and Bath as a Health Resort. 167 



are, besides, fractional quantities of sodium sulphate, mag- 

 nesium and sodium chlorides, and minute percentages of 

 silica and oxide of iron. The gaseous contents are five parts 

 Of carbonic acid and 95 of nitrogen in 100 parts. 



We now clearly understand our medical position, and we 

 call Bath Thermal Water the most important Hot Lime 

 Sulphated Water in the world. 



There are two ways in which the Bath Thermal Waters 

 may be applied : — an internal use and an external use. 



(A) The key to the internal use lies in this ehemico-vital 

 fact, that a Lime Sulphated Water increases the alkalinity of 

 the blood, but scarcely affects the alkalinity of the secre- 

 tions. The practice of drinking the Bath thermal Waters 

 did not become common until about the middle of the 

 seventeenth century. Warm Waters were said to have three 

 advantages over cold ones — (a) the heat is more agreeable 

 to the stomach; (b) they have more "balsamic healing 

 virtue '' ; (c) they may be drunk at any time of the year. 

 Heat and fluidity alone (so it was said) could not be the 

 sole causes of specific medical power ; but the " immediate 

 and sensible " effects were always distinguished from those 

 which were called "secondary." The primary effects most 

 spoken of were — an internal glow, felt sooner and lasting 

 longer than after common hot water ; a warmth in the head, 

 a quickening of the pulse, and a moisture on the skin. The 

 more remote effects were described as exhilaration of spirits, 

 increased appetite, more sleep, and a feeling of inward 

 support. The old and true doctrine was that the fluid 

 should be taken "sincere from the spring"; and part of the 

 doctrine was that the draught should be sipped slowly while 

 the aerial bubbling lasted. Not a few in the old time 

 disbelieved the medical virtue of a spring in which nearly 



