ORIGIN AND NATURE OF SPRINGS. 13 



singular variety of constituents. It is impossible 

 for any one, however unobservant or careless, to 

 visit these springs and not be impressed with the 

 singularity of the display which is afforded, of nat- 

 ural waters holding large quantities of mineral sub- 

 stances in complex combination. Many of the 

 agents contained in the waters are extraordinary 

 and rare, and in studying their composition it has 

 been found difficult to point out a dozen inorganic 

 substances used medicinally, which are not found 

 in the waters of some one or more of the group of 

 springs at Saratoga. Here are iron, iodine, bromine, 

 lithium, magnesia, lime, soda, potassa, sulphur, 

 baryta, strontia, alumina, and a great variety of other 

 agents, held in perfect solution in the waters, con- 

 ferring upon them a great diversity in appearance 

 and taste, and also a great diversity in medicinal 

 effects. T\\9 nature of the strata and rocks through 

 and over which these waters flow, in their course 

 towards the outlets, must be very singular in chem- 

 ical composition. The sources of many of the 

 springs are probably quite distant, and they bubble 

 up from considerable depths. They are artesian 

 in character, although a majority have come to the 

 surface through natural channels. It is probable 

 that the nature of the underlying strata and rocks 

 is such, at Saratoga, that it would be impossible to 

 make a boring at any point within a radius of half 



