Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 16.djvu/451

Rh MINERAL WATERS TABLE I. Typical Mineral Waters. 433 Indifferent. Gastein, 95-118. Earthy. Leuk, 123 -8. Salt. Kissingen. Salt. Sea-Water. Sulphur. Aix-la-Chapelle, 113 -140. Iron. Schwalbach. Alkaline. Vichy, 105-8. Alkaline- Saline. Carlsbad, 119-138. Table Water. Setters. Purging Water. Hunyaili Janos. Solids. Bicarbonate of soda ,, potash .... ,, magnesia. ,, calcium... Sulphate of soda 0017 0195 0208 013 012 050 017 1-06 45 2 38 6449 0506 157 2831 0206 2122 2213 0079 4-883 352 303 434 9Q9 1-92 18 428 2&quot;37 1-2 1 *i Q ,, potash.. ,, magnesia ,, calcium Sulphide of sodium 0135 038 308 1-520 588 389 2-96 25 1527 0136 0037 16 46 16 Chloride of sodium ,, potash.. .. 0428 5-52 286 25-21 2-616 534 1-03 2 2 1-3 ,, magnesia Carbonate of iron Silicic acid 0005 0496 023 036 303 0-277 3-39 0837 0320 003 01 Gases. Carbonic acid 3 19 K-&amp;lt;5K 9-fi 7fi 9-91 JR Hydrosulphuric acid trace In addition to their solid constituents, gas is present in many waters in considerable quantity. There is a little oxygen and a good deal of nitrogen in some of them ; the quantity of hydrosulphuric acid, even in strong sulphuric waters, is wonderfully small ; but the volume of carbonic acid present is often very large, for instance, in the case of Kissingen, Schwalbach, and Selters. Carbonic acid is so generally diffused that it is practically a very important agent in the therapeutics of mineral waters. Springs that contain it are far the most agreeable to the taste, and consequently most popular with patients. The immediate effect of the carbonic acid which they contain is that of pleasant stimulation to the stomach and system, although it can scarcely be said to approach, as some have thought, the slighter forms of stimulation from alcoholic drinks. Extremely little appears to be known of its actual operation on the system : a 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 a 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 its tendency to accumulate on account of its heavy specific gravity. Car bonic 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 ordi nary drinking water ; but they are usually of higher temperature. Their therapeutic action, which is mainly exercised through baths, has been explained on the theory of peculiarities of their electric or thermal 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 glairiu, which when collected is sometimes useful as a cataplasm. These waters are not often much drunk, but any efficiency they may have in 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 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 Wildbddcr. 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 California. TABLE II. 1 Indifferent Waters. Locality. Height in Feet. Temp. Fahr. For what prescribed. Evian, Lake of Geneva 1,100 ( Nervous cases, dyspepsia, urinary ( affections. Badenweiler, Baden... 1,425 j For mild rheumatic treatment; a ( health resort. Buxton, England 980 82 ( Gout and rheumatism (nitrogen present). Schlangenbad, Nassau. 800 80-87 Nervous cases, female disorders, skin. Sacedon, Spain. .. 1,500 85 ( Rheumatism, gout, cutaneous affec- tions. Wildbad, Wiirtemberg. 1,320 90-101 ( Gout and rheumatism, neuralgia, ( thickenings. Pf offers, Switzerland... 2,115 09 Do. do. do. Ragatz, do. 1,570 95 Do. do. do. Panticosa, S. Pyrenees. 5,110 85-95 ( Do. (nitrogen present); special action ( in phthisis. Teplitz, Bohemia C48 101-120 j Gout, rheumatism, old in juries, joints ( or bones. Gastein, Austria 3,315 95-118 Do. do.; soothes nervous system. 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 day it is only the colder ones that have come into repute for the expulsion of gravel and biliary calculi and in the treat ment of affections of the bladder generally. Some of them have also of late years been considered to exercise a favourable influence on scrofula, and to be useful in the 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 Bormio, enjoy the advantages of great elevation, but Bath, otherwise one of the best of them, lies low. TABLE III. Earthy Waters. Locality. Height in feet. Temp- Fahr. Therapeutic Action. Contrexeville, Vosges 1,050 ( Special action in calculous t affections. Lippe Springe, N. Germany ( Supposed to be useful in ( phthisis.

a Wildungen, do. j Special use in urinary com- ( plaints; contains iron. Wcissenberg, Switzerland... 2,000 ... ( Resorted to for pulmonary affections. 600 j Dyspepsia, diabetes, hepatic 1,180 117-122 ( Rheumatism, gout, paraly- ! 4,400 93-123 Do., some female complaints. ~ 4,400 8(!-104 Do. d&amp;lt;&amp;gt;. ; old sprains. 108-12i Do. do. do.

108-122 Do. do. do. 1 ,400 139 Do. do. B. de Bigon-es, Pyrenees 1,800 64-123 Do.; chlorosis, neuralgia. 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 chief peculiarities of elevation, of temperature, and constituents are briefly noted. The curative effects, necessarily alluded to very generally, are those usually attributed to them. XVI. 55