The Waters 
•'OF-v. 
The Glen Springs, 
WATKINS, N. Y, 
#ea</ /n the Section on Materia Medica and Pharmacy, 
at the Forty'’fourth Annual Meeting of the 
American Medical Associotion, by 
F. E. STEWART, M. D„ Ph, G„ 
Demonstrator and Lecturer. Materia Medica and Pharmacy, Jefferson 
Medical College, Philadelphia Pa. JW T has long been our habit as physicians to send 
[I, our patients to the healing waters of Europe for 
health and recreation. When it is considered that 
there are nearly a thousand mineral springs in the 
United States of America, many of them fully 
equal to any that may be found abroad, this fact 
seems anomalous. One feels like saying with 
Naaman, the Syrian, “Are not Abana and Phar- 
pjiar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters 
of Israel ? May I not wash in them and be clean ? ” 
While it is true that the Spas of Europe, being 
older, are, as a rule, better equipped with establish- 
ments where the waters may be used under the 
direction of physicians specially trained in their 
administration, there are similar places in the 
United States, and I believe in developing the 
resources of our country. Advantages may be 
given to our patients in America similar to those 
found in Europe at a figure within the means of 
the ordinary American citizen. But we must 
study the subjects of balneology, climatology, 
hydrotherapy, etc., that we may send our patients 
to American Spas where the correct principles of 
treatment are carefully carried out. 
Dr. Titus Munson Coan of New York City, who 
has made the subject of the mineral springs of the 
United States a special study, says in his paper on 
“American Mineral Waters with some remarks on 
American Climates,” read before the Ninth Inter- 
national Medical Congress: “There are about six 
hundred mineral springs in the United States now 
utilized as places of resort. At few of these, in- 3 
deed, are there fine hotels; at fewer still are there 
regular establishments. But the constant process 
of natural selection, swifter among us than else- 
where, will cause rapid progress in all that relates 
to balneology among us. Of all the communities 
of the world, that of the United States is the one 
for which the restful influence of spring treatment 
are indicated.” 
And how are we to realize this development of 
American Mineral Spas, except through the efforts 
of the medical profession ? Institutions should be 
established at the mineral springs in convenient 
parts of the country from Maine to Florida, and 
from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Such establish- 
ments should be put in charge of competent phy- 
sicians for their development. But they can never 
reach the high standing desirable until the medical 
profession, as a whole, educates itself to know and 
demand the higher class of facilities. 
Quoting again from Dr. Coan’s paper : ‘ ‘ And 
what data have we for the survey of this vast terri- 
tory from the balneographic point of view ? We 
have the various surveys, whether made by States 
or by the general Government. A considerable 
number of monographs by different geologists and 
physicians and medical societies, notably the 
American Medical Association, and a lesser 
number of general treatises. We have, as yet, 
little to show that will compare with the learned 
works of Trousseau, Durard-Fardel, Braun, Hellft- 
Thilenius, Rotureau and Leitchtenstein. Dr. 4 
Walton has produced an excellent manual, one 
that may be called a pioneer work in this direction, 
though it is necessarily incomplete from the lack 
of sufficient data. These, however, are now being 
developed on every hand, and particularly by the 
United States Geological Survey, to whose publi- 
cations the student of American mineral waters is 
under great obligations, and especially to Dr. 
Albert C. Peale’s recent monograph, ‘Lists and 
Analyses of the Mineral Springs of the United 
States, ’ published as Bulletin 32 of the Geological 
Survey, a work which must be consulted for the 
fullest data yet available in the matter of analyses, 
of which 850 are given. ” 
In the light of such facts as these, no apology is 
necessary for bringing to your notice the waters of 
several mineral springs in Central New York, 
near Watkins Glen, which hitherto have not been 
mentioned in literature. 
The existence of a mineral spring on the hillside 
near Watkins Glen, New York, has long been 
known to the residents of the town, who have for 
many years ascribed to it marvelous healing pow- 
ers. The spring is on the site of an ancient “deer- 
lick,” and was known to the Seneca Indians, who 
had erected a log curbing around it, the remains of 
which were found during subsequent excavations. 
The waters closely resemble those of the European 
Spas, Kreugnach, Hall, Duerkheim and Kranken- 
heit. Professor Chandler’s analysis of this spring 
shows it to contain chloride of sodium and of potas- sium. the bromide and iodide of sodium, the bi- 
carbonates of ammonium, iron, calcium and mag- 
nesium. with traces of other mineral salts, among 
them bicarbonate of lithium. 
The w’aters of the Deer-lick Spring are clear and 
limpid, without odor, and with a slightly astringent, 
mildly saline taste. 
