Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 16.djvu/453

Rh MINERAL WATERS 435 ful adjuvant in the strong Stahl Quelle of Homburg and in the Putnam Well at Saratoga. A whole category of female complaints is treated successfully with these waters. Indeed ancemia from any source, as after fever or through loss of blood, and enlargements of the spleen, are benefited by them. The stimulating action of the copious supply of carbonic acid in steel baths is a very important adjuvant; no one now believes in direct absorption of iron from the bath. Iron waters are scarcely ever thermal. They are extremely common in all countries, frequently along with sulphuretted hydrogen in bogs, and near coal-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 aluminated. 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 notice, but never retain their popularity. They are known in the Isle of Wight, in Wales, in Scotland, as well as in Elba, &c. ; and of late years the Bedford Alum and Oak Orchard Springs, U.S., have been brought into notice, the latter containing 10 grains of free sulphuric acid in the 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 smell sometimes to the presence of the free acid, sometimes to sulphides of sodium, calcium, or magnesia, and sometimes to both. Hydrosulphuric acid 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 moors and in places generally where organic matter is present in the soil or strata. Many of them contain so little mineral impreg nation that they might as well be classed among the indifferent or earthy waters. One group contains a considerable amount of chloride of sodium, another of sulphate of lime, while a third has little mineral impregnation, but contains sulphides. Hydrosulphuric acid is a strong 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 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 mercurial poison, sulphur waters have been considered useful in syphilis. But it may be well to remember that at most baths 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 TABLE VII. Cold Sulphur Springs. Locality. Hydrosul phuric Acid absorbed in Water. Sulphide of Sodium. 42-3 Meinberg, Lippe-Detmohl 23-1 008 Gurnigel, Switzerland (3600 ft ) 15-1 Leuk, do (3593ft.) 44-5 Challes, Savoy (900 ft.) 478 Enghien, near Paris 106 Uriage, Isere, France (1500 ft.) 7 34 Harrogate, England 207 Strathpeffer, Scotland 026 Lisdunvarna, Clare, Ireland TABLE VIII. Warm Sulphur Springs. Locality. Height in Feet. Temp. Fahr. Sulphide of Sodium. Hydrosul phuric Acid absorbed in Water. Aix-la-Chapelle, Germany 534 131-140 01 3 Baden, near Vienna 95-115 052 2 5 Schinznach, Switzerland 1 060 80 92 37 8 1 350 92 113 3-5 Hercules Bad Bannt 500 110 42-6 765 108 5 27 &quot;2 2 000 135 5 07 Bardges, do 4,100 113 04 810 87 147 01 Cauterets, do 3 254 71-134 02 2 400 90 5 02 126 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 cast on the action of the sulphur of these waters, it may be admitted that the sulphides are probably decomposed in the stomach and hydrosul- phuric acid generated. That gas is probably a slight stimulant to the intestine. What hydrosulphuric acid 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 peculiar organic substance has been found both in American and in European springs. Cold sulphur springs are very widely diffused throughout the world. Thermal ones are not so common. Per haps the largest though not the strongest group of the latter is to be found in the Pyrenees. We may remark again how very little hydrosulphuric acid there is in many of the mo.st favourite sulphur springs, including the very popular White Sulphur ones of Virginia. There seems to be something peculiarly unsatisfactory in the analysis of sulphur waters, and there has been difficulty in construct ing the following imperfect tables. Some of the most powerful cold wells are those of Challes (with its very peculiar water), Leuk, and Harrogate. Uriage has a very large amount of chloride of sodium in its springs. Cold sulphur waters are on the whole more used in liver and indigestion than warm ones. The general effects of warm sulphur waters differ so little at the various baths as to make it difficult to mention anything special to particular localities. Schinznach has a reputation in skin complaints, Cauterets, Eaux Bonnes, and Challes in laryugeal affections, the two Aixes, Luchon, and Archena in syphilis. Alkaline Waters are such as contain carbonate (chiefly bicarbon ate) of soda, along with an excess of carbonic acid. Of the action of those 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 qxiantity, 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 TABLE IX. Alkaline Waters. CLASS 1. Simple Alkaline. Locality. Vals, South France Bilin, Bohemia Vichy, France (105 F.) Neuenahr, Rhineland (92-97 F.). La Malou, France (97 F.) Vidago, Portugal Carb. Soda. 7-1 4-2 5-1 1-0 Therapeutic Uses. {Catarrh of stomach, gout, renal and &amp;lt; biliary calculi, liver complaints, ( diabetes. Do. do. do. Do. do. do. Mucous catarrh; diabetes specially. ( Do. ; sedative effect on nervous t system. J Do., gout, urinary affections &quot;The ( Portuguese Vichy.&quot; CLASS IT. With Chloride of Sodium varying from 4 3 to 1 in amount. Locality. Luhatschowitz, Moravia.... Tonnistein, Rhine Valley.. Ems, Nassau Ischia, Italy Uoyat, Auvergne Mont Dore, do Bourboule, do Height in Feet. l.fiOO 1,400 3,300 2,800 Temp. Fahr. 85-115 up to 170 80-95 100-114 107-125 Carb. Soda. 8 4 2-5 2-0 2-0 1-3 Therapeutic Uses. J Springs rich both incarb j soda and chl. sodium, i Light antacid tonic to &quot;) stomach ( Special in female com- ( membrane. ( Specially rheumatism ( and female complaints. ( Do. and some skin affections. j Asthma, chronic laryn- t gitis. j Scrofula, rachitis, cuta- ( neous affections. CLASS 111. With Sulphate of Soda varying from 5 2 to 2 in amount, and Carbonate of Soda varying from 3 55 to - 51 in amount. Locality. Elster, Saxony Maricnbad, Bohemia Franzensbad, do Tarasp, Lower Engadine Carlsbad, Bohemia (121-164F.).. Height in Feet. 1,012 1,293 4,000 1,200 Therapeutic Uses. J Action on abdominal organs, ( female complaints. Do.; special use in obesity. Do.; specially a ladies bath. ( Powerful action on abdominal ( viscera. j Gout, liver affections, biliary and 1 renal calculi, diabetes.
 * plaints and mucous