Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1877-08-09

Physical Action and Therapeu-
tical Use of Mineral Waters,
and Analyses Of the Walhalla
Alkaline and Nevill's Chalybe-
ate Springs, by Richard Ed
ward Norman, Practical and
Analytical Chemist.
Mineral waters arc the only medicines
offered to US By nature in state fit for i'm
mediate use. They are admirably suited
for various diseases and constitutions, aud
the experience Of three thousand years has
proved them, in many cases, for superior
to the artificial compounds Of our drug
stores. Tho scant knowledge of natural
laws, in former times, ascribcd to them the
remarkable power of curing all diseases, and
tho superstition and mystery in which every
thing was shrouded that could not readily
be explained, was increased by the inten-
tional pervcrsions and cxaggcrations of local
physicians, who desired to attract crowds
Of patients. The numerous semi scientific
publications which annually went forth from
European watering places deserves, indeed
Iittlecredit, and it is only lately that strict
and reliable researches have been made into
the chemical composition of mineral springs
and their physiological effects upon the
healthy and diseased body b
The principle difference between mineral
and an ordinary spring is to bo found in
the larger volume of gases, especially car
bonio acid gas, dissolved in the water, and
In the mineral ingredients which are held
In solution by both; also in the temperature
OF the water, which varies from $50 to
2l20. They often present remarkable ap-
pearanccs when relieved from subterranean
pressure, by losing their gas with more or
less rapidity, according to the tension to
which they havo ,becn subjected, and by
parting with portion Of their mineral in
gredionts. Some Of them issue forth from
the earth with rumbling, gurgling or Kissing
noises; others do so only at regular intervals,
and rise to height Of from twenty to foyty
feet; some ascend from tho bottom of tho
sea, of lakes or rivers; others appear many
thousand feet above tho loveI Of the ocean;
some break through crust Of ioe and
snow; others issue with 10y coldness near
shrubs and flowers; scmo destroy vegetation
in their immediate neighborhood; while
others penetrate and coyer organic struct--
ures with calcareous inorustations and pre-
servo them for tho study Of future genera,
tions. -'.r.--r-,- b
Such phenomena wcro ropleto with Won
der to tho unoducated, and attracted the
attention of philosophers from an early
period. Supernatural properties wcro
ascribed to tho springs. Strange theories
wero propounded regarding their origin, and
wonderful tales and fables were current of
their curative powers.
Their use is not limited to any season, as
tho patient is not now requiredrfo undertake
a long journey to Europe or the North; the
spring comes to his bedsidet tho mountain
comes to Mohammed.
Their physiological action depends upon
the water itself, and upon tho carbonio acid
gas and saline substances dissolved in it.
ls was formerly beloved that tho beneficial
action of spring oorrcspondcd to tho
amount Of water taken and that crises and
CRITICAL excretions wore necessary to q suo-
cessful treatment, but that idea has been
happily abandoned by all enlightened phY.-
s'olans, There arc cases on record where
Prom 70 to 40 pounds Of watcr have been
taken daily, and consumption Of 6 to 10
pounds constitutes tho rule oven now.. Tho
stomach becomes overloaded, digestion is
impaired, and the constitution of the blood
is much altered. A largo portion Of the
water, especially if free from salines,. is
directly absorbed by tho. intestinos, and
exoites, tho skin. and. kidneys to morbid.
action, and dropsy and general prostration
are often tho result.
I Another widespread error is tho boliof
that q, glass of any mineral water must pro
duce Q strong Laxative action, and tho yaluo
of artificial preparations are often but yory
wrongly estimated by their purging power.
Nothing could be further from the truth. It
would bo indeed worry simple matter to
impregnate solution Of somo purgipg salts
with carbonio aoid, and namo it after somo