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MINERAL WATERS
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See also:MINERAL See also:WATERS . No See also:absolute See also:line of demarcation can be See also:drawn between See also:ordinary and mineral waters. There is usually in the latter an excess of mineral constituents or of temperature, but some drinking waters contain more mineral constituents than others that are called mineral waters, and many very pure waters, both See also:cold and warm, have been regarded for ages as mineral springs. As to the origin of mineral waters, there is much in what the See also:elder See also:Pliny said, that waters are such as the See also:soil through which they flow. Thus in See also:limestone and See also:chalk districts an excess of See also:lime is usually See also:present; and the waters of a particular See also:district have much resemblance to each other—as in the See also:Eifel, in See also:Auvergne, and in the See also:Pyrenees. But this is only a partial explanation, for waters are by no means necessarily See also:uniform throughout a particular See also:geological formation. We do not know with any certainty the See also:depth from which various mineral waters proceed, nor the various distances from the See also:surface at which they take up their different mineral constituents. The source of the temperature of thermal waters remains a subject of much uncertainty. Among the assigned causes are the See also:internal See also:heat of the globe, or the development of heat by chemical or See also:electrical agencies in the strata through which they arise. Their occasional intermittence is doubtless often dependent on the periodical See also:generation of See also:steam, as in the See also:case of the Geysers. A few geological facts are certain, which See also:bear on the origin of mineral waters. Such springs are most abundant in volcanic districts, where many salts of soda and much carbonic See also:acid are present. They occur most frequently at meetings of stratified with unstratified rocks, in saddles, and at points where there has been dislocation of strata.
The See also:diffusion of mineral waters is very extended. Pliny was quite correct in observing that they are to be found on alpine heights and arising from the bottom of the ocean. They are found at the See also:snow in the Himalayas and they rise from the See also:sea at Baiae and See also:Ischia. They are to be found in all quarters of the globe, but more particularly in volcanic regions, as in the Eifel and Auvergne, in the See also:Bay of See also:Naples, and parts of See also:Greece, in See also:Iceland, New See also:Zealand and See also:Japan. But there are few countries in which they are not to be found, except in very See also:flat ones, and in deltas of See also:rivers—for instance, in the See also:north of See also:France, where they are very few, and in See also: But they are met with in See also:Algiers, in See also:Egypt, and in the See also:Holy See also:Land. The vast See also:Indian See also:peninsula has for its See also:size a comparatively small See also:supply. Mineral waters, when analysed, are found to contain a See also:great many substances, although some of them occur only in very See also:minute quantities: soda, See also:magnesia, See also:calcium, potash, alumina, See also:iron, See also:boron, See also:iodine, See also:bromine, See also:arsenic, See also:lithium, See also:caesium, See also:rubidium, See also:fluorine, See also:barium, See also:copper, See also:zinc, See also:manganese, See also:strontium, See also:silica, See also:phosphorus, besides extractive matters, and various organic deposits known under the name of glairin or baregin. Of gases, there have been found carbonic acid, hydrosulphuric acid, See also:nitrogen, See also:hydrogen, See also:oxygen and See also:ammonia. Of all these by far the most important in a therapeutic point of view are See also:sodium, magnesia and iron, carbonic acid, See also:sulphur, and perhaps hydro-sulphuric acid. These substances, detected separately by chemists, are in. their analyses combined by them into various salts, if not with absolute certainty, undoubtedly with a See also:close approximation to it. Those combinations are very numerous, and some waters contain ten to twenty of them; but there arealways some predominating ones which See also:mark their See also:character, while. many of them, such as caesium, rubidium, or fluorine, occur in See also:mere traces, and cannot be assumed to be of any real importance. Mineral waters therefore resolve themselves into weaker or stronger solutions of salts and gases in See also:water of higher or See also:lower temperature. For medical purposes they are used either externally or internally. As the quantity of salts present commonly bears but a very small proportion to that of the fluid containing them, water becomes a very influential See also:agent in mineral-water treatment, about which it is therefore necessary to say something. For the See also:action of mineral-water See