Several years ago certain parties were boring in 
the hillside not far from the Deer-lick Spring, 
hoping to discover natural gas. Seventeen hun- 
dred feet below the surface the tool struck a layer 
of strong brine. This brine was found to con- 
tain upon analysis a large proportion of calcium 
chloride, thus unfitting it for the manufacture of 
salt for commercial purposes, and the well yield- 
ing neither gas nor brine fit for manufacturing 
purposes, was abandoned. The waters, however, 
resemble the celebrated brines of Kreugnach, 
Rheims and Nauheim, and are now being used for 
medical purposes. 
According to Professor S. A. Lattimore of the 
University of Rochester, this brine, which has a 
specific gravity of 1133, each gallon yielding 1.62 
pounds of salt, contains per gallon 3,499.08 grains 
of calcium chloride, 6,368.33 grains of sodium 
chloride, andJ635.67 grains of magnesium chloride, 
with traces of the iodide and bromide of sodium, 
iron and alumina. He says it differs from all 
brines that he [has hitherto analysed, and from 
nearly all those whose composition has been re- 
ported, on account of the total absence of calcium 6 
sulphite (gypsum) which is almost invariably pre- 
sent in brine everywhere. No other sulphates are 
present in this brine, and he says: “The very 
large percentage of lime (calcium) in the form of 
chloride is equally exceptional in my experience.” 
The name, Neptune, has been given to this spring. 
Two other mineral springs are found in this 
locality. One of them is a delightful table water, 
and has been named Salubria, to perpetuate the 
ancient name of Watkins, which it bore before 
Dr. Watkins purchased the real estate in the 
neighborhood and gave the town its present name. 
The other spring contains iron, and has received 
the name, Vulcan. 
Salubria water contains in each sixteen fluid 
ounces 196.28 grains sodium chloride, 19.68 grains 
calcium carbonate, .05 grains magnesium carbon- 
ate. It is therefore a saline calcic water. In 
composition it resembles in some respects the 
waters of Vichy, Tachingen and Bilin, but it is 
more closely related to the waters of Kissingen, 
Horn burg, Wies-Baden, Baden-Baden, Mondorf, 
Constatt and Sodan. It also resembles the waters 
of Saratoga. The taste of the water is quite similar 
to Kissingen. When artificially charged and bottled 
in the same manner as similar waters elsewhere, it 
compares favorably with those now on the market. 
Professor Lattimore’s analysis shows the Vulcan 
Spring to contain in each sixteen fluid ounces 
calcium carbonate 29.80, magnesium carbon- 
ate 11.87, iron carbonate 1.87, sodium chloride 7 
149.05. The water also contains much carbonic 
acid gas. By consulting the comparative table it 
will be observed that this water stands midway 
between the Pandur and Maxbrunner waters of 
Kissingen in regard to the amount of chloride of 
sodium present; that in regard to the amount of 
iron the Kissingen, Ragoczi, contains in each six- 
teen fluid ounces, 1.92 grains; the Pandur 1.62, 
while the Maxbrunner contains no iron at all. It 
is evident, therefore, that the Vulcan water pos- 
sesses the great advantage of being more mildly 
saline than either of the waters of Kissingen con- 
taining iron. 
The site of these springs is a beautiful spot on 
the shores of Seneca Lake, west of the village of 
Watkins, and about ten minutes’ walk from the 
famous Watkins Glen. The altitude of the spot is 
about three hundred feet above the surface of the 
lake, and seven hundred and thirty feet above sea 
level. The hotels in the village are good, and well 
patronized in the summer time. The Sanitarium 
situated near the springs was established by repre- 
sentative physicians, and is an assured success as 
a sanitarium doing scientific work, and an attrac- 
tive summer resting place, with bathing facilities, 
massage, electric treatments, etc. 
Therapy :—The medicinal value of these waters 
is the same as that of similar waters in other parts 
of the world. The water of the Deer-lick Spring, 
therefore, is tonic and alterative, diuretic and 
mildly aperient. The use of waters of this class results in an improvement of the appetite and 
digestive processes. Tissue metabolism is pro- 
moted, and the red globules of the blood increased. 
This being the physiologic effect of their admin- 
istration they are recommended by all authorities 
in the treatment of anemia, chlorosis, hysteria, 
neurasthenia, chronic diseases of the kidneys, 
glycosuria and diabetes, and in various diseases 
peculiar to women, such as chronic endometritis, 
dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, etc. 
Like the waters of the celebrated Spas of Kiss- 
engen, Homburg, Wies-Baden, etc., which it re- 
sembles in many respects, the water of the Salubria 
Spring is a stimulant to the mucous surfaces gen- 
erally, especially to that of the stomach and bowels. 
