Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-04-12
Arsenic Spa
IHe pAur> EAuE> orAvEHlo4

Far away In the wilds OF Arkansas
is the little village Of Hot Springs. the
Baden-Badcu Of America Like Baden,
ii is situated ID a narrow defie formed by
three immense mountains. evidently Of vol
canic origin, which rise several hundred
feet above the tops Of the houses and trees.
Upon the summit of one of these mouu-
tains burst forth these life-giviug streams,
which run in Iimpid sparkling rivulets
down the mountain side. and either empty
themselves n the creek below or are con-
veyed by pipes TO the numerous bath
houses erected along lis banks. In geuer-
al characteristics these waters simply re-
Semble the famous Baden waters, but in
healing efficacy they far surpass them
These springs are about eighty in number
and range IN temperature from one hun
dred and twenty to one hundred and sixty
degrees Fahrenheit
They are strongly impreguated with
mineral water, and derive their name, from
the preiominatng mineral substance they
contain. The hottest one Is distinguished
as the Egg Spring, and the surrounding
ground for a considerable distance is COW
cred with egg shells, for it Is cnjoined as a
pious duty upon every visitor to make
pilgrimage to this particular spring and
to eat one or more eggs boiled therein,
and to drink some Of the water, which
when seasoned with a little pepper and
salt. is said to he very palatable chicken
broth
4 correspondent o the Savannah Re
publican, from whose letter we borrow these
facts, adds that the Arsenic spring is much
resorted to by the few lady visitors, rs it
said to impart ! lily-hke complexion,
but this effect is much more speedily pro-
duced by the use Of vapor baths. The
Iron Spring IS by far the most popular
and all drink the water therefrom at one
hundred and fifty degrees. Children par
ticularly, become very fond Of it, and so
exhiIarating are its effects, that many in
ebriates resort here to break off the habit
Of drunkenness, and it is stated as fact
that they feel no desire for any stronger
stimulant as long as they remain here.
No very satisfactory analysis has ever
been made Of these waters 1t is the opin-
ion of the most intelligent physicians. |
believe, that the virtue of the water lies
not in the minerals by which they are i'm
pregnated, but in subtle gas or ozone
which pervades them. The latter theory
accounts for the peculiar buoyancy observ-
able in the water when directly from the
spring, but which it loses after standing
certain it is that no little difficulty is ex-
perienced in keeping the body under the
water when in a bath
The bath houses are divided into three
apartments, dressing room, plunge bath
room and vapOr room, and the bather final
ly emerges to the outer world completely
enveloped in shawls and blankets, with a
tin can of hot water in his hand, and Joins
in the grOtesque band Of fellow individuals,
all similarly attired, which through the
morning hours compose a living stream
from the hotels to the bath houses. Ar
rived at his quarters, he jumps into bed,
still covered with every available wrap
ping, and then finishes his bath in a pro-
fuse sweat, lasting from ten to twenty min
utes, during which time he is expected to
drink at least one pint of hot water. He
then rises, is rubbed down with a coarse
towel, dresses, and amuses himself as best
he can for the rest ofthe day The spring
season commences in April and ends in
November, but numbers from the far North
west resort here during the winter months,
to escape the severity of that more rigor-
Gus climate.
The similarity in situation and general
character of the waters to those at Baden
are not. however, the only points in the
resemblance l have endeavored to show.
As at Baden, the guests at Hot Springs
compose a varied and miscellaneous assem-
blage. Almost every nationality and sta
tion in life is here represented. Chicago,
perhaps, contributes a larger number of
visitors to these springs than any other city,
and produces the impression upon stran-
ger that the climate of that METROPOLIS
must be highly conducive to rheumatism,
neuralgia and gout. Another sad point
of resemblance between Baden and Hot
Springs. is the prevalence of gambling.
One word now about the hotel accommo-
dations and | am done The analogy ex-