has been explained on the theory of peculiarities of their electric or thermal condition, about which we know nothing definite, and on the presence in some of them of a large quantity of nitrogen. It has also been ascribed to the various organic substances in some of them, such as glairin, which when collected is sometimes useful as a cataplasm. These waters are not often much drunk, but any efficiency they may have in dyspepsia and perhaps in neuralgic diarrhoeas must be attributed to the favourable action of hot water on the digestion. The waters of this class, especially the hotter ones in the form of baths, are extremely useful in resolving the effects of inflammation, in thickenings of the joints and in chronic rheumatism and gout. They also are often effective, especially the cooler ones, in neuralgia and in some hysterical affections. They are sometimes prescribed in urinary affections, in which case they probably assist by dilution. The effects of many of these waters are aided by the baths often being situated at considerable elevations and in out-of-the-way spots, whence the Germans called them Wildbäder. They are very widely diffused, being found in all quarters of the globe, especially in volcanic districts. There are many in New Zealand; in America the hottest are in the west and in California.
Earthy Waters.—These differ chiefly from the indifferent waters in containing an appreciable quantity of salts, among which sulphate or carbonate of lime or of magnesia predominates. The great majority of them are of high temperature. They produce the same effects as the indifferent waters, but are perhaps less efficacious in neuralgic affections, while they are more employed in some of the chronic scaly eruptions. There was formerly a tendency to consider these waters useful in urinary affections; but at the present day it is only the colder ones that have come into repute for the expulsion of gravel and biliary calculi and in the treatment of affections of the bladder generally. Some of them have also of late years been considered to exercise a favourable influence on scrofula, and to be useful in the early stages of pulmonary phthisis. This has been attributed to the salts of lime present in them, although it is known that most of its salts pass through the system unaltered. Many of these baths, such as Leuk and Bormio, enjoy the advantages of great elevation, but Bath, otherwise one of the best of them, lies low.
| Locality. | Height in Ft. |
Temp. ° Fahr. |
Therapeutic Action. | ||
| C o l d |
Contrexéville, Vosges | 1050 | — | Special action in calculous affections. | |
| Lippspringe, N. Germany | — | — | Supposed to be useful in phthisis. | ||
| Wildungen, do. | — | — | Special use in urinary complaints; contains iron. | ||
| Weissenberg, Switzerland | 2600 | — | Resorted to for pulmonary affections. | ||
| Pougues, France | 600 | — | Dyspepsia, diabetes, hepatic and urinary concretions. | ||
| W a r m |
Baden, Switzerland | 1180 | 117–122 | Rheumatism, gout, paralysis, scaly eruptions. | |
| Leuk, do. | 4400 | 93–123 | Do., some female complaints. | ||
| Bormio, North Italy | 4400 | 86–104 | Do. do.; old sprains. | ||
| Lucca, Italy | — | 108–122 | Do. do.do. | ||
| Bath, England | — | 108–122 | Do. do.do. | ||
| Dax, south of France | 1400 | 139 | Do. do. | ||
| B. de Bigorres, Pyrenees | 1800 | 64–123 | Do. chlorosis, neuralgia. | ||
Salt Waters are so called from containing a predominant amount of chloride of sodium. They also generally contain chlorides of magnesia and of lime, and occasionally small amounts of lithium, bromine and iodine. They further often contain a little iron, which is an important addition. The great majority of the drinking wells have a large supply of carbonic acid. There are cold and hot salt springs. Sometimes they are used for drinking, sometimes for bathing; and the double use of them is often resorted to.
The normal quantity of common salt consumed daily by man is usually set down at about 300 grains. The maximum quantity likely to be taken at any well may be 225 grains, but commonly not more than half of that amount is taken. The increase to the usual daily amount is therefore probably not much more than one-third. Still it may be presumed that the action of a solution of salt on an empty stomach is different from that of the same amount of salt taken with food. Salt introduced into the stomach excites the secretion of gastric juice and favours the peristaltic actions, and when taken in considerable quantity is distinctly aperient. We thus see how it is useful in dyspepsia, in atony of the stomach and intestines, and sometimes in chronic intestinal catarrh. Salt when absorbed by the stomach appears again in the urine, of which it increases the amount both of fluid and of solid constituents, especially of the urea. It seems, therefore, to be pretty certain that considerable quantities of salt taken into the circulation increase the excretion of nitrogenous products through the urine, and on the whole accelerate the transformation of tissue. Salt is thus useful in scrofula by stimulating the system, and also in anaemia, especially when iron is also present. In some German stations, as at Soden, carbonated salt waters are considered to be useful in chronic laryngitis or granular pharyngitis.