also:baths see See also:BALNEOTHERAPEUTICS. According to the most generally received See also:opinion, the cutaneous surface does not absorb any portion of the salts in a mineral-water See also:bath, although it may absorb a little See also:gas (and alkaline water, for instance, at most acting as a slight detergent on the skin), and that neither salts nor gases have any action on the See also:system, except as stimulants of the skin, with partial action on the See also:respiratory See also:organs. It seems to be ascertained that drinking considerable amounts of cold water reduces the temperature of the See also:body, diminishes the frequency of the See also:pulse, and increases the See also:blood pressure temporarily. Water when introduced into the See also:stomach, especially if it be empty, is quickly absorbed; but, although much of the water passes into the See also:veins, there is no See also:proof that it ever produces in them, as is sometimes supposed, a See also:state of fluidity or wateriness. Therapeutically, the imbibition of large quantities of water leads to a sort of See also:general washing out of the organs. This produces a temporary increase of certain excretions, augmented diuresis, and a quantitative increase of See also:urea, of chloride of sodium, and of phosphoric and sulphuric acids in the urine. Both the sensible and the insensible perspirations are augmented. A See also:draught of cold water undoubtedly stimulates the peristaltic action of the intestines. On the whole water slightly warm is best See also:borne by the stomach, and is more easily absorbed by it than cold water; and warm waters are more useful than cold ones when there is much gastric irritability. In addition to the therapeutic action of mineral waters, there are certain very important subsidiary considerations which must not be overlooked. An individual who goes from See also:home to drink them finds himself in a different See also:climate, with possibly a considerable See also:change in See also:altitude. His See also:diet is necessarily altered, and his usual home drinks are given up. There is change in the See also:hours of going to See also:bed and of rising. He is relieved from the routine of usual duties, and thrown into new and probably cheerful society. He takes more exercise than when at home, and is more in the open See also:air, and this probably at the best See also:season of the See also:year. So important has this See also:matter of season and climate been found that it is an established See also:axiom that waters can be used to the greatest See also:advantage during the summer months and in See also:fine See also:weather, and during the periods most convenient for relaxation from business. Summer is therefore the bath season, but of See also:late years See also:provision has been made in many places, with the aid of specially constructed rooms and passages, for carrying out See also:cures satisfactorily during the See also:winter season, e.g. at See also:Aix-la-Chapelle, See also:Wiesbaden, See also:Baden Baden, Baden in See also:Switzerland, Dax, See also:Vichy and Bath. The ordinary bath season extends from the 15th of May to the loth or 3oth of See also:September. The season for baths situated at considerable elevations commences a See also:month later and terminates some ten days earlier. Mineral waters may be employed at home, but patients seldom so use them; and this necessarily limits the See also:time of their use. It is See also:common to declare that the treatment should last for such or such a See also:period. But the length of time for which any remedy is to be used must depend on its effect, and on the nature of the particular case. It is found, however, that the continued use of mineral waters leads to certain disturbances of the system, which have been called crises, such as sleeplessness, colics and See also:diarrhoea, and to skin eruptions known as la poussee. This cause, and also certain peculiarities of the See also:female constitution, have led to the period of three See also:weeks to a month being considered the usual period for treatment. A certain after-treatment is often prescribed—such as persistence in a particular diet, visiting springs or climates of a different and usually of a tonic character, or continuing for a certain time to drink the waters at home. It may be added that the advantage of having recourse to mineral waters is often See also:felt more after than during treatment. Since improved methods of bottling have been discovered, and the advantage of an additional supply of carbonic acid has been appreciated, the export of waters from their See also:sources has increased enormously, and most of the See also:principal waters can now be advantageously used at home. It may be added that many of the artificial imitations of them are excellent. The See also:history of the use of mineral waters can only just beWATERS a See also:good See also:deal of nitrogen in some of them; the quantity of hydro-sulphuric acid, even in strong sulphuric waters, is wonderfully small; but the See also:volume