The Sun.
London, England, 1861-07-17 00:00:00

FRENCH ACADEMY OF SCIENCES.;

After M. Leverrier's statement concerning the
comet, which we gave on Wednesday last, the most
interesting communication received at the last
sitting was that of M. Guyon, on the hot springs of
Bou Shater, in the regency of Tunis. The village
of that name stands on the site of Utica, where Cato
died. M. Fuyou is the first European vtho visited
these springs, which he did in 1850, being attracted
to the spot by a group of women, who were sitting
around them, and calling out " Alloo ! Alloo !"
by which they meant to invite a large tortoise
(Emyde leprosa) to come to them. This creature
has been living there from time immemorial, and
is therefore in odour of sanctity
among the in-
habitants. M. Guyon saw it again alive and well
in 1856. The women of the locality go daily
to
feed it, when it comes out of its retreat, and
allows itself to be taken up without difficulty.
The springs rise at the foot of a palm tree, north
of Bou-Shater, forming a basin about two metres
in diameter ; whence the waste water spreads out
into the adjoining ground for want of a regular
bed, and forms a marsh of some extent, covered
with reeds and other plants peculiar to this sort
of soil. The inhabitants wash their linen and
wool in this water, and their cattle drink of it
daily. Caesar mentions these springs in his Com-
mentaries, stating at the same time that they
make the ground marshy. (De Bello Civill,
lib. 11, 24). At that time Utica lay on the sea-
shore, while it is now about three miles distant
from it. The 'water itself is clear, and has no
bad taste ; the inhabitants use it for their drink,
after having let it cool. Its temperature varies,
according to the season between 36 and 40 deg.
Centigrade (95 and 104 'Fehr.) It contains soda,
lime, magnesia, and traces of iron and phosphorus;
but its most remarkable ingredient is arsenic acid,
in the shape of arseniates of potash and soda, .
.1.
which it contains as much as one-sixth of its weight.
Here again the identity of these springs
of Utica is confirmed, and
soldiers of Curio, having encamped on
itthhi
vomiting,
since Appianus states
drunk of these waters, were seized with
nor does the
and other symptoms of poisoning;
effects to
historian at all hesitate to ascribe these
he says,
tilt malignity of the inhabitants,
the who,
fact be ac-
at7essistihtea,t the
• d the wells. But how can
poisoned day these waters
inhabitants, who
occasion no inconvenienceto
enters into some dis-
use them freely? M. Guyon
counted for that at the present day
d observes that these springs,
rendered
hremd
cussion on this point/
ortheeillof the Romans, in conse•
position since the
some earthquake or other convulsion of
quence of
having, as is not 1111
triaemqneuently the case, shifted their
with arsenic than at present. We would
pregnated
tr mmay
l y
havebeen
suggest
in-
habitants proof to the poison, arsenic being pre-
the soil
cisely one of those to which the body may get accus-
tomed; witness the arsenic-eaters of
'almsoaythhaatvheabfoi.
Hungary, who
use the drug in order to acquire a florid
complexion.
The Roman soldiers, being new comers, could not
fail to be attacked with alarming symptoms on
described drinking such waters as those dbed : whereas
.
the inhabitants of that period
may on.the contrary,
like those of the 9
present have found them beneficial.