Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1896-12-10
MUD BATHS IN NEW MEXICO.
Have Curative Powers Equal to the
Baths of Carlsbad.

From the Denver Republican.
John o. Plank, Of Las Vegas, regis
tered at the Albany, yesterday. "ine
hot springs of New Mexico said he'
..are or The Santa Fe railroad, six
miles from Las Vegas, and they are
situated in a basin about thirty acres
ia extent, surrounded on all SIDES oy
hills, rising to a height Of from S0o TO
400 feet, shielding the place from wind
and sand storms. The mud natns'
which are famous for their curative ef-
fects. are only to be had in two places
IN the world, here and at Carlsbad,
Germany, and 1t has been shown tina!
the mud found at the hot spring. OF
New Mexico, and which Is used IN
giving the baths, is of the same chemi-
Cal composition as that OF Carlsbad
It is yery interesting to note the lorna.
| ton of this mud or peat. 1t is formed
by the vegetation which has been
washed down from the hills, probably
a century ago, and which settling
among the rock, has become decom-
posed and formed into a substances
which is practically carbon impregnat-
ed with salts, magnesia, soda, hthia
and various other ingredients.
"This peat is gathered from the
rocks, dried, and put through a hne
sieve, in order to remove the s~ilicates,
and after this treatment it is as soft az
four. 1t is then taken to the mixing
room, where it is put in large tubs and
the water from the hot springs mixed
with it until it is Of about the consist
ency of mush. The mud IS now ready
for use aud it is taken into the bathing
room, where the patient is placed In
tub and covered, with the exception o.
the head, and allowed to remain in the
mud for from ten to thirty-fve minutes
The application of the mud has &C
effect similar to q mild poulice, and
draws the impurities from the body
through the pores OF the skin. In
natient ia the removed from the bath,
placed upon a slab and submitted to 9
vigorous rubbing, the chemical compo'
sition of the mud being such that |
can be rubbed from the body with I
dry towel, leaving the flesh in a ciear
condition. A great many people Come
to this place to take the mud bath treat
ment, and some marvellous cures are
Effected. Ia one instance l remember
to have seen a man, who was all drawn
m with rheumatism, and after tw'
weeks OF this treatment he had beer
relieved.
1.-THE treatment is especially bene
fetal to persons afflicted with neuralgia
rheumatism and skin diseases. Their
are at this place twenty-seven spring
which vary in temperature from a cole
sulphur spring to a hot spring. Tn
water registering as high as 140 degree
Fahrenheit, AMI these waters are muc'
used for bathing, as they have grea
medicinal properties by reason OF thei
chemical compositions. The generaii
. accepted theory for the existence Q
9 these hot springs is that the STRAIT
rock in this section runs perpendicula
9 and the water from the mountains
probably far distant from the he
springs. passes down between the per
pendicular strata to a great depth unit
it is heated BY the heat from the interio
of the earth, and by reason of the ris
in temperature Is caused to move up
ward, issuing forth from the earth q
such points as are most convenient 10
, its exit