of carbonic acid present is often very large-for instance, in the case of See also:Kissingen, See also:Schwalbach and Selters. The immediate effect of the carbonic acid which they contain is that of pleasant stimulation to the stomach and system. Extremely little appears to be known of its actual operation on the system: a See also:part of what is swallowed is returned by eructation, and a part passes on to the intestines; whether any appreciable quantity reaches the blood is doubtful. There is no question that carbonic acid increases diuresis. Practically it is found to aid digestion, helping the functions of the stomach, and in Indifferent. Earthy. See also:Salt. Salt. Sulphur. Iron. Alkaline. Alkaline- Table Purging See also:Gastein. See also:Leuk. Aix-la- Vichy. Saline. Water. Water. 95°'u8° r23'8°. Kissingen. Sea-Water. Chapelle. Schwalbach. io5.8°. alsbad. Seltzers. See also:Hunyadi 113-14o°. Ir9°-r 38°. Janos. Solids. - - - - 0.6449 0.0206 4.883 1.92 I.2 - Bicarbonate of soda . potash 0.352 - - - 9, magnesia 0.0017 0.013 0.017 0.45 0.0506 0.2122 0'303 o•,8 - - calcium . 0.0195 0.012 1•o6 2.38 0.157 0.2213 0.434 0.428 - Sulphate of soda . . . 0.0208 0.050 - - 0.2831 0.0079 0.292 2.37 - 15.9 ii potash . . 0.0135 0.038 - - 0.1527 0.0037 - o•16 - - 19 magnesia . - 0.308 0.588 2.96 - - - - 0 46 .6 0 calcium . - 1.520 o•389 0.25 - - - - - - Sulphide of sodium . . - - - - 0.0136 - - - - - Chloride of sodium . . 0.0428 - 5.52 25.21 2.616 - 0.534 1'03 2.2 I.3 „ potash . . - - 0.286 - - - - - - - magnesia - - 0.303 3.39 - Carbonate of iron 0.0005 0.023 0.277 - 0.0837 - 0.003 0.01 - Silicic acid . . . . 0.0496 0.036 - - - 0.0320 - - - - Gases. - - 3.19 - - 5'35 2.6 o•76 2.24 0.45 Carbonic acid Hydrosulphuric acid - - - - trace - - - - - alluded to. They have been employed from the earliest periods, and traces of See also:Roman See also:work have been found at most of the See also:European baths which are now in favour-at almost all the thermal ones. Occasionally new springs are discovered in old countries, but the great See also:majority of them have been See also:long known. Warm waters, and those containing small quantities of mineral constituents, appear to have remained more steadily in favour than any other class within the appropriate See also:sphere of mineral waters, which is limited to the treatment of chronic disease. The See also:attempt has been made to range mineral waters according to their therapeutic action, according to their internal or See also:external use, but most generally according to their chemical constituents so far as they have been from time to time understood; and a judicious See also:classification undoubtedly is a help towards their rational employment. But their constituents are so varied, and the gradations between different waters are so finely shaded off, that it has been found impossible to propose any one definite scientific classification that is not open to numberless objections. Thus a great many of the sulphur waters are practically earthy or saline ones. Yet because they contain very minute amounts of such a gas as hydrosulphuric acid, an ingredient so palpable as always to attract. See also:attention, it is considered necessary to class them under the See also:head of sulphur. The general See also:rule is to attempt to class a water under the head of its predominant See also:element; but if the amount of that be extremely small, this leads to such waters as those of Mont See also:Dore being classified as alkaline or arseniated, because they contain a very little soda and arsenic. The classification in the following table, which is that usually adopted in Germany, has the merit of See also:comparative simplicity, and of freedom from theoretical considerations which in this matter See also:influence the See also:French much more than the See also:German writers. The more important constituents only are given. The amount of solid constituents is the number of parts to one thousand parts of the water; the temperature of thermal springs is added. The waters are classified as indifferent, earthy, salt, sulphuretted, iron, alkaline, alkaline-saline-with subvarieties of table waters and purging waters. In addition to their solid constituents, gas is present in many waters in considerable quantity. There is a little oxygen anda slight degree the peristaltic action of the intestines. The increased flow of urine may be caused by its favouring the absorption of water by the stomach. In some baths carbonic acid is so abundant that precautions have to be taken to prevent Locality Height Temp For what P in Ft. . prescribed. Fahr. Evian, See also:Lake of See also:Geneva 1 oo - See also:Nervous cases, dyspep- See also:Badenweiler, Baden . 1425 - sta, urinary affections. For mild rheumatic treatment; a See also:health See also:Buxton, See also:England . 