Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-07-25
1el'oso Springs, Y1y.
To THE Ep1roa OF TIE Esor1nEs.

20 enlarge onr views of the Natural History Of
Country is not unworthy of attention, I take the
liberty OF forwarding IN q few experiments and
observations urou of the Mineral Springs IL tbs
state. know that this sketch forms only small,
portion Of those researches 20 which the naturalist
dcto.cs himself; but We must begin; must con-
edcr every faithful narrative of facts "a essential 20
the structure Of thYt grand temple Of Science hi,h
| can be reared only By particular Knowledge OF all
| those valuable materials, with which nature may
have enriched any portion Of the Globe It's various
natural productions, however necessary for the Acc
comm odat:on OF man whate yer sources OF wealth
| they nigh, open to industry; whatever extension
they might give IN the most uscfu arts or, what
blessing It's medical waters be capable OF
Fusng. must be submitted to pI.ilosophcsi in,es-
sgation, before their preferred adysntsgc be
joyed-fieace IL shonii form One among the FIRST
obisrts os acS!v created society to know well the
ric g:ft1 s.t wic, nature has ssvouIcd it, snd &C
What ats nts .erias artieula riy in ste il
gcps But il ia 70 b. iapicntcd, though nature les
l,ysi.el her bouaties upon virgris, ONLY IN f.-
t.i;Ly and vsfety of SOL but minerals ve',tSj,
an,. The is-umoF;,hlc medical waters which rise
n!i her vst chains OF moumta;as, thsf the stady of
cata.i history las So few votsiics ainDcg M. NSc
caf5ot indeed, expect thai any on: should justly
ap,ATscate Silence of Which &c Is i.lossut : b.t
were iadcioYs cToSs made 10 excite tsste for
terTi his.ory by prayer s.isttutiosS, saoud
+. tong vaut Humboldt, AID :,oCpi.rj, who woi!,.
bring eht The riches with which III &c oanus
ard which rcqu,rc only To be known, ia o.scr 10 DC
rendered. sGtscry;,-t t. the mot useful tsrpSs.s.
The following sa.iya.s, though wanting that
iacy, whsh time, and possession OF the necessary
rc-agclts N, t lave Afforded, viii serve at least, to
communicate idea OF the nature and efficacy of
| the waters and may also excite others skftl,
| aud better prepared, 10 attempt complete
! inves isstion OF it's constituent parts
i This Sprirs IL ,lcnominatcti-- Isy,or's Spring
| or The Yellow Spring" 1t riscsia Ma.: so.aery
County, the east s:le Of the Alieeany mountain,
and sboat quarter of mile from its summit. The
water ferns of The tributary streams os the
north fork of the 70 nose, which is Tnc-e than
two miles distant Tie situation OF tho Spriag may
he really tracci upon the late map Of Virginia, Il
/ lies between CLr.s..anburg and Blacksburg, being
ncar.y six miles from the former, cnd about three
! miles from the latter. The roads which lead to il
from the east, among the iost in the state tho
climate IS exceeded by 70 other in point of saluIIi-
ty; and the accommodations, IN every respect, are
comfortable and agreeable
Limestone prevails generally in tbs county, ex-
ccpt uuon the top OF the moaetiins; and, i, is
thy OF remark, that as this species ofstoneis seldom,
Il ever, seen upon the summit or gh mountains in
Europe, according TO the observation OF the seebra
ted kirwan, in his Geology, t,c same faet appears
70 occur in America The earth, the spring,
/ is strongly impregnated with G!rhur.-Rain water
passing through bank of tbs earth, thrown up
| from a cellar, becomes highly sulphureous
| The temDc-Sture o. the spring is between 81 and
SIS Of Farenhc IS Thermometers. It's Transparency
attracts the attention o. every one. It's taste !:
II Somewhat astringent, styptic not unlike the first
Impression OF ink upon the tongue, weak solu
ton OF the suiphat of iron, generally known by the
name of green yitrioi The taste OF SULPHUR or the
lepltck tsste and smell Is scarcely, il all perez
tibe; and so far from being unpleasant, the water
is often drank By healthy, laborous persons in PIE
ference to the common Limestone water.
| IN running along wooden channels, the water de
, | posts brownsh yellow sediment The same kiaC
OF ocreous sediment is at the bottom OF th,
spring, and particularly the sides OF the vessel
observed on some parts of the vessels, whcl
is, probably, prpssiatc of Iron. See Chaptsl, Chap
| TO- Concerning iron. Ar. 5th.
