7 M75 
 
. 
 
 March 29, 1739. " 
 
 Imprimatur, 
 
 
 
 HANSSLOANE, Pr. Reg. Soc. 
 
 Reproduced b> DUOPAGE process 
 in the United States of America 
 
 MICRO PHOTO INC. 
 
 Cleveland 12, Ohio 
 
PHILOSOPHICAL 
 
 EXPERIMENTS: 
 
 CONT AI NING 
 Ufeful, and Neceffary INSTRUCTIONS forfuch 
 
 as undertake long Voyages at Sea. 
 Shewing how SEA-WATER may be made 
 FRESH and WHOLSOME : And how FRESH- 
 WATER may be preferv'd Sweet 
 
 How BISCUIT CORN, 6fc. may be fecured from 
 the Weevel, Meggots, and other Infefts. 
 
 And FLESH preferv'd in hot Climates, by S A L T i NO 
 ANIMALS whole. 
 
 To which is added. 
 
 An Account of feveral Experiments and ( 
 on CHALYBEATE or STEEL- WATERS- wi 
 Attempts to convey them to diftant Places 
 
 Vincr f'npii* TTt>i>ii^ * -v ***( 
 
 , Of. 
 
 U u, 
 
 , Harbours, and Refcrvoirs! 
 
 e rea eore the ROYAL- 
 fcveral of their Meetings 
 
 STEPHEN HALES, D. D. P. R. S 
 
 Reftor of Farringdon in Hampjbire, and 
 Minifterofr. Middlefex. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
ii The DEDICATION. 
 thofe who are at the Head of, and 
 have the Direction and Tranfafling 
 of the maritime Affairs of far the 
 moft numerous and Powerful Fleet 
 in the World, 
 
 It was to fome of Your Lordfhips 
 to whom I had the Honour of firft 
 communicating my Intentions of en- 
 gaging in thefe Refearches, which 
 you were pleafed to encourage me 
 to purfue : That we might, if pofll- 
 ble, find a never-failing Spring of 
 frefh Waters in the midft of the 
 Ocean. 
 
 I muft confefs I was at firft much 
 difcouraged, when I reflected on my 
 Rafhnefs, in venturing on an Under- 
 taking, which had baffled the repeat- 
 ed Attempts of the ableft Philofo- 
 phers and Chymifts, both Ancient 
 and Modern: In fo much that they 
 looked upon it as almoft impra&i- 
 
 cable 
 
The DEDICATION. iii 
 cable to find out any way to pro- 
 cure a wholefome Drink from Sea- 
 Water. In which yet I have fuc- 
 ceeded far beyond what I could 
 have expeded ; having found means 
 not only to free diftilled Sea- Water, 
 from its naufeous bitter Oily Bitu- 
 men ; which made it mod difagree- 
 able to drink ; but alfo from ano- 
 ther very hurtful Quality, viz, the 
 Spirit of Bittern Salt, which :> apt to 
 arile in" great plenty in Diftillation ; 
 but is now happily found to be de- 
 tained from riiing up by the fame 
 means, that the naufeous bitter Oily 
 Bitumen is prevented from rifmg. 
 
 I hope alfo that the Method here 
 propofed to keep frefh Water fweet 
 will be of fome fervice ; which tho' 
 no new Difcovery, yet has hitherto, 
 as far as I can learn, been but little 
 put in pra&ice by the Englijh* from 
 A 2 .a 
 
vi The DEDICATION. 
 Publick, will be a farther Benefit to 
 Mankind : efpecially to that impor- 
 tant and valuable part of Mankind, 
 who fee theWonders of the Lord in 
 the Deep : And who are, under the 
 guidance of Providence, not only 
 our Chief Defence and Security ; but 
 alfo the adventurous and induftrious 
 Inftruments, by which the feveral 
 and moft diftant Nations of the 
 Earth carry on an extenflve Com- 
 merce and Intercourfc with each 
 other ; which tends not only to the 
 greatly inriching, but alfo to inlarg- 
 ing the Minds of Mankind, and to 
 the Civilizing and Improving of 
 them, by the Communication of mu- 
 tual Benefits. 
 
 I have here alfo added an Account 
 of fome Experiments on Steel-Waters, 
 which tho' it may not, in the main 
 Defign of it, be thought fo proper 
 
 to 
 
The DEDICATION. vu 
 to join to a Treatife, which is chiefly 
 intended for the ufe of Seafaring Per- 
 fons,yet neither will it be wholly ufe- 
 lefs to them ; fmce they may hereby 
 be informed, how to preferve for 
 their ufe in a Voyage, the Virtue of 
 Steel-Waters, which they (hall any 
 where meet with : And fuch Waters 
 will doubtlefs, in many Cafes, be as 
 ufeful to them, as they are to many 
 of thofe at Land. 
 
 As to the Propofal at the end of 
 
 this Book, to cleanfe fome Rivers and 
 
 Harbours of Mud ; it firft occurred 
 
 to me many Years (ince, on feeing 
 
 the flow and expenlive Method, of 
 
 cleanfing the Yarmouth River near 
 
 Yarmouth, by means of a large 
 
 Wheel fix'd to a Barge, and turned 
 
 by Horfes. The Wheel in turning 
 
 round, takes up Mud in large Buckets^ 
 
 which are fixed to it, and difcharge 
 
 A 4 it 
 
 
viii The DEDICATION. 
 it into another Barge. A Method 
 which they are under a neceflity of 
 ufing in Holland, where the Waters 
 move with a very flow progreflive 
 motion : But in Waters which have a 
 greater velocity, I am perfuaded that 
 it would be a much more effectual, 
 and expeditious, and confequently a 
 cheaper and better way, to cleanfe 
 away Mud, by much ftirring of it 
 thus with Horfe-Rakes. 
 
 I fhall be very glad if what I have 
 here offered, fhall prove of any fer- 
 vice to the Publick, and be confe- 
 quently acceptable to Your Lordfhipsu 
 
 Being with all due Refpeft, 
 MY LORDS, 
 
 Tour Lord/hips 
 Obedient humble Servant^ 
 
 STEPHEN HALES. 
 
(ix) 
 
 I 
 
 THE 
 
 PREFACE 
 
 IDid not intend any other Preface 
 to this Treat if e y than what is con- 
 tained in the foregoing Dedica^ 
 tory Epiftle : But being furnijhed, 
 labile the fir ft part of this Book was 
 printing^ by the Favor of Sir Hans 
 Sloane, Bart, out of his Valuable Li- 
 brary.) with feveral Treatifes on the 
 SubjeEl ; I Jh a II from them give an 
 Account of what has been formerly 
 attempted for making Sea-Water 
 drinkable, especially what wa* done 
 by Mr. Walcot and Mr. Fitz-gerald 
 in King Charles the Seconds Time. 
 
 St. Bafil, in his Homilies, fays 
 that when Men were caft on an 
 
 IJland, 
 
x The PREFACE. 
 
 Ijland y where there was no frejh Wa- 
 ter > they boiled Sea-Wat er\ and 
 catched the fapour with Sponges* 
 which they fqueezed into another 
 Boiler ; and having faffed thus^ four 
 or Jive Times from Boiler: thro Spon- 
 gesy it became drinkable. This tedi- 
 ous way was ufed before the method of 
 Dift tiling was known y which was an 
 . Invention of the Arabs. 
 
 Johannes a GadefdenyfW Johannes 
 Anglicus, Anno 151 6>fays that Sea- 
 Water may befweetened four ways % 
 viz. by Jilt rat ing thro Sand : By 
 clean Linnen laid over a Boiler^ and 
 fqueefmgthe Moifture out > as from the 
 Sponges : By Diftillation : As alfo 
 by thin Bowls made of white Virgin 
 Waxy which 'tis faid will free the 
 Water from its Saltnefs, and from 
 fome part of its naufeous Bitter. But 
 this is only a matter of curiofity^ be- 
 
 caufe 
 
The PREFACE. xi 
 
 caufe but a very fmall Quantity can 
 be thus prepared \ and in order to make 
 thofe waxen Bowls fit for farther Fil- 
 tration^ they mufl be cleanfed from 
 the Salty by being wajhed in frejh 
 Water. 
 
 About thi Tear 1675, William 
 Walcot, Brother to Sir Thomas Wai- 
 cot, obtained a Patent for making Sea- 
 Water freJJj : And the King, before 
 the Grant of this Patent, had the 
 curiojity to go and fee Mr. Walcot 
 do it, which was by diftilling it in a 
 very large Still ; into the Still he put 
 fome Ingredient^ which was to cure 
 
 the diftilled Water of any noxious 
 / j */ 
 
 Duality : But what it was ^ he kept a 
 great Jeer et. IfvfpeEl that the prin- 
 cipal thing was only Diflillation^ be- 
 caufe in all his printed Accounts of 
 it) he purpofely avoids the calling it 
 a Stilly but calh it a Machine or En- 
 gine, 
 
xii The PREFACE. 
 
 gine, and Diftilling he calls the work* 
 ing of the Machine^ not Dijtilling. 
 
 The Reverend Dr. Colbatch, Cafu- 
 ijlical Profeffor at Cambridge, who 
 fome Tears fince defer ed me to attempt ', 
 to make Sea-Water whole fome^ informs 
 me that he had good Reafon to believe 
 that the Ingredient which Mr. Walcot 
 put into Sea-Water ', in order to 
 make it wholefome^ was fome Prepa- 
 ration ef Antimony by Fire. 
 
 In the Tear 1683 Mr. Fitz-gerald, 
 Son of the Earl of Kildare, and a 
 near Relation of the Famous Robert 
 Boyle Efq ; having upon Mr. Boyle'j 
 encouragement made a Difcovery of 
 a new eafy and practicable way of 
 making f ah Water frejh* obtained of 
 the King the Grant of a Patent to 
 himfelf) Theophilus Oglethorpe, Wil- 
 liam Bridgman, Thomas Maule, and 
 Patrick Trant Efq', Lord Faulkland 
 
 being 
 
The PREFACE. xiii 
 being afterwards brought in a Part- 
 ner. 
 
 In the Year 1 684 Mr. Walcot had 
 Letters Patent granted him by the. 
 States General, to make Sea-Water 
 frejhy and put ride Water wholefome : 
 Which Mr. Fitz-gerald endeavoured 
 to obtain there alfo. 
 
 After federal Try ah at Law be~ 
 tween the Patentees Mr. WalcotV 
 Patent wti$ fuperfeded and laid a- 
 Jide\ againft which Mr. Walcot 
 brought a Bill in Parliament in the 
 Tear 1694, which paffed the Com- 
 mons, but not the Houfe of Lords. 
 
 Mr. Walcot afferted before the 
 Houfe of Commons, that Mr. Fitz- 
 geraldV Water was rough, harjhj 
 yj corroding and tormenting the 
 Eody when conftantly drcnk of. This 
 Ifujpeff was the true Reafon why both 
 their Methods of preparing frejh Sea- 
 Water 
 
xiv The PREFACE. 
 
 Water were difufed^ viz. becaufe 
 when they had been ufed for a conft- 
 derable time^ they were found to dif- 
 agree with thofe who drank them. 
 
 Mr. Wzlcotfays of bis Water > that 
 it was fmooth)foft) cooling^ and would 
 not decay or putrify in many Years* 
 no not in f even Years y when kept at 
 Conftantinople. But by its continu- 
 ing/ I n g * n an unputrified State> I 
 fufpeEl there was Spirit of Salt in /'/, 
 that came over in Dift illation: For thd 
 diftiiled common Water is known to 
 keep longer without putrifying^ than 
 undijlilled Water by reafon of its 
 greater purity ; yet I found fome of 
 the good diftiiled Sea-Water to putri- 
 fy in fome time after Diftillation^ but 
 that which had in it Spirit of Salt 
 never putrified. ^4 Gudgeon died 
 the fifth Day after it was put into a 
 Pint of good diftiiled Sea-Water^ 
 
 which 
 
The PREFACE. xv 
 which after ft anding five Months in 
 a Glafs Pejfelj was again become fo 
 putrid as to be dif agreeable to the 
 Tajle ; whereas another Gudgeon 
 put into a like quantity of good di- 
 ftilled Sea-Water^ lived many Days 
 longer^ the Water being very frejh 
 and fweet, it having been diftilled 
 but three Days before. I find that a 
 fmall Degree of Putrefaflion in Wa- 
 ter ^ kills Fijh ; but //, in order to pre- 
 vent that Putrefaiion, a few Drops 
 of Spirit or Oil of Vitriol be dropped 
 into the Water y then the Fijh will 
 live many Days in that Water. 
 
 The Patentees depojitedthe Receipt* 
 of the CementSy and other metalline 
 Compojitions which tkty ufcd> fealed 
 up in a filver Box y in the Lord 
 Mayor of London's hxnds. 
 
 Mr. Boyle certified that the few 
 Ingredients made ufe of by Mr. Fitz- 
 gerald 
 
xvi The PREFACE. 
 gerald, arefxed in the Fire> and give 
 no noxious Duality to the Water. 
 
 Sir Hans Sloane, whofawtheCe~ 
 went which was ufed in Mr. Fitz- 
 geraldV Method^ tells me that it look- 
 ed like common Brick Clay. But 
 whatever it wasj there was Jo 
 fmail a quantity of it ufed ; that 
 what was fufficient for producing 
 Sixty Tuns of good Water y might be 
 contained in two Bujhels. 
 
 But Jince^as is Jhown in t he follow- 
 ingTreatife on Sea-Water^ two uric es 
 o/*Sal Tartar, whendiflilled with only 
 a Pint of Sea-Water^ were not fuf- 
 Jicient to detain the noxious parts of 
 that Water from rijtng> therefore 
 4320 Pounds weight of //, would 
 not be enough to procure Sixty Tun$ 
 of good diftilled Sea-Water : And 
 face Salt of Tartar is the ftrongeft 
 Imbiber offulphureousSubftances y and 
 
 the 
 
The PREFACE. xvii 
 the moft effectual Prevented of the ill 
 EffeEts of Spirit of Salt that / j 
 hitherto known ; it feems therefore 
 very improbable, thatfofmall a Por- 
 tion of a clayey Subftance jhould be 
 more effectual for that purpofe : which 
 makes me very much fu/pef, that 
 thefe Cements, as they were called^ 
 were only made ufe of as a Pretext. 
 
 Were I to aim at a Patent for 
 making dift tiled Sea-Water <wholfome y 
 and in order to it would conceal the 
 real eajy Method of doing it, viz. by 
 jirji caufmg it to putrify and then 
 growfweet again ; I might here have 
 a fair opportunity of doing //, by 
 putting in any Compound Mixture* 
 which in order to have in good Effeft 
 it might be pretended, that it muft 
 be throughly digefted in the Sea-Wa- 
 ter j whereby a fufficient time might 
 a bz 
 
xviii The PREFACE* 
 
 be plaufibly gained for in Putrefac- 
 
 //'<?#, &c. 
 
 Mr. Fitz-geraldV Method ihet 
 with fuch great applaufe^ that a 
 Poem 'was publijhed to celebrate his 
 Praife y andjiher Medals were madfr 
 reprefenting and illuftrating the Art 
 of this new Inventor. 
 
 One Jacob Kuffler affijled him ; 
 who, the Kingfaid) had not the Art. 
 
 A Still of his watfet up at Hull 
 and Sheernefs : and by Order of the 
 Council in the Year 1692, two of 
 them were to be fet up in the IJlands 
 of Jerfey and Guernfey ; but 'with no 
 good Effefl : The dift tiled Water 'was 
 jiery^ harjh and corroding. 
 
 And in a little Time the Perfons 
 'concerned with Mr. Fitz-gerald, find- 
 ing themfehes extreamly difappointed 
 in their expettation^ withdrew from 
 any Partnerjlip with him : Info- 
 
 much 
 
The PREFACE. xix 
 
 much that his Injlruments^ 'which 
 were dear enough before their Effett 
 was known, were foon after fold for 
 old Goods > for want of a vent for 
 them at Sea. 
 
 Upon the whole , it feems probable 
 to me, that thefe Patentees might 
 fome times have wholfome diftilled Sea* 
 Water<> viz. when they either kept 
 the firft part of any Dift illation of 
 Sea-Water for a conjiderable Time 
 after ; or if they Diftilled foine Sea- 
 Water which had putrijled : and this 
 they might probably do> finest is likely 
 that they were provided with good 
 Jlore of Sea-Water for their Experi- 
 ments, Now I have jhoton in the fol- 
 lowing Treatife, that in both thefe 
 Cafesy good Water may be obtained 
 from Sea^Water taken up near the 
 
 Nore. 
 
 - 
 
 a 2 And 
 
xx The PREFACE. 
 
 And 'tis probable that Mr. Boyle 
 might happen to /ry, with a Solution 
 of Silver > fome fuch good Water of 
 Mr. Fitz-gcrald'j preparing^ who 
 might likely bring him the heft Wa- 
 ter he had. Fcr it is not to be fuf- 
 petted thatfo worthy and good a Man 
 as Mr. Boyle was, would impofe a 
 Faljhood on the World^ for the fake 
 of any one whatfoever. 
 
 *fhe Solution of Silver in Aquafor- 
 tis was at that time kept a great Se- 
 cret, as to its Property of dif cover ing 
 the leajl quantity of Salt or Spirit of 
 Salt in Water. Had either Mr. 
 Walcot or Mr. Fitz-gerald had the 
 free ufe of it> and known how to have 
 iffed it y they might thc?i probably have 
 made a greater progrefs in what they 
 were in purfuit of\ but for want of 
 it) they could not well dijlinguijh^ 
 when the Diftilled: Water was free 
 
 from 
 
The PREFACE. xxi 
 from Spirit of Salt^ and when not> 
 and therefore^ failed in their Attempt. 
 
 It was from the ufe of this Soluti- 
 on of Silver ; and the happy Inci- 
 dent of being furnijhed with 7 quan- 
 tity of Mediterranean Water^ by 
 Thomas Tower Efq\ Member of 
 Parliament for Wallingford in Berk- 
 fhire, that I got the injight into this 
 Matter ; which I have given an Ac* 
 count of in the Treatife en Sea-Water. 
 
 "The great and only Difficulty that 
 now remains in this Affair, is to con- 
 trive how to diftil great quantities 
 of Water on faip-board ; and that 
 ivithfafcty to the Ship from Fire. 
 
 It may therefore be of ufe to give 
 here fome Account l , of what was done 
 on foip-boardi in purfuance of the 
 then current Opinion that Mr. Wai- 
 cot, or Mr. Fitz-gerald, or both of em 
 had made the happy difcovery. 
 
 a 3 Thcv 
 
The PREFACE. 
 
 They fay that they placed the Still 
 in the Forecajlle before the Maft* in 
 a very commodious manner^ fo that it 
 took up little Room y and was out of 
 Danger. 
 
 And a chief Mafter-Builder of the 
 Kings Tard at Deptford certified tie 
 Lords Commiifioners of the Admiral- 
 ty, that Mr. Walcot had taken great 
 Painty and made many Contrivances, 
 and good Provtfion fur fafety, and 
 conveniency of Dijl tiling in Ships ; 
 having brought the manner of placing 
 his Furnaces to great Perfection ; af- 
 furing their Lordjhips^ that he would 
 undertake to Jet them up in the fame 
 manner in any of his Majeftys Ships. 
 
 In the Tear 1683, # Mafter of a 
 Ship from Barbados certified^ that in 
 that Voyage they could diftil not 
 only in fair Weather, but alfo in 
 foul Weather* 
 
 They 
 
The PREFACE. xxiii 
 
 that ninety Gallons may 
 be dift tiled in 24 Hours, from a Still 
 that is three Feet in Diameter , with 
 lefs than three Pecks of Coals, and 
 proportionally with any other FeweL 
 And that the whole Room that will 
 be taken up in the Fewe/, and in the 
 few Casks to be employed in the pre- 
 paring this Water y will be lefs than 
 the tenth part of Stowage^ now em- 
 ployed for Water only. That the In- 
 gredients for too Gallons of this Wa- 
 ter will not amount to above Twelve- 
 Pence : And that the whole, viz,. 
 Fewel and Ingredients, will come to a- 
 bout a Farthing, a Gallon. 
 
 Another makes the following <Cow- 
 
 putation, viz. In a Voyage to Suratte, 
 
 there is ordinarily allowed a Butt .or 
 
 126 Gallons of fre/b Water tp a 
 
 Man ; fome thing more than a Bu- 
 
 jhelof Coah will dift if this in a 
 
 a 4 Day 
 
The P R E F A c E. 
 
 Day and a half> or no Bujbehfor 
 i oo Butts. So that if one Butt con- 
 tain fifteen Dujfjel^ 105 Bujheh 
 will lie in the Rocm of f even Butts ; 
 by which means thirteen in fourteen 
 parts may befaved in Stowage^ except 
 fome ftw Casks for receiving the 
 Diftilled Water ; which will alfofave 
 a great Charge of Butts. 
 
 The Prices of the Patentees^ were 
 as follows^ viz. 
 
 foe Still coft eighteen Pounds^ 
 which will dijlil abutt 90 Gallons 
 in twenty four Hours. 
 
 They are to buy as much of the In- 
 gredientS) for this Operation, at 
 will keep the Still going fix Months or 
 tnore y at the rate of one Shilling va- 
 lue to each go Gallons. 
 
 dndfoall be obliged to ufe the In- 
 gredients ^ * left the Water be preju- 
 dicial to the Health of the Sailor s> and 
 
 -con- 
 
The PREFACE. xxv 
 confequently bring a difrepute on the 
 Invention. 
 
 Three-Pence the Tun to be paid 
 Yearly by fuch Ships as ufe the Still. 
 
 They propofe hereby to fave nine 
 Parts in ten of the Stowage for 
 Water. 
 
 But tbefe feveral Eftitnates are 
 
 fet too high ; they are founded on a 
 
 fuppofal) that all the Water thro 
 
 the ^hole Voyages of Ships, is to be 
 
 diftilled\ which will hardly ever be. 
 
 I find upon inquiry^ that it is ufu- 
 al for the Eaft- India Ships> to have 
 Copper Still-Heads fitted to their 
 Kitchen-Boilers^ with (Form-Tubs 
 proper for Dift illation. But it feems 
 the Ships-Boilers are not tinned with- 
 in fide) and yet they find no Incon- 
 venience in conjiantly boiling their 
 Meat in them : whence there isfotne 
 Hopes, that provided they are kept 
 
 clean 
 
 
xxvi The P * E F A c e. 
 
 clean from the grew Rufty which is 
 very apt to be cauf ed by fait Water ^ 
 they may then alfo be ufed in Di ft il- 
 lation* But. if any Inconvenience 
 Jhall be found to arife by Dift tiling in 
 untinned 'Copper-Boiler s, that Incon- 
 venience would be prevented in a 
 great mwfure^ by tinning thcm\ this 
 at leaft while the tinning lafted\ 
 in tnuch ufing 'will wear off^ 
 muft then be new tinned. 
 Mr. W^l.cot finding that Copper 
 gtive an ill Quality of Vomit- 
 ing to the Diftilled Water^ made ufe 
 offmall Iron Boilers^ which if they 
 could be had of a fize large enough^ 
 would be wry proper for the Purpoje. 
 But whafever Fejfe/s are ufed in 
 Diftillation) great Care muft be taken 
 that they are made as clean as pojffi- 
 i>le ; fince it is fully proved in the 
 following Treatife* the mort impure 
 
 the 
 
The PREFACE. xxvii 
 the Water is which is to be diftilled y 
 the Tafte of the diftilled Water will 
 be proportionally the more dif agree- 
 able. 
 
 The Common Boilers in Ships^ are 
 of Copper j not . round, but Jlat-Jided 
 like a Box ; and are called double 
 Kettles^ being divided by a Partition 
 into two ; the larger of which has a 
 round Mouth ^ the leffer an Oval one: 
 To the round one, the Copper Still- Head 
 is fix d) to the Crown of which is 
 foldered a large Pewter-Pipe called 
 the Swan Neck, on account of its 
 crooked Shape, and to this the Worm- 
 Tub is fixed for Diftillation. 
 
 Thefe Boilers are of fever al foes > 
 containing from 15 to 60 Gallons, 
 in proportion to the different fmall- 
 nefs or largenefs of the Ships. J7je 
 largejl in Eaft-India Ships contain 
 about 80 Gallons % and in firft-Rate 
 
 Meu 
 
xxviii The PREFACE. 
 
 Men of War they are much more 
 
 capacious. 
 
 Since good and wholfomefrejh Wc- 
 ter can now be obtained from Sea- 
 it greatly behoves Seafaring 
 y to contrive and find out the 
 and moft commodious Methods of 
 Dijt tiling it. 
 
 To conclude, As the Water which 
 is procured from Sea-Water^ in 
 the Method I am going to give an 
 Account of) Jeems to he in every re- 
 fpeEl as good) as that which is dijlil- 
 led from common Heater, fo it is rea~ 
 fonalle to conclude that it is as whol- 
 feme. And that common diftilled 
 Water is wholfome, there is goodrea- 
 fon to think) from the Experience of 
 many. Mr. Boyle f<tjs y that the 
 great Duke of Tufcany, who much 
 confuted bis Health, conjlantly drank 
 Water : And they are f aid 
 
 in 
 
The PREFACE. xxix 
 in Italy to drink it as a Delicacy. 
 A Phyfician at Breft drank it con- 
 Jlantlvj and enjoyed fine Health. 
 
 This good Diftilled Sea -Water 
 will therefore not only be of life in 
 the Days of Diftrefs, but there may 
 be this further Benefit from ;V, viz, 
 that it being thereby made very pure^ 
 it will not be fo apt toftink as other 
 Water \ and may therefore be of ufe 
 when the Shifts Store of Water ft inks 
 and is very dif agreeable ; for the 
 longer good Dijlilled Sea-Wattr if 
 kept, the better tafted it />, it being 
 thereby freed from Empyreum. 
 
 TH* 
 
( xxx ) 
 THE 
 
 CONTENTS, 
 
 AN Account of fame 
 to make Diftilled Sea-Water 
 wholfome. page i. 
 
 Some Confederations about Means to 
 preferveFreJh-Waterfweet. p. 57. 
 
 Directions to preferve Ship-Bifcuit 
 and Corn from being eaten by 
 Weeveh) Meggots, or Worms, p. 6 9. 
 
 DireSt ions for Salting Animals whole, 
 
 in order to make the F/e/b keep 
 
 fweet in hot Climates. p. 81. 
 
 An Account of fome Experiments on 
 Chalybeate or Steel-Waters* p. 97. 
 
 APropofal for clean/ing away Mud, 
 &c. where Waters have a Stream 
 or Current. p. 158. 
 
E R R A T A. 
 
 P. 9 line 28. r. where. P. 17. 1. 7, r.artfnfW*** bt. 
 I. 27. for more, r. mojl. P. 24. I. ij.'r. Sal Tartar. 1. 16. 
 T. Oil of Tartar. P. 28. 1. l6.r. with which. P. 98.!. J. 
 dele M*y. P. 142. 1. 27. for ntvtr, r. wr. 
 
A N 
 
 ACCOUNT 
 
 Some ATTEMPTS, to make 
 Diftilled Sea* Water whol- 
 fome* 
 
 I. 
 
 IT is well known that feafaring Peo^ 
 pie, efpecially in long Voyages, fre- 
 quently fuffer great inconvenien- 
 cies~~ when their Provifion of frefh Water, 
 either falls fhort or fails them ; either by long 
 Calms, contrary Winds, Storms which dife- 
 ble the Rigging of their Ships; or other un- 
 forefeen Accidents; which obliges them to come 
 often to a very fliort Allowance; and fome- 
 times to lofe the Benefit of their Voyage, 
 by changing their Courfe to get at frefli Water : 
 Or if they happen to be provided with a ////, 
 then, by drinking unwholfome Diftilled Sea- 
 Water, their Healths are greatly indangered 
 by the moft obftinate and incureabk Obftruc- 
 Scirrhous Tumors, Cachexies, Off. as 
 B I 
 
2 On Drilled 
 
 I have been affured, by thofe who have known 
 by experience, the ill effe&s of it. 
 
 There have both in England, Germany^ 
 France, and Holland, been feveral Attempts 
 made, to make Sea- Water more wholfpme. 
 I am informed that the Lapis Mexicanus, 
 or a foft filtrating Stone in the fhape of a 
 large Mortar or boiling Copper, is very much 
 in ufe among the Hollanders \ but will not 
 anfwer the end. It clears the Water from 
 Mud, but will not quite clear it from the fait 
 and bitter Tafte. And Mr. Boyle Godfrey 
 the Chymifl fays, in his Mifeellancous ExperL 
 ments and Obfervatiom, that Sea- Water be- 
 ing filtrated through Stone Cifterns, the firft 
 Pint that runs through will be like pure Wa- 
 ter, having no Tafte of the Salt, but the next 
 Pint will be as fait as ufual. The Comte de 
 Marfilli in his Hiftoire Pbyfique de la Mere 
 fays, he filtrated Sea- Water, through fifteen 
 earthen Pots, placed over each other ; which 
 were filled and tried firft with Garden Earth, 
 and then with Sand ; but it had very little 
 efteft, tho' the fum of the Depth of all the Pots 
 was fixty five Inches ; the Sand did beft. It 
 has alfo been attempted by feveral ways of 
 Diftillation, as alfo by Precipitation, both with 
 and without Diftillation, which was attempted 
 J with 
 
Sea-Water* 3 
 
 with Alkaline Powders, as Coral, Crabs- 
 Eyes, &c . with Salt and Oil of Tartar 5 and 
 alfo with acid vegetables and mineral Sub- 
 ftances ; but all hitherto to no purpofe. Yet this 
 fhould not difcourage us from further Attempts* 
 efpeciallyin a Cafe of fo great Concern, to the 
 welfare of fo numerous, fo confiderable and 
 important a part of Mankind as thofe are ivbo 
 occupy tbeir Bufoie/s in great Waters : And 
 whofc numbers as they havie within little more 
 than a Century, greatly increafec), by a more 
 inlarged Commerce through the World ; fo are 
 they like to iircreafe more and more in future 
 Generations j and That efpecially on the vaft 
 Atlantick Ocean* in proportion as the European 
 Colonies in America ', may more and more ill- 
 create in number of Inhabitants. 
 