98o 82 resort. See also:Gout and See also:rheumatism Schlangenba3, See also:Nassau 800 8o-87 (nitrogen present). Nervous cases, female Sacedon, Spain 1500 85 disorders, skin. . . Rheumatism, gout, cu- cu- See also:Wildbad, Wurttem- taneous affections. Gout and rheumatism, See also:berg 1320 90-101 # See also:neuralgia, thickenings. Pfeffers, Switzerland 2115 99 Do. do. do. See also:Ragatz, do. 1570 95 Do. do. do. Panticosa,S.Pyrenees 5110 85-95 Do. (nitrogen present); See also:special action i n See also:Teplitz, Bohemia. 648 IoI-120 See also:phthisis. Gout, rheumatism, old Gastein, See also:Austria 3315 95-118 injuries, See also:joints or bones. Do. do. ;soothes nervous . system. its tendency to accumulate on See also:account of its heavy specific gravity. Carbonic acid gas, used as a bath, proves stimulating to the skin and to the general system; but its employment has not answered the expectations formed of it. Indifferent Waters scarcely vary in chemical qualities from ordinary drinking water; but they are usually of higher temperature. Their therapeutic action, which is mainly exercised through baths, 1 In this and the following tables a selection is given of some of the best-known mineral waters in various European countries that possess establishments. Their See also:chief peculiarities of See also:elevation, of temperature and constituents are briefly noted. The curative effects, necessarily alluded to very generally, are those usually attributed to them. has been explained on the theory of peculiarities of their electric or thermal See also:condition, about which we know nothing definite, and on the presence in some of them of a large quantity of nitrogen. It has also been ascribed to the various organic substances in some of them, such as glairin, which when collected is sometimes useful as a cataplasm. These waters are not often much drunk, but any efficiency they may have in See also:dyspepsia and perhaps in neuralgic diarrhoeas must be attributed to the favourable action of hot water on the digestion. The waters of this class, especially the hotter ones in the See also:form of baths, are extremely useful in resolving the effects of inflammation, in thickenings of the joints and in chronic rheumatism and gout. They also are often effective, especially the cooler ones, in neuralgia and in some hysterical affections. They are sometimes prescribed in urinary affections, in which case they probably assist by dilution. The effects of many of these waters are aided by the baths often being situated at considerable elevations and in out-of-the-way spots, whence the Germans called them Wildbader. They are very widely diffused, being found in all quarters of the globe, especially in volcanic districts. There are many in New Zealand; in America the hottest are in the west and in See also:California. Earthy Waters.—These differ chiefly from the indifferent waters in containing an appreciable quantity of salts, among which sulphate or carbonate of-lime or of magnesia predominates. The great majority of them are of high temperature. They produce the same effects as the indifferent waters, but are perhaps less efficacious in neuralgic affections, while they are more employed in some of the chronic scaly eruptions. There was formerly a tendency to consider these waters useful in urinary affections; but at the present See also:day it is only the colder ones that have come into repute for the See also:expulsion of See also:gravel and biliary calculi and in the treatment of affections of the See also:bladder generally. Some of them have also of late years been considered to exercise a favourable influence on See also:scrofula, and to be useful in the See also:early stages of pulmonary phthisis. This has been attributed to the salts of lime present in them, although it is known that most of its salts pass through the system unaltered. Many of these baths, such as Leuk and See also:Bormio, enjoy the advantages of great elevation, but Bath, otherwise one of the best of them, lies See also:low. Locality. Height Temp. Therapeutic Action. in Ft. ° Fah, See also:Contrexeville, See also:Vosges 1050 — Specialactionincal- See also:Lippspringe, N. j culous affections. cSupposedtobeuse- Germany . . S — ful in phthisis. b Wildungen, do. — — Special use in urin- ary complaints; 0 contains iron. Weissenberg, Swit- 2600 — Resorted to for pul- zerland ? monary affections. Pougues, France. . 600 — ( Dyspepsia,See also:diabetes, lj j hepatic and urin- Baden, Switzerland . 118o 117–122 ary ( ary concretions. Rheumatism, gout, See also:paralysis, scaly Leuk, do. 44 00 2 eruptions. 