I. VVHEREAS some Persons have, and do still endeavour to divert People from the Use of the Mineral Waters found out in this City a few Years past; either out of Prejudice to the Persons concern'd, or for other Reasons better known to themselves: It is thought adviseable (that the Publick may not be depriv'd of the Benefit of so great a Remedy) to publish this short Account of 'em; and at the same time to de­sire those Persons that find so much fault with these Waters, that if they have any thing to object against 'em, or against the Account here given of 'em, to acquaint the Publick with it, that the World may not be impos'd upon and damnify'd by what is here said of 'em.

II. In digging these Wells, they first observ'd a fat black Mold extending it self three foot deep, and [Page 2]gradually changing into another sort of Earth very fat, and like Butter, if squees'd between the Fingers. This second Lay of Earth was two foot thick; the Colour of it was yellow, something mixt: its Odour very strong and mineral, and being expos'd to the Sun for a while, it smell'd like Brimstone. After this they met with a Quicksand of a darker Colour than the first Earth, mixt with several little black Stones; the Smell was stronger than before. Two foot further under this Quicksand a hard Rock appeared, out of which the Water gush'd out. They dug two Wells at about seven Foot distance from each other. The Bigness is between 8 and 9 Foot deep from its own Surface, and 12 from the Surface of the Ground a­bout it, and reacheth the Rock. The other Well is not so deep by two Foot, and only toucheth the Sand. The first is stronger of the Spirit, and the Mineral is more ferruginous, but the second is stronger of the Sulphur.

III. Two Drams of the second Lay of Earth, found in digging these Wells, being put into four Ounces of Spirit of Vinegar, there presently arose a considerable Ebullition, and soon after the Spirit was ting'd with a yellow browny Colour. This Tincture suffer'd no Alteration with the Infusion of Logwood, nor with Galls, but with Oil of Tartar p. deliq. turn'd greenish, and with the Tincture of Lig­num Nephriticum, of a pale Red.

IV. This Water taken up at the Well, is extra­ordinary limpid, but grows something whitish in [Page 3]a quarter of an Hour, and in half an Hour the Spirit is lost, and the Mineral hangs first on the sides of the Glass, and then falls gradually to the bottom; and if a Bottle with this Water be never so well stop'd, it will not keep its Spirit. Its Taste is Mascu­line and austere. The Smell is mineral and strong, much upon the Sulphur, especially the little Well.

V. The Root of the Tongue and Stools of them that drink of the little Well are grayish, but if they drink of the great Well they are brown.

VI. This Water is commonly cold; but in Frosty Weather it is so warm as to smoak, and melt all the Ice and Snow that comes near it.

VII. By Distillation it giveth nothing but a Wa­ter in every respect like common Water.

VIII. Mutton boil'd in this Water is more white and tender than in common Water. Some think it hath made their Beer stronger being brew'd with it. Linen wash'd in it turns yellow. It will not lather with Soap. The Glasses the Water is dip'd with grow yellow at the bottom, which no Scowring can take off.

IX. The Weight of it varies much, according to the Seasons and Weather. In May 1704, it weighed three Grains lighter than common Water in the Quantity of a Pound. In the Spring of 1705, it was equal in Weight with common Water; but in the Month of August of the same Year, the Weight was considerably increas'd, because of the exceeding dry Weather of that Summer; which made the Wa­ter [Page 4]so strong with the Mineral, that it lost its Lim­pidity. In general about Midsummer, if the Wea­ther is not over dry, the Weight of this Water is equal to common Water.

X. A single Grain Weight of Gall will turn a Pint and a half of this Water of a very noble deep red, and that in an instant. Syrup of Violets turns it of a Grass-green. With the Infusion of Brasil it giveth a deep lovely blue: With that of Lignum Nephri­ticum, first a light green, then a light yellow, with a blue Crown on the Surface: With the Infusion of Logwood a blue black: With that of Fustick Wood, a dusky yellow: With the Flowers of Pomegranates, a fair Violet: With Leaves of Green Thea, a fine purplish blue: With good Nants Brandy, an ele­gant Sky Colour.

XI. This Water turns a Solution of the Sugar of Lead milky in one instant; and even the Solution of Sublimate in a quarter of an hour. But Oil of Tartar, Spirit of Vitriol, Spirit of Sal Armoniac, make no Alteration with it.

