The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 66

Mineral Waters. — Principal Mineral Springs

Mineral Waters.

Principal Mineral Springs.

New Zealand is singularly rich in springs of water that hold mineral salts in solution, and some of these are already noted for their valuable medicinal properties.

Both hot and cold springs are found, the former being, with few exceptions, confined to the districts of the North Island where volcanic forces have been active during the latest Tertiary period, and are not yet altogether dormant. A few thermal springs are found to escape from the Upper Mesozoic rocks, in localities where the source of heat can only be attributed to chemical decomposition of bituminous matters and sulphides; and in a few instances warm waters spring from Palæozoic rock-formations in the South Island. The cold mineral springs have a wider distribution, but have only as yet been examined from comparatively few localities.

The mineral waters of New Zealand are classified, from analyses that have been made in the Colonial Laboratory, under the following groups :—

Saline.—Containing chiefly chloride of sodium.

Alkaline.—Containing carbonates and bicarbonates of soda and potash.

Alkaline Siliceous.—Waters containing much silicic acid, but changing rapidly on exposure to the atmosphere, and becoming alkaline.

Hepatic or Sulphurous.—Waters the prominent character of which is the presence of sulphuretted hydrogen and sulphurous acid.

Acid Waters.—In which there is an excess of mineral acids, such as hydrochloric and sulphuric acid.

The following is a list of the best-known mineral springs, full details concerning which are to be found in the Official Laboratory Reports:—

