West Newfield Spring.

This spring occurs in a meadow nearly two miles from the village, and is indeed a remarkable water. Not only is the water very thoroughly impregnated with the odor of sulphuretted hydrogen, but the sulphur deposit noticed so often in laboratories was noticed at this spring. When water holds sulphuretted hydrogen in solution, there is often thrown down from it upon exposure to the air, a yellowish white powder, which is at once recognized to be sulphur. And so, around the sides of this spring, sulphur had been deposited. Temperature of the water, 44 degrees Fahrenheit.

Having nothing in which to carry away a sufficient quantity of the water, I am unable to give positively its composition. The percentage of iron held as a sulphate is exceedingly small, and the taste of the water is consequently less unpleasant than that of many astringent chalybeate springs. It is sufficient to say that it is one of the best sulphur-waters yet noticed in the State by any of the gentlemen attached to the Survey. If it were not in such an uninviting place (a marshy meadow at some distance from any village), it would become a celebrated spring. As it is, it has considerable local reputation.

Sulphureous springs have been noticed at Saccarappa, at Wells, and near the Katahdin Iron Works.

2. CHALYBEATE SPRINGS.

Various mineral waters hold in solution carbonate and sulphate of iron. These are formed by the decomposition of iron pyrites, which is composed of two atoms of sulphur and one atom of iron. Occasionally we find in mineral waters the carbonate of the protoxide of iron. Upon exposure to the air, a portion of the carbonic acid escapes, and the iron is deposited as a protoxide, which speedily becomes a sesqui-oxide upon union with more oxygen from the atmosphere. The same deposition of sesqui-oxide takes place when the waters are boiled, and by this simple test they can be distinguished from those containing sulphate or chloride of iron. Springs, the water of which contains any of the salts of iron, are called chalybeate, and may be usually known by a very distinct astringency. Around the sides of such springs, and upon twigs and leaves in the water, we find a deposit of peroxide of iron, which is

often so abundant as to tinge the water flowing from it. The dark color so often noticed in such springs arises from the presence of gallic acid in the bark of wood falling into the water; the gallic acid and oxide of iron forming a dilute ink.

Pereira, in his great work on Materia Medica, states that chalybeate waters are indicated in cases of debility, but their use is contra-indicated in febrile or inflammatory conditions of the system. Numerous springs of this character have been discovered in the State, and may be conveniently arranged into two classes, according to the acid which predominates in the water. This division into two classes, Carbonated Chalybeates and Sulphated Chalybeates, is, after all, quite arbitrary, because in many cases a sulphated water contains carbonic acid, while a carbonated water may hold in solution a sulphate of iron.

Carbonated Chalybeales.

These are frequently met with in many parts of the State, and in nearly every instance I have also found sulphate of iron as well as carbonate of iron in solution.

West Bethel Spring.

This is situated near the West Bethel Station at the base of a granite mountain called Anasagunticook. It has already become a place of considerable resort for invalids and summer visitors. The spring is not far from a ledge of pyritiferous mica schist, from the decomposition of which it procures its constituents. But a very small quantity of this water was examined by me, and with the following results: Temperature, June 18th, 42 degrees Fahr.

In 6,000 grs. there were found 5.92 grs. of dry salts. Free carbonic acid could not be determined after the lapse of time between June and October, as the bottle of water was not carefully sealed at the time it was procured.

The spring-water is dark colored from the trace of gallate of iron

present in it. In taste, it is not unpleasantly astringent. The alumina in this water is not in sufficient quantity to render it objec tionable in diseases of the heart.

Fryeburg Spring.

This spring is on the farm of Mr. Hutchins in the western part of the town. When seen by Dr. Holmes and myself in July, it was covered with a thick film of peroxide of iron, and possessed a faintly astringent taste.

Temperature of the water, July 3d, 1861, 43 degrees Fahr.

The film of per-oxide of iron extends down for several rods from the source of the water, indicating that the amount of iron is by no means inconsiderable. So far as I am aware, no medical use has been made of this water.

Upper St. John.

While walking along the west bank of this river near its junction with Great Black River, my attention was attracted to a spring from which flowed water rendering the ground below thoroughly impregnated with per-oxide of iron. The water we found to be quite as strong as any noticed in other parts of the State, but its present inaccessibility forbids us from more than alluding to it as a carbonated chalybeate spring.

Ebeme Spring.

Water from this spring was handed to me by Mr. Houghton of the Survey. It comes from a locality well known to be ferruginous and it has attained a more than local reputation as a medicinal agent.

The free carbonic acid in this water can not be far from four cubic inches in 100 cubic inches of water.

From this analysis, it appears that this water is a superior chalybeate, having free carbonic acid, giving it a pleasant taste.

Sulphated Chalybeates.

Several springs of this character have been noticed in various parts of the State, but they generally contain carbonic acid in solution. I am inclined to consider the sulphated chalybeate springs containing more or less carbonic acid as more common than any others in the State.

North Waterford Spring.

Mr. Farnum Jewett of the village of North Waterford very kindly accompanied Dr. Holmes and myself to this spring. This water has not only a decided astringent taste, but it produces a singularly nauseating effect even in small draughts. The spring is on the bank of a body of water of some size, a mile or two northwest of the village, and is in a locality unfavorable in every respect for rendering it a place of any resort. A pint of water was conveyed away from this spring in a bottle which I was unable to seal for several days, so that my results of analysis must be considered as somewhat modified by loss of carbonic acid.

7.25 grs. in 8,000 grs. Temperature of the water, July 15th, 3 o'clock P. M., 40 degrees

Fahr.

A little oxide of iron was detected around the edges of the spring and covering twigs and leaves which had fallen into the water. This spring has considerable local reputation, in cases of dyspepsia and anæmia.

Bethel Spring.

This is near the village of Bethel Hill.

It was shown to me by

its discoverer, Capt. Nathl. Chapman. It is a simple solution of sulphate of iron and sulphate of alumina.

From its proximity to

the village, it is likely to attract the attention of those summer visitors who frequent this charming town. The water was examined after a heavy rain, and on this account, no estimate of the amount of the earthy salts could be made with certainty. It can be with safety considered a fine, palatable, chalybeate water. The proportion of alumina is quite small, and does not interfere with the direct tonic effect of the iron.

There are very many other sulphated chalybeates which ought to be mentioned, but through lack of time and space I can make only a brief allusion to their localities, which are as follows: Gorham, Dixmont, Audover, Newry, Biddeford, one of the islands in Portland harbor, Harpswell, Topsham, etc., etc. As far as my observation extends, each of these springs contain both sulphate of iron and a carbonate of the oxide of the same metal.

3. SALINE SPRINGS.

This class is smaller than the other two, but certainly as important as either.

Lubec Spring.

One of the most interesting of these occurs at Lubec, near the head of South Bay. Not having been able to examine this water myself, I avail myself of the analysis made in 1836 by Dr. C. T. Jackson of Boston:

1,000 grs. of the water yield 3.5 grs.; or in a standard pint of the water, 30.63 grs. 4

100 grs. of this salt (dry,) gave, by analysis—

99.6 leaving (as loss in analysis,) .4 gr.

I do not know that any application has been made of this water

as a remedial agent for either external or internal use.