BAILEY. | Mineral Waters. 49 
obtained from artificial preparations of the same ingredients. 
It is true that some ingredients may be present in small quan- 
tities, so small, in fact, that they are neglected by the ordinary 
analyst, and yet they may be present in large enough quantity 
as ions to have a therapeutic effect. Ordinarily, however, the 
taking of a mineral water is beneficial, more because of the con- 
ditions under which it is taken than because it is made in na- 
ture’s laboratory rather than that of the chemist. The hygiene 
and climate of the surroundings of the mineral-water resort or 
sanitarium have a very important effect on the health of the 
patient. There are regular meals, and of food that is prescribed 
by a physician; there is sufficient exercise, especially in the 
open air; there is the freedom from care and business; there is 
pleasing scenery and society. All these, with the drinking of 
an abundant supply of water—a thing too often neglected at 
home—tend to improve the health of the patient, entirely aside 
from the beneficial effects of the water taken under the advice 
of a physician. If baths are also prescribed, they are of the 
right kind, temperature and duration to assist nature in its ef- 
forts to throw off a diseased condition. It is extremely difficult 
to have these conditions at home. 
IONS ARE PRESENT IN SOLUTION. 
According to the modern ionic theory, a large percentage 
of the ingredients of mineral waters are present as ions, be- 
cause they are metallic salts in dilute solutions. When the 
waters are very concentrated, as in the case of the Crabana, 
Hunyadi, Carlsbad, and also the Abilena, of Kansas, it is fair 
to assume that some of the ingredients are undissociated (see 
chapter V). -In general, then, it is necessary to consider the 
therapeutic action of ions of a certain kind, as Na, Ca, or SQO,, 
or of solutions in which we have a large variety of ions. In 
the latter case the therapeutic action of a given ion may be 
modified by the presence in the solution of others. In most 
cases we are compelled to consider the action of salts when at 
least two kinds of ions are present. The science of medicine 
has hardly progressed far enough, since the modern theory of 
4 Vii 
