The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-04-06
KARLSBAD SALTS.
The Famous Medicinal Spring Has
Broken Out in New Spot.


From the London Standard.
A new hot spring is said to have burst
forth at Karlsbad, copious enough to re-
joice the hearts of all interested In Its
medicinal waters. The site of that at
tractive health resort must be something
like the leaky lid of a gigantic kettle.
for hot water rises to the surface at no
fewer than seventeen places. We have
yet to learn whether the waters just dis
covered agree in composition with those
already known, for it does not always
follow that neighboring springs are OF
Identical composition. Differences are not
uncommon where the water rises 10 tho
surface from orifices some little distance
apart. At Karlsbad su.phate of soda IS
the dominant mineral, but some of the
springs contain good deal of carbonate
OF lime. This, as the temperature falls,
forms masses composed of small balls,
like peas. but with radial structure. due
to capitalization, which are cut polished,
and worked up into ornamental souvenirs
The mineral contents of these medicinal
springs are varied enough but some
times the quantity, even in the most
health giving, is surprisingly small. This
is the case, for instance, with the famous
springs of Pfafers, near Ragtaz, in Swift
zerland. They break out near the Tamlna,
in a deep and narrow rocky gorge, at a
temperature just under 100 degrees Fair.
enheit, and though they contain only
very small quantity of soda and mag
nesia are remarkably beneficial in many
stomachic, equity, and nervous disorders
SO beneficial that, in the old days when
patients camped as best they could near
the orifices of the springs, they not only
survived, but actually proflted by the
treatment.
In mountain countries mineral springs
are generally abundant. Switzerland alone
l.; said to contain quite 250 bathing estab-
lishments, with saline, alkaline, chalybe-
ate, and sulphurous waters. Not the least
remarkable among these are those of
Stachelberg, which are so impregnated
with the last-named mineral that the wa
ter has a birthstone color, and the bather
for the rest of the day is suggestive of
an ambulant box of old-fashioned lucifers.
Every traveller over the Gemmi Pass has
paused to look at the baths of Leuk, where
the patients spend hours gently stewing
in the tepid water, furnished with float
ing tables for their papers and coffee
cups. The st. Moritz springs, in the En-
gadine, which have become so celebrated
during the last thirty years, contain iron,
alkaline, salts, and carbonic acid gas. But
the Eastern and Western Alps are not
less famous. In the one the sulphur baths
of LIE Prese, the alkaline waters of Bor-
milo and Bad Gastein, and the chalybeate
of Santa Catharina have long been more
or less well-known, and the Western Alps
have many similar health resorts. OF
Aix-les- Bains, near the lovely Lac de
Bourget, every one knows very, hot, and
very rich in iron are the less familiar
springs of Monetier, in the heart of
Dauphine. Volcanic districts also, as
might be expected. are rich in mineral
springs. In Auvergne they abound. Vichy
is a household word with many invalids;
but Mont Dore and Royat also attract
many visitors. One of those at the latter
place leaps and bubbles, like a miniature
and perennially troubled Pool of Bethes-
da, in the principal public garden, and
some, such as that at Clermont Ferrand,
deposit great quantities of carbonate of
lime But the British Isles have also
their mineral springs-Leamington Chel-
tenham, Tunbridge Wells, Harrogate,
sometimes suggestive of rotten eggs, the
warm chalybeate waters of Bath. Ire
friw, like ink to the palate, Strathpeffer,
and many more. Even the neighborhood
of London once had it's spas. Those of
our own country have been for time
rather thrown into the background by
Continental rivals, but now, in many
cases. they are regaining popularity.