Note 13 — APPENDIX.

It is now well ascertained, that carbonate of lime has only a slight action on soap, and cannot in the proportions in which it exists in potable waters decompose it, by giving rise to the formation of a clotty precipitate, as we observe with sulphate and nitrate of lime, and chloride of calcium—and this is probably owing to the excess of carbonic acid which prevents the re-action of the calcareous carbonate on the oleate and stearate of soda of the soap.