Pure water was obtained by distilling molten snow or spring water. Salts and earths
were purified before use. To carbonate water, Bergman had used the apparatus in
Fig. 17.3 for the last 6 years. Bergman also discussed apparatuses developed by
Priestley and British apothecary Timothy Lane (1734–1807). The appropriate
amounts of salts and earths were added to the carbonated water, the bottle was
sealed and placed in a cellar. Usually, Bergman omitted calcium sulphate and
calcium carbonate, to get a tastier water.
Carbon dioxide could be generated from calcium carbonate and sulphuric acid,
but Bergman remarked that sulphuric acid is “highly corrosive, so by its use it
should carefully be avoided to spill any thereof on hands, clothes or furniture”.
Bergman had also developed a method to carbonate water on a larger scale using
the carbon dioxide from alcoholic fermentation.
The preparation of artificial mineral waters was not universally approved and
Bergman’s paper received some negative criticism [19]. An expanded trade edition
of the paper [20] was published the following year. In the preface Bergman concluded that “Notwithstanding several unwilling remarks based on reasons, which I
gladly keep secret, this art has been more practiced during one summer than I would
have had expected during 10 [summers]”. He had seen the method being used by
women and very inexperienced men.
As mentioned in Sect. 9.6, Wallerius dismissed Bergman’s work in a lecture for
the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 1783 by saying that no one had
examined the water from Pyrmont more thoroughly and extensively than Hiärne
had [21].
17.5 Hot Spa Water
The next paper on water was published in 1778, [22] and this time the topic was not
water for internal use. Warm baths had been used for long times to cure illness, but
Bergman remarked that it would not do with any warm water: “Here, like in the
case of cold mineral waters, the presence of an elastic spirit is required, which
increase the effect of the coarser dissolved particles, makes them finer and more
penetrating”. Bergman mentioned two types of water, one saturated with carbon
dioxide, the other containing hydrogen sulphide. The water from Carlsbad
(present-day Karlovy Vary in the Czech Republic) is an example of the first kind
and the water from Aachen an example of the second kind. Since these waters lost
their power on cooling, Bergman had not examined water from neither Carlsbad nor
Aachen, and had to rely on published analyses. To carbonate hot water, Bergman
used a pressure boiler of copper developed by Wilcke in Stockholm.
17.4 Bergman’s Paper on Bitter-, Selzer-, Spa- and Pyrmont Water
241
were purified before use. To carbonate water, Bergman had used the apparatus in
Fig. 17.3 for the last 6 years. Bergman also discussed apparatuses developed by
Priestley and British apothecary Timothy Lane (1734–1807). The appropriate
amounts of salts and earths were added to the carbonated water, the bottle was
sealed and placed in a cellar. Usually, Bergman omitted calcium sulphate and
calcium carbonate, to get a tastier water.
Carbon dioxide could be generated from calcium carbonate and sulphuric acid,
but Bergman remarked that sulphuric acid is “highly corrosive, so by its use it
should carefully be avoided to spill any thereof on hands, clothes or furniture”.
Bergman had also developed a method to carbonate water on a larger scale using
the carbon dioxide from alcoholic fermentation.
The preparation of artificial mineral waters was not universally approved and
Bergman’s paper received some negative criticism [19]. An expanded trade edition
of the paper [20] was published the following year. In the preface Bergman concluded that “Notwithstanding several unwilling remarks based on reasons, which I
gladly keep secret, this art has been more practiced during one summer than I would
have had expected during 10 [summers]”. He had seen the method being used by
women and very inexperienced men.
As mentioned in Sect. 9.6, Wallerius dismissed Bergman’s work in a lecture for
the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 1783 by saying that no one had
examined the water from Pyrmont more thoroughly and extensively than Hiärne
had [21].
17.5 Hot Spa Water
The next paper on water was published in 1778, [22] and this time the topic was not
water for internal use. Warm baths had been used for long times to cure illness, but
Bergman remarked that it would not do with any warm water: “Here, like in the
case of cold mineral waters, the presence of an elastic spirit is required, which
increase the effect of the coarser dissolved particles, makes them finer and more
penetrating”. Bergman mentioned two types of water, one saturated with carbon
dioxide, the other containing hydrogen sulphide. The water from Carlsbad
(present-day Karlovy Vary in the Czech Republic) is an example of the first kind
and the water from Aachen an example of the second kind. Since these waters lost
their power on cooling, Bergman had not examined water from neither Carlsbad nor
Aachen, and had to rely on published analyses. To carbonate hot water, Bergman
used a pressure boiler of copper developed by Wilcke in Stockholm.
17.4 Bergman’s Paper on Bitter-, Selzer-, Spa- and Pyrmont Water
241