Upon standing IL or Is hours in an open vessel
Itt,.o
Taste, becomes flat, and deposits very small guam
i tity of brownish sediment. Ia used as soon as i
hegins to boil, it is preferred in Cookery but. if th
| boiling he continued, il renders whatever is nixcs
with it bitter and dissgrceab!e.
L.
I EEheriments made frb1eitdily at the String
y l. The weight OF the water, tried ENTHUSIASTICALLY
with pair OF scales, winch turned readily with t
= 4th OF graiu appeared not differ from that O
c the common Lime stone water, 10th being nearly O
. the same temperature
q Silver is not changed in colour, by pouring tn
: water upon it, o. by continuance for some timc II
: the channel through which the wster Rows. Their
appears to be sulphurated hydrogen in the water
: from this Exp.
e 8. An infusion oftea any vegetable astringent
: strikes a brown.sh purple colour. The same c!fec
e is produced when the water has stood in an ope
e vessel Cor "a hours; and when D, the oolou
" is much deeper. This exp. sicws, that the waite
u contains not oAly the oxyd OF iron, but that II
combined with sulphuiIc acid and not the carbC
mic.
T. Blue flowers strike l;yeIy green, when the ";
ter is fresh, whea il has stood So hours IN all c2e
| vessel aud when it has been boIe.L The prcscnC
OF an alkaline substance is hereby indicated, batit
~ probable thai the green colour IS produced by {.
ID lime Confined in the water, especially as the sam
result taxes place IN any strong hmestone water
" ~heu the same tcste is applied.
. 5. The W ter is quickly eurdlcd BY scap--Sait
J., titar turns it milky. Ley Immediately turns
IL milky; large focks are formed, and eonsGcrab
ir peeipitstc ensucs Of greenisa colour-Ai the r
rs suits here mentioned take place after ebulEuon al
III are more strongly marked THAI bc,Jrej and hem
IN justly the conclusion, that the prespitate had bee
!, in combination with fixed rather than volatile
= cid
81 g. Upon mixing lime water with that Of the sprii
sc nearly in equal quantities. . milkincss AID
Mt whtish preeipit:te takes place.
A. T. Air, collected from the water by toine, PTec
al plated lime in lime watcri showing t.A the wat
n does contain earbonie acid Bat the quantity or
80 collected from = quart oil water was very small.
tlbnles OF air rise in tae spr.ng.
g. Shpharie acid, drop q into the water, produce
az sight edarvcsccncc, and discngsscC some .ir wiD
Nv was doubt, the earbonic acid.
=, g. Lunar caustic produced change in the colo
~ Of tc water, showing that 1t contained no mari
nc ss.t.
u 10 37oz. Az Of tie wntcr, boiled to dryucss, VI
or dcd % gigdls OF wh!tsh sc1meuti small cS 81
az rzed sp,uo seen shooting from every part 81
SO nng PARTICLES, oft!e Appearance oil Aioa, GbU
daut; the taste OF the sediment Is somevi iat s,if
aud btterisb These cr.sisls sirpvas TO DC those
scie1itc whilst the taste indicates tLc presence
cps III sat
Ia H. The dried sediment asisctcd in lime waic
he takes from II peculiar tastc aid thus affords
-, proof that the sediment egtias either carbonal
-et suiphate Of nagcs.a for those atij5, the G;
20 bo nc and sciphnie, having steOngcr seimtg
ic nite gltl the former, eud tus coast tpsc oapo'
Ia ether A. soluble difficulty soluble ~ water