93–1 3 D o. some female com, plaints. Bormio, North Italy 4400 86–104 Do. do. ; old sprains. See also:Lucca, Italy . . — 108–122 Do. do. do. Bath, England . — 108–122 Do. do. do. Dax, south of France 1400 139 Do. do. .desBigorres, Pyr. 1800 64–123 c Do.; .c lorosis, neu- Salt Waters are so called from containing a predominant amount of chloride of sodium. They also generally contain chlorides of magnesia and of lime, and occasionally small amounts of lithium, bromine and iodine. They further often contain a little iron, which is an important addition. The great majority of the drinking See also:wells have a large supply of carbonic acid. There are cold and hot ,salt springs. Sometimes they are used for drinking, sometimes for bathing; and the See also:double use of them is often resorted to. The normal quantity of common salt consumed daily by See also:man is usually set down at about 300 grains. The maximum quantity likely to be taken at any well may be 225 grains, but commonly not more than See also:nail of that amount is taken. The increase to the usual daily amount is therefore probably not much more than one-third. Still it may be presumed that the action of a See also:solution of salt on an empty stomach is different from that of the same amount of salt taken with See also:food. Salt introduced into the stomach excites the secretion of gastric juice and favours the peristaltic actions, and when taken in considerable quantity is distinctly aperient. We thus see how it is useful in dyspepsia, in atony of the stomach and intestines, and sometimes in chronic intestinal See also:catarrh. Salt when absorbed by the stomach appears again in the urine, of which itincreases the amount both of fluid and of solid constituents, especially of the urea. It seems, therefore, to be See also:pretty certain that considerable quantities of salt taken into the circulation increase the See also:excretion of nitrogenous products through the urine, and on the whole accelerate the transformation of See also:tissue. Salt is thus useful in scrofula by stimulating the system, and also in See also:anaemia, especially when iron is also present. In some German stations, as at See also:Soden, carbonated salt waters are considered to be useful in chronic See also:laryngitis or granular See also:pharyngitis. Baths of salt water, as usually given, rarely contain more than 3 % of chloride of sodium, some of the strongest perhaps from 8 to to %. Their See also:primary action is as a stimulant to the skin, in which action it is probable that the other chlorides, especially that of calcium, and still more the carbonic acid often present, co-operate. In this way, and when aided by various processes of what may be termed water poultices and packing, they are often useful in removing exudations, in chronic metritis and in some tumours of the uterus, and generally in scrofula and rachitis, and occasionally in some chronic skin affections. The French See also:accord high praise to some of their thermal salt waters in paralysis, and some German ones are used in a similar way in See also:spinal affections. The salt waters are sometimes so strong that they must be diluted for bathing. In other cases concentrated solutions of salt are added to make them sufficiently strong. These waters are widely diffused, but on the whole Germany is richest in them, especially in such as are highly charged with salt. The Kissingen springs may be considered as typical of the drinking wells, and sea-water of bathing waters. The air of salt-See also:works and pulverization of the water are employed in German baths as remedial agents. Salt springs are found in many quarters of the See also:world, but the chief carbonated See also:groups for drinking purposes occur in Germany, and at See also:Saratoga in America, where very remarkable wells indeed are to be found. France and England have no springs of this class. The stronger wells, used chiefly for bathing, occur where Locality. Temp. Therapeutic Action. Fahr. Dyspepsia, anaemia, scrofula, -Soden, near — special for See also:throat and See also:Frankfort phthisis. Homburg, do. — I Dyspepsia, slighter hepatic 'b Kissingen, See also:Bavaria — affections, See also:chlorosis, gout. In all essentials the same. 0 Pyrmont, North )Better known for its iron; has Germany a good salt drinking See also:spring. See also:Kreuznach, near A salt well without carbonic acid; used in scrofula and See also:Bingen anaemia; bathing more Wiesbaden, Nassau 155 important. Used in dyspepsia and gout; the bathing is most import- Baden-Baden . . 156 See also:ant. Still milder water; uses simi- B o u r b o n n e, See also:lar; gout. Rheumatism, neuralgia, effects Haute-See also:Marne . t4 t of See also:malaria. t 49 Balaruc, South 1166 Do.; special for treatment of I Doparalysis. France . . . See also:Salins, Moutiers, 6 anaemia, loss of )Scrofula, See also:Savoy (1480 ft.) 9 See also:power, sexual disorders. Brides, Savoy 3 See also:Act on See also:liver and See also:digestive (1700 ft.) . 95 See also:canal; used for obesity. See also:Acqui, North Italy 169 )Rheumatism; special treat- See also:Abano, do 185 1 ment with the bath See also:deposit. c Chiefly as baths; mud of bath Dally, , de 153–158 used for See also:poultice. near Mom: Rh buy, See also:Bar- e)Rheumatism, See also:sciatica, old in- See also:Mona . juries. Cestona, 88–94 Rheumatism, indigestion,bron- coa Spainipuz Almost all the above stations have several springs of various strengths: the cold may be said to vary from 14 to 5.8 %° of chloride of sodium; the warm are generally weaker, perhaps varying from 6.8 to 1.6. there are salt-bearing strata, as in Germany, See also:Galicia, Italy, Switzer-land, France and England. Very powerful waters of this class are those of St Catherines in Canada.