 But notwithftandirig there have been many 
 Inftances of Peoples preferring their Lives in 
 times of Diftrefs, by the ufe of very unwhol- 
 fome Sea- Water ; yet I find the mention of 
 any Endeavour, to make it more wholfome, 
 fpoke of with Scorn and Contempt by fome, 
 as a ufelels Attempt. Some who belong to 
 large Ships with numerous Crews on board 
 them, are apt to fay, where can we have or 
 (lore fufficient Fewel, to Diftill, for the fup- 
 pptt of fuch Numbers. Yet we find, that 
 B 2 in 
 
4 On 
 
 in Queen Elizabeth's time, Sir Ricbdtct 
 Hawkins, who then commanded a Fleet in 
 the Indies, did, when Water had failed them, 
 for many Days, even in the Admiral's Ship, 
 procure by Diftillation a fufficient quantity of 
 frefh Water to fuftain the People. See Dr. 
 Shaw's Abridgment of Mr. Boy Us Work, Vol. 
 
 III. p. 220. 
 
 And a Perfon told me, that on board an 
 Eaft-India Ship, in which he was j for want 
 of frefh Water, the Ship's Crew was fuftain- 
 ed fourteen Days, with diftilled Sea- Water, 
 which they diftilled off at the rate of ten Gal- 
 lons in a Day. The Inftances of being brought 
 to a very fhort Allowance of Water, are, as 
 I find upon Inquiry, very frequent : I am in- 
 formed alfo that many perifh at Sea for want 
 of frefh Water to drink. 
 
 An experienced Diftiller informs me, that 
 with a Still that holds thirty Gallons, Water 
 will diftill at the rate of fifteen Gallons in fe- 
 ven Hours, which will take up half a Bufhel 
 ofNewca/ileCozls \ but in a larger Still more 
 will be diftilled in equal times, with lefs Few- 
 el, in proportion to the quantity diftilled. 
 Therefore thirty-fix Bufhels or a Chaldron of 
 Coals will diftill 1080 Gallons, Wine Mea- 
 fure, that is, above four Tuns ; or near three 
 
 Tuns 
 
Sea-Water. 5 
 
 Tuns Beer Meafure. And as a Chaldron of 
 Coals, weighs about a Tun and half, and a 
 Tun of Water, Wincbejler Meafure 2816 
 Pounds; hence it appears that Coals will dif- 
 till about three times their quantity or weight 
 of Water. And if fifteen Gallons can be di 
 tilled in feven hours, then fifty-one Gallons 
 may be diftilled in twenty-four hours, a quan- 
 tity fufficient for a great number of Men ; 
 which might alfo be much increafed, by be- 
 ginning the Diftillation fome days before frefli 
 Water is wanted. 
 
 And as a Scarcity of Water, can in moft cafes 
 be forefeen, for fome time before ; fo the ; Dif- 
 tillation of Sea- Water may be begun fome 
 time before it is wanted; fuppofe but a Week 
 before, then in that time, a great quantity 
 might be provided by Diftillation. Suppofe 
 but ten Gallons were diftilled in a Day and 
 Night, as in the cafe of the Eaft-India Ship 
 above mentioned, that would come to feventy 
 Gallons in a Week : And fuppofe it be four- 
 teen Days more before there be an oppor- 
 tunity to provide frefli Water at Land ; 
 then by keeping the Still going there will be 
 two hundred and ten Gallons diftilled in thofe 
 three Weeks. A Provifion of frefli Water, 
 which will be fuflicient to fupply a confider- 
 83 able 
 
6 On DiJliHed 
 
 able number of Men, for that Time. And 
 where the Ships are larger, and the Crews 
 more numerous, a proportionably larger Pro- 
 vifion may be made for a fufficient quantity 
 of diftilled Water for their ufe. But as the 
 much greater part of Merchants Ships, have 
 not many. Men on board them, fo it will be 
 the more eafy to find means to fupply them 
 with diftilled Sea- Water, in cafes of Diftrels. 
 
 I have made thefe Eftimates, of the quan- 
 tities of Water, thit may be diilillcd, only as 
 a Foundation for thofc concerned in Shipping 
 and long Voyages, to nuke their Eftimates 
 from : For as the Grcumllar.ccs of the diffe- 
 rent Sizes of Ships, and number of Men, and 
 different kinds of loading, and different lengths 
 and natures of Voyages, are very various, fo 
 thofe concerned can beft judge, what provificn 
 of Fewel, and what fize of Stills and Worm- 
 Tubs will be requifite. 
 
 If the Kitchen Boiler, when not ufed for 
 Cookery, can be made ufe of for a Still, it 
 would be very commodious, as not requiring 
 a feparate Fire-place, and Still. This I have 
 feen put in practice in private Families : by 
 having a feparate Cover which fitted the Boi- 
 ler well, with a clofe Joining ; In the midft 
 of which Cover, was a Hole of a due propor- 
 tion 
 
Sea-tPattr. 7 
 
 tion to the fize of the Boiler ; to which Hole 
 the Pewter-head of the Still was aptly fitted ; 
 and the Joinings clofed with aftiff Pafte made 
 of Bean or Wheat-flower, with Whiting or 
 Chalk wetted with lalt Water. And thefe 
 Ship Boilers being made narrower above than 
 at their middle, a Still Head may the more ea- 
 fily te adapted to them. And there being two 
 Boilers in the Kitchens of feveral Ships; for grea- 
 ter difpatch, they might either ufe them both 
 in diftillingat the lame time, or might, if need 
 require, provide hot Water in one, while not 
 ufed in Cookery, wherewith to fill the diftil- 
 ling Pot when wanted ; which would much 
 forward the Work. If there be room but for 
 a fmall Worm-Tub, the Water in it may be 
 changed the oftner, as it grows warm j it being 
 eafy to pump it out, and to pour in cold Wa- 
 ter. As to Mr. Haitian's contrivance to fave 
 the having a Worm-Tub, by caufing the dif- 
 tilled Water to pafs by a leaden Pipe through 
 the fide of the Ship into the Sea, and then be- 
 ing cooled, to return into the Ship ; this Me- 
 thod feems liable to too many Objections, to be 
 put in practice. See Lvwthorp's Abridgment 
 of the Pbilefophical Tranfaflions. Vol. II. 
 p. 297. 
 
 If a S//7/ is purpofely bought for this ufe, 
 B 4 I 
 
8 On DiJlilleJ 
 
 I believe it would be moft advifeable to have 
 the Pot or Boiler of Caft Iron, but efpecially 
 the Head of Pewter : becaufe I fufpeft that 
 when Salt- Water is boiling in a Copper Vefr 
 fel, the heat may make the Salt more corro- 
 five, and thereby more apt to produce, and 
 bring offPerJigreece from the Copper j which 
 would make the diftilled Water apt to caufe 
 naufeating of Food, and fometimes Vomiting , 
 which as I have been informed, has happened 
 to the Inhabitants oSAntcgoa ; where being in 
 great diftrefs for freih Water, of which they 
 have none but Rain- Water, they had drank 
 for fome time diftilled Sea- Water ; which ob- 
 liged them to difufe their Sti/ls. 1 hope 
 the following Method of preparing diftilled 
 Sea- Water, will be of ufc to them in long 
 Droughts, when Rain-W^ter fails them. 
 
 For the fame Reafon alfo it is advifeable 
 to have the Still Head of Pewter, and not of 
 Copper, which may probably contraft a green 
 Ruft, in laying long by, in the ialt Air at Sea. 
 This is what a Perfon told me, had happened 
 to him at Sea j the Water which was boiled 
 in his Tea-Kettle, caufing him and feveral o- 
 thers who drank of it to vomit; which was cc- 
 cafioned by a green Ruft in the Neck of the 
 Kettle ; And I have heard of feverai other 
 
 the 
 
Sea-Water. 9 
 
 the like Inftances. In anfwer to this, it may 
 be faid, that Salt Meat is frequently boiled in 
 Copper Veflels, without any fuch ill effeVs< 
 But then, the Salt is fomewhat fheathed in th$ 
 unftuous Fat of the Meat, whereby its corro-r 
 five Acrimony is much rebated. I mention 
 the providing Iron and Pewter Stills^ rather 
 than thofe made of Copper, only by way of 
 precaution, being not certain whether thofe of 
 Copper will have any ill effedl, provided they 
 are made very clean. For it is found by Ex- 
 perience, that if Sea- Water ftandany time it 
 3 Copper Veflel, it will much fooner caufe a 
 greater Ruft than Rain- Water will. 
 
 I am informed, that Wood Fewel is chief- 
 ly ufed in Ships, which in many Ports abroad, 
 cods nothing but the labour of cutting and 
 fetching. A greater bulk of this will be want- 
 ing to diftill any quantity of Water, than ther e 
 will of Coal to diftill the like quantity. Coals 
 might well be laid in Ballaft, in a little com^ 
 pals, but when Ships are full freighted they 
 have little or no Ballaft, which is then not to 
 be come at. 
 
 But might it not be advifeable in fome 
 kinds of Voyages, by way of precaution, to 
 have aTun, or other quantity of Coals, in fome 
 proper place^ when it would take up but little 
 
 ufeful 
 
jo On Dift tiled 
 
 ufeful Room, e/pccially fince fo many Tuns of 
 Water may be (Milled with one Tun of Coak 
 
 I found by filling a Cafk with Coals ftrike 
 Meafure, which held twenty-fevcn/f///r^y?tr 
 Gallons of Water, that though the Coals arc 
 about one fourth part fpcciucally heavier than 
 Water, yet the Water weighed one eleventh 
 part heavier than the Coals. 
 
 I have been told, that where there has been 
 occafion to keep a Fire for many Days and 
 Nights continuance, on fliipboard, for diftil- 
 ling of Water, they have by way of prccau- 
 tion from danger of Fire, laid a quantity of 
 Salt on the Planks about the Fire-place. 
 
 Here will be no danger of firing the Ship, 
 if the Still Head fhould fly off, bccauic Water 
 will not flame, as diftillcd Spirits will do. 
 
 II. 
 
 THE particular occafion of my ingaging 
 in this Attempt to make diililled Sea- Water 
 wholfome, was from a Converfation I had 
 with fome feafaring Pcrfons, who were giving 
 an account of the very bad ft inking Water, 
 they were obliged often to make ufc of at Sea. 
 and of the great hardihips they ibme times un- 
 derwent for want of enough of that bad 
 Water. Whence it occurred to me, that pro- 
 bably 
 
Sea-Water. 1 1 
 
 bably (Milled Sea- Water might be made 
 more wholfome by Clarification^ concluding 
 that it abounded with a naufeous bitter Bitu- 
 men, as I remembred fome Authors had find 
 it did : And being fully poffeffed with an opi- 
 nion that it was fo, I refolved to make the 
 trial, being provided with a Hogfhead of Sea- 
 Water, which was taken up near the Buoy 
 at the Ncrc, at the mouth of the Thames , by 
 the favour and procurement of the Right Hon^ 
 the Lord Fere Bcauckrc y one of the Lords of 
 the Admiralty. 
 
 I diftilled fevcral Gallons of it in large Glafs 
 Rctorts y pouring what came over into the 
 Receiver, from time to time, into Icparate Glafi 
 Veflcls; beginning the firft pouring off, when 
 it firft began to boil, that I might the better 
 know, whether it grew worfe and worfe, the 
 farther the Diftillation was carried on, which 
 
 was fometimcs done till the Salt in the Water 
 became dry. 
 
 I found, the little which was diftilled off 
 with a more gentle heat, viz. till it began to 
 boil, was pretty well tailed- but the feven next 
 fcparate Portions of diftilled Water, had a 
 flat, unfalt, naufeous, dry, aduft Tafte ; and 
 the laft and ninth Portion, was more harfli 
 and difagreeable, it tafting more of a kind of 
 
 Spirit 
 
12 On Difi tiled 
 
 Spirit of Salt j for what came over till all was 
 diftilled to a dry Salt, was in this ninth Por- 
 tion : But did not find any Tafte like Bitter- 
 nefs or Bitumen. And Comte Marfilli obfer- 
 ved the fame, w's.'that the bitter bituminous 
 Tafte of diftilled Mediterranean Sea- Water, 
 was fcarcely difcernible, when taken up from 
 the Sea, within four or five Inches of its Sur- 
 face ; but if taken up at greater Depths, for 
 the deeper the more bituminous ; then he fays, 
 there is a bitter Tafte, which it is difficult to 
 free it from : For after moft exa<5l and repeat- 
 ed Diftillations, the Water, tho' freed from 
 its Salt, yet retained a kind of vifcous glewy 
 Matter; which is to be perceived flicking to 
 the fides of the Bottles, when the Water is 
 fhaken, and which (lowly precipitates to the 
 bottom, when the Water is not fliaken, which 
 is not found in diftilled Fountain Water. But 
 tho* I could not perceive any thing bitumi- 
 nous in this diftilled Nore Water, yet how- 
 ever, I clarified feveral Portions of it, with dif- 
 ferent Degrees of Clarification, both with 
 Whiter, of Eggs and Ifmglafs, but all to no 
 purpofe; it was indeed of a more mild, and Ids 
 naufeous Tafte : But that,I found,was owing to 
 the foft mucilaginous quality of the Subitai ices, 
 with which I clarified ; which only covered 
 
 the 
 
Sea-Water. 1 3 
 
 the naufeous noxious quality of the Water, 
 but did not free the Water from it. 
 
 But having once begun, I refolved to make 
 farther Enquiry, by what probable means I 
 could, at firft think of, or fhould during the 
 procefs, get any hint of, from fuch Experiment 
 as fhould be made. For it is by making va- 
 riety of Experiments, and the light which we 
 get, by comparing the Events of them toge- 
 ther, that we get hints for farther and farther 
 refearches : Following thereby as near as we 
 can, the Clue by which Nature leads us, into 
 her more fecret recefles. And tho* this Trea- 
 tife is principally intended for the ufe of lea- 
 faring Perfons, yet I hope, thofeofthem, who 
 are not ufed to Philofophical Refearches and 
 Reafonings,willexcufeme, while I firft give a 
 fhort account of fome previous Experiments> 
 which tho* they do not dire&ly defcribe the 
 beft Method of preparing good diftilled Sea- 
 Water ; yet may be of fervice, to explain the 
 nature, aixl noxious quality of common diftil- 
 led Sea- Water. 
 
 Having therefore Reafon to fufpedl, from 
 the Tafte of this diftilled Water ; but efpeci- 
 ally from the laft Portion of the Diftillation, 
 that there was a Spirit of Salt raifed by the 
 beat of the Fire, and mixed with the diftilled 
 
 Water; 
 
14 On Dijl Hied 
 
 Water; I diflbWcd fome Silver in double j%- 
 quafortis> according to Mr. Beyle's Diredion, 
 Vol. 1.^.54. of Dr, Shaw's Abridgment > and 
 dropped fixty Drops of this Solution into an 
 Ounce of pure diftilled Spring- Water. Then 
 putting about half a Jpoonful of the fcveral Por- 
 tions of the diftilled Water into different Wine 
 Glafles ; I dropped into each of the Glaffes two 
 Drops of the Solution of Silver, diluted in di- 
 ftilled Spring Water ; which immediately cau- 
 fed white Clouds in the clear diftilled Sea- 
 Water ; which were leaft in the firft Portion, 
 and nearly the fame in all the other Glafles, 
 except the laft, which had much whiter and 
 thicker Clouds. Whence it was evident, that 
 there was fome Spirit of Salt in all the diftilled 
 Water. For as Mr. Boyle oblerves, if there 
 be any common Salt, or its Spirit, in the Wa- 
 ter into which the Solution of Silver is drop- 
 ped ; that Salt or Spirit immediately ieizing 
 on the Aquafortis^ it lets go the Silver which 
 it had diflblved, which is thereby precipitated 
 to the bottom, in the form of a white Calx ; 
 whereby the leaft quantity of Salt, or of its 
 Spirit, is difcovered in any Water \ but it will 
 not difcover Nitre, Alum, or Borax. 
 
 And that there is fome Spirit of Salt in this 
 diftilled Sea- Water, is further probable from 
 
 the 
 
Sea-Water. 15 
 
 the following Obfervations, viz. That this 
 diflilled Water does not putrifie and Aink, as 
 common Water does ; and even Sea- Water, 
 which will putrifie and ftink much tho' it has 
 Salt in it. Now I have found by often re- 
 peated Experiments, that three Drops of Oil 
 of Sulphur, which is an acid Spirit, will pre- 
 ferve a Qjiiart of common Water, from pu- 
 trifying, for many Months : And doubtlefs 
 Spirit of Salt, which is an acid Spirit too, has 
 the lame effed. Fioravanti, 1. I. Ply/ices^ 
 0.95. mentions as a great Secret, that a little 
 diftilled Sea- Water, mixed with common . 
 Water, will preferve it long from Putrefac- 
 tion. Du Hamel Regia Scientiarum Aca- 
 demia Hijloria. And it is probable this, or 
 Oil of Sulphur, or Spirit of Vitriol, was the 
 Mixture with frefh Water, to preferve it 
 from Putrefaction, which the French were 
 (aid, not long fince in the Ne ws- Papers, to 
 fend to Sea. 
 
 The following Experiment, is a further 
 Confirmation, that there is Spirit of Salt in 
 diftilledSca- Water, viz. I put into two Ounces 
 of the laft Portion, of the Diftillation to Dryl 
 nefs, of Sea- water j a fmall piece of frefh Beef: 
 And put Beef alfo into the like quantities of 
 well-cured, diftilled Sea- Water, and alfo of 
 
 Rain* 
 
46 OnDlJIllted 
 
 Ilain-Water. In fcven days, the two laft werfc 
 become very foetid and putrid, and the Waters 
 thick and cloudy ; whereas the Beef in the very 
 bad diftilled Sea- Water, did not putrifie,nOr was 
 the Water turbid, but clear as at firft, though 
 kept feven or eight Weeks with the Flefh in 
 it: And it was obfervable, that the reftrin- 
 gent Quality of the bad diftilled Sea-water, 
 was fo great, that it contracted the Fibres 
 and Blood- Vefiels of the Beef, fo that no 
 Blood could iffueout of it ; as it did from the 
 firft day, from the Beef in the other Glafles, 
 which had good wholfome diftilled Sea- Wa- 
 ter, or Rain- Water in them. 
 
 Now it is not likely, that an oily bitumi- 
 nous Subftance fhould have this effedl in har- 
 dening and preferving Flefh ; the Effect of 
 fuch Subftances is rather to foften and pro- 
 mote PutrefadHon. In order therefore to 
 make feme Eftimate of the Quantity of Spi- 
 rit of Salt that was requifite to have this Effedl 
 on Flefli ; I put fome Pieces of freih Beef in- 
 to feveral Portions of common Water, with 
 different Quantities of Spirit of Salt, and 
 found that the Proportion of three Drops to 
 an Ounce of Water, would preferve Flefh 
 from ftinking for a confiderable time. 
 
 The 
 
Sea-Water. 17 
 
 The Adion of Fire gives thpfe diftill'd Salts, 
 what is called a Polarity, fuch as the Filings 
 of Iron have; for when attracted by aLoad- 
 ftone, they ftand an end, and thereby form 
 rough (harp Points, like little Briftles : And 
 'tis in fome fuch like manner, that the Par- 
 ticles of Spirit of Salt are to be formed j 
 whereby they acquire a great degree of Aci- 
 dity, and a reftringent auftere Roughnefs. 
 
 From this Experiment, we may plainly fee* 
 how common diftilled Sea-water works its 
 moft pernicious Effeds, on thofe who drink 
 it, viz t By contracting and purling up the 
 fine Veficls and Fibres of the Body : where- 
 by it brings on thofe inveterate and moft incu- 
 rable Obftru&ions and fcirrhous Tumours, 
 which are obferved to be theEffedtof drinking 
 thofe unwholfome Waters. 
 
 And it is almoft in the fame manner, tho' 
 by flower Degrees, that Brandy, Rum, Ar* 
 rack, and other diftilled fpirituous Liquors, 
 do fo efteftually deftroy multitudes of thofe, 
 who indulge themfelves in drinking them 4 
 For I have found, by putting raw Flefli, into 
 the feveral forts of them, that they all in like 
 manner harden Flefli, by theirperniciousburn- 
 ing, cauftick Salts, which are more hurtful, 
 tho' of another kind, than thofe of Spirit of Salt. 
 C And 
 
. 
 
 i8 QnDijitthd 
 
 And hence it is that Brandy \ Rum,&c. de- 
 ftroy fuch Multitudes, efpccially in hot C7f- 
 wates, by adding Oil and Frwel to the Fire. 
 The Phyiicians of the fick and wounded Sai- 
 lors, have affured me, that the Effefts of thefe 
 Liquors on human Bodies, are fo pernicious, 
 that their Medicines, have little or no Effed 
 in curing thofe who have indulged much in 
 Brandy or Rum. 
 
 Thus the Still> which makes good Drink, 
 out of unwholfome Sea- Water, procures alfo 
 from wholfome Wine or Malt-drink, a mod 
 pernicious Liquor, which yearly deftroys, all 
 over the World, innumerably more, than the 
 three great Plagues of War^ Pejlilence, or 
 Famine ever did. It would therefore be 
 fomething worfe than ftraining at a Gnat, 
 and fwallowing a Camel \ for me to be labour, 
 ing to cure the ill Effe&s of common diftill'd 
 Sea- Water ; which may be of fervice to fome 
 few, in cafes of Diftrefs ; few indeed in com- 
 parifon of the vaft numbers that are deftroy'd 
 by diftilled fpirituous Liquors ; and yet at the 
 fame time not to caution againft the ufe of 
 thofe peftilent Liquors, which may truly be 
 called the Bane of Mankind: And which 
 every one, who has any Bowels of Pity for 
 his Fellow-Creatures, fliould do his beft to 
 deter them from. But 
 
Sea-Water. 19 
 
 But notwithftanding it fliortens the Lives 
 of, and deftroys vaftly more, than Storms^ 
 Shipwrecks and other Accidents, to which 
 Navigators are fubjeft; yet how fond are 
 they of this inchanting Syren, which be- 
 witches and infatuates the Nations of the 
 Earth with its Sorceries? Infomuch, that 
 were k put to their choke, whether they 
 would chufe to carry to Sea with them, a 
 Still that would draw wholfome Water from 
 the Sea, or one that could extraft Rum and 
 Brandy fiom Sea- Water ; one needs not the 
 Skill of an CW//W, to know which they 
 would prefer. 
 
 They pretend that it comforts, warms and 
 defends them, from the ievere Colds, to 
 which they are (bmetimes expofed, without 
 which, they fay, they fhould perifli with Cold : 
 which is probably in a great meafure true, 
 of thofe who are much habituated to drink 
 it, the Blood offuch, being thereby fo much 
 impoverifhed, that it is well known, that 
 many of the habitual Drinkers of Brandy, &c. 
 are cold and lifele(s, even in the midft of 
 Summer,. without frequent frefli Draughts 
 of it. But on the other hand, how much 
 better able, to endure the Cold and Hard* 
 C 2 fliips 
 
20 On Dijtilled 
 
 fliips at Sea, are the fober feafaring Pcrfons, 
 who arc generally of a more fine, hail, ro- 
 buft Conftitution, than mod other Men. 
 Their vital Heat, not being extinguifhed with 
 Intemperance, does by its kindly genial 
 Warmth, more effedtually fecure them from 
 the Inclemency of the Weather, than the 
 falfe momentary Flufli of Heat which a Dram 
 gives. Befides, it is well known, that Sai- 
 lors did not perifli with cold, in former A- 
 ges, for want of Drams, when they were 
 not to be had. 
 
 Dr. Short, in bis Rational Difcourfe of 
 the inward Ufes of Water y obferves, " That 
 " it is no rarity, to find among the High- 
 *' landers of Scotland, People of eighty, 
 " ninety, yea a hundred years old, as 
 " healthy, as ftrong and nimble, as Drinkers 
 " of ftrong Liquors are at thirty- fix, or forty 
 " years of Age." And this Difparity is doubt- 
 lefs much greater, when apply 'd to the Drin- 
 kers of enervating Drains. 
 
 It may not be improper here, to infert 
 a Panegyrick on Temperance from Dr. 
 Short* s Hi/lory of Mineral Waters, p. 9. A 
 Panegyrick worthy to be recorded in every 
 one's memory. " O! Temperance! thou 
 " Support, and Attendant of other Virtues ! 
 
 " thou 
 
Sea-Water. 21 
 
 " Thou Pieferver and Reflorer of Health, 
 " and Protradlor of Life ! Thou Maintainer 
 c< of the Dignity and Liberty of rational 
 " Beings from the wretched inhuman Slavery 
 c< of Senfuality, Tafle y Ciiflom and Example I 
 " Thou Brightner of the Underftanding and 
 " Memory! Thou Sweetner of Life and all 
 " its Comforts ! Thou Companion of Reafom 
 " and Guard of the Pafilons ! Thou bounti- 
 " ful Rewarder of thy Admirers and Fol- 
 " lowers ! how do thine Excellencies extort 
 " the unwilling Commendations of thine E- 
 " nemies! and with what rapturous Plea- 
 " fures can thy Friends raife up a Panegy- 
 " rick in thy Praife !" 
 
 The Dodtor farther obferves in his Ratio- 
 nal Difcourfe of the inward UJes of Water ^ 
 <c What great Succefs, Victories, and valiant 
 <c Atchievements, a pitiful and defpicable 
 " People, have attained over other Nations, 
 " while they were Temperate : but when 
 <c they have taken themfelves to fwiU 
 " down ftrbng Liquors, how have they fud- 
 <r denly become the Prey, and Contempt 
 <c of fuch as they formerly had trodden down. 
 <c They conquered People and over-ran 
 " Nations, till their Armies began to drink 
 " Strong Liquors, and then they neither could 
 C-3 <c conquer 
 
22 On Dijl tiled 
 
 " conquer nor defend, what they had brought 
 
 " under their Yoke." 
 
 J hope this fhort Digreflion will be excu- 
 fed, and taken in good part, by thofe for 
 whofe fervice and welfare it was really in- 
 tended, by him, who has been labouring to 
 do them the belt Service he can, and who 
 has ever had a great value and cfteem for 
 Seafaring Perfous, on account of that open^ 
 brave^ generous and manly Spirit ', which is 
 obfervable in them 5 and which 'tis a great 
 Pity to have dcbafcd and broken down, by 
 fuch pernicious falfe Spirits. 
 
 How praife-worthy and glorious an Ac- 
 tion would it be, for the Legiilators and Go- 
 vernors of the Nations of the Earth ; to ufe 
 their beft endeavours, to deliver their Sub- 
 jefts from fo deftruclive a Pert, and from that 
 worft of Slaveries, which it is not in their Sub- 
 jeffs power to deliver thewjehcsjrow. This 
 would be a furer means to increafe the real 
 Strength and Riches of a Nation ; ar.d a more 
 glorious Achievement to gain true folid Ho- 
 nour and Applaufe, than to inlarge their Do- 
 minions by Ccnqueft. On the other hand, how 
 inhuman, how difhonourable, and how grofs 
 a breach of Truft committed to them by Pro- 
 vidence, is it, fupinely to fuffer fo deftruclive 
 
Sea-Water* 23 
 
 a Pert, to rage amongft thofe committed to 
 their charge ; a Peft that fo greatly debafes 
 human Nature. It is the peculiar happinefs 
 of this Nation, that the Legiflature have ta- 
 ken Cognizance of it, fo as to lay Reftraints 
 on, and will doubtlefs proceed, to provide an 
 effectual Remedy for fo great an Evil. 
 
 But to return to the Subjedl of this Spirit 
 of Salt-, it does not probably rife from thePerfeft 
 Salt which is in the Sea- Water, but feems rather 
 to be the Spirit of a more imperfeft Salt, which 
 abounds in Sea- Water, and is called Bittern. 
 Now the Spirit of this Salt, may probably be 
 raifed with a much lefs degree of Fire, than 
 the Spirit of common Salt : Becaufe, as the 
 Chymifts obferve, it wants a central Earth, 
 which makes true perfect Salt of fo fixt a 
 nature, that its Spirit cannot be raifed, with- 
 out being mixed with powdered Bole orBrick- 
 duft, and diftilled in a Retort with a ftrong 
 melting Fire ; whereas the Spirit of imperfeft 
 Bittern Salt t is moreeafily raifed with a much 
 lefs degree of Heat, viz. that of boiling Water. 
 
