^processes obtaining in nature's laboratory under enormous pressure and 

 k^onstant chemical change, but when mineral water is bottled and allowed 

 to stand for any considerable length of time the minute mineral particles 

 precipitate and settle at the bottom of the bottle, thereby becoming "dead." 

 Such waters posse&s less medicinal value than those that are fresh or 

 :"living." 



The medicinal virtues of our California mineral waters are not gener- 

 ally understood. From an extended visit to most of the famous European 

 Spas and from an exhaustive examination extending over many years and 

 |the analyses made of most of the Important mineral waters in Califomia, 

 I am thoroughly convinced that we can duplicate most of the natural min- 

 eral waters found in other parts of the world, and that we have mineral 

 ^vaters in CaKfomia that will surpass many of the now famous European 

 Spas. 



Had the God of Physic, Apollo, and his son — ^the Father of Medicine- 

 Aesculapius, visited Califomia, there can be but little doubt that our foun- 

 tains of health would have been covered with temples, from the sparkling 

 !**Shasta Soda Springs" in the north to the "Sweet Mineral Springs" of 

 iCoronado in the south. Our mineral springs should receive more scientific 

 attention. All the waters should be carefully analyzed and tabulated. To 

 procure the greatest medicinal effect our waters should be administered 

 scientifically under the direction of the medical man. The indiscriminate 

 administration by spring owners of mineral waters of which they know little, 

 to patients of whose requirements they know less, is an injudicious practice 

 which is bound to bring the springs into disrepute. The indiscriminate 

 drinking of mineral waters ad libitum is not altogether free from danger. 



The bath as a therapeutic agent Is not fully appreciated. The an- 

 jcients, and even our own aborigines, seem to have esteemed thermal bath- 

 ing even more highly than we do. When we remember that the cutaneous 

 surface of the human body contains from three millions to seven millions 

 .Jittle pores, and that these are frequently stopped by epithelial scales from 

 ,the skin, oil, grease and waste products from the body generally, supple- 

 jnented by the dust and dirt from without, it is readily seen that the normal 

 functions of transpiration — perspiration — and exhalation are materially in- 

 terfered with^ More than one-third of the natural excretions from the body, 

 including the water, should be exhaled or thrown off by the skin and lungs. 

 Many of our California springs have facilities for thermal baths — mud, 

 saline and sulphur — which are of as great therapeutic value as any of the 

 baths that can* be given on the continent of Europe. Our spring owners 

 should make a study of the therapeutic values of their mineral waters — 

 scientific analysis should be made of all of them, and there should be a phy- 

 sician in charge to direct the patient how and when to use the waters and 

 how and when to use the baths. 



Our California mineral springs will be found to be not only identical 

 with, but in many instances superior to, any similar European waters. It is 

 no longer necessary, nor even advisable, to undertake the long, tiresome 

 •and expensive journey to Carisbad of Bohemia; Ems, Kissingen, Weisbaden, 

 -Baden-Baden, Seltzer and Apollinaris of Germany; Epsom of England; Aix- 

 'La-Chapelle of Aachem; Aix-les-Bains of Savoy, or to Vichy of France, when 

 •our Golden State offers similar and better curative agents at home. A 

 ^month each year spent at one of the health resorts will insure health and 

 ♦lappiness to those that are well and alleviate the sufferings of many that 

 iire overworked, nervous and ill. California, with her unrivalled climatic 

 conditions, her bracing and exhilarating atmosphere, unsurpassed scenery, 

 with her beautiful flowers and delicious fruit, her fertile alluvial valleys and 

 6un-kissed hills, and her many remarkable mineral and thermal springs, wii 

 pne day, not far distant, become the Mecca of the worid's health resorts. 



