Medicinal mineral waters, natural and artificial : their efficacy in the treatment of chronic diseases, and rules for their employment : especially those of Carlsbad, Ems, Vichy, Kissingen, Marienbad, Pyrmont, Egra, Pullna, Seidshutz, and Heilbrunn / by S. Hanbury Smith.

  • Smith, Samuel Hanbury, 1810-1894.
Date:
1856
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Medicinal mineral waters, natural and artificial : their efficacy in the treatment of chronic diseases, and rules for their employment : especially those of Carlsbad, Ems, Vichy, Kissingen, Marienbad, Pyrmont, Egra, Pullna, Seidshutz, and Heilbrunn / by S. Hanbury Smith. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    minute state of division in which the active particles are presented to the sentient mouths of the capillary absorb- ents, it is more than probable that they are directly ab- sorbed into the circulating mass. Indeed, in no other way can we account for the powerful effects which result from the use of many chalybeate springs. The strongest does not contain more than five grains of the carbonate of iron to the gallon of water; the real quantity of this tonic received at a single dose into the stomach, or con- tained in a pint of water, must therefore be extremely small, and nevertheless it will exert a more salutary in- fluence upon the system than twenty times the dose of the artificial carbonate in our ordinary prescriptions.'^ Much of the efficacy of mineral springs depends up- on the state of intimate combination of the saline, metal ] lie and gaseous substances with the water. Daily expe- rience in the practice of medicine demonstrates that the properties of remedial agents are frequently enhanced by pharmaceutical combination, and the difficulty of combin- ng these substances as closely as they are found to be in a state of nature, is one reason of the superiority of min- eral waters. The state of dilution (which I have already alluded to) in which the various particles are held in min- eral waters, must also materially influence their opera- tion, and produce effects different from those which would be obtained by the same substances, if exhibited in a more concentrated form. The great variety in the tem- perature of mineral waters, from 8° or 10° to G0° of Reaumur's scale renders them adapted to various and op- posite indications, according as a more relaxing and sol- vent, or as a tonic and bracing, action is required. Mineral waters are then to be considered as strictly —fOn the Natural History, &c, of Mineral and Thermal Springs. Edinburgh, 1832.