The presence of minute portions of iodine or bromine in salt waters is by no means infrequent, and they appear in considerable quantity in some few. It is, however, extremely doubtful whether any known spring contains a sufficient quantity of iodine, still more of bromine, to act specially on the system, even if that action were not necessarily superseded by the presence of the large quantity of
other salts with which they are associated. Some of the best-known springs of the See also:kind are: Challes, Wildegg, Castrocaro, See also: It Locality. ocality. -dE a Therapeutic Application. o o See also:inn°o 0 See also:Aargau, Switzer- Scrofula, effects of inflam- mation, mation, chronic exuda- land 311 tions, some chronic ex- Salzungen, North Germany 256 anthemas, rheumatism, uterine infiltrations. Do. do. Ischl, Austria (1440 ft.) . 256 Do. do. Hall, Tyrol (1700 ft.) 255 Do. do. See also:Reichenhall, near See also:Salzburg 224 Do. do. (1800 ft.) 156 Do. do. Bex, See also:Rhone Valley (1400 ft.) Castrocaro, See also:Tuscany. 36 Do. do. See also:Droitwich, near See also:Worcester 233.6 Do. do. Sea Water 30.4 Rehme, See also:Westphalia (920 F.). 24–85 Do.; special use in loco- See also:Nauheim, Wetterau (80° 2 9 motor ataxia. 103° F.). Do. do. Locality. Height Carb. Therapeutic Use. in Ft. of Iron. Rippoldsau, See also:Black See also:Forest 1886 0.12 nae Foranaemic . — o•io e. Homburg, near Frankfort . . tions; laxative. Do. do. See also:Elster, See also:Saxony . 1465 0.08 Do. do. Liebenstein, North Ger- 911 0.08 many . . . . 900 0.08 i much of a Schwalbach, Nassau ' laDo.di es' bath. . 600 0.08 Do. Bocklet, near Kissingen . See also:Griesbach, Black Forest 1614 0.07 i laxative; a la. . 1293 0.07 ladies' bath. See also:Franzensbad, Bohemia Do. do. Pyrmont, Germany — 0.07 Do. Spa, See also:Belgium woo 0.06 Do. Petersthal, Black Forest . 1333 0.04 Do. ; laxative. St See also:Moritz, See also:Engadine, Do.; sought for its Switzerland 5464 0.03 air. Forges-See also:les-Eaux, France 0.06 Do. La See also:Malou,See also:Herault,France 0.08 Do. (temp. 88°) 1943 0.04 Do. IRecoaro, North Italy . . Tunbridge Wells, England — 0.06 Do.; deficient in 1Muspratt Spring, Harro- 600 0.1$ carbonic acid. See also:gate (chloride) is possible by drinking several glasses to take in more than a grain of carbonate of iron in the day, See also:equivalent to See also:half that amount of metallic iron. It has further been ingeniously reckoned from practice that to to 15 grains of metallic Iron suffice to supply the deficiency in the system in a case of chlorosis. It is thought probable that a portion of the iron taken up in water is in certain pathological states not excreted, but retained in the system, and goes towards making up the want of that metal. But. whether this or any other explanation be satisfactory, there is no question as to the excellent effects often produced by drinking chalybeate waters (especially when they are carbonated), and by bathing in those which are rich in carbonic acid after they have been artificially heated. As regards the drinking cure we must not, however, forget that carbonate and chloride of sodium, and also the sulphate, are often present and must be ascribed a See also:share in the cure. Thus chloride of sodium is a powerful adjuvant in See also:tile strong See also:Stahl Quelle of Homburg and in the See also:Putnam Well at Saratoga. A whole See also:category of female complaints is treated successfully with these waters. Indeed, anaemia from any source, as after See also:fever or through loss of blood, and enlargements of the See also:spleen, are benefited by them. The stimulating action of the copious supply of carbonic acid in See also:steel baths is a very important adjuvant; ago one now believes in See also:direct absorption of iron from the bath. Irdn waters are scarcely ever thermal. They are extremely common in all countries—frequently along with sulphuretted hydrogen in bogs and near See also:coal-See also:measures. But such springs and non-carbonated wells generally are weak, and not now held in much esteem. it may be added that some of the strongest known iron wells are sulphated or alunainated. They are styptic and astringent, and can only be used diluted. They are sometimes useful as an application to ulcers and sores. Such springs have often been brought into See also:notice, but never retain their popularity. They are known in the Isle of See also:Wight, in See also:Wales, in See also:Scotland, as well as in See also:Elba, &c. ; and of late years the See also:Bedford See also:Alum and See also:Oak See also:Orchard Springs, U.S., have been brought into notice, the latter containing To grains of See also:free sulphuric acid in the See also:pint. All such springs have been considered useful in scrofula, anaemia and chronic diarrhoeas. Sulphur Springs.