 Finding therefore fo great Reafon to con- 
 clude, that it was a Spirit of Salt, which, 
 principally made diftilled Sea- Water fo un. 
 wholfome ; and it being a known tiling, in 
 the Books of Chymifts, that Oil of Tartar^ 
 C 4 being 
 
24 On DiJlilleJ 
 
 being mixed with Spirit of Salt, will 
 true common Salt, as well as ftrongly imbibe 
 the rancid Sulphur of any Liquor it is put 
 into 5 J dropped fixty Drops of ftrong Oil of 
 Tartar into an Ounce of diftilled Sea- Wa- 
 ter, and diftilled it a fecond time ; it was well 
 tafted, and gave no white Clouds with Solu- 
 tion of Silver. A probable Argument, that 
 the Oil of Tartar had feized on and fixed 
 the Spirit of Salt, as perhaps alfo fome of 
 the naufeous Bituminous Sulphur, and there- 
 by hundred them from diftilling over into the 
 Receiver. It was alfb the fame, when \ diftil- 
 led half a Pint of diftilled Sea- Water, with 
 a quarter of an Ounce of Tartar, or with 
 Sal Tartar, And with Pot-afli it gave no 
 white Clouds with the Solution of Silver, but 
 jt had a very naufeous foapy Tafte ; which 
 continued long after. 
 
 But two Ounces pf Sal Tartar , had no 
 fenfibly good eflfedt, when diftilled with a 
 Pint of Sea- Water $ and it was the fame 
 when either Sea-Water, or diftilled Sea- Wa- 
 ter, were diftilled with decrepitated Salt, 
 that is Salt burnt in a Pot till it has done 
 fnapping. 
 
 Haifa Pint of diftilled Sea-Water, diftilled 
 again with half an Qunce of Calx of Bones 
 
 burnt 
 
Sea-Water. 25 
 
 burnt to a white Powder, was well tafted r 
 and gave no white Clouds with Solution of 
 Silver. But if it be not thus diftill'd a fe- 
 cond time, the Calx of Bones by (landing 
 fome Days in the diftilled Water, takes off 
 much of its aduft Tafte, but does not pre- 
 vent its giving white Clouds with the Solu*- 
 tion of Silver \ and whereas, had it been di- 
 ftilled a fecond time, there would have been 
 no fuch Clouds, this fhews that the Calx of 
 Bones feizes on the Spirit of Salt and pre- 
 vents its rifmg : it was very good three Months 
 after. 
 
 Diftilling a fecond time with calcined Oy- 
 fter Shells, has the fame good effedt, but taftes 
 fomewhat more Aduft, but after long ftanding 
 is good. 
 
 Diftilling a fecond time with Chalk, pre- 
 vents the white Clouds, with Solution of Sil- 
 ver ; as alfo with Brick-duft, which gives a 
 very naufeous Tafte. 
 
 With Burnt Alum, there are very fmall 
 whitifh Clouds, and it has a fmart dryifh Tafte, 
 but is otherwife well tailed j and continues 
 fo long. 
 
 Thefe Diftillations- were made with great 
 cafe, in final! Pint and Half-Pint Retorts ; 
 
 which 
 
26 On Dijl tiled 
 
 which were placed in common Pipkins filled 
 with Sand \ and then placed on a Trivet over 
 the Kitchen Fire, for half an Hour, to be 
 gently warmed; and then, the Trivet 
 being taken away, the Pipkin was fet on a 
 hot place on the Fire. It was eafy to fit 
 Receivers of any Sizes to thefe fmall Re- 
 torts, by means of Corks which filled the 
 Mouths of the Receivers, and had a fmall Hole 
 in them, fit for the Neck of the Retort to 
 enter. 
 
 . Thus we fee that Oil and Salt of Tartar y 
 Calx of Bones, Oyfter-S bells, C/w/tand Brick- 
 <////?, have a good effedt in curing the noxi- 
 ous quality of diftillcd Sea- Water : But this^ 
 not without a fecond Diftillation, which fo 
 greatly incrcufes the difficulty of coming a^ 
 good Water ; that nothing but the mod ur- 
 gent neceifity, could have prevailed with any 
 to make ufe of either of thefe means. 
 
 III. 
 
 THERE was another Method, which I 
 had thought on, to try as icon as opportuni- 
 ty offered : and that was to fee what could be 
 done by Putrefaction. But this, I had as 
 yet no opportunity of trying, becaufe my Hogs- 
 head 
 
Sea-Water. 27 
 
 head of Sea-Water, having hitherto had its 
 Bung-hole open, did not ftink. But I was 
 happily fupplied by a Friend with twenty-two 
 Flafks of Mediterranean Sea- Water taken up 
 nineteen Months before, thirty Leagues North 
 of the Ifle of Malta. The greateft part of 
 this Sea- Water was fweet, and in Tafte I 
 found no difference between that, and the 
 Nore Water. 
 
 I cut off the Necks of two Florence Flafk* 
 to a wide mouth, and then, having weighed 
 them both, I put into one of them, half 
 a Pound Avoirdupoife of Mediterranean Wa- 
 ter ; and into the other, the like quantity 
 of Nore Water: And then evaporated them 
 both to drynefs. I found by weighing them 
 again, that there were two Drams or 120 
 Grains of Salt in the Nore Water, viz.-} 
 part of the Sea- Water : And in the Medi- 
 terranean Water 128 Grains of Salt, viz. 
 ^- part of the Sea- Water, it having one 
 fifteenth part, more of Salt in it. 
 
 I diftilled in a large Glals Retort, fifteen 
 Flafks of the Mediterranean Water, which 
 did not ftink: And I obfcrved that during 
 the Diftillation, its fmell was not fo Aduft 
 and difagrecable, as that of diftilling Nore 
 Water : The fincll of this diftilling Mediterra* 
 
 nean 
 
2 8 On Dijiilled 
 
 nean Water, being mild and fomewhat urinous. 
 Hence it feems probable that by Putrefaction, 
 its Bittern Aduft Salts, are changed in fome 
 Degree into a kind of Sal Ammoniac):. For 
 doubtlefs this Sea- Water had putrified in 
 nineteen Months keeping in Flafks. 
 
 I carried this Diftillation on, till the Salt 
 was dry at the bottom of the Retort ; and 
 pouring it off from time to time .as it was di- 
 ftilled, into feparate Veffels; I, to my great 
 Satisfaction found, that the firft four Parts 
 in five of this diftilled Water, gave no white 
 Clouds with Solution of Silver; had very 
 little more of the Aduft Taftc, than my 
 Pump- Water, Rain- Water, or the very pure 
 Combe Spring- Water, with with Hampton- 
 Court is ferved ; all which acquired an Aduft 
 Tafte by Diftillation ; and the more impure 
 the Water, the more diiagrecable was the 
 Aduft Taftc, even after it had putrified and 
 was grown fweet, which was the Cafe of my 
 Pump- Water, which is hard, and has five 
 Grains of Sediment in a Pound of it, eva- 
 porated to drynefs, whereas Hampton-Court 
 and Rain- Water have but one Grain and 
 a half. But if thefe diftilled frefh Waters, 
 or Sea- Water, ftand for fome time, either 
 expofcd to the Air, in open Veffcls, or 
 
 in 
 
Sea-Water. 29 
 
 in Bottles, this Aduft Tafte is much abated ; 
 and at length goes quite off. 
 
 It is obfervable, that though diftilled Rain- 
 Water, Spring or Well- Water, have an A- 
 duft difagreeable Tafte, yet the Waters which 
 remain in the Retorts, have only the Taftc 
 of common boiled Water : which fliows that 
 the Aduft Empireumatick Tafte, is owing 
 to the Adtion of Fire on the afcending diftil- 
 led Vapours. The Sun indeed can raife Va- 
 pours from Water, with a very gentle Warmth, 
 and thereby give no ill Tafte to thofe Va- 
 pours, but this cannot be done by diftilling. 
 
 And as a farther Proof of the goodnefe of 
 this diftilled Mediterranean Water j I find 
 it putrifies and ftinks by {landing fome Days, 
 in a Glafs Veflfel covered only with Paper, 
 not tied down. And when expofed to the 
 free open Air, foon came fweet again : where- 
 as none of the Nore Water has flunk, which 
 was diftilled before it had putrified, and gave 
 white Clouds with a Solution of Silver $ not- 
 withftanding it has flood feveral Months in 
 Glafs Veflels covered with Paper. And raw 
 Beef, as I obferved before, putrifies and ftinks 
 in this diftilled Water, as foon as in Rain 
 Water $ whereas the like B^ef put into the 
 latter part of this Diftillation, with which a 
 
 Spirit 
 
30 On DiftilUd 
 
 Spirit of Salt was raifed, continued hard and 
 did not putrify in (landing feveral Months. 
 
 IV. 
 
 I N order, further to examine into the 
 goodnefs of this diftilled Mediterranean Wa- 
 ter ; I boiled for two hours, fome common 
 yellow boiling Pcafe, in fome of it $ alfo in 
 diftilled Nore Water, in Rain Water -, and in 
 undiftilledNor^ Water. ThePeafe which were 
 boiled in the undihjlled Sea- Water, were dulky 
 coloured and very hard ; and fuch arc found 
 indigeftible, by thofe who have been obli. 
 ged to eat them for want of other Food. 
 Thofe which were boiled in the diftilled Me- 
 diterranean Water, were very foft and mel- 
 low to a Mafh ; thofe which were boiled in 
 the diftilled Nore Water, were foft, but not 
 to the feme degree as the other. Thole 
 boiled in Rain Water were foft too, but in 
 a lefs degree than the two diftilled Waters ; 
 which fhows that Diftillation has more ef- 
 fedt in preparing Water to foften Peaie boiled 
 in it y than the fmall quantity of Spirit of 
 Salt, in the diftilled Nore Water had, to dif- 
 qualify it for that purpofe : But I found that 
 Peafe boiled in the laft part of a Diftilla- 
 tion of Sea- Water to dryneis, in which there 
 
 is 
 
3 1 
 
 is much Spirit of Salt, were far from being fo 
 mellow and foft. 
 
 I obferved, that when the good diftilled 
 Mediterranean Water had flood fome Weeks, 
 if two or three Drops of Solution of* Silver 
 were dropped into a fpoonfull of it ; tho' it 
 did not caufe White Clouds, yet in (land- 
 ing fome Hours, the Water turned brownifh, 
 with fome fediment ; and I found it the fame 
 with my diftilled Pump- Water : alfo in 
 Rain-Water when tending towards Putre- 
 faftion. So that we cannot hence infer any 
 bad quality in the diftilled Sea- Water. I 
 found it the fame alfo in the beft of the 
 fwcet diftilled Nore Water, but not in that 
 which was the latter part of the Diftillation 
 to drynefs, which abounded more with Spirit 
 of Salt. 
 
 I obfcrve further on this Diftillation, that 
 when about two thirds of the Sea- Water 
 was diftilled off, there appeared, about an 
 . Inch above the Surface of the diftilling Wa- 
 ter, a Circle of whitifh Salt, flicking to the 
 fides of the Retort, which incrcafed more 
 and more, as the* Water decreafed by Di- 
 itillation, yet no Spirit arofc from this Salt, 
 till about four Parts in five was diftilled 
 off. Hence we may oblervc, that this Spi- 
 rit 
 
32 
 
 rit of Salt, is not fo apt to rife in Diftil- 
 lation, from the incrufted Salt, whofe Wa- 
 ter had putrified and grown fweet, as from 
 the incrufted Salt of Sea- Water that was 
 never putrid* 
 
 The way to know, when enough Wa- 
 ter is drawn off any one Diftillation, is, from 
 time to time, to try a little of it in a 
 Glafs, by dropping two or three Drops* 
 of Solution of Silver, as above mentioned. 
 
 I purpofely chofe to make ufe of Glafs 
 Veflels, rather than Metalline ones, both that 
 I might the better obferve what occurred 
 in the Diftillations, and alib that I might 
 be fecure that no ill Tafte was given to 
 the diftilled Liquors by the VclTels. In the 
 ftrongeft boilings the Ebullition rifes three 
 or four Inches above the Surface of the Wa- 
 ter, fo that care muft be taken, not to fill 
 the Stilh fo full, as to endanger the Wa- 
 ter's boiling over into the Neck of the Still: 
 And that efpecially on Ship-board, where 
 there is more danger of the Water's rifing 
 too high, by the heeling to and fro of 
 the Ship ; to prevent whith, the upper part 
 of the Ship-Boilers are made narrower than 
 the middle parts. I never obferved any Scum 
 on the Surface of the boiling Sea- Water. 
 
 Some 
 
Std-W&ttr. 33 
 
 Some of the Flafks of this Mediterranean 
 Water, being very putrid and ftinking much, 
 I put the Water of none of them into the 
 great Retort, with the fifteen Flafks of Wa- 
 ter. But diftilled half the Water of one of 
 the moft putrid of them in a lefler Retort : 
 The diftilled Water of this, ftank intolera- 
 bly ; hence the putrid Particles the moft 
 volatile, in Diftillatfon : But what remained 
 in the Retort, was the next Day fweet and 
 clear, and had dcpofited a dirty Sediment. 
 And putrid Sea- Water does the fame, as 
 it grows fweet and clear. And common Salt 
 alfo, as it melts in a moift Air, is obferved to 
 depofitc much Earth, with an undluous, (harp, 
 auftere Liquor. 
 
 The diftilled Water gave brownifh Clouds 
 with a Solution of Silver while putrid ; and 
 when grown fweet again, gave white Clouds, 
 and did not ftink again in long keeping, an 
 argument that there was fome Spirit of Salt 
 in it. Whence we fee how requifite it is to 
 let Sea- Water not only ftink, but alfo be- 
 come fweet again, in order to procure by 
 Diftillation, wholfome Water from it. 
 
 Sea-Salt is obferved by Chymifts,, to be 
 made up of an Acid of a peculiar kind, and 
 of a mineral Alkali, the Acid Portion being 
 
 D fo 
 
34 OnDiJIilled 
 
 fo far intangled, and involved in the other, 
 as hardly to be able to exert its proper 
 Virtues, in a concrete Form : But Putre- 
 fadtion, that moil fubtile of all Diflblvents, 
 effectually disjoins and fepq^ates all the com- 
 ponent Parts of putrifying Bodies, except 
 commo:i Salt, which is of fo fixt a Na- 
 ture, as not to yield to Putrefadion : which 
 is the Reafon that it is fo- effectual a pre- 
 fcrver of other Bodies, where there is a fuf- 
 ficient quantity of it ufed. But there being 
 in St a- Water not only per fed Sea-Salt, but 
 alfo a more imperfed Bittern Salt and Sul- 
 phureous Bittern, which laft Principles pro- 
 mote Putrefadion, and are thereby disjoin- 
 ed ; and after the Putrefadion ceafcs, are 
 formed into new Combinations : The grofler 
 of which precipitate to the Bottom ; where- 
 by it falls out, that the Spirit of the Bit- 
 tern Salt, requiring now more heat to raife 
 it, than before Putrefaction ; a confiderable 
 quantity of the Sea- Water is diftilled over, 
 before this Spirit of Salt begins to rife. But 
 when the Diftillation is made during the pu- 
 trid State of the Water, its putrifying Par- 
 ticles being then difunited, the Spirit of Salt 
 more eafily rifcs in Diftillation. 
 
 I 
 
Sea-Water. 3 5 
 
 I think it therefore a happy event, that 
 foine of this Mediterranean Water, had pu- 
 trified and was fweet again ; and that 'fome 
 of it (tank j otherwife if it had all flank, 
 and by diftilling it in that putrid State, I 
 had found it no better than Norc unputrid 
 Water, I might probably have been there* 
 by fo difcouraged from any further purfuits, 
 as not to think of diftilling fome of it, af- 
 ter it was grown fwcet again. By fuch un- 
 forefcen Incidents is Providence fometimes 
 pleafed, to give Succefs to our Refearches; 
 and fo little Reafon have we to facrifice 
 1o our own Ntf ; as if the difcovery were 
 owing to our great Sagacity and Penetration. 
 
 If we will confefs the Truth, we muft 
 needs acknowledge our (hort-fightednefs ; that 
 we fee but as through a Glafs darkly. And 
 hardly do ivegucfs aright y at things that are 
 upon Earth 9 and with labour do <wc find the 
 things that are' before us. Wtfdom ix. 1 6. Yet 
 how common is it to ice Men led into 
 the prophane abfurdities of Deifm> from a 
 conceited Opinion of their great Skill, in 
 their feveral Crafts and Profeflions? Thus 
 have I known low Artizans, look upon them- 
 felves, as compleatly qualified for Dei/is^ frcm 
 a high conceit they had of their Skill in their 
 D 2 Craft. 
 
36 On Dijlilled 
 
 Crafts. And the cafe is but too often the 
 feme in other Profeflions, where, in reality, 
 the very much they are ignorant of, fhould 
 rather make them humble, than the little 
 they know, exalt them. 
 
 It is to be feared, that the Spirit of ZW/w, 
 which is but too prevailing in our unhap- 
 py Days, owes its Rife, in a great meafure, 
 among other caufes, to an over-weaning con* 
 ceited Opinion Men have, of the great Strength 
 of their Reafon and Underftanding ; where- 
 by they are led to make themfelves, fo far 
 the Standard of Infallibility, as even to re- 
 jedl the Counfcl of the Alwife and Almigh- 
 ty Being, in the Conduft and Government 
 of his own Creation. For by the Divine 
 Counfel, as the Wife-man obferves, The ways of 
 them which lived on Earth were reformed \ and 
 Men were taught the things that are pleafmg 
 unto tbee y and were Javed through Wifdom. 
 Wifdom of Solomon ix. 17, 18. Had they 
 therefore but Humility enough to make a 
 juft Eftimate of human Abilities, for Hu- 
 mility is a Virtue full of good Stafe, that 
 would neither have us under, nor over-va- 
 lue ourfelves ; they would then perceive, how 
 great Reafon they had to be thankful, for 
 whatever further Affiftance, beyond natural 
 
 Abili- 
 
Sea-Water. 3 7 
 
 Abilities, God would vouchfafe to give us, in 
 order the better to conduct ourfelves. 
 
 It is obfervable that the Deiftical Spirit 
 is plainly feen in many of them, under die 
 Air of great Self-fufficiency ; as if they, by the 
 dint of their fuperior Underftanding, had dif- 
 covered the Cheat, which held Mankind 
 under the Reftraint and Bondage of Reve- 
 lation. Yet thefe profefled Enemies to Faith* 
 muft needs own, if they will but obferve 
 it, that in almoft every other part of Life, 
 in which our Underftandings are employed, 
 we find inceflant Occafion, to act on the 
 fidelity and report of others ; for no one 
 Man can himfelf try all things. If there- 
 fore they would give things Spiritual, but 
 an equal treatment, with the common Oc- 
 currences of Life, they might then bid fair for 
 a full Enjoyment of the gracious Promifes 
 of the Gofpel, which they now mofl fenfe- 
 lefily reject: with fcorn. Thus profejfing tbem- 
 Jehes Wife> they become Fools. Rom. i. 22. 
 
 But to return to the Subject of -this di- 
 ftilled Mediterranean Water : I found that the 
 fifth Part of it, which was diftilled to drynefs, 
 turned Syrup of Violets Red ; which Spirit 
 of Salt alfo does : An Argument, that there is 
 D 3 Spirit 
 
38 On Dialled 
 
 Spirit of Salt, in this laft diftilled Sea- Water j 
 the Acidity of which is alfd very manifeft 
 to the Tafle. 
 
 But good diftilled Mediterranean Water 
 does not change the colour of Syrup of Vio- 
 lets ; whence there does not appear to be any 
 prevailing Acid in it. 
 
 But neither did the laft part but one of 
 the Diftillation of this Mediterranean Wa- 
 ter change the colour of the Syrup of Vio- 
 lets, notwithstanding it gives White Clouds, 
 with Solution of Silver ; which therefore dif- 
 covers to us fmaller degrees of Spirit of Salt, 
 than Syrup of Violets will do. Hence we 
 have a hint to be careful not to diftill off 
 any quantity of Sea- Water, too near to the 
 bottom, beouifc it will thereby, the more 
 abound with Spirit of Salt, and be confequent- 
 ly fo much the more unwholfome. 
 
 And that the quantity of this Spirit of 
 Salt increafes more and more, in proportion 
 as the Diftillation is carried on farther and 
 farther, I was convinced by the following 
 Obfervation, viz. Jan. 2 9th I examined a 
 large Diftillation of Nore Water which had 
 not putrified, which was kept in eight fe- 
 parate Flafks according to the order of its 
 being diftilled off, which was done the pre- 
 ceding Oftober 1 3th, It 
 
Sea-Water. 39 
 
 It had all loft its a duft Empyrume : And a- 
 bout one third of it gave no white Clcuds 
 with Solution of Silver, but the other latter 
 parts of this Diflillation, gave very manifeft 
 Clouds, and tafted fomewhat more tart and 
 rough than the other : Now this whole Di- 
 ftillation from firft to laft, gave white Clouds 
 at firft, and for fome Weeks after ; when 
 I firft perceived that the quality of giving 
 White Clouds fenfibly abated. This fhows, 
 that there is not much Spirit of Salt raifed 
 in the firft third Part of a Diftillation of un- 
 putrified Sea- Water ; and that the little of 
 it there is, is fo incorporated in the Water 
 by long ftanding, that the Solution of Silver 
 has no effect upon it. In like manner as I 
 have frequently found that a fmall quantity 
 of Oil of Sulphur, or Spirit of Vitriol, would 
 on long ftanding be incorporated into Cha- 
 lybeate Waters. 
 
 Hence we fee that there is much Spirit 
 of Salt in the latter part of this Diftillation. 
 
 Hence alfo we may draw this ufcful In- 
 ference, that in cafes of diftrefs, if there 
 ihould be no Water in the Ship that has 
 ftank and become fweet again ; we may with 
 fcfety make ufe of diftilled Sea- Water that 
 is juft taken out of the Sea > provided on- 
 D 4 ly 
 
40 On 
 
 ly one third Part of it be diftilled offj for 
 'tis probable that the ill effects of diftilled 
 Sea- Water have principally arifen, from Men's 
 not being enough aware of the ill Confe- 
 quences, of carrying the Diftillation on too 
 far. 
 
 V. 
 
 Jan. 2Qth,I diftilled 22 Cubick Indies of 
 
 the Nore Water out of the Hogfhead, which 
 
 was well clofed up December the fecond, 
 
 in order to caufe it to putrify. Some time 
 
 after the Water in the Hogfhead had a dif- 
 
 agreeable Smell, and then grew fweet, and 
 
 continued fo to this Day. It is remarkable 
 
 that with fo finall a degree of Putrefaction, 
 
 the Water which was diftilled over was good, 
 
 till the Salt which adhered to the Retort had 
 
 appeared for fome time, whence its Spirit a-. 
 
 rofe as ufual. There were fixtcen Cubick 
 
 Inches diftilled over, which were good, which 
 
 is full three fourths of the whole. 
 
 Both the fmell of this during the Diftil- 
 lation, and alib its tafte were much better 
 than that of unputrified Sea- Water. 
 
 December the fecond I put fome Nore 
 Water into a Kilderkin and bunged it up clojfe, 
 where after fome time, it contracted a pu- 
 trid 
 
Sea-Water. 41 
 
 trid Smell, and Tafle, and then became 
 fweet again. Some of it being diflilled Jan. 
 agth, it gave no White Clouds with Solu- 
 tion of Silver, though above two thirds were 
 diflilled off: Hence again we fee that this 
 fmall degree of Putrefadiori will fuffice, for 
 the producing of good diflilled Sea- Water. 
 
 But this diflilled Sea- Water, was much 
 more naufeous, than that out of the Hogf- 
 head, fo that fome of the impurity came 
 over in diftilling, which the Water had 
 contracted from the Kilderkin ; which had for 
 many Years pail had Beer in it; yet it was 
 waih'd with hot Water. Thus I have con- 
 flantly found diflilled Water the more naufe- 
 ous, in proportion to thefoulnefs of the Water 
 it was diflilled from. 
 
 Hence the Empyreumatick tafle, 4^ not 
 feem to depend on Fire Particles inherent 
 in the Water, but rather from a new difa- 
 greeable Combination of the more impure 
 parts of the Water ; whereas were it owing 
 to Fire Particles, that aduft Tafle fhould be 
 more nearly the fame, whether the Water 
 were pure or impure. 
 
 Nov. 28th, I put fome Ilinglafs into fome 
 fweet Nore Water, in order to make it pu- 
 trify, which it foon did in fome degree, 
 
 and 
 
42 On Drilled 
 
 and continued to do fo more and more till 
 Jan. 29th, when I diflilled fome of it in 
 that ftinking State. It, to my furprize, gave 
 no Clouds with a Solution of Silver > and 
 when fweet, which it foon became, it tailed 
 as well as the good di (tilled Mediterranean 
 Water. Hence we lee that, notwithftand- 
 ing the Mediterranean Water which flank 
 when diflilled, gave white Clouds, and con- 
 tinued to do fo for feveral Months after it 
 was diftilled j yet that this Nore Water tho' 
 diflilled in a putrid State proves very good ; 
 as it does alfo, when diftilled after it is grown 
 fweet again. I cannot guefs at any other 
 Reafon for the different event of thcfe two 
 putrid Waters, unlefs it be that the Afo//- 
 terrancan Water was in a more highly pu- 
 trid State, fo as to be turbid, whereas the 
 Nore Water feemed to be putrid in a Ids de- 
 gree, and was pretty clear. 
 
 It feems probable, that it will be more 
 requifite, to have Sea- Water putrify and grow 
 fweet again in the warmer Climates, and 
 where it abounds mull with Bitumen; be- 
 caufe thereby the Bitumen will be rendered 
 lels volatile, and be in a great meafure precipi- 
 tated to the Bottom of the Cafks, before it 
 
 be 
 
Sea-Water. 43 
 
 be put into the Still, whereby what is diftilled 
 will be the purer. 
 
 VI. 
 
 Comte Marftlli fays, this Bitumen is in 
 fuch plenty in the Mediterranean Sea- 
 Water, particularly on the Thracian 9ea, 
 when calm ; and in fuch abundance on the 
 Eaft-Indian Sea, that it is fometimes feen 
 fwimming on the Surface of the Water, which 
 he believes to come in a good meafure from 
 Coal Mines , fome of it may alfo come from 
 'Petroleum which is in many Parts of the 
 Earth. He diftilled fome Mineral Coals, and 
 found that forty Grains of the oily volatile 
 Spirit of Coals, put into a Quart of frefh Wa- 
 ter, which was made as fait as Sea- Water, 
 made it as bitter as the furface Sea-Water : 
 and that fifty Grains of that Spirit, put into 
 a quantity of Artificial Salt-Water, made it 
 as bitter as the deep Sea- Water. 
 
 He fays alfo, that the Sea-Salt which is 
 made at Pefcais near the Mouth of the Ri- 
 ver Rhone, is fo bitter and difagreeablc, that 
 it can't be ufed the firft Year, and fcarcely 
 the fecond ; that it is tolerable the third J , 
 and the fourth Year its Bitter is fcarce to 
 
 be 
 
 i 
 
44- On Dtjiilled 
 
 be tafled $ and this, whether the Salt be made 
 by Art or the Sun. 
 
 That the Tafte of the Salt made by the 
 Diftillatioii of the furface Water, is of a 
 biting Saltnefs, with an almoft intenfe bit- 
 ternefs : But that the Tafte of the Salt of 
 diftilled deep Water is of a greater degree of 
 Saltnels, and a more difagreeable Bitter. 
 
 He fays that diftilled Sea- Water is ib dif- 
 agreeable, that it is impollible to drink it, 
 viz. on account of the great quantity of its 
 Bitumen^ which is more difagreeable than 
 the fdine Part. But this is happily cured by 
 Putrefaction. 
 
 If Bread is made with Sea- Water, he fays 
 it gives a good Colour, and makes it light ; 
 but that the Bitter which is tailed the next 
 day, makes it intolerable. And that Mutton 
 boiled in Sea-Water ^ is more Salt and Bitter 
 than mjreflj Water. 
 
 He obferves, that there is fomething loft 
 in Diftillation; for though the Salt thereby 
 taken out, be reftored to the Water, yet 
 there wants an addition of more Salt, to bring 
 it to its former Specifick Gravity, viz. forty 
 Grains in two Pounds. 
 
 That there are in two Pounds of Sea* 
 Water, eight Drams nnd fix Grains of Salt ; 
 
 and 
 
Sea-Water. 45 
 
 and in .an hundred Pounds, 402 Drams thir- 
 ty Grains, yet in the Diftillation there were 
 found in two Pounds of Sea- Water, but fix 
 Drams thirty Grains : And in an hundred 
 Pounds 325 Drams. And it is the fame, 
 when common Water is made as fait as Sea- 
 Water and then diftilled. 
 
 He found alfo, that two Pounds of Foun- 
 tain Water will diflblve half a Dram of 
 Salt more than diftilled Sea- Water, though 
 their Specifick Gravities are the fame ; this 
 he thinks is owing to the Unttuofity of the 
 diftilled Sea- Water. 
 
 He laying the Salt of fuperficial Sea- Water, 
 taken within fix Inches of the Surface, and 
 the Salt of deep Sea- Water on blue Paper, 
 the firft Salt turned the Paper Red as Nitre 
 will do, but the other Salt had no fuch effeft. 
 
