After describing various experiments, and calling attention to the power
of earthy matters in abstracting salts from solutions by which he hoped
the process would be perfected, an imperial pint of water from beyond
the Eddystone was shown mixed with 960 grains of citrate of silver and 4
grains of the free citric acid.
Each part of the chlorides requires three parts by weight of the silver
citrate to throw down the chlorine, thus:
3NaCl + Ag_{3}C_{6}H_{5}O_{7} = Na3.C_{6}H_{5}O_{7}+3AgCl.
The silver chloride formed a dense insoluble precipitate, and the
supernatant fluid was decanted and filtered through a rubber tube and
handed round as a beverage.
It contained in each fluid ounce by calculation about:
18 grains of citrate of soda.
1-1/2 " " magnesia.
1/2 " " potash.
1 " sulphate of magnesia.
1/2 " " lime.
1/5 " citric acid.
with less than half a grain of undecomposed chlorides.
To analyze this liquid therapeutically, it may be broadly stated that
salts of potash are _diuretic_, salts of magnesia _aperient_, and salts
of soda _neutral_, except in excessive doses, or in combination with
acids of varying medicinal action; thus, soda in nitric acid, nitrate
of soda, is a _diuretic_, following the law of nitrates as nitrate of
potash, a most powerful diuretic, nitrous ether, etc.
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