tions and depressions. The remaining six hundred feet are ascended in less than two of the remaining miles, between Dutch-valley and the summit. The principal part of the remainder is a descent to the Spring on the opposite declivity.

An able horse will carry a chair hither from New-York in a summer's day, or return thence between the rising and setting of the sun. From the top of the mountain one finished turnpike is continued northward, to Sussex, another westward, to Eastown, and a third eastward, to New-York. It is in contemplation to open a fourth from the same point, to proceed in a course southwardly direct to Trenton.

The Mineral Spring which has been mentioned has given much celebrity to the neighbouring region. It is said to have been known to the native Indians, and to have been employed by them as a remedy. The white people have resorted to it almost ever since the settlement of the country. Remarkable cures are ascribed to it: and some persons have been in the habit of visiting it season after season, for the purpose of being benefited by its wholesome properties.

It is situated in the town of Washington, in the county of Morris. It is, in strictness, a rill which issues from a fissure in the perpendicular side of one of the above-described rocks, on its eastern exposure. The place of discharge is, perhaps, between forty and fifty feet above the level of a brook which gurgles over the stones, and foams adown the rocks in its channel beneath. The extremity of a wooden leader is so adapted to the crack in the rock as to receive the water, and convey it to the platform where the drinkers assemble, and to the recesses whither the bathers retire.

Its temperature is rather more than six degrees warmer than that of the spring water near the summit. The mineral water, as it pours from the spout, possesses a heat somewhat warmer than fifty-six degrees. This is about the same which the slower springs and the shallower wells around New-York possess.

The quantity of water which it affords can easily be measured. By experiment, it appeared to discharge a gallon in about two minutes and a half. At this rate, the amount would be twenty-four gallons per hour. But allowance is to be made for leakage and waste, inasmuch as the conduit does not collect the whole. Suppose this to be six gallons more. Then the quantity running out will amount to thirty gallons per hour. Some trials are reported to have 0 2 shown

shown a rather more abundant flow. On the whole, it may be stated with tolerable correctness that the fountain within the bowels of the mountain emits, from this opening, a quantity of water not varying greatly from a barrel per hour, or six hogsheads per day. The quantity is not observed to vary under any changes of season or weather.

The spouts which convey the water are lined with a yellowish deposit. The like sediment incrusts the reservoirs at the bathing-house. The earth and stones through which the water soaks away, present a similar ochreous appearance. Where the boards contain astringent matter, a dark purple or blackish colour is formed.

The presence of iron being thus indicated, a few experiments were made to determine the matter more clearly.

A bright blue was produced on adding the prussiate of potash to the water.

Green leaves of the common chesnut-tree, (fagus castanea,) on being bruised and infused in the water, formed a pale purple.

Those of chesnut-oak (quercus prinus monticola) yielded a brighter purple.

Those of the sumach (rhus glabrum) quickly turned to a purple.

Fresh lacerated leaves of the maple (acer rubrum) im mediately formed a deep purple.

Hickory leaves (juglans vulgaris) made a faint dusky

hue.

Black-oak leaves (quercus nigra) struck a darker colour. Butternut leaves (juglans cinerea) afforded a dusky

brown.

The waters of the spring, mixed with brandy, made a mixture of a dark and unsightly colour.

An infusion of green tea formed browns, purples, and blacks, according to its strength and proportion.

The chalybeate character of the water being thus established by so many tests, attempts were made to ascertain whether there was any gaseous impregnation.

For this purpose glasses were inverted in a convenient vessel, receiving the stream immediately from the spout. But not a bubble of air was collected, other than common spring water affords.

To determine whether any carbonic acid was combined with the water in a form not spontaneously separable, limewater was mixed with it; but no change of colour was perceptible in the mixture.

Various proportions of the spring-water and lime-water

were

were mingled in repeated experiments, without effecting any cloudiness or causing any precipitate.

Afterwards, as a test to the goodness of the lime-water, the milky hue and carbonic precipitate of the lime was instantly produced, by breathing through a tube into the mixture of waters, air which had undergone the respiratory operation of the lungs.

There was thus no evidence of any carbonic acid at all. When the water of the spring was suffered to stand in the open atmosphere, and acquire the summer temperature, by receiving twenty or more degrees of heat, some air bubbles were distinguishable on the sides of the vessel; but they were only such as any cold water would exhibit under equal circumstances.

As there was no calcareous incrustation at the spring, there was reason to believe the water destitute of lime. On adding to it oxalic acid, there was no change of colour produced. Whence it may be inferred that lime makes no part of the constitution of this fluid.

