Report of the chemical analysis of the white sulphur water of the artesian well of Lafayette, Ind : with remarks upon the nature of artesian wells / by Charles M. Wetherill.

  • Wetherill, Charles Mayer, 1825-1871.
Date:
1858
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the chemical analysis of the white sulphur water of the artesian well of Lafayette, Ind : with remarks upon the nature of artesian wells / by Charles M. Wetherill. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    but we are warranted in the belief, by conclusions from a large number of cases on both continents. In fact so confident of the efficiency of mineral waters are the Ger- mans, that the technical name in their language for a course of the waters is a cure. The action of sulphur waters upon the liver resembles that of mercurial medicines in its effect. The benefit to be derived from them iu cutaneous diseases is well known. They have been successfully employed in chronic rheuma- tism, in some forms of dyspepsia, in scrofula, in bronchitis and in mitigation for asthma, chronic pneumonia, conges- tion, and consumption. With respect to the latter disease, the greatest caution is to be used in employing sulphur waters; benefit is only to be hoped for in the incipient stage, and even then when unaccompanied by fever. In the con- trary case, and in confirmed consumption, sulphur waters only hasten the progress of the disease. These waters are useful in some diseases of the urinary and genital organs, and especially so in some ailments peculiar to the female sex. They remove the effect of intemperance, but their tri- umph, according to the French authors, is in the treatment of wounds, and especially of gunshot wounds. The immediate effect of the internal use of sulphur wa- ters depends upon the degree to which they are digested, hence for some stomachs, especially at the commencement of a course, the water must be warmed to the degree that it can be borne and retained. According as they are more or less digested, sulphur waters will produce either increase Of appetite, or the reverse state; either constipation or diarrhea. When they do not immediately act as a purga- tive, they quicken the pulse, give rise to a feeling of in- ternal heat, and to sleeplessness and restlessness, a state of excitement, compared by Borden to that produced by cof- fee, and which may be carried to the extent of a slight intoxication. Their operation is terminated by a copious sweat, and sometimes by an exanthematous eruption, or copious discharges of urine, which serve as crises in most chronic diseases. * * * It is not uncommon for per-