A Dissertation on the Mineral Waters of Saratoga, including an Account of the Waters of Ballston. By VALENTINE SeaMAN, M. D. one of the Surgeons of the New-York Hospital. Second Edition, enlarged. New-York. Collins & Perkins. 1809. pp. 131.

THE first edition of this pamphlet was printed about sixteen years ago. The public, therefore, have had abundant time to judge of its contents; and it is not our business now to pronounce on its merits. We shall notice only some of the material alterations and additions made by the author in this second edition.

To his introduction he has added an amusing paragraph or two, in which he compares and contrasts the cold boiling springs of Saratoga, and the burning mountains of Italy—the furious flames and torrents of lava issuing from a volcano, and the gentle bubblings of these refreshing fountains. These two objects, he says, are vastly different; in which, no doubt, every one will agree; but that they are equally curious the common sense of mankind may not so generally admit. This comparison, however, is full of expression. It shows, among other things, how much authors are inclined to magnify the favourite objects of their research. We imagine it must have been conceived by Dr. S. after he had drawn from memory on his map (which is also an addition to this edition) the shape of the conical covering of the spring; for, as it is there delineated, it certainly resembles more the crater of mount Vesuvius than it does the rock spring of Saratoga. The real covering of the spring, if we mistake not, is so flattened, and the declivity of the cone so gentle, that persons easily walk on its sides, and stand around the opening. The drawing, therefore, is materially incorrect, and conveys an erroneous idea of the objectthe base of the cone is represented, proportionally, too small, and the elevation much too great.

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All that part of this edition which relates to the Saratoga waters is little more than a transcript of the former publication, except that to the list of ingredients contained in the waters he has added carbonated magnesia. In his first pamphlet he had asserted that they contained no magnesia. He has now concluded, it appears from the experiments he formerly made, that they do contain this ingredient, but in what quantity he does not mention.

The next article relates to the Ballston springs, as they are termed by the author. These springs have, no doubt, received their names from the town in which they are situated; and the town, we always understood, received its appellation from a clergyman by the name of Ball, who was one of the first settlers there, and whose house is still standing near the road, a few miles from the springs. The true name, therefore, however it may be used in subserviency to the " ton of the times," is Ballstown. But this is a matter of sound; we proceed now to the substance.

The principal object of what the author has here written, he tells us, is to decide the question of difference between an analysis formerly made by Dr. Vandervoort, and afterwards by a French chemist, and also to ascertain the real contents of the waters. These two analyses, Dr. S. observes, differ first with respect to the quantity of carbonic acid, or fixed air. The French chemist says the water contains three times its bulk of this air; whereas Dr. Vandervoort could not obtain from it more than one third part of that quantity. Dr. S. is inclined to believe the latter of these correct, because neither Berghman nor Henry could cause water to absorb more than that proportion. But it may be urged on the other side of the question, that perhaps the pressure to which the waters of these springs are exposed in their confinement under the earth, may be ten or a hundred times greater than either Berghman or Henry could give them. Thomson expressly says, that "some of the arated alkaline water prepared in Britain as a medicine, is said to con

tain about thrice its volume of carbonic acid gas."* And we have reason to believe the Ballstown springs more highly impregnated with this air than any artificial water can well be. As this question, therefore, remains perfectly doubtful after all that has been said on this subject, we wish Dr. S. had endeavoured to settle it by actual experiment; for it ought to be remembered, that mere reasoning can never decide a matter of fact.

With respect to the next point of difference, Dr. S. proceeds as he ought to have done in the first. He tries his own skill at analysis. But here too he appears to have failed. The French chemist says the water contains muriate of lime, and Dr. Vandervoort makes no mention of that composition. Dr. S. dropped in the water, previously evaporated to one fourth its quantity, some oxalic acid, which produced no cloudiness or precipitation; whence he concludes no muriate of lime exists in it; but this experiment, supposing no error in it, proves too much, for it also proves that there was no lime in the water in any shape, which both Dr. S. and Dr. Vandervoort enumerate among its ingredients; and boiling alone could not have extricated it. The "oxalate of lime is altogether insoluble," and the "oxalic acid is capable of taking lime from every other acid." It seems, therefore, that our author's experiment is no better than his reasoning, there being an evident fallacy in both.

