of Sal Saturni in common Water in which it resembles more Saltpetres which doth not disturb it at all The Salt of the Water did trouble a Solution of fine Silver in Spirit of Nitre which in a long time precipitated the Precipitation was neither so quick nor so full nor in so large Curdles as common Sea-salt or Rock-salt doth it Puring Waters in an even Loamy Clay more Simple and not variegated Richmond Water in SURRY THis
Virtue of the Vipers is in so much measure lost proportionably to the demand of the thickness of the Liquor If this be conceded I think it must be allow'd that as the Nature of this Salt is disposed to mortifie Alkalys and to penetrate without Corruption so its being void of that severe Coagulum may qualifie it to separate and discharge And that I beg not much in this Notion will appear in the opposite Salt of Brentwood-Weale which I have experienced to encourage and increase this Disease The Water of the farther Well at Lambeth THIS Water in Taste came nearer common Pump Water agreed with the other Water in every Tryal as well by weight as otherwise only Syrup of Cloves did not wholly lose its Red neither did a drop of Spirit of Nitre restore it as it did in the other Whence it appears to be of a less Vitrioline Nature or not so affine to Sea-salt and so may be more fit for general drinking though not so satisfactory to the particular Intention The Purging Water of Alford in Somersetshire THIS Water is of kin to the other The Acidity not Volatile or alterable Gall and Lignum Nephâ—â—ticum gave it a very pale yellow but the Lignum Nephriticum somewhat deeper than the Gall or Saltpetre does With Tincture of Logwood an Amber colour like Glaubers Salt and Salt of Cellars and not far from that of Saltpetre With Gall and Iron it gave a right Purple colour as Mineral Acids and which Saltpetre does It differ'd from Saltpetre and seem'd between that and common Salt The Water of Brentwood-Weal in Essex AS Lambeth Water and Woodhamâ—Ferrys I have experienced specifically proper and effectual in Leprous Diseases so this is considerable in its opposite Nature which I have likewise experienced This Water is of Taste Lixiviate with a little Bitterness and not free of the maukish taste of the rest but not so nauseous as Epsam With Syrup of Violets it gave a full green as Alkalys with which it agreed in giving a dusky Gold colour near that or Malaga Sack with Lignum Nephriticum in turâ—ing thick and dark with Iron and Gall not black or blewish as Vitriols common Salt and Salt-petre and which precipitated as the blaâ—ks made with Alkalies And lastly in not precipitating fine Silver out of Spirit of Nitre more than fair Water will It distinguish'd it self from Vitriol and Alum in growing thick and whitish with Gall as Nitres of a mix'd nature do or Vitriols and common Water the same standing became a pale yellow which precipitated as it would in a Solution of Saltpetres second Salt or near the effect of common Salt It gave a Red with Tincture of Logwood as Cellar-salt but more red which Vitriol blackens and Alum purples With Syrup of Cloves it gave a dull pale with a blewish cast as Alkalies do but more like to Saltpetres second Salt With a Solution of Sublimate no alteration nor any change or Precipitation or disturbance in a Solution of Hungarian Vitriol in both which it agreed with a Vitriolick Salt as almost if not altogether all these do With a Deliquium of Salt of Tartar it coagulated extreamly hard like stone as the second Salt of Salt-Marine A Solution of Salt Saturni this Salt rendred white and thick like Milk in which it differ'd from Saltpetre which doth not disturb it and from Saltpetres second Salt which disturbs it but a little This Water in boyling threw up much of the Salt in the Scum as Sal Gem. doth and had some gross earthy white Flakes precipitated The Salt was white and shot in very small Stiriae or flat Bacilli most of them pointed some not these did not readily melt The Earth too was white and in great quantity being near a fourth part Some part of the Salt was stain'd yellow having some of the Soyl in it Some part of the Salt which was the last was not shot so discernably but was in hard lumps and seem'd to consist of a second Salt that is of a somewhat differing Nature This did differ from the other in making a greater Precipitation of fine Silver out of Spirit of Nitre and a greater Coagulation of the Liquor of Salt of Tartar The Salt wherewith this Water is impregnate appears to be a full Alkali and the deep red with Tincture of Logwood made with Spirit of Wine does not contradict it Alkalies giving not much deeper with that Tincture joyn'd with a hard coagulating Acid not of the Nature of common Salt but rather of Saltpetres second Salt And according to this Nature of it this Water will not keep sweet four days whereas the others will near three times that time That this should be injurious in Leprous cases is very 〈◊〉 telligible from its Alkalifateness to raise the Blood and ulcerate and its coagulative Acidity And it is observable that the Lambeth Water is exactly of the contrary Nature containing a Salt