190 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



of Ii'eland, iUusti-ating parts of the Coimties of Clare and Galway, by 

 ITr. Frederick J. Foot, M. A., give the geological formation of the 

 Lisdoonvarna district, which may account for the natui'e of its springs. 

 At page 27, Hi'. Foot ohserves that " Iron occurs in the form of ii'on- 

 stone nodules and thin bands in the shales about Lisdoonrama, . 

 also as iron pyrites, with the crystals of which mineral (he adds) the 

 black fissile shales, when they are unweathered, may be seen coated." 

 He seems correct in remarking (page 28) that " It is fi'om the decom- 

 position of the iron pyiites [suIjDhide of ii'on] in the coal measui'es 

 that these wells [at Lisdoonvama] derive their sulphui' and iron." 



It may be added, in passing, that ITr. Foot gives a connect wood- 

 cut of the "Twin Spas" as Figaire 9 of his report. 



Following the suggestion of a recent eminent writer, from a medical 

 point of view, on these and other spas of Ireland (Dr. IXIapother), who 

 advised lithia to be looked for in the Gowlaun water, the authors 

 made that search by means of the spectroscope, and the presence of 

 lithia (by its distinctive band) was ascertained, but in amount too mi- 

 nute for a quantitative detennination in the supply of water available. 

 This constituent seems to have been detected in tias water now for the 

 fii'st time. Dr. Hapother relies on it as a cui'ative agent of much 

 value. 



Another medical gentleman, Mr. 'William Faussett, ]M. B., F. E. C. S., 

 who visited Lisdoonvama in 1867, as he says, " for his own health's 

 sake," states, in an account of his visit (page 13), that " The sulphur 

 and chalybeate springs of Lisdoonvama, when judiciously used, and 

 supplemented as occasion, in some cases, may requii'e, possess an ex- 

 tensive range of therapeutical action ; and being fi'ee from the excess 

 of any iiTitating ingredients, such as common salt, will, on this ac- 

 count, be found more beneficial than spas which have hitherto been 

 held in higher repute." 



Since then (it seems it was, that) the present excellent pump-room 

 was built over the Gowlaun Well. In September last the local phy- 

 sician, Dr. Stackpoole Westropp, was erecting some baths near it, 

 much desii'ed by patients and theu" professional advisers. Dr. Apjohn 

 remarked, in 1856, that the Gowlaun water was '^used externallv as a 

 bath." 



Of the several spiings at Lisdoonvarna two are chiefly resorted to, 

 namely, the before-mentioned sulphur spiiug known as Gowlaun, and 

 the principal chalybeate spiing at Piathbawn. The following are the 

 results of the examination made of them : — 



GOWXArX. 



' The temperatui-e of this water, as cbawn fi'om the well, was found 

 to be 11° C, the aii' at the time being 15.5° C. It contains, in addi- 

 tion to the usual constituents of well water, 5.553 cubic centimeters 

 of sulphru'etted hydi'ogen in the litre. The unoxidized sulphur exists 

 entii-ely combined with hydrogen. It also contains, as before mentioned, 