But there is a third point of difference which Dr. S. attempts to decide, partly by experiment, and partly by reasoning. The French chemist asserts that the water contains muriate of magnesia. Dr. S. from the effects of re-agents on the waters, concludes they contain carbonate of soda; and if so, he says it is impossible that the muriate of magnesia should exist in them, for the superior attraction of the alkali for the muriatic acid would utterly prevent the formation of a magnesian muriate. This

* In preparing the soda water in this city, we are informed that Mr. Usher, by an invention of his own, applies so great a pressure as to condense ten gallons of air in one gallon of water.

Thomson's Chemistry.

argument, however, is not so conclusive as he seems to think; for if he will examine the modern discoveries concerning chemical affinity, he will find that there is such a thing as an acid dividing itself between several alkalies and earths in different proportions, without, perhaps, completely saturating either of them, and, consequently, forming several salts in the same mixture, which yet may exhibit alkaline properties. Thus it many be in the present instance. Although the soda may not be neutralized by the muriatic acid, yet small portions of that acid may at the same time be combined with the lime and the magnesia: at all events, as the doctrines of affinity are not yet perfectly established, nor well understood, the examination of mineral waters by chemical tests alone is always liable to error; and it will be doing no great violence to the author's experiments to say, that no certain conclusions can be drawn from them. In short, we cannot conceive that he has contributed any thing towards settling the difference he proposed; and the account he has given of the contents of the water is extremely imperfect, in so far, at least, as the quantity of any of the ingredients is not mentioned. In this chapter, therefore, we fear he has not succeeded in accomplishing any of the desirable objects he proposed to himself.

In that part of the work which treats of the medical virtues of the Ballstown and Saratoga waters, he has made some additions, principally derived from information received from Dr. Powell, who resides at the springs: and to the whole he has annexed considerations on the use of the artificial mineral waters as prepared in this city. Some of his observations here are judicious; but we cannot help regretting that what he has said of the soda waters, may have a tendency to discourage their extensive use. He seems to imagine some unwholesome quality lurking in the minute portion of alkali they contain. In this we think few will agree with the author. The truth rather appears to be, that in a city like this, where luxury and intemperance prevail, a large proportion of the inhabitants occasionally complain VOL. 1.

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of acidity, from defect in their digestive powers; and no one general remedy could probably be devised so well calculated to correct the pampered appetites of the people, and to promote health and temperance, as these delightful waters.

Notwithstanding the critical remarks we have been compelled to make on some parts of this pamphlet, we wish not to be understood as casting a censure on the work generally; we wish rather to encourage than to discountenance investigations of this kind, but we wish also to see them well executed. The author of the publication before us certainly deserves great credit for the labour he has bestowed on this subject, and particularly for collecting information concerning the medical virtues of these waters. This information was much wanted, and will undoubtedly be useful. The whole performance, indeed, is well calcu lated to inform and to amuse the passing traveller who has not had an opportunity to see and to taste for himself. This, we presume, was the principal design of the writer, and thus far his design will be accomplished. The man of science assuredly cannot drink deep of this pierian fount, nor will he find it either pungent to his taste, or exhilarating to his mind; but, like the plain and wholesome water of ordinary springs, it may quench the public thirst, though it do not brighten the public intellect.

Essay on Sheep; their Varieties-Account of the Merinoes of Spain, France, &c. Reflections on the best method of treat ing them, and raising a Flock in the United States: together with Miscellaneous Remarks on Sheep and Woollen Manufactures. By ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON, LL. D. President of the Society for the Promotion of Useful Arts, &c. pp. 186. New-York. T. & J. Swords. 1809.

It is impossible to do justice to the great merits of this work

in a review. It may confidently be pronounced one of the most valuable American publications ever issued from the press.