 I dipped fome Blue Paper in the melted 
 Brine of the Salt, both of the diftilled M-- 
 dlterranean and Nore Water, and then dry- 
 ed the Papers, which both gave a rcddifh caft : 
 But a like Paper dipped in a ftrong Brine 
 of common Houftiold Salt, had not fuch a 
 reddifh Colour, which (hows that the Bittern 
 Salt of Sea- Water is partly Nitrous. And 
 fince Chymifts obferve that Nitre confifts of 
 
 an 
 
46 On Dijlilled 
 
 an Oily Saline, and Volatile Subftancc, no 
 wonder that Nitrous Salt (hould be formed 
 in the Bittern Salt and oily Bitumen of Sea- 
 Water : And it is fuppofed to be owing to 
 the great plenty of this Nitrous Salt, that 
 Sea- Water is obferved to be more unapt to 
 extinguish Ships on fire, than frefh Water. 
 It was obfervable that the Papers which were 
 dipped, in the Colliquation of the Refidue 
 of the Diftillations, melted again much fooner, 
 and in a greater Degree, than the Paper dip- 
 ped in the Brine of common Salt, viz. be- 
 caufe of the imperfedt bittern Salt which 
 was in them. 
 
 This Bittern &?//, of which there is great 
 ftore in the Sea, is thought to enter much 
 into the Compofition of the Nourifliment of 
 Plants and Animals. 
 
 It is from this probably, that that J7n/- 
 vcrfal Salt arifes, which as it happens to fall 
 on different Earths, concretes, and corrodes 
 them, and thereby produces different kinds of 
 Salts ; the more common whereof, and fuch 
 as are found Natural, are Vitriol^ Alum^ Ni- 
 ire i common Salt and Sal Ammoniac. 
 
 And 'tis probable that from the fulphu- 
 reous Bitumen of the Sea, is raifed by the 
 
 warmth 
 
Sea-Water. 47 
 
 Wiirmth of the Sun, that fubtile Sulphur, 
 h with which the Air, and its Waters, viz. 
 Dew and Rain are impregnated; which 
 makes them fo kindly and congenial for the 
 Nourifhment of the Products of the Earth: 
 And when the Air is much impregnated 
 with thefe fulphureous Vapours ; they caufe 
 violent Ferments with purer Air, whence the 
 ExphfiGHS of Lightening ; as I have fliown 
 in my Analyfis of the Air. 
 
 VII. 
 
 I conclude there will be little or no dif- 
 ficulty in being provided with Sea- Water that 
 has putrified and grown fweet again; fince 
 as foon as any Frefli-Water Cafk is emp- 
 tied, it may be filled with Sea- Water ; which 
 I am told is the conftant Practice in many 
 Ships, in order to preferve a due Proportion 
 of Ballaft, GV. And when the Cafk isclofc 
 bunged down, this will promote Putrefaction ; 
 as will alfo the Filth and Sediment, of what 
 remained of the frefh Water. But the Pu- 
 
 . trefaftion may be haftened, by throwing in 
 a few Scraps of any animal Subftance, whc- 
 ttar it be of Filh or other Animals. This 
 
 , I found, that Ifnglafs, which is a fiftry Sub- 
 ftance, foon caufcd it to putrify. And in 
 
 warm 
 
48 QnDiJWhd 
 
 warm Climates where the Sea- Water abounds 
 moil with Bitumen, it will, both on ac- . 
 count of the greater quantity of Bitumen^ 
 as well as of warmth, be the more difpofed 
 to putrify. 
 
 When the Sea-Water is well putrified, it 
 will be convenient to ufe means to make 
 it grow fwcet again, viz. by opening the 
 Bung-Holes, as alfo by throwing in a little 
 clean Sand, which will help to fine down 
 the Water, by precipitating its turbid Filth. 
 But I have not found Sand to haften the 
 fweetening of {linking Sea- Water that was 
 clear ; but when turbid and thick, the Sand 
 will then have a good effedt, in carrying all 
 foulnefs down with it ; as it is well known 
 to do when mixed with flimy Ifinglafs in 
 fining of Wines. 
 
 As new diftilled Sea- Water, though freed 
 both from Spirit of Salt and Bitumen, has 
 but an indifferent flat aduft Tafle ; this may 
 in fome degree be helped, by expofing it 
 as much as the Time will permit, to the 
 Air, and pouring it often to and fro : Mr. 
 Boyle Godfrey, in his Mijcellaneous Expert* 
 ments and Objervations, advifes the putting 
 in a few Grains of Salt, or a little Sugar, 
 
 to 
 
Sea-Water. 49 
 
 to give it a Tafte. Powder of well-burnt 
 Bones will much take off the aduft Tafte. 
 
 Some are of Opinion that diftilled Water 
 cannot be wholfome, becaufe they fufpedt 
 that it is thereby deprived of its nourishing 
 Quality. As new diftilled Water is lefs pa- 
 latable than the undiftilled, fo it may not 
 probably be fo congenial to our Bodies, oji 
 account of that new Texture that is given 
 to fome of its Parts ; to which its difagree- 
 ablenefs feems principally to be owing, and 
 not to its being deprived of its nutritive Parts: 
 For when I had fet by; for a confiderable 
 Time, fome good diftilled Mediterranean 
 Water, it became very well tailed, like o- 
 ther common Water, notwithftanding it was 
 all that Time in a well corked Bottle ; fo 
 that it could not have any frefti Pabulum 
 or nourifhing Quality communicated to it 
 out of the Air; which was excluded by the 
 Cork of the Bottle. And when diftilled Nore 
 Water, which had a difagreeable Empyreuma, 
 was diftilled over again with Salt or Oil 
 of Tartar thrown into it, which detained 
 the heterogeneous Parts of the Water from 
 rifing in Diftiilation, the diftilling Water was 
 then free from Empyreuma, notwithftanding 
 it had undergone the Aftion of Fire now, 
 
 E as 
 
50 On Difiilled 
 
 as much as in the firft Diftillation. Water is to 
 be locked on chiefly as a Vehicle of Nourifli- 
 mentj and if that Vehicle be deprived of 
 its former noxious Qualities by Diftillation, 
 we may then reafonably hope, that it may 
 be tolerably good, for conveying Nourifh- 
 ment, the being blended with which may 
 alfo much amend it, tho* it be not fo agree- 
 able to the Tafte, nor altogether fo congenial 
 to our Bodies as other freih Water. 
 
 VIII. 
 
 i ft. Upon the whole, we may obferve, as 
 far as appears from thefe Experiments and 
 Obfervations, that the beft Method to procure 
 wholfome Water from the Sea, is firft to let 
 it putrify well, and then become fweet be- 
 fore it be diftilled, by which means the great- 
 eft proportion of good Water may be pro- 
 cured from any one Diftillation. 
 
 2dly. That as appears by the ftinking Nore 
 Water, a fmaller degree of Putrefa&ion, and 
 then turning fweet, will fuffice to procure 
 about three fourths of good Water from a 
 Diftillation, at leaft in thefe Northern Seas, 
 where there is a lefs quantity of Bitumen : 
 Whether this fmall degree of Putrefaction, 
 
 will 
 
Sea-Water. 5 1 
 
 will be fufficient, in warmer Climates, muft 
 be left to Experience to determine. 
 
 3dly. Nore Water diftilled even in a pu- 
 trid State, yielded good well tafted Water, 
 as foon as it grew fweet, which it foon did after 
 Diftillation. 
 
 4thly. That Water kept in a Beer-Cafk, 
 gives a much more naufeous Tafte, when di- 
 ftilled, than from a Water-Cafk. 
 
 jthly. That when on account of a fud- 
 
 den unforefeen Exigency and Diftrefs, there 
 
 is not time to have Sea- Water ftink, and 
 
 grow fweet again : Then, if only one third 
 
 of each Still full of Water be diftilled off, 
 
 but a fmall quantity of Spirit of Salt will a- 
 
 rife : And if they will have the precaution 
 
 to be provided with two or three Pounds of 
 
 Salt of Tartar, kept dry in Bottles, a very 
 
 little of this will change the acid Spirit of 
 
 Salt in the Water, into a more wholfonue 
 
 neutral Salt : But then there will remain the 
 
 very naufeous oily Bitumen ; the moft effe&ual 
 
 way to be fecured againft which, will be, to be 
 
 well provided with putrid Water if poflible. 
 
 6thly. It will be requifite alfo to be pro. 
 
 vided wjth a fmall Vial full of a Solution of 
 
 Silver in Aquafortis. A fmall Bit of Silver, 
 
 'viz. no bigger than 'a Silver Threc-Pertce, 
 
 E 2 diflblved 
 
. 
 
 52 
 
 diflblved in the quantity of a middling Ipoort- 
 full of Aquafortis ; and fixty Drops of this 
 dropped in an Ounce of diftilled frefh Water, 
 will fuffice. But the Water muft be diftil- 
 led, elfe, there being fome degree of Salt in 
 mod Waters, the Solution of Silver will caufe 
 white Clouds in them, which will make them 
 unfit for the Purpofc. The purer the Sil- 
 ver the better. I diflblved a Link of a Watch- 
 Chain, which having Copper in it to make 
 it the ftifter, the Solution was green ; yet 
 when fixty Drops of this were dropped on 
 an Ounce, or about three fpoonsfull of di- 
 ftilled Spring Water, it was clear, and did 
 very well for my purpofe. I mention this, to 
 put thofe, who {hall have occafion for it, in an 
 eafy way of procuring it, when they have 
 not an opportunity, either to get very pure 
 Silver, or to purcliafe the Solution of Chy- 
 mifts. Two Drops of this Solution dropped 
 into a Glafs with half a fpoonful of the di- 
 itilling Water, will prefently difcover, by the 
 white Clouds it caufes, if there be any Spirit 
 of Salt rifen with the Water. 
 
 7thly. It will be of ufe alfo to obferve, 
 when a Diftillation is over, in what degree 
 of the Diftillation, the dry Salt begins to in- 
 cruft on the fides of the Still j as alfo how 
 
 fur 
 
Sea-Water* 5 3 
 
 far the Diftillation may be carried on with- 
 out danger of raifing Spirit of Salt, after this 
 dry Salt firft appears. For the Mediterra- 
 nean Sea-Water came over good, a confider- 
 able time after the Salt appeared on the fides 
 of the Retort. 
 
 Further Experience and Obfervations from 
 Skilful Perfons may hereafter give more light 
 into this matter, which they will do well 
 to communicate, in order to have them made 
 known, for the publick Benefit ; towards the 
 promoting of which, I (hall be very glad if 
 thefe Endeavours of mine fhall prove of any 
 fervice : which would give me fuch a Satis- 
 fadlion, as would be an ample Reward, for 
 the Labour and Pains, I have taken herein,, 
 even tho' they had been much greater, 
 
 3 SOME 
 
SOME 
 
 CONSIDERATIONS 
 
 ABOUT 
 
 Means to preferve FRESH 
 WATER fweet. 
 
 E 4 
 
( 57 ) 
 SOME 
 
 CONSIDERATIONS, 
 
 ABOUT 
 
 Means to preferve FRESH 
 WATER fweet. 
 
 AS it is well known by common Ex- 
 perience, that frefli Water, preferved 
 in Calks is apt to putrify and ftink 
 to fuch a degree, that the Drinkers are obli- 
 ged to hold their Nofes while they drink it ; 
 it may not therefore be improper to add fome 
 Confiderations on that Subjedl. 
 
 Water when it ftands ftagnant for fomc 
 time, efpecially in clofe Vefifels, is apt to form 
 a thin clammy flimy Subftance, to change 
 its Colour, Tafte and Smell, and to become 
 very naufeous, as it grows more and more 
 putrid. To prevent this Inconvenience as 
 much as poflible, great care is taken to have 
 the Water Cafks very clean. I am informed 
 that if the Cafks have had Wine, Beer, or 
 Brandy in them, the Water will ftink fo, 
 as never to come fweet again, while in the 
 Crfk. Thq 
 
58 To preferve 
 
 The T&zOTtf.and feverd other Waters will 
 ftink in fcven or eight Days, and fometimes 
 fooner, efpecially in unfeafoned Calks, and 
 come fweet again : By opening the Bung- 
 Hole, Waters often become fweet in twenty 
 four Hours, and fooner, when much lhaken, 
 or poured to and fro. The Water would 
 ftink more, if the Bung-Holes were not left 
 partly open. But putrid Water, tho' naufe- 
 ous, is not obferved to be hurtful to human 
 Bodies. 
 
 Dr. Boerhaave in bis Chymiftry y Vol. L 
 p. 598, fays that when Rain Water ftinks, 
 if it be juft boiled, all the living Creatures 
 in it will be killed j and on Handing to fettle 
 a while, they will fubfide with other Sedi- 
 ment, to the Bottom : Then being acidula- 
 ted with fome pure acid Spirit, the Water 
 is obferved to become moil: wholfome : And 
 that by the fame means, viz. by adding a 
 little Spirit of Vitriol, Water may be pre- 
 ferved from putrifying, or breeding Infedts, 
 and yet be withal very healthful : But as 
 he has not mentioned what proportion of 
 this acid Spirit ihould be put in, and as a 
 fmall Error in excefs of the quantity of this 
 very acid Spirit, may render it far from whol- 
 fome, even very hurtful and noxious j I will 
 
 here 
 
Water fweet. 59 
 
 here give an Account of what Experiments 
 and Obfervations, I have made on this Sub- 
 ject, in endeavouring to preferve the Virtue 
 of Chalybeate Waters. 
 
 I have found that three Drops of Oil of 
 Sulphur in a Wine Quart of Water, have 
 preserved the Water from (linking for many 
 Months, and even two Drops to a Quart of 
 very pure Spring Water, which came from 
 a gravelly Hill, which was all Gravel to its 
 Surface, have prefer vcd it fweet for more than 
 fix Months: I have obferved the Water 
 of fuch Springs as came from Gravel, to be 
 the pureft of any Spring Water, it being fil- 
 trated through the finer Sand of that Gra- 
 vel, which confining of innumerable fmall 
 flinty Stones, give no Tinfture to the Water, 
 but purify it as it glides through its fine Me- 
 anders. Snow and Hail Waters are the pureft 
 of any : But Rain Water abounding with 
 Sulphur, efpecially in hot Weather, is apt 
 to putrify j the purer the Water, fo much 
 the leflcr quantity of acid Spirit will pre- 
 ferve it. 
 
 I have from my own Experience, and 
 that of others, known Steel Waters drank 
 with three Drops of Oil of Sulphur to a Wine 
 , not only with much fafety, but with 
 
 great 
 
60 To preferve 
 
 great benefit, when drank only in the quan- 
 tity of a Quart, or Pint, or Pint and half, 
 in a Morning, for a few Weeks, and for a 
 much longer continuance, in the fmall quan- 
 tity of half, or a quarter of a Pint. 
 
 But I (hall not take upon me to recom- 
 mend the ufe of this Proportion of Oil of 
 Sulphur, or Spirit of Vitriol, in the much 
 larger quantity of Water which is duly drank 
 on Sliip-board, left while I am endeavour- 
 ing to do what Service I can to Seafaring 
 Perfons, I fhould imprudently do them harm, 
 Yet fince the Trial may be made with fafe- 
 ty, in the lefler quantities of Water above- 
 mentioned ; and fince it is well known that 
 Phyficians frequently prefcribe, to the great 
 benefit of their Patients, twenty four Drops 
 of Elixir of Vitriol, to be drank in a Draft 
 of Spaw Water, or other Liquor, for fome 
 Days continuance;' in which twenty four 
 Drops there are no lefs than eight Drops of 
 Oil of Vitriol, according to the London Dif- 
 fenjhtory ; which fuppofing the Draft of Spaw 
 Water to be half a Pint, is above ten tirnes 
 more acid Spirit, than thefe three Drops to 
 a Quart: There can therefore be no danger 
 in making the Trial firft in fmall quanti- 
 ties of Water ; which may from time to time 
 
 be 
 
Water fweet. 6r 
 
 be encreafed, as from Experience fhall be 
 judged proper. Neither would I propofe to 
 have the greateft part of the Ship's Water- 
 Cafks thus acidulated with Oil of Sulphur 
 or Spirit of Vitriol, but only fome few of 
 them, to be made ufe of where the Ship's 
 Water is extremely naufeous, arid till feme 
 of it can be made more drinkable by expofing 
 it to the Air, Gfc. 
 
 If any one (hall therefore care to make 
 the Trial, and without Trials, few ufeful 
 Improvements are made ; they may take their 
 Eftimate from hence, without being at the 
 trouble of counting every Drop they put into 
 a large Cafk of Water, viz. 1 found that 
 twenty Drops of Oil of Sulphur, which drop- 
 ped flowly from a Bottle, weighed twelve 
 Grains : Therefore an Ounce Troy, or 480 
 Grains weight of Drops, will be in Number 
 eight hundred : And there being in a Beer 
 Hogftiead feventy two Gallons or 288 Quarts, 
 thefe at three Drops to a Quart, will take 
 up 864 Drops, that is one Ounce, and fixty 
 four Drops, or thirty eight Grains weight. 
 
 And as I have, as above-mentioned, found 
 that a Quart of very pure Water was pre- 
 ferved long fweet, with only two Drops pf 
 Oil of Sulphur, it will be advifeable to try 
 
 that 
 
- 
 
 62 To preferve 
 
 thafflefler quantity too, which may be ufed 
 with much greater fafety, if it will be ef- 
 feftual to prevent the (linking of the Water, 
 which I believe it will do in purer Waters, 
 in a great meafure. 
 
 I have frequently obferved, that when three 
 Drops of Oil of Sulphur have continued in 
 a Quart of Water for fome time, that the 
 little acidity it gives, has gone quite off, fo 
 as not to be tafted, the acid Spirit being 
 then more intimately incorporated with the 
 v Water. 
 ^ v That two or three Drops of true Oil of 
 
 I , Sulphur to a Quart, will prevent the breed- 
 ing of Infefts in Water, is probable from 
 '</ the following Experiments and Obferva- 
 tions; viz. 'July 5th, four Drops of Oil 
 : of Sulphur to a Winchejler Quart and half a 
 Pint of Rain Water; killed the little Infefts 
 in it, in twenty-four Hours ; a lefs quantity 
 will therefore probably prevent their growth, 
 in their minuted Origin, when they are of 
 .;'. ) a much tenderer Conflitution. But as the 
 Infedsgrewftronger, viz. Auguji loth, eight 
 V Drops of Oil of Sulphur, to a like quantity 
 of Water, did not kill them in three or four 
 / , Days. But ten Drops killed them in two 
 . ' or 
 
 . 
 .? < . ^ 
 
Water fweet. 63 
 
 or three Hours, in the fame quantit)Fof 
 Water. 
 
 I have chiefly mentioned Oil of Sulphur, 
 becaufe it is looked upon, as fomewhat more 
 kindly to Animal Bodies, than Spirit of Vi- 
 triol, tho' the difference between them is 
 but little: But as it is more difficult and 
 coftly to make Oil of Sulphur by the Bell, 
 than to diftill Spirit or Oil of Vitriol, there- 
 fore they are, as I am informed, frequently 
 fold, the one for the other. 
 
 Mr. Boyle Godfrey the Chymifl, in his 
 Mifcellancous Experiments and Obfervations, 
 c< advifes the putting in an Ounce of 
 <c true Spirit of Vitriol to every forty Gal- 
 Ions of Water, which is at the rate of 
 " three Drops to a Quart; he fays true Spi- 
 " rit, becaufe the Spirit of Vitriol ufually 
 " to be met with, is only Oil of Vitriol 
 " mixed with Water, which Oil he would 
 <e not advife to be ufed, becaufe it is a more 
 " metallick Acid than the Spirit, which is die 
 " more Phlegmatick, or lighter Part that 
 " comes up firft in Diftillation : If the Oil 
 " is ever ufed, a third part of the Weight 
 " of it does, that is one Ounce of it for three 
 " of Spirit. This Spirit or Oil will be 
 " very proper for Seamen in hot Climates, 
 
 " by 
 
64* To prtferve 
 
 " by hindering a too great Perforation. ^ 
 " It is fuppofed there are not many confump- 
 " tive Men in a Ship, for whom Mine- 
 " ral or other Acids are not good. Page 
 
 " 136, 137- 
 
 Agreeably to what Mr. Godfrey obfervcs 
 
 of the different Degrees of Strength of Spi- 
 rit and Oil of Vitriol, I have found that one 
 Drop of true Oil of Vitriol has preferved a 
 fmall degree of the tinging Virtue with Galls, 
 of the Steel Water near Claremont in Surrey ; 
 whereas none of the tinging Virtue of that 
 Water was preferved, with three Drops of 
 true Spirit of Vitriol. I obferved alfo that the 
 efficacy, and confequently the acidity of three 
 Drops of true Oil of Sulphur, was nearly 
 equivalent to that of one Drop of Oil of 
 Vitriol, it having almoft the fame effedl on 
 Claremont Water. So that three Drops of 
 this Oil of Sulphur were fomewhat ftronger 
 than three Drops of the Spirit of Vitriol. It 
 is therefore very requifite to obferve Mr. God- 
 frey's Rule, viz. to put but one third of Oil 
 of Vitriol, fmce it is comparatively fo much 
 ftronger. And fmce Oil of Vitriol is ufcd in 
 making Elixir of Vitriol, which is frequently 
 prefcribed, with fafety ; we may thence rea- 
 fonably infer, that there is little danger in 
 
 ufing- 
 
Water Jweeh 65 
 
 tifing Oil of Vitriol, provided the above men- 
 tion'd Rule be obferved. 
 
 I am informed, that the Dutch in long 
 Voyages, to prevent the Water from ftink- 
 ing ; always put into it, before they fet out, 
 a quantity of Spirit of VitrioK 
 
 In the Hi/lory of the Academy of Science s> 
 Ann, 1722, it is faid, that frefh Water has 
 been preferved from putrifying or breeding 
 Infefts for fix Weeks, by fuming the Cafk 
 with burning Brimftone, as is frequently done 
 to preferve Wine and Cyder. And if when 
 a few Gallons of Water are put into the fumed 
 Cafk, the Bung be put in, and it be rolled to 
 and fro; this will make the Fumes more ef- 
 feftually incorporate with the Water j as it doei 
 by the fiune means with Wine and Cyden 
 
 F DIREC* 
 
DIRECTIONS 
 
 To prefenre 
 
 Ship-Bifcuit and Corn 
 
 From being 
 
 Eaten by Weevels, Meggots^ 
 or Worms. 
 
 F a 
 
(69) 
 
 DIRECTIONS 
 
 
 Topreferve 
 
 SHIP-BISCUIT and CORN from being 
 Eaten by Weevels, Meggots, or 
 
 Worms. 
 
 THERE is another great Inconve- 
 nience to which Seafaring Perfons 
 are frequently expofed, by having their 
 Provifion of Bifcuit and Corn much fpoiled, 
 by being eaten by Worms, Meggpts, or 
 Weevels, efpecially in long Voyages; which 
 Inconvenience might probably be in a great 
 meafure preventedbythefollowingMeans, < W2?. 
 It is well known that the Fumes of burn- 
 ing Brimftone, are mod definitive of 
 animal Life ; and will therefore, not only deftroy 
 living Animals, but will alfo prevent the 
 growth of them in Bread or Corn, which is 
 packed up in clofe Veffels, in which the Air 
 is ftrongly impregnated with thefe Fumes ; 
 which it is well known by repeated Experience, 
 have a Power of deftroying, or reducing to a 
 fixt unaierial State, the more wholefomc vital 
 part of the Air. 
 
 F 3 Hiving 
 
70 * Sea-Btfcuity &c. 
 
 Having therefore filled tl^eCaflcs with Bread 
 QT Cocn, or any other vegetable Subftance 
 which is liable to be worm-eaten ; bore fix or 
 eight Holes in one head of the Calks, and 
 two Holes in the other Head, more or kfs, 
 as Experience fhall prove to be beft, all of 
 them about the fize of common Quart Corks, 
 
 And that the Corn may not drop thro* 
 thefe Holes, nor the Bread flop them up; it 
 will be convenient to nail within fide of each 
 Head of the Cafks, three or four flicks, about 
 an Inch thick, thefe flicks having a piece of 
 Hair-cloath, or vcrycuarfe Sack-cloath, laid on 
 them, will prevent the falling thro* of the 
 Corn ; and yet give room for the Fumes of 
 the Earning Brimftone to afcend : And the 
 fKcks, without a Hair-cloath, will prevent the 
 Bifcuit from immediately covering the Holes. 
 
 Having therefore provided a fufficient 
 quantity of pieces of Tow, or Linnen Rags 
 dipped in melted Brimftone : If the Cafks are 
 to be fumed on fhore, then, having dug a 
 Hole in the Ground about a YJird deep, and 
 eighteen Inches wide j throw into the Hole, 
 more or lefs, as Experience fhall fhow befl, 
 about a quarter of a Pound of the Brimfloned 
 Tow or Rags, fet on Fire : Immediately 
 placing over the Hole, the Cafk, with that 
 
 end 
 
topreferve. 71 
 
 end which hatft moft Holes in it, undermoft, 
 for the Fumes to afcend thro* them, into the 
 Cafk j which yet they would not do, if there 
 were not fome Holes in the upper Head of the 
 Cafk, to give vent for the Air. to afcend thro*. 
 When you guefs the Brimftone is burnt out, 
 and that the Cafk is full of Fumes all over ; 
 which it will be, when they have afcended 
 for fome time thro 1 the upper Holes, then drive 
 Corks into the upper Holes, and turning the 
 . Cafk fide-ways on its Bouge, immediately 
 cork up the lower Holes. The tighter the 
 Cafk is, the better and the longer it will keep 
 the Fumes in j and prevent the entrance of 
 frefh Air, which would promote the breeding 
 of Infedts. 
 
 But if by reafon of the too great clofenefr 
 of the Hole in the Earth, it (hall by experience 
 be found, that the great fmother of the Fume, 
 extinguifhes the burning Brimftone j then a 
 lefs deep Hole may be made ufeof, on which a 
 Cafk may be fet with both its Heads out $ 
 the Bread or Corn Cafk being fet on this, at 
 fuch a height from the burning Brimftone, 
 as to prevent the Bread or Corn, being (torched 
 by it ; for which purpofe about a Yard will 
 be high enough : If need require, there may 
 be two or three Holes beared in the fides of 
 F 4 the 
 
7 a Sbip-Bifcuit> &c. 
 
 the headlefe Under Caflc, or (bme (pace left 
 at the bottom, in the Earth, to give vent 
 enough to keep the Brimftone burning. 
 
 'Tis probable that by this means, Bifcuit, 
 Corn, G?c. may be long preferved from being 
 worm-eaten. But in cafe it fhall by experi- 
 ence be found needfull to renew this Fumi- 
 gation, efpecially in fome long Voyages ; it 
 may be done with great fafety on (hip-board 
 in calm Weather, viz. by placing a Cafk 
 on Deck with its upper Head out ; in the 
 bottom of which let there be near a Foot depth 
 ofBallaft, preffed hard down, with a kind of 
 hollow Bafin in its middle, wherein to lay the 
 burning Brimftone. 
 
 Net only Bread and Corn Cafks maybe thus 
 
 fumed again, if need require : Butalfo die Bread 
 in the Bread-Room, if infe&ed with Weevels or 
 Worms, may by being thus fumed in Caiks f 
 have all the Vermin deftroyed v which will 
 conduce much to the prefervingof the Bread, 
 by leffening their number, tho' they cannot 
 thus be wholly extirpated : Becaufe the Bread- 
 Room it felf cannot well be fumed at Sea, 
 while the Ship is full of People : Tho' it may 
 (afely be done, when in Harbour ; by burn- 
 ing then fome Brimftone in it, on a thick 
 Ecd of Ballaftj in a (hallow open Tub: 
 
 which 
 
 ! 
 
* to preferve. 73 
 
 which would for a long time preferve the 
 Room from being infedted with this Vermin. 
 I am told, that it is by fome fuch means, 
 that all the Rats in Ships are deftroyed when 
 in Harbour. But I muft again, and again, 
 caution againft ufing any Fumes of burning 
 Brimftone under Deck, while any Perfbns 
 are there j for they will inftantly be fuffbcated 
 before they are aware of it. 
 
 When the Weevels are got into the Malt or 
 Corn in a Grainery, they might eafily be 
 deftroyed ; by putting the Weevelly Corn into 
 Cafks or Chefts, or large Cafes made of Boards, 
 which being placed over Holes in the Ground, 
 with burning Brin\ftone in them, would foon 
 d^ftroy all living Animals in the Corn, and a 
 great deal of Corn may be thus cured of 
 Weevels, &c. in a little time. 
 
 The Weevels in a Grainery full of Corn, 
 may alfo be deftroyed in the following man- 
 ner, viz. Let there be many Holes boared 
 in the Boards of the Grainery of fuch a fize* 
 that the Corn cannot fall thro', or elfe let 
 there be in feveral parts of the Floor, large 
 .Holes cover'd with Laths, on which Hair- 
 cloaths are to be laid, as in Malt-Kilns. And 
 having provided a large quantity of Tow 
 dipped in melted Brimftone; if the Ground- 
 Floor 
 
74 Sea-Bifcuit) &e. 
 
 Floor of the Grainery be of Earth, lay fcvc- 
 sal heaps of this brimftoned Tow, as big as 
 a Man's Head, in the proportion of about four 
 heaps to every twelve Feet fquare ; taking care, 
 not to place them near the Walls. But if the 
 lower Floor be covered with Boards, then lay 
 the parcels of Brimftone on heaps of Sand or 
 Earth, eight or twelve Inches thick, and laid 
 on Tiles or Bricks, and hard preft down, to 
 prevent the melted Brimftone's getting thro* it : 
 And for greater fecurity, I ufed to 'put the 
 Earth into common Wafh-Tuhs. If the Floor 
 on which the Corn lays, be fix Feet diftant 
 above the burning Brimftone, there will be 
 no danger of its catching Fire : Yet for fear 
 of mifchief, great care muft be taken. All 
 Doors and Windows muft be clofcd as much 
 as ppffible. If there are feveral Graineries 
 over one another, the Fumes, will pals thro* 
 aU with great velocity and acrimony. 
 