affine to Sea-salt but without the Severity of the Acid or coagulative Quality This Water of Brentwood I have experienced beneficial in Hypochondriacal cases particularly at the beginning But the difference of the Constitution of the Patient is necessaâ—â— to be consulted in order to the due Prescription of these as well as other Waters since either the different Nature of the Salt of the Blood or a peculiar Mechanism of the Body may make it lyable to receive great Alterations according to the Nature of the Salt This is clear in the present instance for whereas the Melancholy and dull Crasis of this Patients Blood made this a suitable Remedy yet I observed in another Gentlewoman of the same Years but of a Florid Sanguine Complexion this Water to be of so differing an Effect as to cause Violent Flushings of the Body and Face and an Obstruction of the Catamenia all which the Nature of the Salt accounts for Upminster Water in Essex WAS very clear of taste bitter with a sweetish nauseous taste In the quantity of nine Ounces six Drams and six Grains out-weigh'd common Water 55 Grains The Water curdled Oleum Tartari per deliquium but not very large nor very quickly curdled Spirit of Harts-horn strongly its Alkalisate nature appear'd in thickning a Depurated Solution of English Vitriol and much sooner a Solution of Hungarian and making a large Precipitation In taking a high yellow Tincture with Lignum Nephriticum near an Orange with Gall a Turbid dark and greenish which precipitated leaving the Liquor yellow in making an Effervescence with Oyl of Vitriol in giving a Claret-red with a Tincture of Logwood in fair water mix'd without heat in taking a dark sooty thick colour with Syrup of Cloves In the Verdigreese green with Syrup of Violets and in troubling a Solution of Silver in Spirit of Nitre not so effectually as common Salt It differ'd from Saltpetre in rendring a Solution of Sal Saturni milky It differs from Alkalies in that it makes no alteration in a Solution of Sublimate made in
is a natural Effect of a Plethora yet it must be allowed to be but answerable to the Quality of the Salt Epsam Salt hath a Qualification of softness to penetrate farther than others without Obstruction of the nature of Spirit of Nitre and so can both incide and mellow what it meets with The searching Quality of this Salt I have known universally complain'd of as raking and so heating by lean Persons both Men and Women but upon the same reason it is the most extraordinary Purge for grosser Bodies To know rightly the Intentions these Salts satisfie requires a good Understanding of the Nature of the Disease which here cannot be insisted upon only I shall give you one Instance in the Use of Epsam Water in Melancholy whether natural Melancholy be not produced by the Formation of the Vessels and Complication rather than by the nature of the Juyces I dispute not nor how the Brain is concerned The Disease effectively demonstrates it self to consist in the due Separation or discharge of the Excrements of the Body hindered and through want of that Salt that should be separated with them to promote their Expulsion whence their Spittle is fresh and stinking their Body bound and which is perhaps the Original of all this the Blood allows not of a due Separation of Choler and other parts that Nature alots to be amended In all these Intentions Epsam Water or Salt recommends it self by its calcarious Salt to advance the Heat and florid State of the Blood and mix with it by its Acidity to penetrate and incide yet not of power to precipitate and harden but above all by its Softness and Liquibility in Heat or Moisture it is disposed not only to cleanse but to render the Blood fluid and mellow and leave the Vessels lax And that I am right here and not wide from Experience it may be proper to inform the Reader that I have known this Disease cured by this Water only in those Persons who have taken the other Waters as well as other Medicines ineffectually And as Nitrous or Alkalisate Salts raise the Fermentation of the Blood which is the same Effect which they have on Liquors so Acids correct and suppress it The Effect of one is ever discernable by flushing Heats and the happy Effects they have in Malignant Feavers and the power of the last in correcting the Heat of the Blood and putting the Salt in condition for a Discharge is evident in the use of Acids in those Feavers that are attended with Exanthemata And this I mention because in the Choice of a Purging Water for Prevention of Sickness as they are often drank the Nature of the Feaver on foot ought to be consider'd I wave that and proceed to the Classes of the Waters and their several Virtues The Waters agree in general to create or restore an Appetite suppress Wind and relieve Hypoâ—hondriacism But the Virtues that result from their Specifick Nature both from my Judgment and Experience in many of them stand thus 1. A Water containing a Salt somewhat of the Nature of Salt of Chalk but more resembling the Spirit than body of Nitre and not corrosive Of this kind is Epsam whose Salt is unfigur'd or ungrain'd and melts in the warmth of a