Baths of salt water, as usually given, rarely contain more than 3% of chloride of sodium, some of the strongest perhaps from 8 to 10%. Their primary action is as a stimulant to the skin, in which action it is probable that the other chlorides, especially that of calcium, and still more the carbonic acid often present, co-operate. In this way, and when aided by various processes of what may be termed water poultices and packing, they are often useful in removing exudations, in chronic metritis and in some tumours of the uterus, and generally in scrofula and rachitis, and occasionally in some chronic skin affections.
The French accord high praise to some of their thermal salt waters in paralysis, and some German ones are used in a similar way in spinal affections. The salt waters are sometimes so strong that they must be diluted for bathing. In other cases concentrated solutions of salt are added to make them sufficiently strong. These waters are widely diffused, but on the whole Germany is richest in them, especially in such as are highly charged with salt. The Kissingen springs may be considered as typical of the drinking wells, and sea-water of bathing waters. The air of salt-works and pulverization of the water are employed in German baths as remedial agents.
| Locality. | Temp. ° Fahr. |
Therapeutic Action. | ||
| C o l d |
Soden, near Frankfort | — | Dyspepsia, anaemia scrofula, special for throat and phthisis. | |
| Homburg, do. | — | Dyspepsia, slighter hepatic affections, chlorosis, gout. | ||
| Kissingen, Bavaria | — | In all essentials the same. | ||
| Pyrmont, North Germany | — | Better known for its iron; has a good salt drinking spring. | ||
| Kreuznach, near Bingen | — | A salt well without carbonic acid; used in scrofula and anaemia; bathing more important. | ||
| W a r m |
Wiesbaden, Nassau | 155 | Used in dyspepsia and gout; the bathing is most important. | |
| Baden-Baden | 156 | Still milder water; uses similar; gout. | ||
| Bourbonne, Haute-Marne | 114–149 | Rheumatism, neuralgia, effects of malaria, | ||
| Balaruc, South France | 116·6 | Do.; special for treatment of paralysis | ||
| Salins, Moutiers, Savoy (1480 ft.) | 96 | Scrofula, anaemia, loss of power, sexual disorders. | ||
| Brides, Savoy (1700 ft.) | 95 | Act on liver and digestive canal used for obesity. | ||
| Acqui, North Italy | 169 | Rheumatism; special treatment with the bath deposit. | ||
| Abano, do. | 185 | Chiefly as baths; mud of bath used for poultice. | ||
| Caldas de Mombuy, near Barcelona | 153–158 | Rheumatism, sciatica, old injuries | ||
| Cestona, Guipuzcoa, Spain | 88–94 | Rheumatism, indigestion, bronchitis, | ||
Almost all the above stations have several springs of various
strengths: the cold may be said to vary
from 14 to 5·8% of chloride
of sodium; the warm are generally weaker, perhaps varying from
6·8 to 1·6.
Salt springs are found in many quarters of the world, but the chief carbonated groups for drinking purposes occur in Germany, and at Saratoga in America, Where very remarkable wells indeed are to be found. France and England have no springs of this class. The stronger wells, used chiefly for bathing, occur where there are salt-bearing strata, as in Germany, Galicia, Italy, Switzerland, France and England. Very powerful waters of this class are those of St Catherines in Canada.
The presence of minute portions of iodine or bromine in salt waters is by no means infrequent, and they appear in considerable quantity in some few. It is, however, extremely doubtful whether any known spring contains a sufficient quantity of iodine, still more of bromine, to act specially on the system, even if that action were
not necessarily superseded by the presence of the large quantity of