 The Fumes of burning Brimftone placed 
 thus under the Corn, will afcend through it, 
 with great velocity and acrimony : But if the 
 burning Brimftone is placed above the Corn, 
 tho' confined in a clofe Place, the Fumes will 
 npt then defcend into the Corn, as I have 
 found by experience, having put in a Muflin 
 Rag Ants, at the bottom of fuch fumed Corn, 
 but they were not killed thereby, J 
 
-to preferue. 75 
 
 I have fumed whole Malt thus very 
 ftronglyj and then being ground, brewed 
 with it ; it gave no Tafte to Beer, that I 
 could perceive. The probable effedt of fu- 
 ming it will be, that it may prevent the Beer's 
 working too faft : For this is well known to 
 be the effed: of fuch Fumes on Wine and 
 Cyder. 
 
 I fumed thus allb fome Sea-Bifcuit, Peafe and 
 Wheat, irtalarge glafs Veflel, which was re- 
 peated again after ten Days ; yet they had no 
 ill Tafte : And expofing them for fome time to 
 the open Air, would probably free them from 
 the very little Tafte it gives. I fowed the 
 Peafe, which 'grew, fo that the vegetative 
 quality of them was not fpoiled; but the 
 vegetative quality of the Wheat was thereby 
 wholly deftroyed, for none of it grew, tho' 
 fown three feveral Times, at fome Weeks 
 diftance. It will not therefore be advifeable 
 to fume Corn thus, which is intended to be 
 fown. Tho* it will probably prove an effec- 
 tual means to preferve Corn that is to be 
 eaten : Which will be of great ufe, efpccially 
 in hot Climates, where, I am informed, that 
 the Corn is in great quantities fpoikd by this 
 Vermin, 
 
 When 
 
76 Sea-Bifcuit, &c. 
 
 When the Weevel, &c. have got into a 
 Caflc of Bread or Corn, there is no doubt but 
 that thus fuming will deft roy them : But it 
 is doubtful whether their Eggs will thereby 
 be (poiled : If therefore on experience it (hall 
 be found, that young ones are hatched from 
 thofe fumed Eggs, in fome little time j then, 
 if thefe laft hatched Weevels arc deftroyed 
 by 'another Fumigation, before they live long 
 enough to lay Eggs ; this will be a means to 
 prevent their increafe for a long Time : But 
 I think it probable, that if the filmed 'Calks 
 are fo clofe as to admit no frefh Air, that the 
 Eggs will fcarcely hatch ; or if they do, that 
 the very tender young ones cannot live and 
 tlirive, in fuch an Air. 
 
 Since the vegetative Quality of Wheat, is 
 deftroyed by the Fumes of burning Brimftonc, 
 a Hint may hence be taken, for an improve- 
 ment in making of Malt, viz. By thus de. 
 ftroying the vegetative Power of Barley; 
 which may probably be done, by laying it 
 on the Kilns, and burning a good quantity of 
 Brimftone under it, for half an Hour, or an 
 Hour ; the Fumes of which will afcend thro* 
 it, tho* laid to any degree of thicknefi. And 
 if they fhall be found to have the fame effeA 
 on Barley as on the Wheat, then the Root of 
 
 the 
 
to preferve. 
 
 the Barley will not (hoot j and confequently 
 fo much lefs of the Subftance of the Grain will 
 be exhaufted in Malting, on which account, the 
 Malt will be proportionally better. This may 
 firftbe tryed by fuming only a handful^ of 
 Barley well, and then feeing if it will grow 
 when fown in the Earth, or put in Water. 
 Great care muft be taken, not to come near 
 the upper part of the Kiln while the Brim- 
 ftone is burning, left they (hould be inftant- 
 ly fuffocated. 
 
 D I R E O 
 
DIRECTIONS 
 
 FOR 
 
 Salting ANIMALS whole, 
 
 IN ORDER 
 
 To make the FLESH keep Sweet 
 in hot CJL IM ATES. 
 

 
 - 
 
 . 
 
(8, ) 
 
 DIRECTIONS 
 
 FOR 
 
 Salting ANIMALS whole, 
 
 IN ORDER 
 
 To make the FLESH keep Sweet 
 in hot CLIMATES. 
 
 AS the Difficulties and Hardfhips which 
 fea-faring People labour under are 
 many and great; not only on ac- 
 count of their being reduced to the great 
 ftraits of a very fliort and fcanty Allowance, 
 of whokfome frefli Water \ and fomctimes 
 perilling for want of fome to drink : So are 
 they alfo oftentimes put to great Difficulties 
 and Hardfhips, for want of wholefome Pro* 
 Vifions to eat, efpecially in long Voyages, 
 and in hot Climates, which often occafions 
 thefpoRing of their falted Flefh, by the c- 
 vaporating away of the Pickle, wheneby it 
 either becomes putrid and (links, or is exceed- 
 ing hard and dry, with little or QO nourifh- 
 ing Virtue in ft, caufing thereby dangerous 
 Scurveys. I hope therefore, the following Di* 
 regions, for making FkQittkc-Salt very well, 
 
 G in 
 
82 How to fait 
 
 in the hottcft Climates, will be of great fcr. 
 vice, by fhowing them how to provide them- 
 felves with it there, when they have occa- 
 fion, either thro* the badnels or want of fuch 
 Provifion. 
 
 I have met with feveral who not under- 
 Handing Anatomy, have looked on the Ope- 
 ration, as too difficult to be brought into 
 common ufe: But on the contrary it will 
 be found on Trial, moft eafy to do. I have 
 by once fhowing, directed a common But T 
 cher how to do it ; and the Surgeons on Ship- 
 board can foon inftrudl any one, how it is 
 to be done. And Neceffity, which is laid 
 to be the Mother of Invention it felf, will 
 foon, doubtlefs make Men expert, in perform- 
 ing a thing already invented. And I am in- 
 formed, that it has already been put in praftice 
 in a hot Climate with fuccefs. 
 
 A Sufficient quantity of Brine or Pickle muft 
 be made with common Salt, in the propor- 
 tion of two Pounds and a half of Salt, to 
 a Gallon of Water, which when boiled and 
 fcumm'd, will be nearly in the proportion 
 of three Pounds of Salt to a Gallon of Wa- 
 ter j which is the moft that, that quantity 
 of Water can diflblve ; fo that if there were 
 more Salt in the Water, there, alight be. dan- 
 ger 
 
Animals whole. 83 
 
 gcr of its not entering fa an undiflblved ftate, 
 into the fine Blood- Veilek 
 
 The quantity of Salt, in half a Pound of 
 Mediterranean Sea- Water being 128 Grains, 
 7. e. ~ of the whole, and a Gallon of Wa- 
 ter weighing ten Pounds and three Ounces, 
 there is in a Gallon of Sea- Water, five Oun- 
 ces, three Drams, and twenty-eight Grains 
 of Salt ; which is about the ninth part of 
 the Salt, which a Gallon of Water can diffolve. 
 Hence we fee, to how great a degree, a very 
 fait piece of Beef, may be frefhened, by being 
 laid to foak in Sea- Water. 
 
 In order to fait an Ox whole, it will be 
 convenient to provide forty or fifty Gallons 
 of Brine or Pickle : For what is not injedled 
 into the Arteries, will ferve to put the pieces 
 of Flcfh in, being firft made ftronger than 
 with only three Pounds of Salt to a Gallon, 
 as is done at the ViStuaHing-Qffice. 
 
 For a Hog, Sheep, or Deer, provide five 
 or fix Gallons of Pickle ; when you intend 
 to u(e the Pickle, let it be made pretty warm, 
 and have fome cold by you, to bring it at 
 once to a due Temper, vix. fomething more 
 than blood- warm. If it were cold, by con- 
 trading the Blood- Veffels, it would probably 
 
 pafs with more difficulty : An4 for the fame 
 G 2 Reafon 
 
84 How to fait 
 
 Reafbn it is advifeabte to infofc the Brine as 
 foon as the Animal is dead, left when cold 
 and ftiff, it fhould not be able to penetrate 
 thro* the rigid and contracted Veflels. 
 
 Let the Animal bleed to death by cutting 
 the yuguhr Veins, whereby more Blood will 
 be evacuated, than in the common way of 
 knocking them on the Head, and then cut- 
 ting their Throats, and theFlefh having by 
 this means lefs Blood in it, it will the better 
 keep on being falted. If you happen to cut 
 a large Artery, tye it up, by drawing a Pack- 
 thread round it with a crooked needle, elfe 
 much of the Pickle will be wafted thro' it. 
 If the Creature has done bleeding before it 
 be quite dead, as will fometimes happen, then 
 haften its death by a blow on the Head. 
 
 Then laying the Animal on its Back, a little 
 
 inclining to its right fide, open its Belly, and 
 
 turning the Caul and Bowels from the left Side > 
 
 find the great Artery where it lays clofe to the 
 
 left Side of the Back-Bone, at the fmall of the 
 
 Back, below the Kidneys. And having cleared 
 
 'the Artery of the Fat, and thin loofe Skin that 
 
 covers it cut it half afunder a-crofs ; and then 
 
 flit it, with a pair of Sciflbrs, length-ways, 
 
 a little more than the length of the fhort 
 
 end of the brafsCock . D. [Fig. I.] ; then 
 
 i thruft 
 
Animals whole, 85 
 
 thruft into the Artery, towards the Heart> 
 the longeft end of the Cock B. E. fo far 
 that the ihorter end E. D. may enter the 
 other part of the Artery : Then having with 
 a crooked Needle pafled pieces of Packthreads 
 under the Artery between B. E. and E. D. 
 tye the Artery fart to each end of die Cock 
 B. D. If in an Ox the Share-Bone, be 
 opened carefully with a Cleaver, juft over the 
 Bladder, it will be eafier to come at the Arte- 
 ry, the Belly being thereby opened the wider. 
 
 For an Ox, the Diameter of the Brafs- 
 Pipe B. JD. may be near half an Inch ; and 
 the length of the end B. E, four Inches, of 
 E. D. two Inches ; For if both ends were 
 of an equal length, it would be difficult to 
 . faften each end of the Artery, becaufe the 
 Hit of the^Artery muft be fo much the lon- 
 ger to give room for die end E, D. to 
 enter it. 
 
 For Sheep^ Hogs, or Deer, the Diameter 
 of the bore of the Brafs-Pipe E. D. may be 
 almoft two tenths of an Inch; the longeft end 
 B.E. two Inches and a Quarter >and thefliorteft 
 end E. D. one Inch and half, each end running 
 taper, thereby the better to enter the Ar- 
 teries j with a fwelling and nitch at r. r. 
 as in die Figure here referred tp. There- 
 G 3 - by 
 
86 How to fait 
 
 by to prevent the tied Arteries from flippii>g 
 off at either end. 
 
 Then having a linnen Rag twifted and 
 tied round the upright end of the Cock A. 
 thruft it faft into the end of a Spanifli-Reed 
 or hollow Cane, tying it faft. The Cane to be 
 eight or ten feet high for an Ox, and five or fix 
 Feet for a Hog, Sheep or Deer, thefe heights 
 being nearly equal, to the height to which 
 the Blood is raifed in thefe refpedtive Ani- 
 mals, by the force of the Heart, as I have 
 ihown in my Second I'ohune of Statical JEx- 
 periments : I have therefore chofe herein to 
 imitate Nature, by making ufe of a Force 
 nearly equal to that with which, the Blood 
 is by the Contraction of the Heart, drove thro* 
 all the Blood- Vefiels of the Body; but per- 
 haps a much lefs force may do, which thofe 
 who have opportunity will do well to try. 
 
 When I refledl on the great Number of 
 Experiments of this kind, which I had made 
 feveral Years before on Animals, it feems very 
 natural thence to have fallen on this Me- 
 thod of falling Animals whole ; yet I did 
 not think of it, till feveral Years after 5 when 
 upon a fca-faring Man's telling me, of the very 
 bad (linking Flefli, they were fbmetimes 
 obliged to eat at Sea j it prefently occurred 
 
 to 
 
Animals whole. 8 7 ' 
 
 to my thoughts, that Flefli might be made 
 to take Salt in hot Climates, by thus infufing 
 Salt Pickle through their whole Subftance. 
 
 Care muft be taken in tying the Cane 
 above, to fome proper fupport, that it hang 
 fo true as not to dift6rt the Arteiy, by too 
 much raifing or depreffing either end of the 
 Brafs Cock 5. or D. whereby the fmall 
 branching Arteries, which go from the great 
 one, to each Rib may be over-ftrained or 
 broken, which would diforder the Experi- 
 ment, and caufe a great wafte of the Brine 
 thro* the broken Arteries. 
 
 The long Reed or Cane being thus fixed 
 to a proper fupport, with a Tunnel in the 
 top : Firft flopping the Cock, fill the Tun- 
 nel and Cane with blood-warm Brine, then 
 open the Cock, and the Brine will flow free- 
 ly thro* the whole Subftance of the Ani- 
 mal; the Tunnel 'muft be kept conftantly 
 filled as the Brine fubfides. And if by any 
 Accident the Tunnel and Cane are empty, 
 then ftop the Cock again, till they are re- 
 filled, otherwife Air will be drove into the 
 Arteries with the Brine, which will hinder 
 the entrance of the Brine into the finer Vef- 
 fcls : by this means you will find the Brine 
 flow and infinuate itfelf into every part of - 
 G 4 the 
 
88 How to fait 
 
 the Animal's Body in the fame manner as 
 the Blood does, it being conveyed by the 
 fame Veflels ; and this yoq \vill foon be con- 
 vinced of, by making a fmall cut, in any 
 of the extremities of the Body, as theNofe, 
 Tail, Ears, or Feet, at any of which Places 
 the fait Brine may be tafted. 
 
 I have obferved that during the Operation, 
 the Brine flows to walle too freely, thro* the 
 Windpipe, and cut Jugular Feint of Sheep, 
 and probably it may be the fame in Deer, 
 tho' it does not flp.w there fo faft in Oxer> 
 or I logs. But this may be prevented by 
 putting a Cork into the Windpipe, and by 
 tying a Cord hard round the Neck, to flop 
 the Veins, 
 
 I have let the Brine flow thus, into the 
 Arteries of an Ox for half an hour, and 
 into Hogs and Sheep for a quarter of an 
 Hour ; which is doubdefs a due time, when 
 the Flefh is intended to be throughly faked 
 afterwards with dry Salt, when cut in fmall 
 pieces, in order to keep it long for Sea-Ser-? 
 vice ; and probably Experience may (how, 
 that a muchlefs time will fufficej for if once 
 the Fleih be throughly foaked with Brine, 
 it will doubtlefs imbibe dry Salt, faft enough, 
 to preferve its inmpft Parts from putrify- 
 
 ing> 
 
Animals whole. 89 
 
 ing, even in the hotteft Climates: For 
 Flefli thus prepared, is obfcrved, to imbibe 
 Salt, much faftcr than other Flefh. 
 
 But I believe, the flowing in of the Brine 
 for a much fhorter time, may be fufficient, 
 to make FJ.efh keep a few days, for the ufe 
 of a Family at Land, or for a Ship during 
 the firft part of its Voyage, putting it into 
 a ftrong Pickle ; But if it be to be kept many 
 days, it muft be rubbed firft with dry Salt, 
 and layed to drain a few days, as is done at 
 the Victualling-Office , where they cure the 
 Flefh in the following manner, viz. they 
 firft rub it with white Salt only ; then put 
 it into Brine for five days to drain the bloody 
 part out, for 'tis the Blood that is moft apt 
 to putrify : Then they pack it in Calks, ftrew- 
 ing white and Bay Salt between each lay- 
 ing ; then fill the Caflc up with Pickle made 
 of Water and Salt boiled fb ftrong as to bear 
 an Egg : They put three Pounds and half 
 of Salt to a Gallon of Water. The propor- 
 tion of Salt, Pickle included, is, to an hun- 
 dred Weight of Flefli, four Gallons and a 
 half of white, and one and a quarter of 
 Bay Salt. 
 
 The Pieces thus fclted with dry Salt, after 
 tl^e infufion of the Brine or Pickle, muft be 
 
 laid 
 
go How to fait 
 
 laid to foak for fome time in Water, before 
 they be ufed $ elfe they will be apt to be too 
 fait : The dry Salt, as before obferved, foak- 
 ing very faft, into the thus brined Flefh ; fb 
 that there is not the leaft danger, of its not 
 keeping fweet ; there feeming rather, to be 
 more danger of its being by this means too 
 Hilt : Which may doubtlefs by further Expe- 
 rience be better regulated and proportioned, 
 to the longer or fliorter time it is intended to 
 keep it. 
 
 I will here give an Account of the event of 
 fome Trials which I made, having faked 
 whole in this manner, four Hogs, three Sheep* 
 and two Oxen. 
 
 I find that Flefh falted in this manner re- 
 quires much boiling, it being very moiit and 
 full of Gravy, tho' well tafted. Tt is too fait 
 to Broil or Roaft, with only the infufion of Brine. 
 
 I have found a piece of it, which had only 
 the Brine injeded thro' the Arteries, keep 
 fweet ten Days, tho' hung up in the Chimney- 
 corner, yet fometimes it would not keep fweet 
 fo long. An argument that it may probably 
 be good in hot Climates for a few Days, with- 
 out the addition of dry Salt, and fome Days 
 longer with a fmall fprinkling of fome dry 
 Salt, especially if put into ftrong Brine. 
 
 When 
 
Animals whole. 91 
 
 When faked well with dry Salt, which 
 the Flefli imbibes mod freely, it will keep 
 long, even tho' heated much with hunting, 
 iuft before it is killed : As I found by the Flefli 
 of a Sheep, which was purpofely hunted by a 
 muzzel'd Dog for twenty-five Minutes. From 
 whence we may reafonably conclude, that 
 Flefli thus falted, will take Salt, jjid be prefer- 
 ved good, even in the hotted Climates. 
 
 Beef and Mutton thus falted, eat very well, 
 as alfo Pork. 
 
 The Ox which was thus falted, the ijth of 
 April 1736, at the Viftualling-Office on 
 Tower-Hill, before fevcral of the Lords of the 
 Admiralty, and CommiJJioners of the Viftual- 
 ling-Office ; having its jugular Veins cut af- 
 funder, there flowed out eighteen Quarts and 
 * Pint of Blood Winchefler meafure, in forty- 
 one Minutes, which Blood weighed forty-fix 
 Pounds and a quarter. 
 
 After the Brine had flowed freely for fome 
 time, with die force of a Column of Brine 
 eleven feet high j fome of it came frothy thro* 
 the Windpipe, from the Lungs, but what 
 c ame from the Noftrils was clear. 
 
 The Brine flowing in thus, freely, for about 
 half an Hour, the Body of the Ox was great- 
 ly fwelled all over, There was about forty 
 
 Gallons 
 
92 How to fait 
 
 Gallons of Brine ufed, lAuch of which was 
 wafted, tho* a great deal of it had leaked into 
 the Fleih and Fat, the quantity of which 
 would have been greatly increased, in propor- 
 tion as the Operation had continued longer. 
 Some of the Brine ouzed into the Stomach and 
 Bowels, 
 
 The Ox by eftimation of experienced 
 Butchers, who are well known to guefs pretty 
 nearly to the Truth, weighed five hundred 
 and a half. But with the Brine in it, it was 
 found to weigh eight hundred, one quarter 
 and eighteen Pounds : So that it increaied ia 
 weight, on account of the Brine, two hun- 
 dred, three quarters and eighteen Pounds. 
 
 The Carcafs had not wafted above two 
 Quarts, in hanging whole two Nights : But 
 in cutting into fmall four-Pounds pieces, it 
 wafted fifty tvvd Pounds more, by draining 
 ofF of the Bi inc. 
 
 I procured from the Vi&ualling-Office, an 
 Account of the event of this Experiment on 
 the Ox, viz. Two Cafks of this Flefli, which 
 was not felted with dry Salt, foon ftank to 
 a very great Degree ; as I alib found in feve- 
 ral Inilancep, that Flefh thus faked with 
 Pickle only, would not keep many Days, 
 without being alfo further falted with dry Salt. 
 
 The 
 
Animals whole. 93 
 
 The Flefh of t\v other Calks of the fame 
 Ox, which was faked with dry Salt before it 
 was packed in the Cafk, being examined 
 eighteen Months after, and a Piece of it be- 
 ing boiled, it was judged not fit for Men 
 to eat, as its Juices were entirely eat up by 
 the Salt, and it fell in Pieces like rotten 
 Wood. 
 
 Whence we fee that it was over-falted: 
 It will therefore require further Experience 
 to adjuft the Degree of faking for the ufe 
 of Ships, in hot Climates. I kept fome of 
 the Mutton of the Sheep that was hunted, 
 and thus faked full fix Months, which proved 
 good, and was not too lalt, when layed firft 
 to frefhen a due time in Water. 
 
 It has been fufpedted, that faking the 
 Flefh thus, while hot, may be fome dif- 
 advantage to it, as to long keeping. It may 
 therefore be well to try whether Flefli can 
 be thus faltfcd when cold : But 'tis to be fear- 
 'ed, that in hot Climates, where only this Me- 
 thod is like to be of ufe, Flefli will funk be- 
 fore it is cold. 
 
 If any in hot Climates, (hall defire only 
 to fait one half of an Animal, it may ea- 
 fily be done, by flopping one end of the 
 Brafs Cock, and fixing only the other end 
 
 of 
 
94 How to fait Animals whole. 
 'of it into the Artery 5 fo as to have Brine 
 flow only through the Artery, that leads ei- 
 ther to the fore or hinder half j by which 
 means, part may be eat frefh, and the falted 
 part, the following Days. 
 
 If any fhould defire to keep, a part of hunted 
 Venflbn a few days, or to fend unhunted 
 Venifon to a great diftance in hot Weather, 
 it might probably be done, by only thus in- 
 jeding into the Arteries a little Brine ; which 
 might not difqualify it for Parties or Boiling. 
 
 I have been told, that in order to preferve 
 Flefh, in the hot Parts of America, they dip 
 thin Cutlets of it, in Sea- Water, and lay it on 
 Rocks to dry, which makes it look like Glevv* 
 Cakes; and is called Jerked Flefli. 
 
 AN 
 
A N 
 
 ACCOUNT 
 
 O F 
 
 Some Experiments and Obfervations 
 on CHALYBEATE WATERS. 
 
 AS ALSO OF 
 
 Some ATTEMPTS to find out Means to 
 have them Conveyed to diftant Places, with 
 a greater degree of MINERAL VIRTUE 
 than has hitherto been done. 
 
 He will Blefs thy Waters. Exod. xxiiu 
 
(9?) 
 
 A N 
 
 ACCOUNT 
 
 O F 
 
 Some Experiments On CHALYBEATE 
 or STEEL- WATERS, 
 
 MAnkind are bleflcd with innumera- 
 ble of thefe genuine falutary Cor- 
 dials of Nature, in almoft all parts 
 of the World j which have been found fp 
 very beneficial in many Cafes, for procuring 
 and eftablilhing of Health, that much inqui- 
 ry has been made into the nature of them 
 by Phyficians, who have from lime to time, 
 written many Books on this Subject ; and given 
 Directions how, and in what cafes they are 
 to be ufed. I am only adting herein the 
 part of a Naturalift ; it were preemption in 
 me, to attempt to invade their Province, for 
 which I am in no degree qualified. 
 
 Did I indeed hereby feek only popular ap- 
 
 plaufe, and not the real benefit of M ankind ; 
 
 the more ignorant I was in Phy lick, the bet- 
 
 H ter 
 
98 % Experiments on 
 
 ter chance I fhould have, to be much crycd 
 up by the unknowing Many : The Truth of 
 this,, we may have had full proof of, of late 
 Years, in the Inftances of feveral moft igno- 
 rant Quacks ; who have in their turns had a 
 more general Cry of Applaufe given them, 
 than has come to the {hare of the moft emi- 
 nent and fkilful Phyficians, with many of 
 which that Faculty abounds. But the Phy- 
 ficians may well be content to take this con- 
 tempt the more patiently, when they reflect 
 that a petulant fondnefs for Quackery is the 
 epidemical Difeafe of this Age 5 not only in. 
 oppofition to theirs, but alfb to other Profef- 
 fions. Did I therefore thirft after fuch kind 
 of popular applaufe - 9 I (hould have a fair op- 
 portunity to obtain it ; by crying down, under 
 the Cover of a few new Experiments, the an- 
 tient Sages and Eftablifhers of the Science of 
 Phyfick as Importers, and the modern ones 
 as ignorant Cheats. Tis in the like bale 
 difingenuous and profane manner, that the 
 daring conceited Denyers of the Lord that 
 bought them, thofe Quacks in Religion, 
 treat the great and important Truths of it. 
 And thus every Wifeacre State-Quack takes 
 upon him to cenfure the moft prudent and 
 unexceptionable Condudt in State-Affairs. 
 
 The 
 
Steel-Waters, &c. 99 
 
 The particular Occafion of my ingaging in 
 the following Experiments, notwithftanding I 
 had for fome Years before purpofed not to 
 meddle any farther in Philojbphical Rtjearches, 
 was owing to a dangerous Fit of Sicknefs, a- 
 bout five Years fmce j for the recovery of 
 which, my Phyfician very judicioufly fent me, 
 to drink the Chalybeate Waters of Sunning- 
 Hill in Berk/hire ; where I, as well as feve- 
 ral others whom he advifed to drink thofe 
 Waters, found great benefit, by recovery 
 from dangerous Difeafes, And in order to 
 fill up, and amufe away a few of the many 
 vacant Hours, which fuch Places both occa- 
 fion and require 5 I refolved, by fuch proper 
 Experiments as fhould occur to my Thoughts, 
 to try if I could find, the fubtile fulphureous 
 Spirit, in which I concluded, as it has been 
 generally thought, that the principal Virtue 
 of Chalybeate Waters refided. 
 
 And in order to it, I filled feveral Florence 
 Flafks, which contained about three Pints, 
 with the Steel Water, and inverted their 
 Nofes when full, into earthen Mugs full of 
 the fame Water j and fet feveral of them in 
 a Boiler full of that Water, in the fahie man- 
 ner as in Exper. LXVI. vol. ift. of my Sfa* 
 tied EJ/ays, I had got the quantity of elaftick 
 H 2 Matter 
 
ico Experiments on 
 
 Matter out of feveral Waters. I fet the Boil- 
 ler on the Fire, and having given the Water 
 afcalding heat; an elaftick Aerial Air-Bubble 
 was by this means formed in the upper part 
 of the inverted Flaik, which was nearly 
 equal to T |T P* 1 * f ^e bulk of the whole 
 Water, and near double the fize of an Air- 
 Bubble, which arofc at the fame time, from 
 a like quantity of common Water. The 
 yellow Ocry Mineral adhered very fail to 
 the infides of the earthen Mugs; as is ufual 
 when Steel- Waters are heated in them, 
 
 I poured the Air, or elaftick Spirit, of one 
 of the abovementioned heated Flalks, up into 
 an inverted Half-Pint full of common Water 
 which had been boiled, to clear it of its Air ; 
 and then (hook it to and fro* to make the elaf- 
 tick Matter incorporate with the Water, to 
 which, yet, it communicated no mineral 
 Virtue, nor would it tinge with Galls. A 
 probable Argument, that there is little or no 
 Virtue, as has been thought, in this fubtile 
 elaftick Spirit. 
 
 Being defirous to fee what quantity of this 
 Elaftick Aerial Matter would rife from this 
 Water, without Heat> I filled an inverted 
 Flafk with it ; and let it ftand thus, nine 
 Days ; in which time a few Air-Bubbles a- 
 
Steel-Water*) &c. i o i 
 
 rofe to the upper part as big as half Tares, 
 which were in (landing longer, reforbed again 
 into the Water. I found this Water tinged 
 very well with Galls; nor had it depofited any 
 Sediment or Flocky Thrumbs, as this, and 
 mod other Chalybeate Waters are apt to do, 
 in (landing one, two, or three Days, in any 
 Veflel or Bottle corked in the common way. 
 But if in firft inverting the Flafk, an Air- 
 Bubble of about half an Inch Diameter were 
 left in the upper part, then the mineral Water 
 foon loft its Virtue of tinging with Galls * 
 and depofited a Sediment, which was fooner 
 or later, according as the Diameter of the 
 Bubble was lefs or' greater. And accordingly 
 Dr. Burton of Wind/or^ who joined with me, 
 in feveral Experiments on Sunning-Hill Wa- 
 ter, obferved at the feme time, that the 
 narrower the neck of the Fla(k was, in which 
 he kept thefe Waters with the neck uppermoft, 
 they would accordingly retain their mineral 
 Virtue, fomewhat the longer: I found alfo that 
 the Virtue of many other Chalybeate Waters, 
 might be thus long retained in inverted Flaflcs 
 viz. Thofe of Qakingham in Berkfoirt> 
 Cobbam and Cbobham in Surry> Midhurft in 
 Sujex % Bramjhot and Southampton^ in Hamp- 
 
 irc % Ttunbridge and Ifiington. But the 
 H 3 Chalybeate 
 
102 Experiments on 
 
 Chalybeate Waters of Hampjled, Middlefex, 
 and Frenjham in Surrey, did not retain their 
 tinging Virtue by this means. Tho* with tubu- 
 lated Corks, the tinging Virtue of the Hamp- 
 Jted Waters was long preferved at Hampfled. 
 