hand The Cases a Salt of this Nature is adequate to are Melancholy Cholicks and Cholical Pains in the Stomach Obstructions of the Glands and accordingly Heart-burning Pains in the Sides and any parts of the Body if not too confirm'd Scurvy Vertigo it cleanses gross Bodies and safely lessens Fatness relieves Redness of the Face relaxes a costive Disposition and cleanses the Kidneys and perhaps in Ulcers of the Kidneys or other parts may fitly precede Chalybeats 2. A Water more calcarious and whose Salt is more of the Nature of the Nitre of the Earth than of the Spirit such are Acton Barnet and Stretham Waters these I judge proper in the Stone Gout Diseases of the Lungs without Inflammation and for Heart-burning and where-ever the Intention of Sweetning the Blood is required or raising the warmth and heat of it this may be a suitable Purge and are good in Melancholy wherein Acton claims the next place to Epsam They restore a good Colour to the Face and remove or cure the falling away of the Flesh and promote Fatning 3. A Water whose Salt is Alkalisate and resembles Salt of Tartar and the Sulphurous Salts of Vegetables though not perfectly and as is Vpminster may be supposed to have the power of sweetning Acidities in remoter parts of the Body strengthens the Stomach checks Vomiting and where Alkalies suit is a good Diuretick and is a proper Purge where the Body has a Disposition to Agues or Dropsies only here the Salt is preferable to the Water as it may be taken in a more proper Vehicle 4. A Salt Alkalisate with a very hard coagulating Acidity namely Brentwood-weal hath the advantage of an Alkaly to sweeten the Blood but with Astriction it increases flushing Heats Scurfyness and Leprous Humours but is beneficial in any Fluxes through Coldness and Weakness and to the Hypochondriacal whose natural Temper is such checks the Catamenia and may be good to prevent Abortion back'd with Chalybeats 5. A Salt Alkalisate approaching a Saltpetre is that of the Water of Kensington the Virtues of an Alkaly appear before as relating to Saltpetre it may be more Diuretick it tempers Choler allays Thirst suppresseth inflammatory and putrid Heat and easeth Pain The Earth contained in this Water is so much in quantity and the leafy hard parts so many that I should think the Salt of this Water to be preferable to the Water it self Or else the Water ought to be boyl'd till half be evaporated and then depurated by suffering the grosser parts to subside All the Waters following partake of the Nature of a Vitrioline or common Salt or Sea-salt and so resist Putrifaction make a strong Concoction are proper in Worms may cure a Jaundies when it comes upon a Colick mortifie Scabs and remove Scurfyness and kill several Humours as Tetters and the like Eruptions their particular Natures are as follow 6. Waters which bear a Salt related to common Salt but clear of the Muriatick part are Alford in Somersetshire and Colchester To restore an Appetite for Worms and mortifying Eruptions and Hypochondriack Flatus 7. A Salt more fully of the Nature of common or Sea salt in its power of mortifying preternatural Salts in the Body without the severity of coagulating is found in Lambeth Waters whereof the nearest Well is the most perfect The Virtues see in the Examination of that Water Only observe that these are used outwardly as well as inwardly 8. A Salt of the Nature of that part of common Salt which Christallizes in the cold is found in North-Hall Water and may be beneficial in the Scurvy beyond any others as likewise in Rhumatisms and in what cases soever that are attended with Putrefaction 9. A Salt of the
curdled It did not precipitate Sublimate dissolved in common Water considerably which upon standing some time became only a very little whitish The Salt contained in this Water appeared fully to be Saltpetre in that it did not the least disturb a Solution of Sal Saturni in fair Water but shewed a little of the Nature of common Sa it more than Saltpetre hath in giving a pale yellow with Lignum Nephriticum with a dark cloud which settled and in taking a dull Ale colour not fine with Tincture of Logwood the red it took languish'd more and more And in precipitating a Solution of fine Silver out of Spirit of Nitre in a hardish Curd more than Saltpetre doth Those that know the Nature of both Salt-petre and Sulphur which are the Principles that impregnate this Water must allow them to be produced by the heat of the Earth and not to be the cause of it If we enquire into the Cause and Original of this Heat the Nature of the Salt evidenceth it not to be produced by any calcarious Quarry nor the Effervescence of contrary Salts and Acids Subterranean Fire is groundless and hath invincible Absurdities it may reasonably be supposed to be maintained by the Heat of the Earth for as a considerable Heat is required to the Concoction and Preparation of Metals and is sensibly proved in the Mine-chambers so that Crust of dead loamy Earth that assists to maintain it separates it from us and though we find no such extraordinary Heat yet the Heat of the Mines do not only prove a Heat but imply a much