An enquiry into the contents, virtues, and uses, of the Scarborough. Spaw-waters: with the method of examining any other mineral-water / By Peter Shaw.

  • Shaw, Peter, 1694-1763.
Date:
1734
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An enquiry into the contents, virtues, and uses, of the Scarborough. Spaw-waters: with the method of examining any other mineral-water / By Peter Shaw. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    179/190 (page 163)
    37. This Intimation, however, may feem afforded by the Premifes, that the Water, as taken from the Well, is a compound Liquor, gradually tending to alteration in its Parts, as if there was a flow, and fllent Fermentation a* mong them; whereby the natural Texture, or Arragement, of the whole is broke in time; even tho’ the external Air be kept from com¬ municating therewith ; but if the external Air be admitted, remarkable Changes much fooner be¬ gin, and finifli their Period, And hence, perhaps, it may be reafonably fufpected, that the Mine¬ ral Spirit here fuffers a change in its nature; or that the irony Particles may even be demetaL lized, and loft in their prjftine form, or com* verted, at leaft in part, to Oker, Earth, or Sulphur ; to which they, polfibly, have a near Relation. But this is hinted only as Matter of farther Enquiry : for we are determin’d not to pronounce without clear and full Evidence; which we apprehend may always be had in phyfical En¬ quiries. 38. Suppofing, therefore, the exiftence of fine irony Particles, in the natural and perfeft Scarborough Spaw-Water; we now proceed to conflder their Ufes and Virtues; which feem, in good meafure, derivable from the Art of Me¬ dicine, and the known Effe&s of chalybeate Preparations. And tho’ thefe irony Particles feem to be few in the Scarborough Spaw-Water, with refpect to the common Tindtures or Solu¬ tions of Iron, found in the Shops j yet they may have conflderable Virtues; as appearing to be a natural Preparation of Iron, more fub- tile, exquifite, and homogeneous, than thofe of the artificial kind; as being mild, and made without any highly corrofive Menftruum. Whence M 2 it