Faraday to Peter Henry Berthon   16 July 1860

Royal Institution | 16 July 1860

Dear Sir

The water you sent me from Flambro’ head¹ contained a little lead in solution, there was also a deposit which was chiefly lead & which I have no doubt had been in solution also when the water was filtered & bottled. The water contained likewise that common salt which would give it the power of acting on lead & which had been derived from the spray of the sea.

As in the case of the water from Hurst the lead in the present water was entirely removed by a little powdered chalk or whitening[.] Enough of this substance was added to make the water look like milk and stirred up with it for a minute after which it was allowed to clear either by filtering or subsidence. The dissolved lead was at once removed by this process².

Ever Dear Sir | Most truly Yours | M. Faraday

P.H. Berthon Esqr | &c &c &c