 Galls are commonly made ufe of to prove, 
 whether any Waters have, or retain their vitri- 
 olick Mineral, becaufe it is a Quality peculiar 
 to vitriolick Salts, thus to tinge with Galls, or 
 other aftringent vegetable fubftances. Not 
 that Chalybeate Waters have any true ma- 
 ture Vitriol in them ; for that is formed 
 only, from the metallick Chalybeate Salts, in 
 the open Air ; and cannot therefore be gene- 
 rated under Water. 
 
 Finding therefore the manifeft effeft, that 
 the contadl of the Air, on the furface of the 
 mineral Water, had in precipitating the Vir- 
 tue of the Water, by promoting a piitrefa&ive 
 agitation in the Water ; I thought of the 
 following Method to prevent the Air's touch- 
 ing the Water in common Bottles \ and yet 
 without any danger of buriting the Bottles, viz. 
 I provided fcveral glafs Tubes, about (even 
 or eight Inches long, and about one tenth of 
 an Inch Diameter in Bore : I chofe fome of 
 the beft and leaft porous Corks I could get; 
 and having burnt Holes thro 1 them from end 
 
 to 
 
&c. 103 
 
 to end, with a round-pointed hot Iron ; then 
 with a round File I filed the Holes to fuch a 
 fize as fitted each glafs Tube. Then having 
 provided fome melted Cement, made of e- 
 qual quantities of Whiting, Bees- Wax, and 
 white Rofin, which will give no ill Tafte to 
 the Water; the Tube having the Polifh 
 rubbed off at one end, for an Inch and half* 
 on a wet Brick, that the Cement might ftick 
 the better ; it being firft warmed, was a- 
 nointed with Cement, and then immediately 
 thruft into the Hole in the Cork, fo as to 
 (land out full half an Inch above the Cork 
 at F, fig. 2. whereby hold might be taken of 
 it, with a wet piece of Pack-thread, tyed 
 round it, to pull the Cork out of the Bottle, 
 if need required, for it cannot be done with 
 a Bottle-fcrew. 
 
 Then having filled the Bottle brim full at 
 the Spring-Head, and the tubulated Cork be- 
 ing well wetted, and rubbed under Water 
 with the Fingers ; to clear it of any finall ad- 
 hering .Air-Bubbles, thrull the Cork into the 
 Bottle ; yet fo that the glafs Tube may not 
 touch the bottom of the Bottle at H, left it 
 fhould thereby be broke, or hinder the en- 
 trance of the Cork, to its due degree. And 
 thus all accefs of Air, to the Water in the 
 H 4 Bottle 
 
IO4 Experiments M 
 
 Bottle, is intercepted, except that the Air 
 touches the V/ater, on it$ fmall furfkce in the 
 upper end of the Tube at /'. And the glafe 
 Tube being open at both ends, the Water can 
 eaiily rife and fall in it, in proportion as the 
 Water in the Bottle dilates and contracts, by 
 the different Temperature, as to the warmth 
 or coolnefs of the Air $ whereby the danger 
 of burfting the Bottle is prevented, which it 
 would do by the dilatation of the Water, if a 
 common Cork, which immediately touched 
 the Water in the Bottle, were tyed faft down. 
 But the Diameter of the Infide of the glafs 
 Tubes, muft not be very fmall and fine ; be- 
 caufe it could not then contain Water enough, 
 in proportion to the fumof the Cbntradion of 
 the Water in the Bottle, and coniequently 
 lome Air would rufh in thro* the Tube, and 
 fpread itfelf between the Water and the Cork. 
 When the Water in thefe Bottles with tu- 
 bulated Corks, is to be carried to fome diftitnt 
 Place, the Corks fhould be tycd down, ellc if 
 they be loofen'd at all, the Air is apt to get in 
 thro* the Tube, And when they are packed up 
 for Carriage, they ought not to be put with 
 their Nofes downwards, but upright, or not 
 above half reclining. 
 
 I found that by this means, the mineral 
 Virtue of feveral Chalybeate Waters might 
 
 be 
 
&c. 105 
 
 be preferved for many Weeks, without its 
 precipitating to the bottom and fides of the 
 Bottles. But if any Air got between the 
 Cork and the Water, then, that Air by its 
 inceflant elaftick Aftion, promoting fome de- 
 gree of agitation or ferment in the Water ; 
 caufing the Mineral Particles thereby to dif- 
 intangle themfelves from the Water, and to 
 coalefce into new Combinations, of fo much 
 larger fize, as difqualifies them to be any lon- 
 ger fqfpended in the Water j they then pre- 
 cipitating to the bottom and fides of the Bot- 
 tles, partly in the form of a yellowifh Ocre, 
 and partly in cloudy Flocks or Thrumbs j 
 the Water thereby becoming effcete and vapid. 
 But I obferved in the Inftances of many 
 Chalybeate Waters, that if after they had thus 
 precipitated their Mineral Virtue, they flood 
 till they had putrified throughly, for fmall 
 degrees of Putrefaction will not do, it muft 
 be fo great, as to have attenuated their de- 
 pofited ocry Sediment, by that mod fubtite 
 diflblvent Putrefadlion, to that degree of fine- 
 nefs, as to be fit to be taken up, and be 
 intimately incorporated with the Water ; that 
 then the Water gave as good a Tindhire with 
 Galls, as when firft taken from the Spring : 
 And as this w^s obfervablc in many Cha- 
 lybeate 
 
106 Experiments on 
 
 lybeate Waters, fb it is a probable Argument, 
 that the principal Virtue of thefe Waters 
 confifts in their Mineral Particles being in 
 a fine attenuated State ; and not in a fub- 
 tile volatile Spirit, as has been thought. If 
 there were fuch a Spirit, it could not fly 
 off from the Water, which was confined 
 in the Florence Flafks turned upfide down, 
 unlefi we can abfurdly fuppofe it to pene- 
 trate and efcape thro* the Glafi. Now a 
 Chalybeate Water lofes its Virtue in an in- 
 verted Flafk, as foon as in a common corked 
 Bottle, provided a fmall Air-Bubble be left in 
 the Flafk. 
 
 The late Dr. James Keill of Northampton 
 told me, that notwithftanding he hermeti- 
 cally fealcd up, or melted clofe up, theNofe of 
 a Florence Flafk, full of a Chalybeate Water 
 from a Spring near Northampton^ yet it foon 
 depolited its Sediment, and would not tinge 
 with Galls, viz. becaufe there was an Air- 
 Bubble left in the Neck of the Flalk ; for 
 he could not feal it up without leaving an 
 Air-Bubble. But if the Virtue of this Wa- 
 ter confifted in a volatile Spirit, which was 
 apt to fly off; it had in this cafe, no way 
 of efcaping, but thro' the Subftancc of the 
 Flaik, which is very unlikely. 
 
 To 
 
Steel-Waters^ &c. 107 
 
 To conclude that the principal Virtue of 
 Steel- Waters confifts in a volatile Spirit, be- 
 caufe they have a Chalybeate Sulphureous 
 Smell, feems as unreafonable,as toconclude that 
 the Virtue of many Medicines confifts prin- 
 cipally, in their volatile odoriferous Vapour, 
 rather than in their other manifeft Quali- 
 ties. It is well known that feveral medi- 
 cinal Preparations of Steel, have nearly a like 
 effeft, with that of Chalybeate Waters, on 
 thofe who ufe them ; and yet it is not thought 
 that their efficacy lays in a fubtile Spirit; but 
 in more manifeft Qualities. 
 
 I will here infert an Obfervation, viz. that 
 the Scales which fly off red-hot hammered 
 Iron, when put into Water, will give no 
 Tinfture with Galls to that Water, as Filings 
 of Iron will do. An Argument that thevi- 
 triolick Virtue of thofe Scales is deftroyed by 
 the grofs Sulphur in the burning Coals, in 
 the fame manner as common Brimftone'de- 
 ftroys or demetallizes Iron, when melted by 
 it in a red-hot ftate. 
 
 The above-mentioned Dr. Burton carri- 
 ed fome Bottles of the Sunning-HillVfXtt 
 with fuch tubulated Corks to Windfor, which 
 is about five Miles diftancc; where they re- 
 tained 
 
 
io8 Experiments on 
 
 tained their tinging Virtue with Galls for 
 feveral Weeks. 
 
 And the Rev. Mr. Archdeacon Bridtoake 
 fent by Water at my defire a Steel Water, in 
 Bottles with tubulated Corks, from a Spring 
 near Southampton* to Dr. Bateman at Win- 
 cbefter, which is twelve Miles diftance, which 
 Water, as theDodtor wrote me word, retained 
 its Virtue of tinging with Galls, and its fer- 
 rugineous Smell, for feveral Weeks. 
 
 Dr. Langrijh of Petersfeld in Hampjhire 
 told me that the Steel- Water at Coffe's-MM* 
 near Midhurjl in Sujjex> being fent him thence 
 by his Brother to Petenfield> which is fe- 
 ven Miles diftance ; did by means of thefe 
 tubulated Corks, retain its Virtue of tinging 
 with Galls a Year after. But 'tis probable, 
 that this Water in fo long keeping, had pu- 
 trifled and become fwcet again. When Wa- 
 ter begins to putrify, it tinges lefs and lefs with 
 Galls, and at laft not at all : But when the 
 Putrefaction proceeds to a greater Degree, then 
 the mineral Particles are fo attenuated, as to 
 be fit to be reforbed and re- incorporated with 
 the Water, in the fame manner as when iu 
 the Spring, as was before obferved ; and the 
 tubulated Cork contributes to keep it in that 
 (late, by excluding the Air. 
 
 3 I* 
 
Steel-Waters^ &c. 1 09 
 
 Dr. Nesbif alfo preferved Iflington Steel- 
 Water clear, and with a tinging Virtue, for 
 feveral Weeks, with thefe tubulated Corks, 
 at his Houfe in Bafrngball-ftreet; whereas it 
 is well known, that this Water fbon turn$ 
 foul, when carried but a little way from the 
 Spring. He obferved alfo that a Bottle with 
 Oil on the Water, but without a Cork, ting- 
 ed well, after {landing eleven Days at IJling- 
 ton Wells. 
 
 As to Bath Water, one whom I defired 
 to try how long its tinging Virtue might be 
 preferved in inverted Flafks at Bath> wrote 
 me word, that after (landing thus thirty- 
 eight Days, it gave a purple Tinfture with 
 Galls j perhaps it had putrified, which re- 
 generates its tinging Quality j Bath Water 
 gave a much ftronger Tinfture when it had 
 been in an inverted Flaflt only three Days. 
 Yet others fay, they found no fuch eflfcdl og 
 the like Trial. 
 
 Dr. Harrington found that Bath Water, 
 after being preferved two Months in Bottlqs 
 with tubulated Corks gave a fenfible Tinfture 
 xvith Galls. And fome Bath Water, which 
 the Doftor fent me to TeMngton, in Bottles 
 with tubulated Corks, with a little Linfeed 
 Oil in the Tubes, to prevent the Air's touching 
 
 the 
 
no Experiments on 
 
 the Water, gave a faint blufli with Galls, 
 and after fourteen Months keeping, this Wa- 
 ter immediately gave a whitifli Colour; where- 
 as Bath Water, tho* after fome Days it be- 
 comes greenifh with Galls, yet when kept in 
 Bottles corked in the common way, it gives 
 no more Tindhire with Galls than common 
 Water : A probable Argument that thefe tu- 
 bulated Corks are of ufe in preferving that 
 Water, with at leaft fome fmall Degree of 
 Virtue, more than in the common way. 
 
 And it is further obfervable, that when 
 I opened one of thefe tubulated Bottles, the 
 Water would not only give this milky co- 
 lour with Galls, when firft opened, but alfo 
 for many Days after, tho' the Bottle wanted 
 of being full. And Dr. Nesbit obferved the 
 fame of IJlington Water. Hence we have a 
 good Hint to try whether it would not be 
 better, that Bath and other Steel- Waters 
 fhould (land in a cool Cellar, in Bottles with 
 tubulated Corks, for fome Days, before they 
 be convey 'd todiftant Places. For fince the 
 mineral Principles of 'IJlington Waters, by thus 
 ftanding for a confiderable time, acquire lo 
 great a Degree of Stability, as not to be pre- 
 cipitated in feveral Days, by theAdlion of the 
 Air on the Surface of the Water, in Bottles 
 
 which 
 
, &C. lit 
 
 which are in part emptied : It fhould there- 
 fore feem probable, that they will be lefs 
 apt alfo to be precipitated, by the Agitation 
 of long Carriage, than if carried away im- 
 mediately after the Water is bottled. 
 
 I have had alfo feveral other Parcels of 
 Water from Bath, with tubulated Corks; the 
 Water of fome of which, was as good as that 
 fent me by Dr. Harrington, and fome no 
 better than that which is brought in com- 
 mon corked Bottles, tho* no Air-Bubbles got 
 into the Bottles, which they are but too apt to 
 do in fo long a Journey. Yet notwithftanding 
 this uncertainty ofSuccefs, it may fure be worth 
 the while, for fome curious Perfons, when they 
 ihall have occafion for Bath Water at diftant 
 
 . Places, to make ufe of thefe tubulated Corks, 
 which will not much increafe the Trouble or 
 Expence ; and yet may poflibly be the means 
 of farther improving the Method of conveying 
 Steel- Waters, fomewhat better conditioned, to 
 diftant Places. And Linfeed Oil was preferred 
 before Oil of Olives, becaufe it will not har- 
 
 I , den with cold as the other Oil will ; which, 
 by flopping thereby the Orifice of the Glafe 
 Tube, might indanger the burfting of the 
 Bottles. 'Tis probable that thefe tubulated 
 Corks might be of fome fervice in carry- 
 
 I ing 
 
i 1 2 Experiment* on 
 
 ing *//> Water, by water to Briftol\ and 
 I intended to have had ibmc brought by 
 Sea to London. The way to fucceed in ufe- 
 ful Improvements, is to perfevere, and not 
 to be difcouraged at a few difappointments 
 But as Zfa/&-Water when once cold, lofes 
 a principal part of its Efficacy, which can- 
 not be recovered by warming again, fo it 
 were vain ever to hope, to have it convey- 
 ed to diftant Places, with any degree of that 
 Efficacy thus loft. 
 
 I could not fucceed in feveral Attempts 
 to bring Sunning-Hill Water in tubulated 
 Bottles on horfcback to Ttddington, which 
 is twelve Miles; nor Midhurft Steel- Water 
 to Farringdon in HampJ}rire> which is twelve 
 or fourteen Miles. Nor could I fucceed in 
 feveral Attempts to bring Tunbridge-Wellt 
 Water good to London, by means of tubu- 
 lated Corks ; tho* very carefully fecured by 
 John Hooker Efq; of Tunbridge Town, to 
 whom I am obliged for communicating to 
 me many Experiments and Obfervations which 
 he made on thofe Waters. But though we 
 could not convey them thus to London good 
 conditioned in the Summer part of the Year \ 
 yet fince in the Winter part of the Year, 
 
 he obferved thefe Waters to keep pretty good 
 
 for 
 
&c. 1 1 3 
 
 for Months, even in Bottles uncorked, and lon- 
 ger when corked, but not when they were half 
 full : Hence in the Winter part of the Year, we 
 might hope for fome better Succefs, in carrying 
 them to diftant Places with tubulated Corks.' 
 
 The Steel Water at Frenfiam near Farti~ 
 bam in Surrey, which prefently gives a fine 
 Tindture with Galls at the Spring, did not 
 retain its tingiog Virtue, with a tubulated Cork, 
 tho' the Bottle was not removed to a diftant 
 Place, but flood in a Houfe near the Spring. As 
 this Water comes out of a very foft Sand, ib I 
 fufpeft that its great pronenefs to precipitate 
 its Mineral Virtue, is owing to the finer part 
 of this fine dufty Sand, which by its weight 
 precipitates it, in the fame manner, as it is well 
 known to fine down Wine or Cyder. 
 
 The Steel- Water near Claremont^ in the 
 Parifli of Cobham in Surrey, which fprings out 
 of a pure white Sand, retains its tinging Virtue 
 well for Months in tubulated Bottles, kept in the 
 adjoining Houfe ; but it lofes much of its ting- 
 ing Virtue, and proportionably precipitates its 
 Mineral Sediment, in carrying no farther than 
 to Hampton-Court tr Teddingdon, which are 
 but four and five Miles diftant. So that not- 
 withftanding the Air is intercepted from adt- 
 ing on the Water in the Bottles, by wans 
 
 I of 
 
H4 Experiments on 
 
 of the tubulated Corks, yet the Agitations 
 in fo few Miles carriage, gives the Mine- 
 ral Particles fo much 'Motion, as to caufe 
 them to combine and precipitate; and the 
 warmer the Weather, the more apt they will 
 be to do fo. 
 
 This Spring -in Cobham Parifti, is lately 
 opened by James Fox Efq; the Lord of 
 the Manor, and made commodious with fome 
 Buildings, for the ufe of fuch as come to 
 drink of its Waters. 
 
 Thefe tubulated Gorks can be of no fer- 
 vice in preferving the Mineral Virtue of 
 Pyrcmonty Spa, or the like Waters, which 
 abound with an elaftick Aerial Spirit ; and 
 which rifing in great quantities from fuch 
 Waters, will foon form an Air Bubble, be- 
 tween the Cork and the Water ; which to- 
 tally defeats the ufe of thefe tubulated Corks. 
 
 Thus have I given a fhort account of what 
 thefe tubulate Corks can, and cannot do; 
 as well in order to explain what Influence 
 the contadt of the Air, on the Surface of 
 the Water, has towards promoting the Pre- 
 cipitation of the Mineral Virtue of thefe Wa- 
 ters ; as alfo in hopes, that they may in 
 fome Cafes be of ufe, at lead for Perfons who 
 live at fmall diftances from fuch Waters. 
 
 For 
 
&c. 115 
 
 For tho* Mineral Waters muft ever be beft 
 when drank at the Spring-Head, when their 
 Mineral Particles are in the moft fubtile and 
 attenuated date ; and confequently fitted to 
 enter the capillary Veflels of the Body * yet 
 when in cafes of Sicknefs, bad Weather, or 
 other Incidents, a Perfon cannot go to the 
 Spring, it may at lead be of fome advan- 
 tage, towards preferving fome farther degree 
 of Virtue than can be done without fuch 
 means : For it is a common Obfervation, that 
 Bath and Tunbridge Waters fenfibly abate 
 fomething of their Virtue, by being drank 
 at a little didance from the Spring. The 
 Truth of which may be further confirmed 
 . by the following Obfervation, viz, it is found 
 by Trials on Spa and many other Steel- Waters, 
 that a quantity of it, which has ftood about 
 half an Hour in a Glafs, will tinge Purple 
 with Galls fooner, than fome of the fame 
 Water juft taken from the Spring. A pro- 
 bable Argument, that the action of the open 
 Air, on the Surface of the Water, has in 
 fo fhort a time, difpofed the Mineral Parti- 
 cles to be in fome degree difintangled from 
 the Water, fo as to be tending towards u- 
 niting themfelves into larger" Combinations : 
 Which is agreeable to Monfieur Geoff roy's 
 1 2 Obfervation, 
 
1 1 6 Experiments M 
 
 * 
 
 Obfervation, viz. that the Tinfture with Galls 
 will be flower, the mere intimately the Steel 
 is diflblved in and blended with the other 
 Mineral Principles of the Waters ; which 
 feems to be the Cafe of the Steel- Water near 
 Claremont) which is flower in coming to its 
 full Tincture with Galls than moft Steel- 
 Waters that I have obferved. Hence we 
 may fee how wrong a thing it is to have 
 the Refervoir of Water at the Spring Head, 
 I mean the Refervoir under the Stone Ba- 
 fons, too large, in proportion to the Quan- 
 tity of Water, that flows from the Spring. 
 A fault which I have obferved in the open- 
 ing of fome Steel-Springs. For when the 
 Stream is fmall and the Refervoir large, too 
 great a Quantity of Water will ftand tlrere, 
 ftagnating and confequently lofing its Virtue. 
 
 As to Bath Water, the tendency of it to- 
 wards cooling, may ofitsfelf probably caufe 
 a proportionable tendency of the Mineral Par- 
 ticles, which abound in that Water, towards 
 a coalefcence into Particles of a fomewhat 
 larger fize : And this Coalefcence of the Mi- 
 neral Particles, which is qccafioned by the 
 cooling of Bath Water, cannot probably be 
 diffolved again, by reducing the Water to 
 its firft degree of Heat 5 and accordingly it 
 
 is 
 
Steel-IP ater*) &c 117 
 
 is found, that Batb Water when once cold, 
 tho' heated again, will not have the good 
 effeft, that warm Water frefli from the Spring 
 has : Its more fubtile Mineral Particles being 
 probably abfbrbed by and incorporated into 
 the calcarious matter which abounds in that 
 Water. 
 
 Yet fince, according to Dr. Guidotfs y and 
 other Obfervations, there are found about 
 eleven Grains and a Quarter, of Mineral Se- 
 diment in a Pound of Batb Water evapora- 
 ted to drynefs ; and fince the Quantity of 
 Sediment in a Quart of Batb Water, after 
 it has flood long, is very final), fo finall 
 as to make it be difputed, whether there 
 be any Sediment ; and fince notwithftand- 
 ing this great Quantity of calcarious, laline, 
 nitrous and fulphureous Matter in this Water, 
 it yet continues clear tho* long kept in Bottles, 
 a probable Argument that its Mineral Par- 
 ticles are not combined in very grols Com- 
 binations: Since, I fay, this is the Cafe, it 
 fhould feem probable, that this Water, tho' 
 kept for a confiderable time in Bottles, (hould 
 be better than common Water; which yet 
 fome are of Opinion that it is not. 
 
 But when by throwing in fome Salt or 
 OU of Tartar, the Salt of Tartar feizcs on 
 
 I3 the 
 
1 1 8 Experiments on 
 
 the nitrous and common Salt ; then the 
 
 pious calcarious Matter, being deferted by the 
 
 nitrous and other Salt, which held it fufpended 
 
 and attenuated in the Water, immediately 
 
 precipitates to the bottom, in the vifible Form 
 
 of a white Calx. The quantity of Sediment 
 
 in one Hogfhead of the Water of the King's 
 
 Bath, taken from the Pump, in wet weather, 
 
 and evaporated to diynefs, was found to be, 
 
 according to Dr. Guidott's Obfervation, ten 
 
 Ounces five Drams and half; whereof five 
 
 Ounces three Drams were Grit, two Ounces 
 
 one Dram and half, a blue fulphureous Earth 
 
 or Marie ; two Ounces leven and a half Drams 
 
 Salt. Of which more than two parts in three 
 
 were common Salt, the reft Nitre. Objer- 
 
 vation. LXI, LXIV. 
 
 II. 
 
 1 tryed alfo whether the tinging Virtue ok 
 Sleel- Waters could be preierved, by corking 
 Bottles with tubulated Corks, whole Tubes 
 flood upright above the Corks ; by which 
 means alfo, the Air could touch the Water 
 only in the narrow Tube: This method iiic- 
 ceeded very well with ibme Waters, but not 
 With others; which I fufpeft was owing to 
 the Bottles not being clean enough. Fcj 
 
 when 
 
Steel-Watery &c. 119 
 
 when the Bottles are not perfectly clean, and 
 free from the Tartar of Wine, or Ocry Sedi- 
 ment of mineral Waters which have been in 
 them, thofe Incruflations foon attract the mi- 
 neral Virtue out of Chalybeate Waters, as 
 alfo they are well known to fpoil Wine, 
 Cyder or Beer, put into fuch foul Bottles. 
 The moft effectual way to clean fuch Bot- 
 tles, is to boil them in a Lye of Wood-afhes, 
 as is done (by thofe who are careful) in bot- 
 tling Wine, &c. I obferved that the Water 
 fubfided very flowly in thefe Tubes, tho* they 
 flood fome Months; a proof that good Corks 
 imbibe very little of any Liquor that touches 
 them. 
 
 And fince the Virtue of Chalybeate Wa- 
 ters may by this means be preferved, for fe- 
 veral Days near the Spring Head, this method 
 may perhaps be of fome ufe at Pyremont and 
 Spa. Which we have the more encourage- 
 ment to attempt, becaufe a eonfiderable quan^ 
 tity of the Virtue of thefe Waters, is long re- 
 tained in Bottles, when carried to very diftant 
 Places : Which may perhaps be owing in the 
 Pyremont Water, especially to the great quan- 
 tity of mineral and calcarious Matter which it 
 contains, there being on evaporation of a 
 Pound of it, no lefs than twenty-two Grains 
 1 4 of 
 
I2O Experiments on 
 
 of dry Sediment: And accordingly it has 
 been obferved of feveral Chalybeate Waters, 
 that their Chalybeate Virtue is detained from 
 precipitating, for fome Days, by feveral things 
 that infpiffatc the Waters. Yet I am rather 
 apt to fuipeft, that a principal rcafon why 
 Pyremont and Spa Waters retain their Virtue 
 longer than any of our Steel- Waters in Eng- 
 land will do, may be owing to the large 
 quantity of faline matter in them, for. Dr. 
 Seip found in the dry Sediment of Pyremont 
 Water, no lefs than feven Grains in twenty^ 
 two to be a white bitter Salt. And in Spa- 
 Water the white alkaline Salt is in the pro- 
 portion of eight Grains to ten, to the reft of the 
 Ocry Sediment ; fo that as was above obferved 
 in Bath- Water, this proportion of faline 
 matter, which is ftrongly attracted by the 
 Water, contributes probably towards* the keep- 
 ing the mineral Virtue of thcfe Waters the 
 longer futpended in them. But if the mineral 
 Virtue of Pyremont and Spa- Waters is fuf- 
 tained longer in thefc than other Waters, by 
 means of the little invifible Air-Bubbles 
 that abound in thefe Waters ; then this 
 method of Tubes, would do more harm 
 than good, by depriving them of thofe Air- 
 Bubbles : Which Air Bubbles being enlarged 
 by warmth, may be the reafon why Pyre- 
 wont- 
 
Steel-Waters. 8cc. 121 
 
 ?;//j;//-Waters bear heating longer than other 
 Waters, without precipitating their mineral 
 Particles, tho' the great proportion of faline 
 matter ieems -to me to be the principal caufe. 
 
 I could wifli therefore that fome curious 
 Experimenter and Obferver would make the 
 tryul ; not with tubulated Corks, as above- 
 nientioned; becaufe it would be a difficult 
 matter and endlefs trouble, to fit fuch Corks 
 in a proper manner to every Bottle ; and to 
 cut the bottom of each Cork hollow like 3 
 Cone, to prevent the afcending Air-Bubbles 
 from lodging there. 
 
 But in the following manner, viz. with 
 a glafs Tube which is formed at each end like 
 a Tunnel : which Tunnels being of a fuf- 
 hcient fizc to cover the outfide of the Nofe 
 nf every Bottle ; to which they muft be fixed 
 by means of fome proper loft Wax, wrapped 
 round the Nofe of the Bottles, which are firft 
 to be filled with Water, before the Tube be 
 fixed, which when fixed, mud alfo be filled 
 up as high as the narrow part goes, but no 
 higher. The Diameter of the glaft Tube 
 which is between each Tunnel, muft be full 
 half an Inch j elfeif it be narrower, the Tube 
 will be filled with the afcending Air-Bubbles, 
 infteadof Water, which will, defeat the ufe 
 pf it. And as the Diameter of die Tube muft 
 
 be 
 
122 Experiments on 
 
 be thus large, it will be advifeable to have it 
 fo much the longer, viz. about fixteen or 
 twenty Inches ; that the influence of the Air 
 on the furface of the Water in the Tube may 
 be the longer before it reach to the Water in the 
 Bottle: Befides, the longer the Tube is, the 
 more difficult it will be for the fubtile ful- 
 phureous Vapour to efcape, which Vapour is 
 obferved to give a kind of vinous Tafte to 
 Pyremont Waters j and is a different tiling 
 from the fparkling Air-Bubbles, in which 
 many are apt to think, the Virtue of thefe Wa- 
 ters does principally confift : Which fulphure- 
 ous Vapour afcends in fuch quantity, that it 
 not only fometimes intoxicates the Walter^ 
 but in a dry ConAitution of the Air, it kills 
 Ducks which fwim on that Water in a fhort 
 time ; but does not incommode them in the 
 Icaft. in a moid Air. Whence it has been falfe- 
 ly concluded that Pyremont Water abounds 
 more with this iulphurcous Vapour, in dry than 
 a moift Air ; whereas the true Reafon of its 
 not killing Ducks when the Air is moift, is 
 owing to the great quantity of Watry Vapour 
 with which the fulphureous arc then diluted 
 and blended, which much abates their noxious 
 Quality j as I have fully proved in my Ana- 
 ly/is of the Air\ fee my Statical Evfwyncnt* 
 Vol.' I. Bottles 
 
Steel- Waters^ 8cc. 123 
 
 Bottles filled with the Water thus prepared, 
 would not be fo apt to burft, as the Dealers 
 in thofe Waters complain they are too apt tq 
 do in the common method, notwithftanding 
 they let them ftand for fome time open, for 
 the claftick Air to fly off before they cork 
 them; by this means, they might alfo with 
 the more fafety, be corked with a lefs quanti T 
 ty of Air under the Cork, which would con- 
 tribute to the better preferving the Water. 
 