No. Name and Locality. Temp. Fahr. Grains per Pint. Chemical Character of Water.
Bay of Islands District. Deg.
Ohaeawai and Pakaraka 60-116 16.8 Acid, aluminous; deposits mercury.
Hauraki District.
Waiwera 110 17.7 Alkaline, saline.
3 Puriri 60 67.1 Carbonated, alkaline.
Bay of Plenty.
4 White Island Lake 97-212 1850.8 Strongly acid.
5 White Island Springs 210 26.1 Strongly acid.
Rotomahana.
6 Pink Terrace Geyser 208 19.3 Sulphurous.
7 White Terrace Geyser 210 18 Alkaline.
Whakarewarewa.
8 Turikore, or Spirit Bath 90-120 10.9 Sulphurous.
9 Koroteoteo, or Oil Bath 214 13 Caustic, alkaline.
10 Ngatarawa, Gas Pool 124 8.4 Sulphurous.
11 Papatangi, Lobster-pot 110 5.7 Sulphurous.
Arikikapakapa. Deg.
12 Mud Bath 98 9.2 Saline, acidic.
13 Sulphur Pool 160 6.8 Acidic.
14 Sulphur Spring 73-98 10 Acidic.
15 Sulphur Stream 80 8.5 Acidic.
16 Mud Lake 65 6.8 Acidic.
Rotorva.
17 Tapui to Koutou, Graham's Farm Bath 90-108 9.1 Alkaline.
18 Kuirau, Washing Spring 136-156 9.9 Alkaline, siliceous
19 Waihunuhunuki, Lake House Clear Bath 130-170 7.3 Alkaline.
20 Lake House Acid Bath 150 11.4 Acidic.
21 Waikite (a), Morrison's Hotel Bath 120 9.4 Alkaline.
22 Waikite (b), Scott's Bath 116 9.6 Alkaline.
23 Hinemaru, Hughes's Baths 170 16.7 Alkaline.
24 Te Kauwhanga (a), Cameron's Bath 115 10.1 Acidio.
25 Te Kauwlianga (b), Painkiller 204 13.8 Acidic and hepatic.
26 Perekari, Sulphur Point Boiling Pool 130-150 7 Acidic.
27 Mud Bath, Sulphur Point 120 7.8 Acidic and hepatic.
28 Hot Pool, Sulphur Point 200 12.1 Acid.
29 Whangapipiro, Madame Rachel's Bath 170-210 14.7 Alkaline and siliceous
30 Otamawhata 144 11.4 Alkaline.
31 Hospital Lake 66 11.3 Acidic.
32 Te Pupunitanga, Priest's Bath 94-110 12.1 Acidic.
Rotoiti.
33 Te Kute, mud lake at Tihitari 100-212 6.1 Acidic, hepatie.
34 Te Mimi, hot waterfall, from 33° C. 90-112 3.8 Acidic.
Taupo District.
35 Rotokawa, Black Water 192 17.8 Acidic.
36 Rotokawa, Yellow Water 152 22 Acidic.
37 Wairakei, Piroirori, or White Water 112 1.8 Alkaline.
38 Ruahine, Crow's Nest 180 19.2 Alkaline.
39 Ruahine, Witches' Cauldron 192 20.8 Alkaline.
40 Ruahine, Ohinekahoro 195 23 Alkaline.
41 Ruahine, spring on flat near track 132 2.2 Feebly saline.
42 Otumahike, Acacia 136 3.9 Feebly alkaline.
43 Lofley's Gully, McPherson's 96 1.9 Feebly alkaline.
44 Lofley's Gully, cold stream 76 1.3 Feebly alkaline.
45 Lofley's Gully, warm stream 114 2.8 Feebly alkaline.
46 Lofley's Gully, Sumach 106 3 Feebly alkaline.
47 Lofley's Gully, Source No. 1 106 3 Alkaline, siliceous.
48 Lofley's Gully, Source No. 2 136 19 Alkaline, saline.
49 Lofley's Gully, Kokowai 104 2 Feebly saline.
50 Waipahihi, A.C. Bath No. 1 110 4.7 Chlorinated saline.
51 Waipahihi, A.C. Bath No. 2 146 5.7 Saline.
52 Waipahihi, Tea-tree Spring 170 13.4 Alkaline, siliceous.
53 Waipahihi, Source No. 1 160 10.8 Alkaline.
54 Waipahihi, Source No. 2 166 13 Alkaline.
55 Waipahihi, Waipahihi Stream 98 8.6 Saline.
56 Left bank, Waikato, Waiariki 125 10.8 Chlorinated saline.
Waikato District.
57 Whangape 160-200 6 Alkaline.
Ruapehu District.
58 Onetapu, Waikato 70 58
East Cape District. Deg.
59 Roparoa, Waiapu Cold Saline, bituminous.
60 Manutahi Waiapu Cold Saline, bituminous.
61 Pepoti Waiapu Cold Hydrocarbon gas.
62 Waipaoa, Poverty Bay Cold Bituminous.
63 Waipiro, Waiapu 144 Calcareous, bituminous.
Wellington District.
64 Wallingford 60 10.4 Acid.
65 Pahua Cold 184.2 Alkaline.
66 Burton's Spring Cold
67 Akiteo (a) Cold 62.4 Alkaline.
68 Akiteo (b) Cold 4.8 Sulphurous.
South Island.
69 Hanmer Plain Springs, Amuri 90-104 10.8 Alkaline.
70 Sumner Lake Springs, Amuri 93 2.3 Saline.
71 Amberley Spring, Canterbury Cold 11.7 Chalybeate.
72 Wickliffe Bay Spring, Otago 34.6 Saline.
73 Gibson's Spring, Southland Cold 2.3 Alkaline.

1. Ohaeawai, Auckland. A group of springs used as baths, 17 miles from Bay of Islands, the waters of which are acidic, depositing sulphur and alum on cooling. Silica is only deposited as a granular sediment. These springs are chiefly interesting from their being accompanied by an escape of mercurial vapour, which deposits cinna-bar and metallic mercury. Their medicinal action is tonic and chalybeate, and they have a specific alterative action in skin diseases.

2. Waiwera, on the coast, 30 miles north of Auckland. A powerful escape of weakly alkaline and saline water, extensively used as baths for rheumatic and dyspeptic complaints; used internally it has also a mild antilithic action. This spring is largely resorted to, and most comfortable accommodation is provided for visitors.

Analysis. Grains par Gallon.
Chloride of sodium 116 715
Chloride of potassium .091
Chloride of lithium traces
Iodide of magnesium traces
Sulphate of soda .383
Bicarbonate of soda 87.513
Bicarbonate of lime 10.692
Bicarbonate of magnesia .954
Bicarbonate of iron .683
Alumina traces
Silica 2.464
8 219.495

3. Puriri, about ten miles from Grahamstown. A cold, effervescent water, having valuable properties from the presence of a large percentage of alkaline carbonates. It is bottled both as still and aerated water, and is coming into repute as an antilithic aperient, and would probably be useful in cases of acid dyspepsia and in disorders of the kidney and bladder. In chemical properties it approaches very closely to Fachingen and Ems waters of Nassau in Germany.

