Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-10-10
heard fired, and the last gun of which sound
the requiem of the lost cause when I was at
my post of duty. HUGH ToLAND, M. D.


the requiem of the lost cause when I was at
my post of duty. HUGH ToLAND, M. D.
THE HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS.
At the foot of the mountain, rising 1850 feet
below the tide.water at the Gulf, on whose
sides the springs gush forth, lies the town
of Hot Springs, following the windings of the
narrow rocky valley Of the Hot Springs creek.
1t consists of one long, irregular street called
Valley street, which crosses and recrosses the
little stream. The valley of the latter runs
almost due north and south, the Hot Springs
mountain rising to the east, and more thickly
wooded hills to the north and west At one
part the picturesque little valley is so narrow
that the street takes up most of the level, the
houses on one side being built over the creek and
almost into the mountain side, which in many
places has been cut into and blasted away to
make room for the buildings and other i'm
provements. The town broadens out consid-
erably on the more level country at the
south, towards the Ouachta river, and at the
other end the houses are scattered for some
little distance up the valleys of the two
streams, which, joining at the northern end
of the town, together with the waters from
the mountain.side, form the Hot Springs
creek. This stream, after passing over its
rock bed in the valley, flows due south for
some six miles to where it joins the historic
Ouachita.
There are some fifty.six springs in all, said
by some to be one spring with this number
of outlets, ranging in temperature from 63
degrees to as high as 14S degrees, and situated
at different elevations on the Hot Springs
mountain, and in the valley of the creek be-
low, the highest issuing 1870 feet above the
Hot Springs creek, and rising within space
of 200 feet long by 200 wide.
The majority of the springs are situated
well up the mountain.side, few are distribu.
ted along the base, while others rise on the
banks of the creek, and one springs from the
bottom. The hot waters rise to the surface
through formation of milk.white novaculite
rock, on top of which they have deposited
layer of calcareous tufa, in some places of
very considerable thickness. They are sup
posed to derive their high temperature direct
ly from the interior heat of the earth, either by
passing over and through heated rock forma.
tions, or by thorough permeation with heated
gas and vapors, rising far below from the molt'
en- subterrene.
The springs rising on the mountain are
those used for bathing purposes, and are most
ly covered over to prevent any pollution at
the fountain.head, as we'll as to preserve, as
much as possible, all the properties Of the wa.
ter until it is brought into use. The waters
are carried by system of wooden pipes to
the tanks above the different lighthouses.
They are still so hot on reaching the bathing
tubs, that cold water has to be added. To.
gether these springs discharge some 344 gal.
Ions per minute, or nearly 100000 gallons of
hot water daily, having an average tempera-
ture, of 1876 degrees Fahrenheit-certainly
plentiful and hot enough for any number of
invalids.
Hot vapor rises continually from the limpid
waters, while carbonic acid gas bubbles to the
surface. In the colder months the vapor,
becoming visible, rises in such clouds that it
looks like fog hanging over the mountain
side. Day by day the springs are depositing
the tufa, which So-ms incrusted basins for the
clear sparkling waters. This is also found as
a coating on the pipes and troughs, in the re-
ceiving tanks, and, in fact, wherever the
waters pass. At the base of the mountain the
ridge formed by the tufa hangs over the hot
waters of the creek.
The diseases notably benefited, and in many
cases cured, by the use Of the water of the
Arkansas Bethesda, are those of the skin and
blood, nervous affections, rheumatism and
kindred disease, and the various diseases Of
women. In the case of acute and inhamma
tory diseases, especially those Of the heart,
lungs, and brain, the use of the waters is inju-
rious, and in many cases very dangerous
The treatment is by drinking and bathing
in the waters and in their steam, producing in
each case profuse perspiration, which is an
active agent in the elimination of the disease
by natural channels. The advice of physi-
clan who has well studied the effect of the
waters on the system is necessary, during
their use, as they, if rashly used, are as pow
erful 10 breaking down the constitution as
they are in building up. In many cases the
system has to be prepared for the treatment
by course Of medicine.
The hot baths are usually taken once day
for three weeks, when rest is necessary, the
patient probably spending week at the
ueighboring sulphur spring, near the Ouachi-
ia river. A second three weeks course is then
taken, followed again by an abstinence of
some days from bathing. The duration of
the treatment depends, of course, upon the
nature of the complaint and its degree of
severity. The usual stay at the springs is
from one to three months, but many invalids
stay year and longer, and, in fact, some set
tie there.-A. Yam Cleef in Harper's Maga-
zine.