MORERE HOT SPRINGS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 67, 2 March 1935, Page 6

MORERE HOT SPRINGS

Ideal Medicinal Waters SEPARATE BATH PROPOSED WAIROA, Feb. 27. Patrons of the Alorere hot springs will be pleased to hear that effort* are to be made to revert, in part, to the conditions known to prevail at the time when the springs were first discovered by the late E. H. Ihndall and George Walker, ot Nuhaka. At that time there were three hot springs, each with differing medicinal and healing properties, not to mention the properties ol the Mangakawa creek coming from one of them. Air G. C. Ormond contend* that the leading of the waters ot all three by one pipe to the present baths has greatly impaired their health-giving proper ties, and besides tins, considerable ios* ot heat has also resulted. He state* that the first, baths in the original building, - a sort ol slub erection,— were installed by the late Constable D. Shaw lather ot Mr M. R. Shaw, ot Morere in 1887, and there were in use until a landslide occurred. It was then decided to rebuild at a more accessible point, but in doing so Ihe best spring was left out, and with it much ot the mineral values. He is now endeavouring to get the Government to have a bath-houce built on the site ol the original one, and placed at the disposal of persons afflicted with rheumatism and allied complaints. VALUABLE CURATIVE WATERS. In 1885 the then Government halnealogist, Dr. Wohlmann, gave the following analysis ol the Morere water* as being ot the caleie-sodie muricted type calcium-chloride, 591.78; sodiumchloride, 1219.07 ; total solids, 1899.00; temperature (Fahr.) 120 degrees. Of this water, the balneala,,:. t says: lodine is found in these waters combined usually with sodium or magnesium ; in addition there is generally present a certain varying amount of Inc iodine. The amount ol iodine present i* seldom more than about 2.5 grains per gallon, but even this small quantity exceeds the amount present in most similar European waters, one ol the richest ot which, Heilbrun, m Bavaria, i* given in the year book lor comparison. The therapeutic value of such minute quantities ot iodine has been much questioned, though the celebrated Neisser in his day pointed out the potent effect on human metabolism of minute quantities of iodine in the thyroid extract. The pungent smell of the mineral may generally be detected for some distance round tlie source of an iodine spring, and this was detected that sunny aiternoon in the mid-seventies when Alestrs. Bendall and Walker discovered Morere. Of the other class of water, Dr. Wohlmann reported:—sodium iodide, 2.7; total solids, 1868.07. This, together with free iodine i* sufficient to tinge the water a light brown. He also reported ui the same time, on the Kopuawhara, Mahui waters, both calcic-sodic with iodine muriafed, but these do not come into a question dealing with Morere. Tin- first thing to do now is to separate the existing water* at Morere, and have them re-analysed preparatory to providing a bath of each kind for the benefit ot sick and suffering humanity.