To enable a judgement to be formed whether any other earths were combined with the water, soda and potash were severally and repeatedly added. The precipitates were, however, so small, and so slowly produced, that there was ground to suppose the presence of earthy matter was very inconsiderable, and that there was no metallic impregnaexcept that of iron.

tion

The nitrate of silver caused a whitish appearance; but not in so considerable a degree as it does in the water of New-York, constantly drunk by the inhabitants. The cloudiness was indeed not more considerable than rain water along the sea-coast is occasionally known to present when subjected to the same test. The tinge of muriatic acid hereby indicated, probably arises from a faint solution of sea salt.

There is notwithstanding a weak acid of some kind in the Schooley's mountain mineral water. If litmus paper be exposed to the water as it issues from the rock, the blue is gradually changed to a reddish; and on the addition of an alkali, the acquired colour vanishes. What the nature of this inconsiderable portion of uncombined acid may be, is not perfectly easy to determine. Its presence is attended with the flavour which water derives from running over decayed leaves, and draining through a soil abounding with the living and dead roots of trees, shrubs, and sylvatic plants. Former experiments have proved to me the existence of an acid in the rotten- wood which overspreads the American

03

forests,

forests. And water passing through a stratum of vegetable mould is known to receive what is called the woody taste. It is therefore presumable that the rain water rece.ves a tincture from the thick layer of vegetable mould through which it is strained, and carries the flavour of it to the fountain. The peculiarities of this feeble acid, like that of numerous others we meet with in practice, does not seem to be defined in chemistry as yet by discriminating characters.

The iron of this mineral water is very easily separated. Exposure to the atmosphere is followed by a metallic precipitation. Transportation to a distance, as bottles are commonly corked, is attended with a deposition of the iron. The water, after having been carried to New-York, when subjected to experiment in my house, gave no evidence of a chalybeate quality when tested by the Prussian alkali and spirituous tincture of galls. This same water, after being boiled in a kettle, makes excellent tea. The heat of ebullition seems to separate the ferruginous ingredient, and the infusion is thereby freed from all dusky or black tint. Still, if this same infusion of green tea is mixed with water fresh from the spring, a dark and disagreeable hue is instantly produced. A short exposure to the heat of 212° thus converts this mineral water into a good tea-water. It is employed for this purpose occasionally.

If there is any thing that deserves the name of a pure chalybeate water in the world, this would seem to be such a composition. The iron appears to be united with the water without the aid of carbonic, or indeed any other acid; for the weak acidity detected by litmus can scarcely be considered as contributing to its solution. Some part of the iron ore universally diffused among the minerals hereabout, is in a state proper for water to act upon, and to produce the martial impregnation remarkably free from other admixtures.

Schooley's Mountain, July 10, 1810.

XXXVII. Case of Hernia successfully treated by an Operation. By JOHN TAUNTON, Esq. Surgeon to the City and Finsbury Dispensaries, to the City of London Truss Society, Lecturer on Anatomy, &c. &c.

-MARY MANNING, æt. 67, of a good Nov. 22, 1810.constitution, although she has lived rather freely, much ad

dicted to the use of spirits, and has been at times deranged. She has been subject to hernia in the left thigh for many years, but it never attained any considerable size; nor has it been much noticed, and no truss was ever applied.

On Friday last, the 16th instant, she was seized with pain over the abdomen, which extended to the lumbar region, but was most severe at the umbilicus and in the scrobiculus cordis, attended with a sensation of heat.

On Saturday the 17th the abdomen was more tense-great perspiration, hiccough, sickness and vomiting. On the 18th these symptoms were more violent; and on the 19th feculent matter was vomited. Dr. Hancock, who was called in, ordered fomentations to the abdomen, and aperient medicines. On the 20th the symptoms were still increasing, and the oleum ricini was ordered.

On the 21st symptoms increased: calomel and scammony were administered, but every thing was rejected by the stomach. The symptoms at length induced Dr. H. to suspect hernia; and on the 22d I was requested to visit the patient, which I did at 1 P. M.*

It appeared to me that no time ought to be lost in performing an operation, as the hiccough and vomiting of feculent matter were very distressing, and the countenance indicated great constitutional irritation, although the pulse was moderately firm and not very quick. The tumour was very small, being scarcely perceptible except when the patient was lying on her back. The operation was acceded to and performed at 3 P. M.

The hernia was situated high up, nearer to the ilium than to the pubis, and was very firm. On dividing the integuments, the adipose cellular substance and fascia propria, the hernial sac was brought into view; it was extremely thin; and on dividing it a portion of firm omentum appeared, somewhat discoloured: on the inside of this omentum there was a fold of one of the small intestines greatly discoloured and thickened, so deep seated as not to form any part of the tumour seen externally; some fluid was also contained in this part of the sac, but not any above where the omentum was situated. The stricture was so deep as to take the whole length of the bistoury, and it was dilated inwards and downwards towards the pubis. The intestines and omentum were returned; and the wound was secured by two sutures, straps of adhesive plaster and lint.

The patient never ascribed her illness to any thing like hernia, and submitted to an examination of the parts with great reluctance, on the subject being suggested to her.