PROF. OSCAR LIEBREICH ON MINERAL WATERS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXX, Issue 10109, 7 August 1893, Page 2

PROF. OSCAR LIEBREICH ON MINERAL WATERS.

Tho British Medica} Journal reports that in a paper on Artificial and Natural Mineral Waters, read by Professor Oscar Liebreich at the Balneological Congress recently held in Berlin, he began by asking:—la chemistry sufficiently advanced yet to produce artificial mineral water equal in all respects to the mineral water ? The answer is negative. The artificial production of natural waters is a much more difficult matter even tban the production of such substances as alizarine, indigo, Ac., and the analyses, even of the most renowned analysts, fall short of the full contents of the water. In the natural mineral water, on evaporation, there ia always a residuum which is not contained in the analyses of the artificial mineral waters. The carbonic acid gas which furnishes the effervescence of naturalmineral waters exists also in the form of “caibonic acid hydrate." This has been inferred from the existence of another combination derivative from it, namely, carbonic acid ethyl, which is probably contained m champagne and in other alcoholic effervescing drinks, and ia known for its agreeable taste. It may be supposed that the action of an hydrio carbonic acid gas is different from that of carbonic acid hydrate. “Even the best manufactured mineral waters," Professor Liebreich points out, “ differ from the natural ones in taste and value; this difference it is not so easy to explain." He concluded by observing that, “As to the so-called 'indifferent' springs, it ia ft mistake to speak of them aa of minor value.” It must be remembered that they too, contain mineral ingredients, if only in minimum quantities, which counteract the harmful properties of perfectly pure distilled water. Even hydropathy is ft mineral water treatment, for if the water used were without traces of mineral aubtances it would be poisonous. Thie has been sufficiently proved elsewhere.