greater to be where the Metal is prepared than where it is separated The Eruption of it at places I pretend not to account for but that it is different often in places not many Rods distant is beyond doubt The Virtues of these Minerals well account for the Cures wrought by the Bath the most which I have observed or known having been in Tumours or Palsies from tough Phlegm not to take notice of their external Use in Scabby Diseases And those that have been within my knowledge have been all performed by Pumping the diseasy part and not by Bathing Now the Qualities that Authors take notice of in Sulphur to heat and dry incide open and provoke Sweat and resist Putrefaction consider'd with the power of the other to ease Pain penetrate discuss and temper Inflammation sufficeth to the performing all this But to bring it nearer to sense I shall take notice what any Person may prove that a Bath made of Salt-petre Sea-salt and Brimstone is the most happy Dissolvent of Oedematous Tumours even in the Legs that hitherto I have observed It is much to be suspected that this Water must lose much of its power if not the best part by carriage together with its power of Tinging Silver yellow especially for inward use I shall conclude all with this useful Remark That as the Waters are a powerful and extraordinary Remedy so to have success in the use of them it is necessary to form just and due Observations of them by distinguishing 1. What Cures are wrought by the Waters on a general Account and what by the Nature of the distinct Salt 2. What are proper and may effect in light Cases but seldom avail alone 3. Some that avail but fail in confirm'd Cases as the Purging Chalybeats in Hypochondriacism 4. What Distempers they Cure with regard to a particular cause and not universally And lastly What they may be trusted to for as in inveterate and confirm'd Obstructions The light Chalybeat Waters may and perhaps in Asthma and Scurvy the Purging Chalybeats c. Some Observations on the Water of Queen Camel in Somersetshire THE Trial of this Water I annex to the Bath Water because this is likewise a Sulphurous one and might illustrate that at least having it by me I thought worth preserving It is a cold Spring of a faetid smell in which as well as in Taste it resembled that of a foul Gun as my honoured Friend the Reverend Mr. Samuel Adamson who made the Experiments for me at the Spring inform'd me It tingeth the stones black on which it falls The use of this Water is inwardly and outwardly in the Kings-Evil and other Ulcers and Scabbiness in which the success is frequent and purgeth little of any thing but hath produced Eruptions if drank without occasion by a Body whose Constitution they disagreed with It hath the Reputation of proceeding from a Copper Mine for which my Friend could discover no ground as neither do the Trials unless some Pyrites there found may give the occasion This Water prov'd upon Tryal to contain a Calcarious Salt yet not so open as to answer with Gall and Lignum Nephriticum and a Sulphur differing from common Brimstone and more amicable to Alkalys and not to be precipitated by Acids and to contain no Metalline parts at least openly so With Gall it took a very pale Yellow and upon standing a Week a little deeper colour and a little thicker With Lignum Nephriticum upon 12 hours standing a little deeper than with Gall in both which it resembled neither Vitriols which take less colour nor as Alkalys which give a deeper but nearer Saltpetre or rather common Pump-water Like Alkalys it curdled not Milk With a Solution of Sublimate 15 drops in 4 ounces a bright brass colour and upon addition of 5 drops more curdled and precipitated of a Feuille mort colour as Alkalys and Salt of Lime Oyl of Tartar p. del 75 drops in 4 ounces made it more limpid and inclinable to a bright Copper which Vinegar would not precipitate The Water when it had stood a Week with a Solution of Sal Saturni turn'd White like Milk as Alkalys but when fresh with 10 drops of the Solution took a dark brown colour and look'd thick The Sediment which is small and dark colour'd would not burn nor would it communicate a Colour to Aqua fortis nor to common Salt upon standing as Mettals and Copper especially will For various Reasons I must excuse any inimical Mineral from a share in this especially Arsenick or Copper but judge it rather near to common Sulphur but less remote from an Alkaly But to know this more nicely the Pyrites ought to be prov'd As this may shew the reason of its good Effects in the King's-Evil and why it agrees not in a Scorbutick Disposition so it may help to drect its proper place in Acid Tumors as Milk Sores or where the Chyle is curdled which if observ'd might make the Waters more useful This Water gilds Silver as doth the Bath Water and as doth common Sulphur The Figure of the Scarborow Water Salt referr'd to at Page 155. The Figure sent me and there referr'd to The Figure of the Salt sent me FINIS A Second Essay of the Bath Water HAving some reason to be dissatisfied with the former Essay of it I procur'd some more new I found the Taste a very little Nauseous and