Dupont's artesian well, Louisville, Kentucky : Report, analysis, and medical properties of its water, with remarks upon the nature of artesian wells / by J. Lawrence Smith.

  • Smith, J. Lawrence (John Lawrence), 1818-1883.
Date:
1859
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Dupont's artesian well, Louisville, Kentucky : Report, analysis, and medical properties of its water, with remarks upon the nature of artesian wells / by J. Lawrence Smith. 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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    External use. medicinal properties of the water of I>u Pout's Artesian what may be expected from its internal use. External Use*. The external use of this water will be doubtless found of great benefit, and if the proprietors should determine to apply fully its medicinal properties, they will have, to construct proper baths. In most instances, and for the greater portion of the year, the water can be used at the temperature it has on flowing from the well; but for many purposes they will have to elevate the temper- ature 20 or 30 degrees. Thus applied, sulphur saline waters are well known to be beneficial for a variety of diseases of the skin, scrofulous affections, and lymphatic tumors of every description, gout, rheumatism, etc. In several of the diseases it would be proper to use the baths warm, as will be advised by those physicians who may direct the patients. In addition to the above, it may be applied beneficially in many diseases of those mucous membranes that are accessible by washing, or by injection, as in certain diseases of the mucous membranes of the eye, etc., etc. In reporting on the medical virtues of this water, I have purposely avoided any reference to those cases which have been cured, or supposed to be cured by it; lor I have not traced out any of them, as I did not conceive any record of the kind would be of much value in so short a history of the water, but I have preferred to give my opinion of its virtues from its composition, and from the known virtues of similar waters. The opinions arc little else than the reflections of those of physicians in this country. Germany, France, and elsewhere, who have paid especial attention to the medi- cal properties of mineral springs, and who arc engaged in giving advice on the subject.