—Waters having the odour of hydrosulphuric acid, however slightly, are usually called sulphur ones. They owe their See also:smell sometimes to the presence of the free acid, sometimes to sulphides of sodium, calcium or magnesia, and sometimes to both. Sulphuretted hydrogen is absorbed more freely by cold than by hot water, and is therefore most abundant in cold springs. The sulphides decompose and give off the gas. Most of these springs occur near coal or shale measures, or strata containing fossils, or in See also:moors and in places generally where organic matter is present in the soil or strata. Many of them contain so little mineral impregnation that they might as well be classed among the indifferent or earthy waters. One See also:group contains a considerable amount of chloride of sodium, another of sulphate of lime, while a third has little mineral impregnation, but contains sulphides. Sulphuretted hydrogen is a strong See also:poison, and its action on the system has been pretty well ascertained. It has been assumed that the gas in mineral waters acts similarly, though in a modified degree; but there is next to nothing absolutely known of the action of the small quantities of the gas that are present in mineral waters, and which certainly have no toxic effect. It has been assumed that this gas has some special action on the portal system and so on the liver. On the connexion of metallic poisoning with the liver has been founded the idea that sulphur waters are useful in metallic See also:intoxication. Drinking large quantities of these waters, especially of such as contain sulphates or chlorides of sodium or magnesia, combined with hot baths and exercise, may help to break up albuminates, but there is no proof of the action of the sulphur. For similar reasons, and primarily to counteract See also:mercurial poison, sulphur waters have been considered useful in syphilis. But it may be well to remember that at most baths See also:mercury is used along with them. No doubt they are frequently, like other warm waters, useful in bringing out old eruptions, acting in this way as a test for syphilitic poison, and in indicating the treatment that may be Locality. Sulphuretted l hi de Hydrogen Sup dissolved in of Water. Sodium. Eilsen, Schaumburg-See also:Lippe • 42'3 See also:Meinberg, Lippe-Detmold . 23.1 0.008 Gurnigel, Switzerland (3600 ft.) 15.1 — Leuk, do. (3593 ft.) 44'5 Challes, Savoy (900 ft.) — 0.478 See also:Enghien, near See also:Paris — o• 106 Uriage, See also:Isere, France (1500 ft.) 7'34 — See also:Harrogate, England — 0.207 See also:Strathpeffer, Scotland . . . — 0.026 Lisdoonvarna, See also:Clare, See also:Ireland — — required. Sulphur waters, both hot and cold, are used in gout and rheumatism, in dyspepsia, in hepatic and cutaneous affections; and of late years inhalation of them has been popular in phthisis and in laryngeal affections. They have long been popular remedies in cutaneous affections. While so much doubt has been See also:cast on the action of the sulphur of these waters, it may be admitted that the sulphides are probably decomposed in the stomach and Sulphuretted hydrogen generated. That gas is probably a slight stimulant to the See also:intestine. What sulphuretted hydrogen reaches the blood is eliminated by the lungs. There seems to be no doubt that the gas is absorbed in small quantities by the skin. It is in sulphur waters chiefly that glairin and baregin occur. This See also:peculiar organic substance has been found both in See also:American and in European springs. Cold sulphur springs are very widely diffused throughout the world. Thermal ones are not so common. Perhaps the largest though not the strongest group of the latter is to be found in the Pyrenees. We may remark again how very little Locality. Height Temp. Hydrosul- Sul hide in Ft. ° Fahr. phuric Acid p absorbed in Sodium. Water. Aix-la-Chapelle, Germany 534 131–140 0.3 o•oI Baden, near See also:Vienna . — 95–115 2.5 0.052 Schinznach, Switzerland io6o 8o–92 37.8 — Lavey, Rhone Valley . 1350 92–113 3.5 — See also:Hercules See also:Bad, See also:Banat . 500 . I to 42.6 —
