1853.] 



THE MINERAL SPRINGS OF CANADA. 



153 



as indicating the jjeculiar nature of the ooze of that formation, 

 and remarks that visitors to the springs if not in time to break- 

 fast oif the fisli of the Old Red Sandstone, are yet enabled to 

 gulp down as medicine, an infusion of their bones and juices. 



For the consolation of water drinkers it may be remarked that 

 the above extracts are somewhat exaggerated, inasmuch as the 

 quantity of organic matter contained in mineral springs is exceed- 

 ingly ininute, more especially in all that have fallen under my 

 notice in this countiy. 



According to the generally received theory of the formation 

 of mineral springs, the water which falls upon the surface of the 

 earth becomes impregnated with carbonic acid, it penetrates into 

 deeper strata and takes up in most cases a quantity of common 

 salt, this solution is supposed in its further progress to act upon 

 the ditterent rocks with which it comes in contact and to dissolve 

 out those various substances which are discovered in the sprino- 

 when it again I'eaches the surface. It has been objected to this 

 theory that such a solution would not be capable of dissolvmg 

 these numerous substances out of the rocks through which ft 

 passes, but this objection has been i-emoved by Struve, who by 

 passing water saturated with carbonic acid, and under high pres- 

 sure, through the powdered basalts and phonolites of Toplitz and 

 Bilin succeeded in most completely imitating the celebi-ated 

 mineral springs of these localities. 



It lias also been objected that the enormous quantity of solid 

 materials which would, thus be eliminated from the interior of 

 the earth, would in the lapse of years produce lai-ge cavities below 

 the surface which must from time to time be filled up by the 

 superincumbent strata. This objection, at first-sight, seems to be 

 well grounded, when we consider the extraordinaiy masses which 

 are evolved from certain springs. For instance, the Carlsbad 

 spring gives out yearly, no less than 6,800 cwt. carbonate of 

 soda, and 10,300 cwt. sulphate of soda, besides the large amount 

 of carbonata of lime which constitutes the so called Sprudelstein. 

 It must be remarked, however, that this disintegration does not 

 take place at any one particular spot, but throughout a very 

 large extent of surface, out of which the water trickles, and even 

 if it were confined to one spot, the quantity of material which 

 would be removed in the course of 500 yeai-s has been shown 

 by calculation to occupy a space, which, when we consider the 

 great depth from which the spring arises, would form but an 

 atom, perfectly incapable of producing those disasters which the 

 opponents of the theory ha\e deemed possible. 



With regard to mineral springs in the neighbourhood of 

 Toronto, I have very little to say, as I am not aware of the 

 existence of any which deserve more particular notice. Many 

 springs in this vicinity, and even numerous wells contain a large 

 proportion of salt, and some curious observations have been made 

 in regard to the rapid variations in the quantity of this substance, 

 contained in the water, but I am not aware of there being any 

 spring in the neighbourhood which really deserves the appellation 

 of a mineral water in the sense above described. Perhaps the 

 most curious is the water which forms the rivulet running back 

 of the Davenport Road, and flowing into the Don. This water 

 is charged with carbonate cf lime to a considerable extent, and 

 produces petrifactions, or more properly speaking incrustations of 

 a very beautiful character. 



The deposits formed by this spring, although considerable in 

 quantity, are very soft, widely different from those hard, stony 

 formations, which are produced by many springs, especially that 

 of Carlsbad in Bohemia. 



It is scarcely necessary to allude to the interesting topics to 

 which this simple incrustation of moss would tend to direct our 

 attention, many of the ancient strata of the earth's surface, and 

 several stupendous modem foi-mations — as, for instance, th« Tra- 



Tertine of Naples, depend upon causes which may be conveniently 

 observed and studied within a mile of Toronto. 



No other springs possessing any interest are to be found in the 

 immediate neighbourhood of Toi'onto. 



About the Falls of Niagara there are several springs reputed 

 to possess medicinal properties ; several of them are impregnated 

 to a greater or less extent with sulphuretted hydrogen, but the 

 quantity is_ never very large, and the amount of saline matter 

 contained in them is so exceedingly small as to render their 

 medicinal properties rather doubtful. 



The burning spring on the bank of the rapids, is interesting on 

 account of the large quantity of inflammable marsh gas which is 

 evolved with the water. A precisely similar phenomenon is 

 observed in a spring a few miles distant from Hamilton. In both 

 of them the saline matter has been found to be exceedingly small 

 in amount. 



This gas, light carburetted liydrogen, seems to be evolved from 

 the earth in many parts of Canada, probably arising from the 

 gradual decomposition of the organic matter contained in various 

 bituminous rocks. 



Near Ancaster there are two springs : the one which is called 

 by Mr. Hunt the Sulphur Spring does not seem to be of much 

 value ; but the other, called the Saline Spring, is remarkable for 

 the enormous relative quantity of chlorides of calcium and inag- 

 nesium it contains, as well as for the amount of bi-omine. From 

 the great strength of this water, it is probable that it will be found 

 to possess considerable medicinal virtue. Mr. Hunt's analysis is 

 given below, the quantities being calculated to one pint. Analy- 

 sis No. I. 



Some yeare ago I analysed a specimen of a mineral water col- 

 lected at Hamilton by Mr. Young. The exact locality is unknown 

 to me, but the spring, although not very rich in thetotal amount 

 of saline matter, yet contains so large a relative quantity of sul- 

 phate of magnesia, that it might probably be of value. — 

 Analysis JVb. II. 



A few miles west of Simcoe, in the twelfth range of Ohariotte- 

 ville, there is a spring, which according to Mr. Hunt is remarkable 

 for containing a very large amount of sulphuretted hydrogen, 

 more than one-tenth of its bulk. As regards this constituenCthe 

 Chariotteville spring is much richer than the celebrated Harrow- 

 gate water; and although the amount of saline matter is com- 

 parati\-ely small, as may be seen from the subjoined analysis, yet 

 there can be but little doubt that it may hereafter be safely 

 applied for medicinal purposes, when certain obstacles which at 

 present exist shall have been removed, and free access be afforded 

 to this remarkable spring. Analysis No. III. 



The most remarkable of all the springs in the Province, are 

 those which have received the name of Sour Springs. One of 

 these exists in Wentworth, nine miles south of Brantfbrd, and is 

 generally known by the name of the Tuscarora Sour Spring. It 

 is remarkable for containing a considerable quantity of free sul- 

 phuric acid, besides that portion in combination with potash, soda, 

 lime, magnesia, oxide of iron and alumina. The water contains 

 no trace of chlorides, and but a small quantity of sulphuretted 

 hydrogen. Although such springs are among the great rarities 

 of Europe, a considerable number are known to exist on this 

 continent. In the State of New York there are several, and I 

 have lately examined a perfectly similar specimen from St. Catha- 

 rines. These waters might be applied to several useful purposes, 

 if they could be obtamed in sufficient quantities. 



In the appendix attached to this paper, I have given a resume 

 of the analyses of the most impoi-tant springs found in this 

 neighbourhood, and have added those of the Plantagenet and 



