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:—
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.
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.
Grains per Gallon. | |
---|---|
Total dissolved solids | 37.6 |
Volatile | 8.8 |
Fixed | 28.8 |
Carbonate of lime | 3.6 |
Carbonate of magnesia | 2.2 |
Chlorine | 10.5 |
Iron protoxide | 2.3 |
Free ammonia | .069 |
Albuminoid ammonia | .034 |
Sediment | 165.2 |
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.