Dr. Tenney's Account of Several 3Icdicinal jSpriii(/s. 55 



• 



cause continued to act, it must preserve some sprracuLi, Avliere 

 it found tlie least resistance : the explosion would have 

 formed more or less of a cavity within the earth, and this 

 cavity would naturally become a reservoir of water. This 

 water, saturated with the fixed air, continually supplied by 

 the decomposition of the- roCk, would be a proper men- 

 struum for dissolving the calcareous earth, or iron ore, which 

 it might meet w^ith in its passage ; and before its arrival at 

 the surface of the earth, form the combination which we 

 meet wdth in the springs. It is, however, but a conjecture ; 

 and one perhaps, that is not capable of being verified : ^ as 

 such, I submit it, 



I shall now proceed to complete the execution of my 

 plan, by giving a- history of some cases, and the effect of the 

 waters. In these, however, I cannot be very particular, as 

 I had not the precaution to take any minutes. 



9 



It may be proper to premise, that these acidulous w^aters 

 operate sensibly by vomit, stool, and urine. The first hap- 



pens, only when they are taken on an empty stomach 



and a pretty large quantity is necessary to produce the 

 second. The last, therefore, is the evacuation which they 

 • must naturally excite. 



The first patients that I sent were about thirty in num- 

 ber. Their disorders were rhcumatick, scorbutick complaints, 

 &c. with which old regiments generally abound. They 

 almost all returned perfectly relieved, particularly the rheu- 

 matick patients. Indeed I am disposed to believe, as 



well from the accounts of the people in the vicinity, as from 



my 



■A 



