1602. 003, 604, 605 1 ] abuse of mineral waters. 287 



firm conviction that the country is so unhealthy, that even the "healthiest 

 water " will not protect its inhabitants. The water is not blamed, because the 

 experience of the first year has " proved " it to be beneficial to health. 



602. Now, there is nothing surprising in the circumstance, that vigorous ple- 

 thoric constitutions should be benefitted, for the time being, by a water having 

 slightly laxative properties. So they might be by using small doses of Epsom 

 Salt. But it does not follow that, because the disease, or tendency to disease, 

 has been removed by a medicine, that medicine ought to be continued habitually. 

 The return of the original indisposition might thus be prevented ; but a new 

 one would be sure to arise in its stead. 



Mineral waters of any considerable strength are medicines just as properly, as 

 any prepared in the druggists labaratory ; and their indiscriminate use will 

 ultimately produce no better results, than could be expected to follow a sys- 

 tematic consumption of the contents of a drugstore. 



603. While this is true of magmsian waters, the same cannot be 

 maintained with reference to those impregnated (as the waters of 

 our bored wells generally are) with carbonate of lime. Experi- 

 ence has conclusively proven, that persons habituated to the use of 

 waters containing a moderate amount of carbonate of lime, do 

 not necessarily sustain any injury therefrom ; although their tend- 

 ency to certain classes of diseases, not so prevalent in adjoining 

 freestone regions, may be increased. 



It is quite probable, that a certain small amount of lime, such as spring 

 waters usually contain, is quite beneficial, as furnishing an important ingredient 

 to the animal economy. While, therefore, excessive limyness of water in daily 

 use, may prove injurious, and has been known to do so in numerous cases, the 

 amount of lime usually contained in the bored wells of the prairie region and 

 the Flatwoods, cannot be considered as necessarily unhealthy ; though to be sure, 

 they may be to some constitutions, and to those not accustomed to their use. 



604. It must be recollected, that the water of wells bored in the western 

 portion of the Flatwoods, and in the hilly region adjoining, may become magne- 

 sian in consequence of its passage through, or long standing in, the black clays 

 of the Lignitic (Flatwoods) formation, which there overlies the limestone strata. 

 If the taste, or effects on health, should induce any suspicion of this being the 

 case, the following simple test may be applied: boil the water in & perfectly 

 clean kettle, for at least an hour ; after cooling, pour it out into a clear and clean 

 tumbler, cover it over, and leave it to settle until it becomes perfectly clear and 

 free from floating particles. This may sometimes require a whole day ; when 

 it is clear, dip out half a teaspoonful with a clean silver spoon, and let the water 

 so taken evaporate in the spoon, in a place free from dust. It may be set on 

 the stove, but ought not to be made to boil violently. If afterwards any con- 

 siderable amount of salt (in the shape of a white dust) is found in the spoon, 

 the water ought to be submitted to a chemist.* If, on the other hand, only a 

 slight general tarnish remains in the spoon, it will usually be safe to use the water. 



605 x What has been said above concerning the mineral or magnesian wells of 

 the Hilly Flatwoods region, holds good also, of course, in regard to the natural 

 mineral springs, which are not uncommon in the same region, and become very 

 abundant in W. Calhoun, and some parts of Choctaw and Winston counties. 

 There, strata of sand, and black sandy clay, which frequently replace the heavy 

 Flatwoods clays, or alternate with them, give rise to numerous springs, which 

 are mostly more or less mineral. Their most usual character is that of magne- 

 sian chalybeates, often with sulphuretted hydrogen, For some further particulars 

 regarding these waters, see " Waters of the Yellow Loam Region (1[G69, ff".). 



*Any specimen of water sent to the State Geologist at Oxford, free of freight 

 or other charges will be examined, and the result communicated to the owner, 

 free of charge. 