XII. In calm Weather a thick fat Film covers the Surface of this Water, of more Variety of Colours than a Rainbow: A Spoonful of it drunk hath the Effect of, and composeth as much to Sleep as a mo­derate Dose of Opium. Being dry'd by Evaporation, it tasted very fat, and set so between the Fingers. Some of this Powder being cast upon a red hot Iron, most of it immediately consum'd away with some Sparkling; and what remain'd was of the Co­lour [Page 5]of Rust of Iron, and tasted partly Stiptick and Earthy, and partly Salted.

XIII. By gentle Evaporation this Water yeilds a yellowish Sediment, more or less, according to the Seasons. Last Spring a Quart yeilded but six Grains of it; but in September following it afforded me about nine. Whereas a Pound of Tunbridge Water gave but one Grain Weight of this Sediment to the Honourable Robert Boyle, as may be seen in his Short Memoirs of Mineral Waters; so that when these Wa­ters are weakest, they are three to one stronger of the Mineral than that of Tunbridge.

XIV. This abovementioned Sediment being boil'd in River Water, made a strong Lixivium, with which the Tincture of Galls, nor that of Brasil, nor that of Logwood, nor the Solution of Sugar of Lead, made no remarkable Alteration: But Syrup of Violets turn'd it green, Spirit of Nitre, Spirit of Sulphur, caus'd no sensible Fermentation.

XV. Some of the aforesaid Lixivium being gently evaporated, yeilded a fat sulphureous kind of Salt. There is more or less of this Salt, according to the Seasons; This Spring I had about two Grains of it out of ten Grains of Sediment; but last Autumn I had about three.

XVI. The Stones on, and the Chanel in which this Water glides along, is always lin'd with a yellow hard Crust.

XVII. I will at present supersede several more Experiments made upon this Subject, designing, God willing, to enlarge upon it another time; and I have reason to hope here is enough to show,

1. That what some have said, that this Water was Artificial; others, that it was ting'd with Cop­per; others, that it comes from the Tan-Pits of the Neighbourhood, &c. is the Effect only of Preju­dice, or Ignorance, to give it no worse Name.

2. That this Water is animated with a consider­able Quantity of a fine volatile sulphureous Spirit, admirably sympathizing with that of our Body.

3. That it is impregnated with a ferruginous li­quid Sulphur, a Liquamen Martis, Iron in Embrio, and that to three times as much more as Tunbridge Wa­ter, to which it is also preferable on account of its not being so fixt.

4. That there is in it an alcaleous sulphureous Salt, to about a fourth part of the whole mineral Sub­stance; and that it is of the same Nature with the Salt found in the German Spaw-Water.

I. THIS Water being drink'd set pleasantly up­on the Stomach, (except sometime in the Beginning, when the Stomach is foul) works it self off by Urine, keeps the Body moderately open, and sometime purges. It creates a good Stomach, but not such a voracious Appetite, as to make the Drink­ers sick after Dinner; nor is it so cold; nor does it go off with a kind of Tenesmus, as Tunbridge Wa­ter often does.

II. It manifestly raiseth the Pulse, chears the Heart, quickens the Spirits, invigorates the Fibers of the Blood, Glands, and other Vessels, and restores their springing Property. It cleanseth the Body, and gently evacuates all superfluous and noxious Hu­mours by Stools, Urine, and Perspiration.

III. These Waters remove the Diseases arising from preternatural Heat, by washing away all bilious and adust Humours, and dissolving acrid alcaleous Salts.

IV. They cure the Diseases proceeding from want of sufficient Circulation in the Blood and Humours, [Page]or from cold phlegmatick Juices, by giving the Blood a higher Degree of Motion, increasing the Spi­rits, and attenuating, dissolving, and evacuating all ex­crementious Humours, and assimilating them that are good.

V. They remove all kind of Stoppages, and the Diseases depending upon 'em and Wind; and upon that score cure many Diseases of the Head and Breast, and almost all the Diseases of the Belly.

VI. But the Cases in which they are an admirable and almost an infallible Remedy are, 1. The In­firmities attending Old Age and Consumptions, to which the little Well is an adequate Remedy. 2. The Stone and Gravel, which they not only cure by their expulsive, but also by their abstersive and dilating Property. 3. The Gout and Rheumatick Pains, for which it is an unparallell'd Remedy. 4. The Scurvy, Melancholy, and Maladies depending upon the Mind. 5. Vapours, and most Diseases of Women. 6. Colicks of all sorts. 7. All inward and out­ward Ulcers, if not too far gone. 8. All Scabs, Itch, periodical Inflammations, and other Breakings out of the Skin, if never so rebellious.

VII. The only Cases I have found these Waters disagree with, are the Diseases incident to the hot, florid, and pletherick Constitutions of some strong young People.