Aix-les-Bains, Savoy . 765 1o8.5 27.2 —
Luchon, Pyrenees . .. 2000 135'5 — 0.07
Bareges, do. 4100 113 — 0.04
Amelie-les-Bains,Pyrenees 810 87–147 — 0•oi
See also:Cauterets, do. 3254 71–134 — 0.02
Eaux Bonnes, do. 2400 90.5 — 0.02
Archena, See also:Murcia, Spain — 126 — —
hydrosulphuric acid there is in many of the most favourite sulphur springs, including the very popular See also: Schinznach has a reputation in skin complaints, Cauterets, Eaux Bonnes and Challes in laryngeal affections, the two Aix, Luchon and Archena in syphilis. Alkaline Waters are such as contain carbonate (chiefly bicarbonate) of soda, along with an excess of carbonic acid. Of the action of those See also:carbonates it is known that when taken into the stomach they are neutralized by the gastric juice, and converted into chloride of sodium. On their introduction into the stomach they, produce an increased flow of gastric juice. If given during or immediately after meals in any quantity, they impede digestion. They slightly increase peristaltic action, but only feebly, unless assisted by other salts. They act slightly as diuretics. Of the connexion between the biliary system and alkalies, which undoubtedly exists, not much is known with certainty. The alkalization of the blood by them is assumed by many, but not proved. It is very doubtful whether they reduce the quantity of fibrine in the blood, and thus induce a lowered state of the system, or whether they have any direct tendency to combine with See also:fat and carry off a portion of superfluous adipose tissue. Their excess of carbonic acid, through its action on the stomach, favours the operation of alkaline waters. They have been classed as follows: (i) See also:simple alkalines, where carbonate of soda is the main agent; (2) waters containing in addition some chloride of sodium; (3) waters containing sulphates of soda or of magnesia. All these classes may be said to be used in gout, lithiasis, affections of the liver, catarrh and obstructions of the See also:gall ducts, in dyspepsia, chronic catarrh of the stomach and diarrhoea, in obesity and in diabetes. Some of the waters of the second class are supposed to influence bronchial catarrhs and incipient phthisis, while the more powerful sulphated waters of the third class are especially useful in catarrh of the stomach, and in affections of the biliary organs; of these only one of importance (See also:Carlsbad) is thermal. The See also:rival cold waters of Tarasp contain twice as much carbonate of soda. The cold ones are chiefly used internally, the thermal ones both internally and externally. The latter, besides acting as warm water, slightly stimulate the skin when the carbonic acid is abundant, and the carbonate of soda has some slight detergent effect on the cutaneous surface like See also:soap. These waters are unknown in England. They are most abundant in countries of See also:extinct volcanoes. Classes I. and II. of alkaline waters may be said to have a sub-variety in acidulated springs or carbonated waters, in which the quantity of salts is very small, that of carbonic acid large. These table waters are readily drunk at meals. They have of late years been so widely exported as to be within the reach almost of every one. Their See also:practical importance in aiding digestion is in reality much greater than one could expect from their scanty mineralization. They are drunk by the See also:country See also:people, and also largely exported and imitated. They are very abundant on the See also:Continent.and, although some of the best-known ones enumerated below are German and French, they are common in Italy and elsewhere: Heppingen, Roisdorf, Landskro, See also:Apollinaris, Setters, See also:Bruckenau, Gieshiibel, all German; St Galmier, Pougues, Chateldon, French. Associated with Class III. is that of the strongly sulphated waters known in Germany as See also:bitter or purging waters, which have of late deservedly come into use as purgative agents. They are almost wanting in France and in America, and there are no very good ones in England. Additional information and CommentsThere are no comments yet for this article.
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