A full and distinct account of the mineral waters of Pyrmont, and Spa ... / Collected from the best authors, and improved by Dr. Turner.

  • Turner, George, M.D.
Date:
1734
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A full and distinct account of the mineral waters of Pyrmont, and Spa ... / Collected from the best authors, and improved by Dr. Turner. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    The tafte of the frefh water is acid like wine, pungent, flharp, refrefhing and pleafant, but at laft taftes fomewhat of vitriol, fo that many wiih they could exchange the laft tafte with the firft; neverthelefs moft drinkers of thefe waters drink them with very good liking, and frequently drink more of them than they are ordered, or is ne- ceffary for their cure. By the fmell one may difcover in our wells a fubtile fulphureous vapour, which fometimes makes the water-fervers giddy and light-headed, and this is moft obfervable when the greateft quantity of water is drawn off. This fulphureous vapour is the caufe why fifh and frogs, ducks and goflings, when thrown into thefe wells, grow giddy and lofe their ftrength, and at laft fall down and fink, though this does not prefently happen, but ducks, for example, fwim fometimes an hour before they are any wayaffe6ted; and if thefe ani¬ mals, as foon as they begin to fink, are taken out, they neither fuffer in their health nor life, and foon appear as brisk as ever. This fulphureous vapour is not always alike ftrong, but is ftrongeft in the hotteft feafon, fo that when the heat is exceeding great, young ducks will fall down dead in a moment, though old ones will hold it out longer. But this vapour has not the property of a poifon, which when it gets into the body abides therein, and corrodes the fame, but it has only a particular elaftick, dilating power or quality, by which often in a moment, as foon as a fufficient quantity of it falls into the lungs, it drives and keeps out of them all air whatsoever, and fo puts to a ftand all the organs of refpiration, and at once makes all motion in the breaft to ceafe; but as foon as the vapour fhut up in the breaft finds a free egrefs, and the frelh