Grains per Gallon.
Chloride of sodium 21.938
Iodide of magnesium traces
Sulphate of soda .940
Sulphate of potash 4.938
Carbonate of iron traces
Bicarbonate of lime 28.506
Bicarbonate of magnesia 25.625
Bicarbonate of soda 452.393
Bicarbonate of lithia traces
Silica 2.772
Phosphoric acid not determined
537.112

4—5. White Island. A conical island in the Bay of Plenty, formed by the summit of an extinct volcanic mountain rising out of deep water. The crater is occupied by a lake of strong mineral water, which is fed by intermittent geysers and boiling springs which surround it. All these waters are intensely acid, and deposit sulphate of lime; while the accompanying vapours form irregular deposits of pure sulphur. The first water is too powerful to be used medicinally in its natural state, but might be turned to valuable account in certain chemical manufactures.

6—34. Are associated geographically as all coming from the famous Rotorua and Rotomahana Districts. They, however, present considerable variety in quality, and may be classed as follows :—

6—17. Alkaline and Siliceous Waters.—These differ from the ordinary alkaline waters in the presence of silicic instead of carbonic acid as the combining agent. They are remarkable from their building extensive mounds and terraces composed of silica deposited by the cooling water, and involving as it solidifies a certain amount of granular silica, which is held in mechanical suspension; in this manner the wonderful pink and white terraces of Rotomahana and the domes of Whakarewarewa have been formed. This class of water invariably contains carbonic-acid gas, and in some cases also sulphuretted hydrogen in large quantity, the oxidation of which leads to the formation of sulphurous and sulphuric acid and the liberation of hydrochloric acid, and in this way gives rise to the acidic waters. When used as baths they have an undoubted alterative action, and are very useful in rheumatic affections, especially in gouty constitutions. This is probably due to the specific action of silicates in promoting the discharge of uric acid from the system, as has lately been pointed out by French chemists.

Acidic Writers. In the case of these waters the carbonates have been wholly eliminated, and the alkaline salts are formed by a mineral acid, either sulphuric or hydrochloric. In some cases the acid is greatly in excess, forming a bath which has a powerful action upon the liver and upon diseases dependent on the derangement of that important organ. In some the presence of sulphurous and hydro-sulphuric acid in large quantities gives these baths great efficacy in cutaneous diseases.

The following are the analyses of four types of the mineral waters in the Rotorua District:—

32. "Tp Pupunitanga," commonly known as the "Priest's Bath;" aluminous and strongly acid (reaction acid).

Grains per Gallon.
Sulphate of soda 19.24
Sulphate of potash traces
Sulphate of lime 7.41
Sulphate of magnesia 3.03
Sulphate of alumina 21.67
Sulphate of iron 1.24
Sulphuric acid 22.12
Hydrochloric acid 3.65
Silica 18.41
96.77
Sulphuretted hydrogen 2.98
Carbonic-acid gas 2.16

29. "Whangapipiro," commonly known is "Madame Rachel's Bath;" saline waters with silicates (reaction alkaline).

Grains per Gallon.
Chloride of sodium 69.43
Chloride of potassium 3.41
Chloride of lithium traces
Sulphate of soda 11.80
Silicate of soda 18.21
Silicate of lime 4.24
Silicate of magnesia 1.09
Iron and alumina oxides 2.41
Silica 5.87
amit 116.46
Carbonic-acid gas 3.79

24. "Te Kauwhanga" (a), commonly known as "Cameron's Bath;" hepatic, feebly saline, with excess of acid (reaction acid).

Grains per Gallon.
Sulphate of soda 44.54
Chloride of potassium 1.67
Chloride of sodium 12.04
Chloride of calcium 5.22
Chloride of magnesia 1.28
Chloride of alumina 0.62
Silica 9.22
Hydrochloric acid 5.92
80.51
Sulphuretted hydrogen 4.42
Carbonic-acid gas 1.96

8. "Turikore." Faintly acid reaction, which turns to alkaline on boiling.

