450 



Account of a ChalyJjeate Sprhig, 



been in the first place to evacuate the patient's bowels by a dose 

 of rhubarb and magnesia, or Epsom salts, or other mild ape- 

 rients^ in order to remove any vitiated bile, or other offending 

 matters which may have accumulated in the intestinal canal, and 

 then to begin, the following morning after breakfast, with one 

 ounce of the water diluted with two ounces of pure rain-water; 

 and this is to be repeated three times a day, at proper intervals. 

 In a few days, if it does not disagree with the stomach, this 

 quantity may be increased to two ounces of the water, diluted as 

 before, three times a day. After this tlie dilution may be gra- 

 dually diminished until it can be taken in the pure state, and the 

 dose of the water may be also increased by degrees till it ulti- 

 mately amounts to four ounces four times a day, making in the 

 whole one pint in the 24 hours, which has been the most that 

 has ever been found necessary to prescribe in one day, even in 

 the most obstinate cases of intermitting fevers brought from 

 Walcheren. 



Sometimes in very delicate and irritable stomachs the water 

 may produce nausea ; and sometimes (though rarely) may excite 

 vomiting : these unpleasant effects are, however, easily obviated 

 by adding to it a tea-spoonful of brandy, the compound tincture 

 of cardamom, or other aromatic tinctures; taking care to obviate 

 costiveness during the course. 



The aluminous chalybeate spring issues from a cliff on th^ 

 S.S.W. side of the Isle of Wight, immediately under St. 

 Catharine's Down, in the parish of Ci^ale, between the village 

 of which and the village of Niton it is nearly equidistant. Its 

 distance from the sea-shore is about 150 yards, and elevation 

 about 130 feet above the level of the sea. The views from the 

 spot are highly interesting, commanding the under cliff to the 

 €ast, the British Channel to the south, the winding coast to the 

 west, and at increasing distances Freshwater Cliffs, the Needles, 

 St. Alban's Head, and the Island of Portland. It is to be 

 observed that the beneficial effects of the aluminous chalybeate 

 water are not confined to its internal use ; for being applied 

 externally as a lotion it has been attended with tlie greatest 

 advaiitage, particularly in the cure of scrofulous sores, foul 

 ulcers, tinea capitis, scrofulous opthalmia, and in all herpetic 

 diseases of the skin. 



For a mere able and detailed account of this water I beg leave 

 to refer your readers to a most excellent report of it by Dr. 

 Lempriere, which embraces every thing that at present has been 

 noticed on the subject, either by myself, or the Gentlemen who 

 have directed their attention to this new remedy. 

 I have the honour to be. Sir, 



Your very obedient and humble servant, 



NeisiporU Isle of Wight, T, L. WaTEK WORTH » 



April 18, 1813. 



