Analysis of the Pittsburgh Mineral Spring. 135 



manner, and at the same time to impart vigor to all the 

 functions. It is therefore chiefly in chronic disorders and 

 those which are attended with great laxity and debility of 

 the solids, that such waters as we speak of are found to be 

 peculiarly useful. 



Chalybeates, such as this, are of eminent service in an 

 impaired or capricious appetite, weakness of the assimilatory 

 organs, irregular digestion, flatulent distention, and an oc- 

 casional vomiting of viscid mucus. These are the usual 

 symptoms of a disease called dyspepsia, which is of fre- 

 quent occurrence in this country, and which often baffles 

 the aid of medicine in any other form but that of a natural 

 chalybeate combined with exercise and a proper regulation 

 of diet. But in recommending this water as a powerful 

 tonic, I wish it to be perfectly understood that it should be 

 used only in those cases where all traces of active inflamma- 

 tion have subsided, such as complaints of the biliary organs 

 of the alimentary canal, or any of the viscera, arising prin- 

 cipally from intemperance or from climate, and frequently 

 accompanied with jaundice. It is by being employed inju- 

 diciously in these cases and before the inflammatory diathe- 

 sis is removed, that such chalybeates have often disappointed 

 the sanguine expectations of those who have resorted to the 

 use of them. 



Neither the design nor the limits of this essay will permit 

 the taking of a more extensive view of the various diseases 

 for which chalybeate waters may be considered as valuable 

 remedies. Enough has been already said to recommend 

 such mineral waters to those who are afflicted with com- 

 plaints for which tonics, and particularly combinations of 

 iron, are preferable to many of our common medicines. 

 I have as yet but slightly alluded to one quality which this 

 mineral spring at Pittsburgh has been observed to possess. 

 It has been already stated in the Analysis, that a slight im- 

 pregnation of sulphur, in the form of sulphuretted hydro- 

 gen, is present in this spring. It is true, that subsisting as 

 it does only as a gas in the water, the effect of the sulphur 

 as a medicine, may not be very apparent, but still such wa- 

 ters possess some medicinal qualities, and if highly impreg- 

 nated with it, are valuable remedies in Herpetic and other 

 cutaneous disorders, assisted by the frequent use of the 

 warm bath, which, at watering places is always to be found 

 as a necessary and suitable appendage to such establish- 

 ments. 



