The Van Buren press., 1859-08-17
For tie Van Buren, Press.
PeuuyWit Springs.

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| Mn. EsagoR--EiR s-As many of our
fellow citizens are leaving for the PEzxYw11
Springs to enjoy the sweet breeze Of the
mountains in which they are located. and
partaks Of the rich blessings the Al.
mighty has caused to flow sumptuously
from the ground to eradicate diseases that
are preying upon their systems. feel
in duty bound as q physician and public
man to give my views as regards those wa
ters differently from what our State Geolo.
gist has done, and my reasons are simply
these. consider that he has not done them
Justice. or, in other words he has not given
them their just merit--for consider those
waters, properly taken. with proper exer-
else and diet, will eradicate from the system
very many diseases which the common med
icines, now extant. will not affect, though
some medical men may use their best ef-
forts to cry down their good affects, but
they will speak for themselves. as in tones
OF thunder where we see the once poor AID
emaciated invalid, with hollowed cheek and
sunken eye. rejoice wi.l full heart, and
thank God Cor the benefit he derives from
! .nose waters. and ! heartily wish that more
OF our pale and sickly neighbors would
avail themselves Of those blessings, and as
| have been solicited by many of our citi-
zens to test yesc waters. l subjoin them as
IfOlIowa xa.x
The largest spring, find is Chalybeate
water "and these waters are characterized by
their inky taste. and by striking blue black
color. with an infusion of gals and blue
color with ferrocyanuret of potassium
The iron is generally in the state of carbon
ate of the protoxide. bald in solution in the
water by excess of carbonic acid. By
standing or boiling. the carbonic acid is
driven off, and the protoxyde, by absorbing
oxygen, is precipitatcd as hydrated ses-
quioxyde, and of ochreous color" And we
find this springs composition as follows
chloride of sodium, chloride of calcium,
chloride of magnesium, sulphate of lime,
carbonate of lime. oxide of iron, hydrosul-
phate of magnesia and lime, selicia-which
consider with their peculiar combinations, is
beyond the art of chemist to fathom, one of
the best alternatives that was ever put to-
gether, changing the whole secretion of the
blood, and strengthening the whole Platho-
ric system.
The middle spring, which is only few
feet from the first one, is of saline water.
and all saline waters comprise those which
contain sufficient amount cf neutral salts
to give them a marked and generally pur-
gative operation. The salts most generally
present, are the sulphates and carbonates of
lime, magnesia and soda, and the chlorides
of calcium. sodium and magnesium. Iodine
and bromine have been found in a few sa-
line springs, and some of them contain car
bonic acid and iron, which might entitlc
them to be classified, respectively, with the
carbonate or chaly ybeate waters. And l
find this to be composed as follows-sul-
nate Of magnesia, carbonate Of lime, chic
ride of magnesium. bromide of potassium
This combination will be acknowledped bv
all men who are in any sense, as regards
medicine scientific to be q superior medicine
as Tar as purgative is required and
do recommend its use to all who NAV
frequent those waters. 1t seems as though
the Almighty, by his own omnicent skin
has caused these waters to flow for the heal.
ing of our maladies.
There is yet another spring in the imme-
diate vicinity of those to which have allu-
ded, they are the sulphureted waters or such
as contained sulphurated hydrogen, and are
distinguished by their peculiar fetid smell,
and by their yielding brown precipitites
with the salts of lead and silver, and its
combination is as follows. sulphate of lime
sulphate of magnesia, sulphate of soda car
Donate OF lime, carbonate of magnesia.
chloride Of magnesium, chloride of sodium
chloride OF calcium, hydrophosphate of soda
and magnesia, protosulphate of iron, iodine
sulphur. sulphuretted hydrogen, carbonic
acid, oxygen and nitrogen. Though this
combination is very seldom used by any
practitioners in this day. and by some it is
thrown out of use. it is my opinion that the
reason why practitioners do not find in it
balm is because it is not given in combina-
tion with the foregoing medicines, and
cannot think by taking it alone it will prove
very successful in eradicating any disease.
And my opinion is that if the invalids WIS.,
iting the springs will use all its waters they
will be materially benefited by the same
use as much Of one as the other, and though
disease should to you prove stubborn, my
advice to you is not to quit the waters un-
til you give them fair and honest trial. I
can but think if those waters Were on some
distant coast. that thousands would flock
to them to get treasure that the art of man
could not give. Despise not, then, our
own county's productions, for it is not a