This class of waters, according to the leading 
authorities, when taken into the stomach disolves 
the mucus, and by increasing the secretion of gas- 
tric juice and bile, promotes the absorption of food. 
This is probably enhanced by the well-known 
property of sodium chloride upon osmosis. In 
large doses these waters are purgative. They aid 
tissue building by increasing both constructive 
and destructive metamorphosis. They are used 
extensively in Europe in the treatment of catarrhal 
processes, especially of the stomach and bowels, 
also in chronic inflammation of the pharynx, stom- 
ach, duodenum and bile ducts, in constipation, in 
congestive affections of the abdominal and pelvic 
organs, chronic endometritis, hepatic and splenic 
congestion, chronic inflammatory diseases of the 9 
respiratory tract, obesity, scrofula, gout, rheuma- 
tism and neuralgia. 
The Vulcan water of the Glen Springs, as already 
pointed out, belongs to the same class of mineral 
waters as those of the Kissingen Spa. Like the 
Kissingen, it is somewhat alterative, diuretic, tonic, 
and mildly aperient. In gout this class of water 
proves useful by exciting the secretion of the in- 
testines, kidneys and the skin thereby reducing the 
habitual plethora,eliminating the gouty poison, and 
promoting a healthy tissue metabolism. They have 
been highly recommended in scrofula (though the 
iodo-bromated waters such as the Deer-lick are 
preferable,) in chronic catarrh of the stomach, 
abuse of alcoholic stimulants, deficient secretion 
of gastric juice, congested liver from sedentary 
habits, calculus and catarrh of the bladder, and 
externally in various swellings of the glandular 
organs. 
For external use, however, the Neptune brine is 
preferable. Like the chloride of calcium brine of 
Kreugnach, so celebrated for its healing virtues, 
this water has a place in the treatment of a certain 
class of diseases. The baths given at the Euro- 
pean Spas of Kreugnach, Rehms and Nauheim * 
are of various kinds, and known respectively as 
ordinary baths, wave baths, froth baths, graduated 
brine baths, and baths with the addition of mother 
lye. The latter has great popularity. By com- 
paring the analysis of the Neptune water with 
that of the graduated brines of the European Spas, it will be found that the American water does not 
require concentration to make it fully equal to the 
best of them. 
Brines are graduated at the European Spas by 
letting the water run down great scaffoldings of 
thorns whereby it is concentrated by evaporating 
from the extensive surfaces thus exposed to the 
air. When the evaporation has been repeated 
several times, and the brines are concentrated to 
such a degree that they contain from 180 to 140 
grains of salines to the pint, they are in many 
places boiled, in order that those salines which are 
not easily soluble, such as choloride of calcium, 
silica, carbonate of lime, carbonate of magnesia, 
alumina, iron and manganese may be precipitated, 
and removed from the liquid. That which remains 
after several weeks boiling is called “Mother lye.” 
This is half salt and half water, containing from 
2,000 to 4,000 grains of salines to the pint. Its 
chief solid constituents are chloride of calcium, 
magnesium and potassium, and bromide and iodide 
of sodium and magnesium. The water of the Dead 
Sea will serve as an illustration of Mother Lye. 
There is no visible outlet to the great basin of saline 
water, and the waters, concentrated by evaporation 
in the sun, precipitate the more insoluble salines, 
and hold those which are more soluble in solution. 
The most celebrated mother lyes in Europe are 
those prepaired at Kreugnach, Halle, Volterra and 
Durcheim. The quantity generally added to baths 
varies from two to thirty quarts. By a fourth con- centration, crystalization ensues, and the hard 
substance finally remaining is known as “Mother 
Lye Salt.” This contains a certain proportion of 
water, and is very hygroscopic, so that when ex- 
posed to the air, it soon becomes liquid again. 
Arrangements have been made at Watkins for 
evaporating the Neptune brine for the purpose of 
preparing salt for giving what are known as salt- 
rubs. As will be seen, however, the water does 
not require concentration, but dilution, for use in 
bathing. Indeed, for some purposes, especially in 
treating uterine troubles by irrigation, great dilu- 
tion is required at first, to be gradually employed 
in stronger solution if required. 
♦Since this article was written the wonderful results 
obtained by the Drs Schott with the waters of Nauheim 
have been brought prominently before the medical pro- 
fession. As the analysis of the Neptune Spring corre- 
sponds almost identically with that of Spring No. 12 of 
Nauheim. The Glen Springs are able to adminster the 
Schott or Nauheim Baths and Resistance Movements in a 
manner second only to that of Nauheim. For further par- 
ticulars and illustrated book address, 
WM. E. LEFFINGWELL, Manager, 
Watkins, N. Y, LCM BROS. & WEST CO., UTlCA, N. Y.