A treatise on the Bath waters / George Smith Gibbes.

  • George Smith Gibbes
Date:
1800
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A treatise on the Bath waters / George Smith Gibbes. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    lution. Iron precipitated by it is re-dis- solved by the sulphuric acid. With this test I could not perceive the least quantity of iron in any of the three waters. As iron may be held in a state of combination in which it may resist the action of the forego- ing tests, I have used the following means for discovering its presence : In Professor Bergmann’s table of attrac- tions, I find that the sulphuric acid has, after the acids of sugar and tartar, the strongest attraction for iron ; I have, therefore, first added a very small quantity of the sulphuric acid, and after a due time for combination, a few drops of the hepatic test : still I could not perceive the least trace of iron. This experiment was repeated with other tests with the same result. Thus it is evident that these waters when cold do not shew any trace of iron by any reagent we can employ. All the tests will not detect the iron even when they are warm from the springs. The prussiate of potash does not change its co- lour when added to them in that state.
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