VIRGINIA MINERAL SPRINGS. 157 



of the Geological Survey of Canada. He says : " There 

 are few mineral springs in the undisturbed portion of the 

 western basin of Canada. Almost all of the mineral springs 

 issue from palaeozoic formations, and the greater part from 

 the lower silurian rocks of Lower Canada. They are con- 

 nected, as elsewhere, with disturbances, axes, dislocations, 

 faults, and intrusive rocks." 



Of the springs of Virginia, of the class Thermal, a num- 

 ber are quite celebrated. 



"WARM SPRINGS," in Bath County, are fifty miles from 

 Staunton, and one hundred and seventy from Richmond. 

 The temperature is 98-99 F. The solid contents are small 

 in quantity, some twenty grains in the gallon. The water 

 also contains nitrogen, carbonic acid, and sulphuretted hy- 

 drogen gases. It is used both internally and externally, in 

 a number of diseases, as in joint and skin-diseases, paralysis, 

 scrofulous degenerations, and glandular obstructions. These 

 waters are delightful in the extreme for bathing, also, truly 

 medicinal in quality. They have been long in use, and have 

 been much extolled by writers on this subject. They have 

 reputation in an extensive catalogue of diseases, embracing 

 that multifarious variety of conditions for which warm bathing 

 is recommended. The gases of this water are nitrogen, sul- 

 phuretted hydrogen, and carbonic acid ; and the saline con- 

 tents, muriate of lime, sulphate of magnesia, carbonate and 

 sulphate of lime, with soda. Temperature, 98 F. 



HOT SPRINGS are also in Bath County, five miles west of 

 Warm Spring. The water is from 98 to 100 F. They are 

 used in cases of disease alone, as gout, chronic rheumatism, 

 debility positive, together with chronic derangements of 

 stomach and intestine ; also, glandular obstructions, chronic 

 ulcers, scrofulous swellings, diseases of skin, and paralytic 

 cases. They are used internally also as excitants, in weak 

 conditions of the stomach and bowels, chronic disease of 

 bowels and stomach, also as diuretics and diaphoretics. 

 According to Dr. Goode, the water of Hot Springs is not a 

 simple, pure hot water, but contains sulphate and carbonate 



14 



