The mineral springs of the United States and Canada : with analyses and notes on the prominent spas of Europe, and a list of sea-side resorts / by Geo. E. Walton.

  • Walton, George E. (George Edward), 1839-1917.
Date:
1874
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The mineral springs of the United States and Canada : with analyses and notes on the prominent spas of Europe, and a list of sea-side resorts / by Geo. E. Walton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    poisonous action of the gas is a small and feeble pulse, indi- cating depression of the hearts action, together with a sen- sation of excessive feebleness. Taken internally, in water, in moderate quantities, it increases the activity of the intestines and augments the perspiration. If the water is highly charged with the gas, agitation, sleeplessness, and nervous excitement, are produced in some persons, similar to that resulting from strong coffee. Small quantities of the gas, applied to the mucous membrane of the eyes, nose, and bronchial tubes, stimulate the secretions. CARBURETTED HYDROGEN. This is the ordinary burning-gas used in cities. It escapes from some springs in large quantity, and is utilized for lighting the premises and heating water for the baths. It is not used medicinally. OXYGEN AND NITROGEN. These gases exist in small quantities in nearly all springs, not, however, in such proportions as decidedly to affect their medicinal action. As a conclusion to this chapter, it may be well to give the following rules for the collection of mineral waters for chemi- cal analysis : Collect the water in a dry time, preferably during July, August, September, or October. Place it in new demijohns of black glass that have been well washed with ordinary water and thoroughly rinsed with water of the spring before filling. Close the demijohn with a fine, soft, new cork, which has previously soaked three days in the mineral water. Leave a small space between the cork and the water. Securely seal the demijohn. The filling and sealing of the demijohns should be done in the presence of a magistrate, who should stamp each cork with his official seal, and certify to the facts, so that no tam- pering with the water may be suspected. Quantity required for a qualitative examination, five gal- lons ; for a quantitative, from twenty to thirty.