Grains per Gallon.
Silicate of soda 16.32
Silicate of lime 1.61
Silicate of magnesia 1.14
Silicate of iron .39
Sulphate of soda 13.47
Chloride of potassium 1.24
Chloride of sodium 53.61
Phosphate of alumina traces
87.78

An interesting paper, communicated to the Australasian Medical Gazette by Dr. Hope Lewis, and a pamphlet by Dr. A. Ginders, * the medical officer in charge, give full particulars of the medicinal advantages of the many springs.

35—56. With the exception of the first two their general characters are saline and faintly acid. They are reported to be suitable for internal and external use, as alteratives, in scorbutic and tubercular diseases, also in chronic nervous affections and cutaneous eruptions. The presence of iodine in these waters, which was formerly reported, has been disproved by recent analyses of authentic samples.

57. Whangape, Waikato, is a hot alkaline water, having a composition similar to those of Puriri and Waiwera.

58. Onetapu Desert, at the sources of the Waikato and Wangaehu Rivers. This powerful spring, which issues at the base of Ruapehu, is so strongly charged with sulphates of iron and alumina as to taint the water of the latter river from its source to the sea, a distance of seventy miles. It is only one of the many mineral springs which occur in the still active volcanic district of Tongariro.

59—62. In the East Cape and Poverty Bay District are four—out of some seventeen different springs which have been discovered—that yield hydrocarbons, either in the form of gas or oil, and associated with saline waters. The source of these springs is probably certain bituminous shales at the base of the Cretaceous formation.

63. Waipiro is interesting as being a hot spring in the same district (in which there is no evidence of any volcanic action), and as depositing immense quantities of carbonate of lime in acicular crystals. This lime-deposit is built up in the form of a wall, marking the line of fissure through which the water escapes.

64—65. Are cold springs in the Wellington District, and belong to the class of saline waters, which are generally feebly acid. Springing from rocks of Lower Secondary formation, they are interesting from the large proportion of iodine and other exceptional elements which they contain. Pahua is the most notable in this respect, and has the following composition :—

Grains per Gallon.
Chloride of sodium 1,303.329
Chloride of potassium .501
Chloride of magnesium 34.960
Chloride of calcium 120.885
Iodine of magnesium .582
Bromide of magnesium traces
Sulphate of lime 3.026
Phosphate of alumina .641
Phosphate of iron traces
Phosphate of lime .430
Bicarbonate of lime 6.451
Silica 1.696
Iodine, free 1.595
1,474.096

Total quantity of iodine to the gallon (free and combined), 2.127 grains.

66. Burton's Taipo, in addition to iodine, contains traces of arsenic.

67, 68. Akiteo (a) is a strong saline water containing iodides and bromides, while Akiteo (b) is an aerated chalybeate water, and Would be valuable as a tonic, being similar to the springs at Pyrmont, Waldeck, and Recoaro, Venetia. Aerated chalybeate waters of medicinal value are found in many other parts of New Zealand; among these may be mentioned a locality near Whangarei, in the North, and Chain Hills, near Dunedin, in the South.

69. The springs which occur at the Hanmer Plains, Amuri, are alkaline, with a strong escape of sulphuretted hydrogen, and would form useful baths in rheumatic and cutaneous diseases.

70. At the distance of a few miles from Sumner Lake water has a temperature of 93° Fahr., as it gushes from the sandstone rock, but it docs not contain sufficient matters in solution to entitle it to rank as a mineral water.

72. Wickliffe Bay, Otago. An analysis of this water is given by Professor Black, of Otago University. It appears to be a saline water:—
Grains per Gallon.
Sulphuric acid (combined) 39.3
Cholorine 112.0
Magnesia 18.3
Lime 11.5
Alkalies 83.0
Carbonic acid (combined) 12.6

73. Gibson's Spring, Southland, is a water which is stated to be a specific in diarrhœa, and contains a large amount of organic matter, to some astringent quality of which its medicinal qualities are probably due.