ALKALIES IN FOODS. 35 
Certain Natural Waters from volcanic regions, former, or 
present, are in demand as pure and refreshing drinks, because 
of their amount of carbonic acid gas, as well as their mineral 
salts. The best, and longest known is the water of Seltzers in 
Nassau, generally called Seltzer water, which continues to be 
supplied commercially in just the same state as whilst rising 
from this wonderful spring. It was first used in 1798. But 
artificial mineral waters are now much more in vogue, all of 
which are impregnated with carbonic acid gas made from chalk 
(carbonate of lime) in its ground, pulverulent form, “ whiting.” 
Those waters which are distilled should be preferred, not only 
because they are free from organic impurities, but also because 
they are without any mineral salts in excess; of course, the 
source of the water from which these drinks are manufactured 
must be irreproachable as regards taint of impurity, or infection. 
And as to ‘“‘ the mineral spring fad,” says Dr. Woods Hutchinson 
(1903), “‘ this is one of the survivals in medicine from the times of 
the ‘trembling of the waters’ in the Pool of Bethesda. It origin- 
ated unmistakably in the good old demon-theory days, when the 
potency of the water was rated according to the amount of heat, 
and effervescence from gases contained therein, and, best of all, 
from its sulphurous smell, and abominable taste, all of which 
were to the primitive mind clear and convincing proofs that such 
water issued directly from the infernal regions, being possessed 
by spirits, and hence peculiarly suitable for the casting out of 
devils by Beelzebub.” ‘Thus, either sparkle, heat, or a 
brimstone taste is still the popular requisite for a successful 
mineral water; if it has all three it inspires a confidence little 
short of that felt by Montaigne in the waters of Corsena, which 
he declared ‘ powerful enough to break stones.’ ” 
A bottle of soda water recovered from the wreck of the Royal 
George (1780) was sold March 10th, 1903, by public auction in 
London for the sum of twenty-five guineas, it being more than 
120 years old. Soda water was first introduced in 1767, being 
called “ Mephitic julep,’ by Mr. Richard Bewley, of Great 
Massingham, and it received its present name before 1798. A 
glass soda-water bottle was dug up on the Crimean battlefield, 
thus showing that no alteration in the shape had taken place for 
seventy-three years. Ginger-beer was at one time put into 
bottles similar in shape to this same soda-water pattern, but 
made of stone. ; 