 I am fenfible, that thofe who believe the 
 Virtue of thefe Waters confifts chiefly in their 
 volatile elaftick Air, or Spirit, as it is called, 
 \vill think them vapid and fpoiled by this 
 management. But on the other hand it is 
 not eafy to conceive how fuch elaftick Aerial 
 Vapours fhould enter the finer Veflels of the 
 Body, or if they did, they feem to be more 
 likely to do harm than good: For thefe Wa- 
 ters which abound with fuch elaftick Airey 
 Vapours, are found to difcompofe the Head 
 by filling the Stojnach with Wind, more than 
 other Chalybeate- Waters do: Thofe who arc 
 fond of drinking much Wind with their Wa- 
 ter, need not be at the expence of buying Pyre- 
 mont or iS/^- Waters; 'tis eafy to put into 
 common Water a mixture, that will produce 
 plenty of Iparkling Air. If therefore t on try- 
 
1 24 Experiments on 
 
 al, this method of preferving thefe Waters 
 (hall be found of any ufe , it will I hope com-t 
 pcnfate for the imagined lofs, in the want of 
 the briik Air, which flies off the Water in a 
 fparkling manner. 
 
 Several who are curious Obfervers, have 
 found that a confiderable number of the Bot- 
 tles of Pyremwt Water, which they have 
 uied, tho* they have been very briik and 
 fparkling, yet have given no manner of Tinc- 
 ture with Galls or green Tea ; nor have they 
 found any Benefit in drinking fuch efface 
 Water. And I have my fclf frequently ob- 
 ferved the fame thing. It would therefore 
 be a good way to try every Bottle with Galls 
 or green Tea, before any of it is drank. But 
 it were unreafonable and unjuft to lay any 
 blame on the Dealers in thole Waters, when 
 in truth it ought to be imputed rather to the 
 great difficulty there is in carrying Chalybeate 
 Waters to very diftant Places, with any de- 
 gree of their mineral Virtue. The cooler 
 the Weather, the more likelihood there is of 
 fucccfs. I (hall be glad if the method I have 
 here propofed, may contribute any thing to- 
 wards it. 
 
 I have found the fize of the Bubble of Air, 
 which has rifen from a common inverted 
 
 Pyremont 
 
&c. 1 25 
 
 Pyremwt Bottle of that Water heated to be 
 i +| cubick Inch, being tryed here in Eng- 
 litnJ-, there would doubt lefs much more have 
 rtlen from a like quantity of freih Water at 
 Pyremont'. Some of the thus generated Air 
 was again reforbed by the V/ater, in (landing 
 lome Days. And Mr. Ed. Warkman a 
 Gentleman of Leyden, to whom a Friend of 
 mine gave a Paper of fome Experiments, 
 which I defined to have tryed on Spa Water f 
 found on tryal, that there arofe in feven Days, 
 from a Flafk of the Geronfterre-Watcr, whole 
 Nofe was inverted into a Glafs of the fame 
 Water, more than a cubick Inch and half of 
 elaftkk Air. And that the Water retained 
 its tinging Virtue with Galls very well ; but 
 that it intirety loft that peculiar Smell and 
 Tafte, which it has when firft taken from the 
 Fountain ; and retains only the Tafte of the 
 Pohon- Waters, but a little flatter: For which 
 rcafon 'tis thought that it will anfwer no other 
 end, when tranfported to diftant places, than 
 what the Pohon does much better. And Dr. 
 Cbrowt an antrent eminent Phyfician at Sfa, 
 lays in his printed Declaration, of the Geron- 
 fterre- Water, that its mctallick Sulphur, in 
 which its principal Virtue confifts, is fo very 
 fubtile, that it flies away, notwithstanding all 
 
 pre- 
 
1 26 t Experiments ort 
 
 precautions that can be ufed, in Bottling 
 to prevent it. But it could not efcape thro* 
 the above mentioned inverted Glafs Bottle j 
 it muft therefore be either raifed and mixed 
 with the elaftick Air-Bubble, at the upper 
 part of the Glafs Bottle, or be reduced to 
 a more fixed ftate, by uniting and combin- 
 ing with the other Mineral Principles in the 
 ftagnant ftate of the Water ; which feems 
 to me the more probable, for the tinging 
 Virtue of the Water with Galls continued, 
 notwithftanding what was raifed from the 
 Water, in that large Air-Bubble. And Dr. 
 Seip of Pyremont wrote me word, that that 
 Water retained its tinging Virtue, notwith- 
 ftanding he had poured fome of it, many 
 times to and fro, to free it from its elaftick 
 Air, and fubtile volatile fulphureous Vapour. 
 He fays that that Water keeps the better for 
 having Oil on it in the Neck of the Bottle. 
 
 III. 
 
 I have made alfo fome Attempts to pre- 
 ferve Chalybeate Waters with Glafs Tubes, 
 about fix Inches long, which were open at 
 one end, and had a fmall Bubble at the 
 other end, of fuch a fize that it could well 
 enter a common Quart Bottle which had a 
 
 large 
 
Steel-Watery Sec. 127 
 
 large Mouth. When the Bottle was filled 
 with Water, the Tube was put into the 
 Bottle with the Bubble uppermoft j and the 
 Bottle being brim-full of Water, a Cork of 
 the beft fort being firft wetted to clear it 
 of fmall Air- Bubbles, was prefled hard into 
 the Mouth of the Bottle, and tied faft down : 
 By which means the Air in the Glafs Bub- 
 ble was proportionably comprefled by the 
 Water which rofe above half way up the 
 Bubble: The remaining fpace in the upper 
 part of the Glafs Bubble, being left for fome 
 of the Water to afcend into, in cafe it fliould 
 dilate, by any greater degree of Heat, than 
 it had at firft, which would otherwife in- 
 ilanger the burfting of the Bottle, 
 
 Dr. Burton found the tinging virtue of 
 Sunning-Hill Water well preferved by this 
 means at Windfor. And Mr. Hooker found 
 that TiUnbridge-Welh Water thus preferved 
 at TuftbriJge Town, which is fix Miles di- 
 llant, did fometimes fucceed very well, and 
 gave as fine a Tincture as at the Spring Head, 
 after feveral Months keeping, and fometimes 
 he had not the like fuccefs ; and others as 
 well as my felf found the fame uncertainty 
 as to the Event : Which may lie attribu- 
 ted to two Caufes, v/z. either the diffe- 
 rent 
 

 128 Experiments on 
 
 renf degree of warmth or coldncfc of the 
 Weather, when the Water was taken up i 
 Or elfc to the different degree of clean- 
 nefe of the Bottles, which were made ufe 
 of; for I met with many difappointments, 
 before I was diffidently aware of the im- 
 portance of having the Bottles, as perfoftly 
 clean as if they were new. For if there 
 be any Tartarine Sediment, adhering to the 
 bottom of them, that is very apt to draw 
 to it the Mineral Virtue of the Water ; in 
 the fame manner as the calculous matter of 
 Urine will be attracted in greater quantity 
 by a foul than by a clean Urinal, as alfo the 
 Stones in the Kidneys or Bladder attract fi- 
 milar Particles from the Urine. 
 
 IV. 
 
 There is another way alfo which I made 
 ufe of, by which the Air was abfolutely fe- 
 el uded from touching the Water in the Bot- 
 tles, in any the leaft part, viz. 1 chofe foinc 
 of the fofteft velvet Corks that I could pro- 
 cure ; and .thruft five or fix of them, into 
 a Quart Bottle, they being firft well wetted 
 to clear them of adhering Air-Bubbles. Then 
 filled the Bottles brim-full of Water, and 
 thruft hard into the Mouth of it, a very 
 
 good 
 
Steel-Watery &c. 129 
 
 good Cork, tying it down firm. By this 
 means no Air could touch the Water ; and 
 at the fame time the Bottle was fecured from 
 burfting ; becaufe, as the Water dilated at 
 any time with more warmth, the foft yield- 
 ing Corks were proportionally comprefled, 
 to make room : for I found that by putting 
 fach Corks under Water in a Glafs Veflel, 
 and placing it in a Glafs-condenfing Engine, 
 that on compreffing the Air, it made the 
 Water fubfide in which the Corks were im- 
 merfed, by their yielding to the greater pref- 
 iure of the Water. 
 
 I have by this means fucceeded in pre- 
 fcrving the Virtue of Steel- Waters, for fix 
 Weeks near the Spring : And fometimes not 
 fo long. I was at firft apprehenfive that the 
 Corks might contribute, in fome degree, to 
 the fpoiling of the Mineral Virtue of the 
 Waters, they being turned black by it. But 
 Dr. Seip aflured me of the contrary, he ha- 
 ving put an hundred new Vfol Corks, into 
 a three-pint Bottle ofPyremont Water, which 
 being tried with Galls, after it flood a Month 
 in his Study, it gave a very good Tinclure : 
 And Mr. JVarkman found the fame Event 
 with Sfa Water. 
 
 K Thus 
 
130 Experiments on 
 
 Thus have I given an Account of the 
 feveral means which I made ufe of, for pre- 
 ferving the Mineral Virtue of Steel-Waters, 
 hoping they may all be of fome life, in dif- 
 ferent Circumflances ; at lead to convey fome 
 of thcfe Waters a little way. Thofe who 
 have not the convenience of Glafs Tubes, 
 may perhaps find fome Benefit in the ufe of 
 foft Corks. 
 
 As Heat is apt to fpoil the Virtue of thefe 
 Waters ; it feems probable that it would be 
 of fome ufe, to cover the Bottles with Salt 
 in a Baflcet in very hot Weather; this might 
 be of ufe for carrying Bottles of thefe Waters 
 to fmall dirtances, as from IJlington to any 
 part of London, &c. 
 
 When it is advifeable to drink Chalybeate 
 Waters warm, I find it is better to warm 
 them in a Bottle, with its Nofe downwards 
 than upwards : For I found by Trial at Sun- 
 ning-Hill that when I put two Vials full 
 of cold Water, into a Vcflel of the lame 
 Water, and wanned it; the Water in the 
 inverted Vial gave a better Tindure, than 
 that in the other Vial which was not in- 
 verted : And only one Draft fliould be warm- 
 ed at a time, for when warm, it foon grows 
 foul and lofes its Virtue. 
 
 A 
 
Steel-Water s> &c. 131 
 
 As the Mineral Particles of Chalybeate Wa- 
 ters, are doubtlefs in their mod fubtile and 
 attenuated date, and therefore moft efficacious 
 at the Fountains 5 (b it will ever be bcft to 
 drink them there : But as this-cannot in many 
 Cafes and Circumftanccs be done, it is there- 
 fore a Matter of great Importance for the 
 Benefit of Mankind, to try if any means can 
 be found out, to convey them to diftant 
 Places, with a good degree of their Virtue j 
 that ir^ with their fine Mineral Particles as 
 little combined into larger ones as may be. 
 
 V. 
 
 I have hitherto given an Account of the 
 good and bad fuccefs, I have had, in attempt- 
 ing to preferve the Virtue of Chalybeate 
 Waters, by Mechanical Contrivances, with- 
 out putting any ingredient into them. I 
 (hall now mention other means which I 
 made ufe of, which proved more effectual, 
 'viz. by dropping in of Acid Spirits, which 
 are frequently prefcribed by Phyficians, to 
 be taken with Chalybeate Waters, in fuch 
 Forms and Proportions as they think pro- 
 per ; and that often to the great Benefit of 
 their Patients. They are alfo frequently ufed 
 to check the too great Ferment of Wine or 
 K 2 Cyder, 
 
i 3 2 Experiments on 
 
 Cyder, by burning Brimftonc In the Caflcs, 
 whereby they are impregnated with true Oil 
 of Sulphur. 
 
 But as I have no Intention to intrude into 
 the Phyficians Province for which I am no 
 ways qualified $ ib my prefent purpofe is only, 
 to give an Account of the Effefts, which 
 different numbers of Drops ofthefe acid Spi- 
 rits hid on different Chalybeate Waters ; in 
 order thereby to find out the leaft num- 
 ber of Drops, that will fuffice to keep their 
 Mineral Particles, in fo attenuated a ftate, as 
 will prevent their precipitating to the Bottom 
 and Sides of Vcffels : leaving it to Phyficians 
 to determine as to the wholclbmnefs of them, 
 as alib in what Cafes and Proportions fuch aci- 
 dulated Waters are to be drank. 
 
 I am obliged to Sir Conrad Sfrenge/l for 
 the following Obfervation on Steel- Watery 
 as alfo for fbme other Improvements and A- 
 mcndments which he niude on the pcru- 
 il of thcfe Papers, viz. " Steel- Waters con- 
 " tain a fubtilc Acid, by which as a Me- 
 " dium the Iron Ore is made foluble and 
 " united with the Waters. Alcalies by de- 
 l ftroying that fubtile Acid, dcflroy the Bond 
 " of Union betwixt the Waters and their 
 " Ingredients. Now the Queftion is, how 
 
 to 
 
It 
 
 St eel-Water s<> &c. 133 
 
 to prefer ve this vitriol ick Acid, no doubt 
 4< by an Addition of fomething like it, and 
 " yet the Acid fhould not prevail, becaufe 
 <c then the Galls and other Aflringcnts will 
 " give no Colour to the Waters ; in the 
 " manner as any inky Writing may be ef- 
 " faced by Lemon Juice, Spirit of Vitriol, 
 " Off. Hence no black Tindture can be 
 " produced with Galls, but when the Iron 
 " is predominant. Green Vitriol makes Ink 
 " only by its Iron, hence the Colours in Steel- 
 " Waters, and from no other parts of the 
 u Vitriol, for blue Vitriol makes no Ink. 
 " Oil and Spirit of Vitriol change Iron into 
 c< Vitriol ; but with this Difference that Oil 
 " put upon Filings of Iron, changes them 
 " into white, and Spirit into green Vitriol. 
 " Vitriol is a Sal Medium fonn'd of an acid 
 u and ferrugincDUS Subftance which makes 
 " green Vitriol, but the blue is compounded 
 " of Copper." 
 
 |. As the acid Spirits here made ufe of, 
 were not always the fame, but bought at 
 different Places, by my felf and others, who 
 made Experiments with them ; fo thofe who 
 ihall think fit to repeat any of thefe Ex- 
 periments hereafter, may perhaps find fomc 
 little varation, of a Drop or fo, of the quan- x 
 K-3 tity 
 
134 Experiments on 
 
 tity that will do. What I here often men* 
 tion as Oil of Sulphur, and which was 
 bought for fuch 5 was not probably true 
 Oil of Sulphur, but what is commonly fold 
 for fuch, viz. fometimes Oil of Vitriol mixed 
 with Water, or fometimes Spirit of Vitriol, it 
 being difficult to procure true Oil of Sulphur. 
 
 Mr. Boyle Godfrey, the Chymift in his Mif- 
 fellaneous Experiments and Objeroations y p. 1 3 6 . 
 cautions agsinft theufe of Oil of Vitriol, as being 
 a more metallick Acid thar^ the true Spirit of 
 Vitriol : But as what is commonly fold for 
 Spirit of Vitriol, is, he fays, Oil of Vitriol mixed 
 with Water 3 and that if Oil of Vitriol is 
 ever ufed,one third lefs of it, than of the Spirit 
 of Vitriol will do ; hence we fee the great 
 uncertainty there is, as to the Strength of 
 thefe acid Spirits. 
 
 Gas Sulphuris might be ufcd for this 
 purpofe, which is Water ilrongly impreg- 
 nated with the Fumes of burning Bi undone, 
 yi a large Receiver ; but fome look on this 
 as a poor four Water, and as the quantity 
 of Spirit of Sulphur, in each Preparation of 
 it, would probably be very different j accor- 
 dingly different quantities of the Gas would 
 al/b be requiiite, in order to adjuft the due 
 proportion that would fufilce to prelerve thfi 
 Viitue of Steel- Water wkh it. I 
 
&c. 135 
 
 I was obliged to Mr. Hooker ofTunbridge 
 for putting me on the refearch, to find out the 
 fmalleft number of Drops of Oil of Sulphur, 
 that would effectually preferve the mineral 
 Particles of Chalybeate Waters from precipitat- 
 ing ; in which he had made fome progrefs, and 
 recommended to me the farther purfuit of it. 
 For, as he obferves, if fome of thefe Waters 
 ihall require fo many of thefe acid Drops, 
 as (hall be thought to make Water too acid 
 to be drank in any quantity ; that Acidity may 
 eafily be wholly taken away, by dropping 
 in, a little time before the Water is drank, a 
 few Drops of Oil of Tartar, which by feiz- 
 ing on and combining with the acid Spirit, 
 will form a wholefome neutral Salt. And 
 the Mineral Particles of the Water, being 
 thereby difieized of the acid Spirit, are fet 
 at liberty, to aft almoft as effectually, as 
 before the acid Spirit was dropped in, as ap- 
 pears by the fine Tinfture it will then give 
 with Galls, if the Galls are firft put in. 
 
 July 22d, Mr, Hooker fet two Florence 
 Flafks full of funbridge-Welh Water on n 
 Gravel Walk in very hot Sun-fhine, from 
 ten in the Morning till feven in the Even- 
 big, having firft put three Drops of Oil of 
 Sulphur into one of the Flaflcs. At three 
 K 4 in 
 
Experiments an 
 
 in the Afternoon, he found the Water heated 
 to that degree, that he could icarce bear 
 to hold the Flafks in his Hands: The Air- 
 Bubbles were continually rifing. The Wa- 
 ter without any acid Spirit in it, was tur r 
 bid, and had depofited much Ocre, and gave 
 no tindlure with Galls. The other with the 
 Oil of Sulphur was tranfparcnt, and had a 
 mineral ferrugineous Smell : Upon putting one 
 eighth of a Grain of Galls to a Pint of it, 
 it very flowly changed to a pale Purple j but 
 on dropping in one Drop of Oil of Tartar, 
 it inftantly gave as deep a colour as frdh Wa- 
 ter at the Spring, and with one Drop morc ? 
 a deeper Purple than he ever law in freih 
 Water with the fame quantity of Galls. 
 
 In order tp find out the Icaft number of 
 Drops of acid Spirit that would prcfcrve un- 
 precipitated the mineral Particles of this Wa- 
 ter, I dciircd the Reverend Mr. Wiljon Rcdtor 
 of Walbrook Church in London , to provide fix 
 very clean Quart Bottles j into which as fooi) 
 as filled at ^funbridgc-Wtlh^ he dropped into 
 Numb. i. two drops of Oil "of Sulphur. 
 Nun.b. 2. thiej Drops. Numb. 3. four 
 Drops. Numb. 4. five Drops, Numb. 5. fix 
 Drops. And Numb. 6. eight Drops. After 
 thefe Bottles being corked, had ftcxxl an 
 
 Hour, 
 
Steel- ff at ersy &c. 137 
 
 Hour, to give time for the acid Spirit to dif- 
 fufe it fclf uniformly thro' the whole Water, 
 he then filled fix equally fized Vials, with 
 Water out of each Quart Bottle, and put e- 
 .qual quantities of powdered Gall into each 
 Vial, and corked them: After ftanding an 
 Hour, Number i. was tinged of a light blue 
 Colour ; but none of the ether five were in the 
 Jeaft tinged. 
 
 Hence we fee that three Drops of Oil of 
 Sulphur in Numb. 2. fo effectually feize on and 
 lock up the mineral Particles of this Water, 
 that they cannot be fo adted on by Galls as to 
 produce any Tinfture : But when a little Oil of 
 Tartar is added, which ieizes on the acid Spirit, 
 fo as to caufe it to let go its hold of the mineral 
 Particles, which it kept attenuated and fufpend- 
 ed, then they are at liberty to tinge with Galls, 
 or to unite intofo grofs Combinations, as caufes 
 them to precipitate in the form of Ocre. 
 
 Thefe Experiments were made the begin- 
 ning of Auguft, and the feventh of Auguft in 
 the next Year, the Weather Temperate, I 
 procured by the favour of a Friend, three 
 wine Quarts of Tunbridgc-Wdk Water. The 
 Bottle Numb. i. had three Drops of Oil of 
 Sulphur. Numb. 2. had four Drops. And 
 Numb. 3. had five Drops. Thefe I received 
 
 at 
 
138 Experiments on 
 
 at Tedding ton> Auguft the fifteenth: When 
 Numb. i. gave with Galls, only a ftrong 
 blue Tindturc, which was heightened with 
 Oil of Tartar, to a reddiih Tindture ; it had a 
 manifeft Sediment at the bottom, but no 
 cloudy Flocks or Thrumbs* hence three Drops 
 of Oil of Sulphur are not fufficient to pre- 
 ferve it good, for fo fhort a time; notwith- 
 ftanding that number of Drops was found 
 fufficient, fo effectually to lock up the mine- 
 ral Particles, as totally to extinguiih the ting- 
 ing Virtue of this Water with Galls. 
 
 Neither will four Drops be fufficient to 
 keep it good long \ for tho* Aitgujl the i $th 
 it had little or no Sediment, and gave a 
 ftronger blue Tindure than Numb. i. which 
 was heightened with Oil of Tartar to a goal 
 reddiih Purple, at which time I poured off a 
 Pint of it, the better to preferve it ; yet Augujl 
 the twenty-firf}, there was fome Sediment iu 
 the Pint, and it gave a fomcwhat weaker 
 Tindture, than it did Augujl the fifteenth. 
 And Augujl the thirtieth there was much 
 more Sediment, and alfo a proportionally 
 weaker Tindlure. 
 
 But the Water of the Bottle Numb. 3. 
 which had five acid Drops in it, gave Augitft 
 the fifteenth a much Wronger blue Tinclure 
 
 with 
 
Steel-Waters^ &c. 139 
 
 .with Galls than Numb. 2. which was heigh- 
 tened with Oil of Tartar, to fo deep a reddifh 
 Purple, that was hardly tranfparent. Augujl 
 the twenty-firft the remainder of the Bottle 
 gave alfo a deep Tindture. A Pint of this 
 bottled, which was filled from it Augujl the 
 fifteenth had no Sediment Augujl the thir- 
 tieth, and gave as ftrong a Purple as at firft ; 
 it gave alfo a good Tinfture September the 
 twenty-fifth : And tho' this Pint flood not 
 full from that time to January the eleventh, 
 yet there was no Sediment, and it gave a blue 
 with Gulls, and with the addition of Oil of 
 Tartar a fine reddifli Tindture ; which rednefs 
 is increafed by the Salt in the Oil of Tartar, 
 in the fame manner as the Salt of Aquafortis 
 heightens the colour ofCochineel in the fcarlet 
 Dye, and as Nitre alfo heightens the rednefe 
 of Blood. Hence we fee that five Drops of 
 Oil of Sulphur to a Quart, are fufficient to 
 prelerve the Virtue of this Water long. But 
 as this number of Drops make it confiderably 
 acidulated, tho' not (b much as to be difagree- 
 able, yet, if more than (hould be, in drinking 
 any confiderable quantity of this Water, this 
 Acidity may be abated by adding any propor- 
 tion of fair Water ; or may be wholly taken 
 away, by two or three Drops of Oil of Tartar. 
 
 It 
 
1 40 Experiments on 
 
 It is obfctyable that in keeping this Water fo 
 long as to January -, its Acidity was fo much 
 abated tliat it was fcarccly to be tafied. 
 
 It feems probable, that if tubulated Corks 
 were ufed with Bottles of this thus acidulated 
 Water, they would not only contribute to 
 preferve the Water the better 5 but there 
 might alfo be this further convenience, 'that 
 the Virtue of fome of thefe Waters, might 
 alfb be thus preferred with fewer Drops. For 
 I often obferved, on the G>Afe//w-Wat:r thus 
 acidulated with the fewdt Drop that would 
 do ; that it kept much longer and better wbeit 
 the Bottles were full, than when, by being 
 but half full, a broader furface of the Water 
 was expofed to the influence of the Air. 
 
 Whereas Tunbridgc-Welh Water required 
 three Drops of Oil of Sulphur, totally to ex- 
 tinguifli its tinging Virtue with Galls. One 
 Drop of that acid Spirit will have the fame 
 effect on the abovementioned Steel- Water of 
 Cobbam near Claremont in Surrey. And three 
 .Drops will as effectually preferve the mineral 
 Virtue of that Water for two or three Months, 
 when carried to dittant Places to be drank, as 
 that of Tunbndge is preferved with five Drops. 
 This difference feems to be principally owing 
 to the different quantities of Chalybeate, and 
 
 other 
 
Steel-Water S) &c. 141 
 
 other calcarious matter which thefe Waters 
 contain For Bath Water, which is found to 
 contain, on evaporation to drynefs, eleven and 
 a quarter Grains weight of {aline, nitrous, 
 fulphureous, and principally calcarious matter 
 to a Pint ; by abforbing much of the acid 
 Spirit of Sulphur, requires eight Drops of 
 Oil of Sulphur to extinguifh its tinging qua- 
 lity with Galls. 
 
 And even this number of Drops does not 
 make it fenfibly acid, after (landing ibme time, 
 tho' fomewhat hariher ; the Acid being abfor- 
 bed by the great quantity of calcarious. matter: 
 And a fewer number of Drops as four or five, 
 are not in the lead to be perceived, after a 
 few Days. I have alfo obferved of feveral 
 other Chalybeate Waters, which have had 
 no more than an agreeable degree of acidity 
 given them, that it has in a good meafurc 
 upne off after fome Weeks (landing. 
 
 Otfobcr the fifth, I received at Teddlngton^ 
 ibme Bottles of Bath Water, which had fe- 
 vcr;\liy in them from one to eight Drops of 
 Oil of Sulphur, when I put powdered Galls 
 into Vials full of the Water of each Bottle. 
 They all gave a blufl), except that with one 
 Drop, and another with no Drop in it, both 
 which were not fenfibly altered in Colour. 
 
 The 
 
142 Experiments oft 
 
 The Blufh of the other fevcn was ftronger 
 and ftrongcr, in proportion to the number of 
 Drops of Oil of Sulphur, which was in the 
 refpedtive Water. But it did not exhibit this 
 Bluih fcven Days after, which was fourteen 
 Days from the time the Bottles were filled at 
 Bath. 
 
 And whereas fuch acid Drops do effectually 
 prevent the precipitation of the mineral Parti- 
 cles, which in other Steel Waters are apt to 
 precipitate ; I could perceive no fenfible dif- 
 ference at the bottom of thofe Bottles, which 
 had eight Drops in them, and thofe which 
 had none : Whence it is probable that this 
 Water depofites no Sediment, unleft by Aand- 
 ing very long. The fmall quantity of Sulphur 
 which is in it, feems to be prevented from 
 precipitating, by its uniting its felf with the 
 great quantity of calcarious matter in that 
 Water jas is probable from Dr. Gui dolt's Ex- 
 periments and Obfervations. 
 
 The Chalybeate Water near the Corn-Mil! 
 at Bramflott in Hampjhire^ has its tinging 
 Virtue cxtinguifhed with three Drops. The 
 Chalybeate Water at C^s-Mill near Mid- 
 hurft, SuJJcXy requires five Drops* 
 
 Sunning-Hill Water has never four Grains 
 of dry Refiduum in a Pound 5 and with four 
 
 Drops 
 
Steel Waters^ &c. -143 
 
 Drops of Oil of Vitriol to a quart, retained its 
 Virtue of tinging with Galls, for fifty Days 
 at the Spring-Head. This Sediment does not 
 melt in (landing many Days, an Argument 
 that there is little falinc in it. 
 
 But the Sediment of the Steel- Water near 
 Sir William Abdys in the Parifli of Chobham 
 in Surrey, \vhich is near equal in quantity 
 with that of Sunning-Hill, rifes in drying, in 
 broad Alum-like Blifters j which had a mild 
 (aline Tafte. Native Nitre is known to be 
 alkaline and to rife in Blifters like Alum, and 
 has no fign of acidity before it is expofed to the . 
 Fire, and has always a mixture of common 
 S^lt. Moft Chalybeate Waters have fome ni- 
 trous Salt, and thofe which have moft of it, 
 ;ire efteemed the bed, 
 
 1 found on two different Trials, little 
 more than a Grain of yellow Ocry Sediment, 
 in a Pound Avoirdupoife of Cobbam Steel- 
 Water, when evaporated to drynefs ; nor did 
 it melt in (landing many Days, a fign that 
 there is little (aline in it; yet this Water, as 
 moft Spring Waters do, gives white Clouds 
 with a fplution of Silver j a fign of fomc 
 
 Salt. 
 
 This 
 
144 Experiments on 
 
 This Water feems to have little elfe in it 
 befides the Chalybeate Matter. Its great pu- 
 rity feems to be owing to its fpringing out of 
 a pure whitifli Sand, from a Hill which is 
 all Gravel to its'furface ; in which circumftan- 
 ces the Springs of pureft Water are obferved 
 to rife ; four i'nftances of which I have given, 
 in my Statical Effays> Vol. II. p. 240, &c. 
 
