THE CHIGWELL ROW MEDICINAL SPRINGS. 67 
with some considerable acidity. Upon the whole, I can venture 
to pronounce it a useful purging Chalybeate. 15 ’ 
[The writer next discourses at considerable length on various 
properties of water and its action on different substances, but 
his remarks are omitted, as being of general, not specially of 
local, interest. He then returns to the Chigwell Row well, of 
the water of which he says] it will here be necessary to say 
something more, before I begin with its properties and efficacy 
as a medicine. 
The earth, for some considerable distance round these places- 
where this mineral water issues out, is of a black foetid loam, 
in appearance like a black rotten bog 20 ; w ch is probably 
occasion’d by the nature of the water, as the adjoining soil seems 
to be a stiff clay. On inspecting these places more narrowly, 
I discover’d among the mud a kind of scum reflecting changeable 
colours ; and, upon a nearer inspection, [I] found it a kind of 
substance composed of sharp pointed spiculse or crystals, pointing 
from a centre, as is observ’d in the mundick, but so tender that 
no quantity could be got sufficient for any tryal. 21 It tasted 
strong of iron. The water at first is of a dull muddy colour and 
lets fall an ocrey sediment. 
I am told that formerly people used to come [from] many 
miles round to drink and also bathe in these springs and 
receive[d] much benefit thereby. The old inhabitants say that 
it is a sharp water, [and that it] cures the itch, scurvy, and 
other cutaneous diseases. 
I have given it to several, who found much relief. I gave 
it a young woman last sum r for a most violent scabby face and 
anus. She drank near a pint of it every morning. In about a 
week, the scabs grew dry and came off. In another week’s time,, 
they were all off. She continued well and went to her place 
again. She s d it purg’d her sometimes 3 or 4 times a day ; and 
19 Mr. Dalton writes:—“The chemical re-actions effected are:—(1) with galls, the 
“ formation of black tannate of iron ; (2) with ammonia carbonate, of green protoxide of iron ; 
“ (3) with lime-water, of the same, tinging the cloud of insoluble carbonate and sulphate of 
“ lime ; and 14) with acetate of lead, of insoluble lead carbonate and sulphate. The decom- 
“ position of the carbonate of iron into peroxide upon continued exposure to air destroys the 
“ blackening action of gall-tincture. Evaporation would leave the soluble ingredients as. 
“ crystals (see note 24)." 
20 Mr. Dalton writes:—“ The blackening of the soil is due to the formation of tannate 
“ (or allied salts) of iron by the vegetable acids; partly, perhaps, also to the action of the 
“iron oxide on decomposing matter, producing compounds akin to humus.” 
21 Mr. Dalton writes :—“ The iridescent film of peroxide of iron is exceedingly thin and 
“ brittle. Though it is of very common occurrence, I have never observed it to exhibit any 
“ such stellar structure as that described. The film on lime-water, mentioned further on, is. 
“ similarly composed of insoluble carbonate on contact with air.” 
