The spas of Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, France, and Italy : a hand-book of the principal watering places on the continent : descriptive of their nature and uses in the treatment of chronic diseases, especially gout, rheumatism, and dyspepsia : with notices of spa life, and incidents in travel / by Thomas More Madden.

  • Madden, Thomas More, 1838-1902.
Date:
1867
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The spas of Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, France, and Italy : a hand-book of the principal watering places on the continent : descriptive of their nature and uses in the treatment of chronic diseases, especially gout, rheumatism, and dyspepsia : with notices of spa life, and incidents in travel / by Thomas More Madden. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

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    INTRODUCTION. ON THE NATURE AND USES OF MINERAL AND THERMAL WATERS. What Constitutes a Mineral Spring-Cold Mineral Waters—Their Origin—Carbonic Acid Gas in them—Its Influence in Mineral Springs —Thermal Sources—Their Mode of Formation^ in the Earth —Their Connection with Voleanic Action—Classification of Mineral Springs—The Muriated, Saline, Acidulous, Alkaline, Chalybeate, Iodated, and Bitter Waters of Europe—Their Nature and Effects— Various Theories— Author's Opinions — Influence of Change of Climate, Scene and Life. Mineral springs are those that contain saline ingre- dients in such quantities, or in such combination, as to possess medicinal properties. The mere amount of salts dissolved in any spring does not, of itself, make it mineral or not; and several important Spas con- tain absolutely less mineral matter than our ordinary drinking water. The various sources that supply London are all rich in saline constituents. Thus the New River water contains 2J grs. of solid matter to the pint; the East London Company 3 grs. ; and the Hampstead Company's water 4| grs. Yet these waters cause no apparent effect, whilst the springs of Wildbad, with 3J grs. of salt to the pint; Pfeffer's and G-astein, 2 grs. ; and Chaudfontaine, with 2 j- grs.,