 Mr. Hooker^ having at Tunbridge Town, 
 ait two clean Florence Flalks to a wide Ori- 
 fice, and then weighed them, he poured into 
 each of them a Pound Avoirdupoife of Tun- 
 bridge mineral Water: which being very 
 carefully and flowly evaporated away in ten 
 Hours, he weighed the Flafks the next morn- 
 ing, and found they were incrcafed in weight 
 two Grains and a quarter ; which being there- 
 fore the weight of the Sediment in that quan- 
 tity of Water, (hows it to be a very pure Wa- 
 ter : This was done the 26 th of January in a. 
 very rainy Seafon ; and yet the Water gave 
 as good a Tindure with Galls as in a dryer 
 Seafon, This Sediment did not melt into 
 a Liquor, but was foft in {landing fome Days 
 in the inverted Flalks, an Argument that 
 there is fome Degree of Salt in it ; which 
 might alfo probably be difcovered, by drop- 
 ping a few Drops of Solution of Silver in that 
 
 Water. 
 
Steel-Watery &c. 145 
 
 Water. The Reverend Mr. Wilfon found 
 but a Grain and half of Sediment, on evapo- 
 rating away a like Quantity of it, at Tunbridge*- 
 Wdh in the beginning of Auguji. 
 
 Philippus LuJov 'cus de Preffeux, in his Dif* 
 fcrtatio Me die a Inaugurals 1736, fays that he 
 procured by evaporation to drynefs, from feven 
 Pounds of the Geronfterre Water at Spa, eight 
 Grains of an Alkaline Salt, and ten Grains 
 of Ocre. If this be the whole Sediment in 
 fo large a quantity of this Water, then its mi- 
 neral Virtue might probably be preferved from 
 precipitating, with very few Drops of acid 
 Spirit. 
 
 And that the greater or lefler quantity of 
 Oil of Sulphur, requifite to extinguifh the 
 tinging Virtue of any Steel* Water, depends 
 on the proportion of the quantity and quality 
 of the calcarious or other mineral matter in 
 the Water, is further evident from hence, viz. 
 That upon having put a little powdered Whi- 
 ting into the Cobham Water, it then required 
 no lefs than eight Drops of Oil of Sulphur, to 
 extinguifh its tinging Virtue: And then gave 
 a very deep untranfpirent Tinfture. 
 
 Hence alfo we may fee, that the ftrength 
 and goodnefs of a Chalybeate Water, cannot 
 be judged of by the deepnefs of its Tunflure 
 
 L with 
 
146 Experiments on 
 
 \vith Galls, as fome are apt to imagine. Thus 
 the Water at Co^'s-Mill gives a deeper Tinc- 
 ture, than any I ever fuw, but withal requires 
 more Oil of Sulphur, than the very pure Cob- 
 ham Water > viz. Five Drops to extinguifh 
 its tinging Virtue, whence it is probable that it 
 would have more Sediment on evaporation, 
 which I omitted doing. 
 
 Dr. Ncsbit found that IJlington Water re- 
 quired nine or ten Drops of Oil of Sulphur to 
 extinguiih its tinging Virtue, a probable Argu- 
 ment that it has a good deal of Sediment on 
 evaporation. 
 
 And as Pyrcmont Water has twenty two 
 Grains of Sediment, in a Pound of it evapo- 
 rated to drynefs ; and the Water of the Caro- 
 line Baths in Germany no lefs than thirty 
 Grains \ they would probably require many 
 Dcops of this acid Spirit to extinguifli their 
 tinging Virtue. And it is obfervable both in 
 Pyrcmont and Bath Waters, that the Tinc- 
 ture of them with Galls foon precipitates 
 much Sediment, the ailrihgent quality of the 
 Gulls combining their mineral Particles into (b 
 large a fize, as caufis them to precipitate ; 
 whereas the Tindlures of purer Steel-Waters 
 very long without precipitating. 
 
 It 
 
Steel-Water S) &c. 1 47 
 
 It feems therefore reafonable, in order to 
 judge of the comparative ftrcngth of Chaly- 
 beate Waters, not only to compare the diffe- 
 rent ftrength of their feveral Tindhircs, but 
 alfo their refpedtive quantity of Sediment on 
 evaporation to drynefs : Thefe Circumftances 
 added to what may be learnt, by Experience 
 of die effcfts they have on thofe who drink 
 them, may ferve the better to judge of their 
 different flrengths. 
 
 There is another ingenious method, to find 
 the comparative ftrcngth of Chalybeate Wa- 
 ters, propofed by Mr. Alexander Monrc^ Pro-* 
 ft/fir of Anatomy in the Univerftty of Eden* 
 burgh) which is mentioned in the medical E / 
 fays and Obfervations, publifhed by a Society 
 hi Edenburgh. Vol. III. 1735. viz. 
 
 " He obferves that Writers on this fub- 
 " jedt have contented themfelves with telling 
 
 us, that fuch Waters ftrike red, purple, . 
 c< violet or black Colours, when Galls or 
 
 fuch other Aftringents are mixed with them; 
 
 and fome have faid that the deepeft Colour 
 IC fliews the greateft proportion of Steel. 
 
 " To fatisfy himfelf of the truth of this, 
 
 " he diflblved artificial Sal Marfis, in a fmall 
 
 " quantity of Fountain Water ; then drop- 
 
 ri F n g few or more Drops of the Solution, in. 
 
 T. * " to 
 
148 Experiments on 
 
 u to a given quantity of common Watery 
 " he found that by the mixture of the Tine-* 
 " tureof Galls, he could form all the diffe- 
 " rent Colours mentioned j the larger quanti- 
 " ty of the Solution always requiring the 
 " greater number of the Drops of the Tinc- 
 * ture to bring it to all the Colour it would 
 ** take ; and that being as conflantly deeper 
 " than the others, where fewer Drops of 
 " each had been employed. 
 
 " Sal Marth being made with four Ounces 
 " of Spirit of Wine, to two Ounces of Oil 
 <c of Vitrid, kept together in an Iron Pan till 
 " they (hoot into Cryftals the proportion of 
 " Steel, in the artificial Salt or Vitriol of Iron, 
 " is very little more than one third part. 
 " One hundred and forty two Drops of the 
 " Solution of Sal Martii in common Water, 
 ** weighed two Drams, therefore every fuch 
 " Drop contained T 'T f a Grain of Salt, or 
 <c ^ r of a Grain of Steel. 
 
 <c Let theGlafles be nearly of the fame fize 
 < and thickncfs , to make a comparifbn then 
 "' of any Chalybeate Water with this Solution 
 " into a determinate quantity of fuch Water, 
 <* pour Drop after Drop of a ftrong clear 
 ' llndure of Galls, allowing a fufficient time 
 
 between each Drop, for its having its full ef- 
 
 feft, 
 
 U\.\, \* WH VUV.il JU/lV/k.', IV/t 110 11UVUI" ilC 
 
 N 
 
St eel-Water s> &c, 149 
 " fed, till it is obferved, that the addition of 
 " more Tin&ure makes no change in the 
 " colour of the Water : And to make fore 
 " of the number of Drops of the Tindture 
 " that are requifite, let the Experiment be re- 
 " peated feveral times. 
 
 " Then having the {ame quantity of com- 
 ' mon Water in a like Glafs, drop into it 
 <c the above difcovered number of Drops of 
 " the fame Tinfture of Galls, and mix them 
 " well ; after which in the lame cautious 
 ** manner, drop in the Solution Drop by Drop, 
 <c till their Colour is die fame, with that of 
 u the mineral Water. 
 
 " When once the quantity of Solution, e- 
 * ' qual to the Contents of the Spa is known, 
 " pour a due proportion of it, into common 
 " Water ; and let feveral People examine, 
 " whether the Tafte of it is not the fame, 
 " with what the mineral Water has. He 
 " has made, he fays, Fountain Water fo like 
 " to feveral Chalybeate Waters, that none 
 4< could diftinguifh them/ f 
 
 The purer the Watry Vehicle of any Steel- 
 Water is, doubtlels fo much the better, provided 
 there be enough of the Chalybeate Virtue. I 
 have not obferved this Steel- Water of Cob- 
 Iwm to be the weaker for much Rain. 
 L 3 
 
1 50 Experiments on 
 
 I am .credibly inform'd that an eminent 
 fician, who had made many Obfervations on 
 Tunbridge Waters, thought them ftronger in 
 wet than dry Weather j which may be occa- 
 fioned by the Waters paffing thro* fome Cha- 
 lybeate Strata in wet Weather, which they 
 do not rife to in dry Weather. 
 
 Some who have come dire&ly from drinkr 
 ing the *Tunbridge Waters to thofe near Clare- 
 inont y thought the former considerably the 
 Aronger. Yet feveral who have drank thefe, 
 during the few Years they have been opened, 
 have found much Benefit by them. Half a 
 Pint of them, has in January given me a fine 
 glowing warmth all over \ on the motion of 
 trotting my Horfe foon after, as alfo feveral 
 other Times on walking, not flow. And they 
 have been found to heat fome Conftitutions 
 too much. There is doubtlefs a great diffe- 
 rence in the Qualities and Strength of mineral 
 Waters, for fome of them are more Chaly- 
 beate than others : Some approach nearer to 
 Vitriol, and many of them have much nitrous 
 Salt mixed with them ; whence the great dif- 
 ference of thefe Waters. 
 
 And as there are doubtlefs a great variety 
 of Degrees of Strength, among the many dif- 
 ferent Steel-Springs ; fome of \yhich are, as I 
 
 have 
 
Steel-lPatcrs, &c. 151 
 
 have heard, abfolutcly too flrong to be drank; 
 and others of various different degrees of 
 rtrength ; fo are there likcwife variety of 
 Cafes in our Conftitutions, which require very 
 different degrees of ftrength, in the Steel- 
 Waters which are drank. Of which, Phy- 
 ficians are the proper and beft Judges. 
 
 I cannot think, that the number of thefe 
 falutary Springs is confined only to three or 
 four, of the innumerable Many that kind Pro- 
 vidence has blefled us with. But where there is 
 a Be/I, Mankind are apt by a Foibje obiervable 
 in this as well as many other inftances in 
 Life, to (light all others as good for nothing. 
 
 I have my felf found all the Benefit from 
 this Water, that I think my Conftitution is 
 capable of, from any Regimen whatfoever. 
 
 I fliall here infert a Letter on this Sub- 
 led, which Dr. Jurin . favoured me with, 
 while thefe Papers were printing, viz. 
 
 REVEREND SIR, 
 
 T TAD I either known fooncr of your 
 JLjL " Defign, or been a little more at 
 <c Leifure fincc I was apprised of it, I (hould 
 f< readily have communicated to you fuch 
 " Obfervations of mine upon Chalybeate Wa- 
 <c ters, as might have been of any fcrvioe. 
 
152 Experiments on 
 
 i$ But I am now fo ftraitned for time, that 
 " I (hall fend you nothing more than what 
 " relates immediately to the Subjedt of thofe 
 Papers you gave me the perufal of. 
 " I have often obfervcd, as you have done, 
 that when the tinging quality of 7V/- 
 bridge^ or other Chalybeate Waters, has 
 been fufpended by putting a little of an 
 acid Spirit into them, their tinge has been 
 immediately reftored upon the addition of 
 Sal Tartari> or any like Alkalious Salt. But 
 then the Tinge has been fo different from 
 that bright blewifh purple, that arifes from 
 " the Waters in their natural ftatc upon 
 putting in Galls, green Thea, or any of 
 the like aftringent Subftances, being ra- 
 ther of a foul, dark reddiih purple, than 
 a bright blewifh one ; That I have never 
 ventur'd to recommend fuch a Compofition 
 " of the natural Water, the Acid and Alkali 
 " join'd together, to be drunk in the room 
 " of the Waters alone; fuch a manifeft dif- 
 " ference in their tinging qualities giving 
 *' reafon to fufpeft that their effedts upon a 
 " human Body might alfo be very different. 
 " However, if any one ihould think proper 
 " to recommend, or to drink them in the 
 manner you propofe, as thofe two Salts 
 
 *< added 
 
St eel-Water s> &c. 153 
 
 " added together will compofe a neutral Salt, 
 " I (hall not condemn the Practice, this be- 
 4< ing a Matter which Experience alone can 
 " juftly decide. 
 
 u But when the Acid alone is propofed 
 " to be added to the Waters, the Cafe is 
 <c greatly different. There are many dif- 
 " eafes, in which an Acid is diredled by 
 " Phyficians, to be taken with Chalybeate 
 " Waters, either as an addition to their Ef- 
 " ficacy, or to make them pafs off more rea- 
 " dily by Urine. And the quantity of A- 
 cc cid Spirit directed to be taken in a (ingle 
 " Olafs of Water, is generally more than 
 " what will fuffice to preferve a Quart of 
 " them almoft for any length of time, and 
 " in carriage to any diflance. 
 
 " In this Cafe therefore we need not be 
 " follicitous about finding the leaftquanti- 
 <{ ty of Acid that will preferve the Wa- 
 " ter, which, as you obferve, is extremely 
 " difficult, by reafon of the different Strength 
 " of thbfe Acid Spirits which go under the 
 " fame Denomination ; but fuch a quantity 
 " of Acid may be put into the Bottle be- 
 " fore it be fill'd, as for inftance, 20 or 30 
 < Drops of Elixir Vitrioli Mynjicbti, as will 
 M bcfufficient to keep the Water clear, and 
 
 4c not 
 
154 Experiments on 
 
 " not be too much for the Patient to take. 
 " After this panner I have for many Years 
 direfted the JJlington Waters to be taken 
 by fuch Patients, as could not convenient- 
 ly drink them at the Well, particularly 
 " the poor People in Mr. G///S Hofpital, 
 " for whofe life I obtained leave of the 
 " Proprietor of the Well to fill as many Bot- 
 44 ties as J h^d occafion for, which I lent for 
 " once or twice a Week, and they con- 
 " ftantly kept good from one time of fcnd- 
 44 ing to the next ; though, without the A- 
 " cid, thofe Waters fill'd in the Morning 
 " and brought to Town, will be foul in an 
 " Hour or two, and good for nothing. 
 
 44 Ampng the Difeafcs in which the Cha- 
 " lybeate Waters thus acidulated arc highly 
 44 beneficial, I cannot, for publick good, -for- 
 * 4 bear mentioning that obftinatc Diilcmper 
 44 the Diabetes, in which they fuccccd to 
 41 admiration, when ufcd for common Drink 
 44 to about three Pints or two Qiiarts a 
 44 day. They take ofT the Third, abate 
 <c the fcvcriih Heat, and after a few days 
 44 the Urine begins to return to its natural 
 44 quantity, fmell and tafte, though for two 
 M or three days, upon firft drinking them, 
 44 the quantity of Urine will fomcthing in- 
 
 4< crealc, 
 
&c. 
 
 " creafe, as might naturally be expefted ftqn\ 
 " fo diuretick a Liquor before its ailringency 
 " has begun to take place. But before the 
 " Patient enters upon this courfe he ought to 
 " be gently purged with Epfom or Strr* 
 " tbam Water, with the addition of Man* 
 ' na and SalMiraMk Gfauberi, two or three 
 " times at fuch intervals as his wcaknefs may 
 c< require. 
 
 J am, 
 Sir, 
 
 Aujtin-Fryars, jT our woft Obedient, 
 
 M^ ff i7SB-9- Humble Servant, 
 
 JAMES JURIN. 
 
 To conclude, we are not to depend whol- 
 ly on natural Caufes, as if the Mineral Wa- 
 ters, which Nature has produced in Plenty 
 and Profufion every where, would by their 
 mere natural Efficacy cure us. We muft alfo 
 carneftly apply our felves to the great Author 
 and Fountain of Life. For Man doth not 
 live by Bread only, but by every Word that 
 prcceedeth out of the Mouth of the Lord doth 
 Man live. Deut. viii. 3. Excellent is the Advice 
 of the Son of Syracb : Honour a Phyfician 
 /'/# the Honour due unto him, for the .ujes 
 which you may have of him ; for the Lord 
 
 hath 
 
156 Experiments, c. 
 
 bath created him ; the Lord bath created Me* 
 dicines out of the Earth, and he that it wife 
 will not abhor them, and withfuch doth be 
 heal Men, andtaketh away their Pains. My 
 Son, fays he, in thy Sicknefs be not negli- 
 gent, but pray unto the Lord, and be will 
 make thee whole. Leave off from Sin, and 
 order thy Hands aright, and cleanfe thy Heart 
 from all Wickednefs \ give afweet Savor and 
 Memorial of fine Flower ; then give place to 
 the Pbyjician. There is a time when in their 
 bands there is good Succefs ; for they aljb 
 flail pray unto the Lord, that he would prof- 
 fer that which they give for Eafe and Re- 
 medy to prolong Life. Ecclus. xxxviii. i,GV. 
 
PROPOSAL 
 
 FOR 
 
 Cleanfing away 
 
 WHERE 
 
 Waters have a Stream or Current 
 
. ii : s ) i -: 
 
 
 
 - .... ; 
 
( "59 ) 
 
 PROPOSAL 
 
 FOR 
 
 Ckanfing away Mud, &c. 
 
 WHE RE 
 
 Waters have a Stream or Current 
 
 IT is well known that foul Muddy Waters 
 carry along with them a considerable 
 quantity of Mud, &c. which they are 
 apt to depofite in great quantities, efpecially 
 in places, where by reafon of the frequent 
 return of Tides, it has more time to depo- 
 iite its Sediment ; by reafon of its fometimes 
 fhignant, ibmetinies (low and contrary Mo- 
 tion ; as in the Mouths of Rivers, that are 
 not rapid, in Harbours, and Refervoirs, which 
 are filled by the Tides. 
 
 Now, if Water can by any means be made 
 con fiderably more Muddy, in flawing out of, 
 tlian into fuch places ; thofc places muft con- 
 fequently be gradually cleanfed of fome of 
 their Mud, in proportion to the greater de- 
 gree df muddindis'of the Water when they 
 flow oat, than when they flow in. 
 
 And 
 
160 Riven, &c. 
 
 And this I think may be effected in a 
 good meafure by the following Means, viz. 
 by keeping the Mud well ftirred, while the 
 Stream is flowing out of the place ; by means 
 of large Rakes, linked at the ends to each 
 other, and drawn by Horfes : Which Rakes 
 muft have one, two, or three Rows of Teeth, 
 nearer or further off from each other, ac- 
 cording to the different degree of ftiffnefs or 
 foftnefs of the Mud. And if thefe. Teeth 
 ftand as high out, on the upper as on the 
 lower Side of the Rakes ; then when the 
 Horfes turn to go back along the fame Stream, 
 the Rakes being thereby turned over, the 
 Teeth which were uppermoft, being then be- 
 come the lowed, will take place and ftir up 
 the Mud. 
 
 And thefe Rakes may be drawn, either 
 farther from or nearer to the Shores, as (hall 
 be required, by various means, viz. By the 
 Horfes on either fide going for fome fpace, 
 before or behind the others, or when the 
 Horfes can only go on one fide; by ha- 
 ving them fixed to different Ropes of dif- 
 ferent lengths, as occafion (hall require. And 
 fometimes by fixing, either before or behind, 
 or both before and behind, as occafion {hall 
 require, broad pieces of Wood edge wife, which 
 
 by 
 

 to cleanfe. 161 
 
 by running obliquely into the Mud, might 
 turn the Rakes, in the lame manner as Rud- 
 ders do Ships ; whereby their progreflive Mo- 
 tions would be, not according, to the direc- 
 tion of the drawing Rope, but in the defircd 
 courfe. 
 
 By thefe and the like means, great quan- 
 tities of Mud might be ftirred up, and car- 
 ried off by the Water; and that, without 
 any great Expence : confidering the Advan- 
 tage, it might in many cafes be of, in clean- 
 fing off of Mud. 
 
 Trials might at leaft be made, in fbme 
 of the more commodious Places for the pur- 
 pofe ; whence a better Judgment might be 
 made, as to the probability of fuccefs. Nei- 
 ther fhould we be difcouraged, if Matters 
 do not at firft anfwer our Expectation : It 
 is from repeated Trials and Obfervations, 
 that we are to hope to make fuccefsfi.il Im- 
 provements, in new Attempts ; which arc of- 
 ten baffled and laughed out of countenance, 
 by incompetent Judges j who fancy they fliow 
 their deep Judgment and Penetration, in (light- 
 ing and rejecting Attempts, which at firft 
 may prove unfuccefsful : But which an un- 
 wearied Diligence and Perfeverance might 
 M make 
 
162 Rwtrt) &c, 
 
 make effectual, to ths great Benefit and Ad- 
 vantage of Mankind, 
 
 There would be no great Expencc in mak-. 
 in a few Tryals of this fort, in commodious 
 places for the purpofcj which I am per- 
 fwaded would be found to carry off fuch 
 Quantities of Mud, as would encourage tho 
 farther Profecution of it. 
 
 And we have good Encouragement to make 
 fome Attempts in this way, from the Sue- 
 cefs that the Inhabitants of Damafcus find 
 in cleanfing their many muddy Rivulets, viz, 
 by putting a great Bough of a Tree into the 
 Water, and fattening to it a Yoke of Oxen : 
 Upon the Bough there fits a good weighty 
 Fellow, to prefs it down to the Bottom, and 
 to drive the Oxen : in this manner the Bough 
 is dragged all along the Channels, which 
 are thereby cleanfed. See Mr. MaundrelFs 
 Journey from Aleppo to ^erufakm. Now 
 a well-contrived Rake would not only re- 
 quire lefs force to draw it than large Boughs 
 of Trees, but would alfo more effectually rails 
 and ftir up the Mud than Boughs could do. 
 And poflibly there may be fome Cafes, in 
 which it might be of fervice, to have either 
 very long or broad Harrow-like Rakes, moved 
 to and fro, by the large Cranks of 
 
 Water. 
 
to cleanfe. 163 
 
 Water-Wheels, fixed in fteddily-anchored 
 or moored Barges, or elfewhere as occafion 
 may require. 
 
 I have here only given a general Hint, 
 which may poflibly be farther improved, by 
 fame of the many ingenious Matters in Mecha- 
 nicks, with which this Age abounds. 
 
 THE END. 
 

A GENERAL 
 
 I N D E X 
 
 O F 
 The Matters contained in this Book* 
 
 The Numeral Letters denote the PREFACE* 
 The Figures the reft of the Boo K. 
 
 A 
 
 AIR, itseffefton Water, 102, 165, 115 
 Animals, to fait whole, , 81 
 
 Antimony, a Preparation of it to cure Sea- Wa- 
 ter, xii 
 Arteries in Sheep, have a free paflage for inje&ed 
 Liquors to the Veins, 88 
 
 B 
 
 Bath Water, 109, no, lit, 112, 115 
 
 Lofe3 its Virtue on cooling, 1 16 
 
 Its quantity of Sediment, 117, 118, 146 
 
 With drops of acid Spirit, 141 
 
 Bifcuit to preferve, 69 
 
 Bitumen bitter, in Sea* Water; 12, 43, 44 
 
 Lead near the Surface, 1 2 
 
 Bloody its quantity in.an Ox, 9 1 
 
 Rones burnt, cure diftillcd Sea- Water, 25 
 
 Bramjhot Water, 101,142 
 
 With acid Spiritf, 142 
 
 M I Brandy 
 
Brandy, unwholfome 17, iS, 19 
 
 Bubbles^ of Glafs, to pftferve mineral Waters 
 
 withi 126 
 
 c 
 
 Cbobbam Water, i o i , 113 
 
 Tinges (lowly, 116 
 
 Its quantity of Sediment, . 143 
 
 Not weaker for much Ram, 1 50 
 
 Corks* Tubulated, 102 
 
 Upwards, 1 1 8 
 
 To preferve the Virtue of Waters, 1 2 8 
 
 Corn, to preferve, 69 
 
 D 
 
 Deifm, its Abfurdity, 35, 36, 98 
 
 Diabetes i to cure, 154 
 
 Diftillationi gives an aduft Tafte to the pureft 
 
 Water, 28 
 
 Safe on (hip-board, xxii 
 
 The quantities that have been diftilled, xxiii, 
 
 xxiv 
 
 E 
 
 matuk Tafte not caufed by inherent 
 ire-Particles, 41 
 
 F 
 
 Fijh, Putrefaction of Water kills them, xv 
 
 Preferyed alive by Oil of Vitriol, xv 
 
 Ftejh^ to pickle in hot Climates, 8 1 
 
 Fr en/ham Water, 102,113 
 
 Gas Sulpburis 9 
 
 H 
 
The INDEX. 
 H 
 
 102 
 
 I 
 
 JJlington- Water, 10^109,110,146 
 
 To preferve cool in fait, 130 
 
 L 
 
 Lightening whence, 41 
 
 M 
 
 Malt, a Propofal for the making it hotter, 76 
 Mediterranean Sea* Water diftilled, 27* fcfr. 
 jV//W*fy?-Water, 101, 108, 112 
 
 A/W, to cleanfe away, 160 
 
 N 
 Northampton- Water, 106 
 
 O 
 
 Oakingham- Water, 101 
 
 whole, 90 
 
 Its quantity of Blood, 90 
 
 P 
 
 Peafe boil well in diftilled Sea- Water, 30 
 
 Pufrefafiion, curesdiftilled Sea-Water, 28, #.4.2 
 
 Attenuates the mineral Particles of Steel- 
 
 Waters, 105 
 
 Pyremont- Water, 114, 1 19 
 
 Why it retains its Virtue, 120 
 
 , Its Virtue to preferve. 122 
 
 .Its fulphureoug Vapour, 122 
 
 . Its Virtue not in the elaftkk Spirit, 123, 126 
 
 Its quantity of Sediment, 146 
 
 ftigmatized, 
 
The I ** D E x. 
 R 
 
 * in Ships, how deflroycd, 
 Rivers t to cleanfe, 
 Rum* unwholfome 
 
 too 
 17, 18, 19 
 
 , its quantity in Sea- Water, 2 7, 44, 45, 83 
 Incrufted on the fides of the Still, to obferve, 
 
 3 2 
 Bittern, other Salts generated from it, 46 
 
 &a-Water diftilled* unwholfome, i, 8 
 
 Filtrated, , a 
 
 Clarified, 1 2 
 
 Diftilled, does not putrify, 15, 29 
 
 Diftilled, cured by feveral things > 24, 25, 48 
 
 Not cured when putrid, 33, 34 
 
 By Putrefaction, 2 8 , fc? r. 42 
 
 To putrify, 47 
 
 To fweeten, 48, 50 
 
 Sheep y have a free paflage for injefted Liquors 
 
 from Arteries to Veins, 88 
 
 Silver, its Solution, difcovcrs if any Salt or its 
 
 Spirit in Water, 14, 32, 51 
 
 Spa-Water* 114,119,120,121 
 
 Its Quantity of Sediment, 145 
 
 Spirit ot Salt, in diftilled Sea- Water, 16, 37 
 
 Whence noxious, 1 7 
 
 Rifes from Bittern Salts, 23 
 
 How much, 1 6 
 
 Spirits acid, their different quantities to prefer ve 
 
 different Waters, 1401 fcfr. 152 
 
 Stills, of Copper, muft be very clean, : 9 
 
 Tinned, xxvi 
 
 Their Sizes, xxvii 
 
 101, 108 
 Sulphur 
 
The I N p E x, 
 
 Sulphur nutritive of Vegetables, &c . from the 
 
 Sea, 47 
 
 Its Oil keeps Water fwcet, 59 
 Sunning- Hill Water, 99, 107,112,127 
 
 Preferved with Tubulated Corks, 101 
 
 with Glafs Bubbles, 126 
 
 with acid Sprits, 142 
 
 T 
 
 tartar ; its Salt or Oil, cures diftilled Sea- Water, 
 
 24 
 
 temperance ; its Praife, 20, 21 
 
 TtmMdge Water, 101, 112, 115, 127, 135 
 
 With feveral quantities of acid Drops, 136, 
 
 137, '38 
 
 Its quantity of Sediment, 144 
 
 Not weaker for Rain, 1 50 
 
 y 
 
 r/'/nV, its Spirit or Oil, prevents the Putrefaflion 
 
 of Water, 58,^. 
 
 Its Spirit its Oil, 133, 134 
 
 W 
 
 Water \ an Eftimate of the quantities which may 
 
 be diftilled, 4, 5, 6 
 
 Of Sea, not fo apt to quench Fires, as 
 
 common Water, 46 
 
 Cured by a Preparation of Antimony, xii 
 
 By a Clay- like Cement, xvi 
 
 Diftilled wholfome, 49 
 
 Wholfome, fummary Rules for procuring it, 
 
 by Diftillation 50 
 
 Freih, to keep it fweet, 57 
 
 Putrid, not un wholfome, 58 
 
 Diftilled whoifome, xxviit 
 
 TO prcferve from breeding Infeds, 62* 65 
 
 Waters, 
 
The INDEX. 
 
 Watm* 
 
 Have no true mature Vitriol, 102 
 
 To preferve, 59, 103 
 
 Wherein their mineral Virtue confifts, 106, 
 
 1-23, 132 
 
 Tinge fafteft after taken fome time from the 
 
 Spring, 115 
 
 To preferve with acid Spirits, 132 
 
 The pureft prefer vcd, with fe weft Spirits, 145 
 
 How to judge of their Strength, 146, 147 
 
 Weeveh^ to dcftroy, 69 
 
 Wheat, fumed, will not grow, 57 
 
 FINIS. 
 
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