Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-07-13
HOT SPRINGS OF ARKANSAS.

The follow ing letter from Governor
Morton will interest many:
HoT SPRINGS, June 18th, 1867.
My DEAR FRIEND We arrived on the
I'd Of June, after tedious and tiresome
journey of nine days by rail, steamer
and ambulance. The last sixty miles
from Little Rock we travelled in an am
bulance over the worst roads ever saw,
fording deep streams, through deep miro,
and up and down preeipitons rocks,
where it would apparently be impossible
for wagon to 60.
The hot springs are found in q narrow
valley, between two low ranges Of the
Ozark mountains, running nearly north
and south. They issue from the mountain
on the east side of the valley, about fifty
feet above the base, and are nearly fifty
in number. The water varies in temper
ature from 78o to 1852, and is carried by
wooden troughs into the tops of small
bath houses at the base of the mountain,
situated on the bank of Hot Spring
creek. The patient first enters the dress
ing room, where he is disrobed and pre-
pared for the bath. He then goes back
into another where he enters large tub
filled with water as hot as he can bear it.
He remains in this FIVE or six minutes,
and then goes back further into the vapor
room. This is small, close room, hav-
ing for its floor an open wooden grating,
beneath which is q reservoir of hot water.
He sits down on little bench, and finds
by his side tin bucket filled with hot
water from the spring, and tin cup.
This water he drinks freely, so hot that
it almost burns his mouth, and, strange
to say, discovers that he likes it, and
it does not make him sick. And now, if
his skin is not as imperVious as parch-
ment, he will perspire as he never did
before. After remaining in the vapor q
few minutes, he goes back and again en-
ters the hot water, stays in that minute
or two, is then rubbed off and dressed,
goes to his room, gets between the
blankets, drinks repeatedly of the hot
water, perspires about thirty minutes, Is
then thoroughly rubbed, puts on dry
asnpels dresses, and goes to dinner with
an appetite, The power OF these baths
to produce perspiration is extraordinary.
] had nc perspiTatioH below the waist
from the time of my FIRST attack, but the
second bath here brought it out profusely
on my limbs, and now | can perspire as
well as anybody. .
Tho people here, and throughout this
country, have faith, amounting almosBto
fanatcism, in the powers of these waters
to cpre every chronic disease, except
consumption and affections of the heart
And, from what | have already seen and
heard, believe they may very nearly be
regarded as specific for rheumatism
and neuralgia. Persons are pointed cut
to me every day, walking up and down
the valley, who we're brought here few
months ago helpless, and on beds or
litters, who are now apparently we'll.
The weather in this secluded little
valley is comparatively cool and pleasant,
certainly much more so than at Indian.
apolis, and we sleep under O blanket
every night We have no mosquitoes,
gnats, and but very few flies The val.
ley is 80 deep and narrow that the sun
disappears behind the western crest by
halfpast four in the afternoon, and
leaves US in the cool shadow.
The water possesses some remarkable
property which even chemistry has failed
to discover. II is tssteless, but many
people drink it hot with as much avidity
as il it we're ice water, and il IS said that
with the aid Of pepper, salt and little
butter IT makes very paiatable soup.
The country aronnd is wild, mountainous
and very sparsely populated, the most
of the settlers living by hunting and
fishing.
Game is abundant, and we have veni
son on the table three times a day, and
this is almost the only article Of food
that is not brought from the North by
way Of Little Rock.
There are about four hundred visitors
from every part Of the United States and
Mexico. They are Of al styles, and
represent every species Of disease
We hear very little politics discussed
That subject is, BY common consent, ig-
nored, and L is sometimes amusing TO
hear people talk all around It, appsr-
emily afraid TO refer to anything even re-
moiely Political
The mail comes but once q week,
comes one Saturday and leaves the next
so that this letter viii not start until
next Saturday. News to you becomes
news 10 me about ten days after
These mountain valleys are very fer
tile. and capable Of growing every thing
that Is produced 10 Indiana; but our
potatoes, -four, beef, butter, dried
peaches, homiuy, beans, etc, are al
brought from the North.
IT, .-....a~- 80 fIr rrrrf rnunn-lrr Ne