In the County of Monroe, twenty-six miles southwest from the White
Sulphur, are the Salt Sulphur Springs; they are two miles from Union,
the county seat. From a pamphlet written by Dr. Mütter of Philadelphia,
we copy the following account of these Springs:
"The Salt Sulphur Springs, three in number, are situated in the
county of Monroe, in 37-1/2° north latitude, 5° longitude west of
Philadelphia, and at an elevation of about 1400 feet above tide water.
All the springs are situated on 'Indian Creek,' a small limestone
stream, which rises in a valley a few hundred yards above the Old or
Sweet Spring, and after pursuing its 'devious way' for about 23 miles
in a southwest direction, finally empties into New River, in Monroe
County. It derives its name from the circumstance of the Indians, who,
in former times were in the habit of entering the valley of Virginia
from Kentucky and Ohio, almost invariably making it their '_Camping
Stream_.' Their graves, along with other traces of their frequent
resort to this particular spot, are occasionally met with at the
present day.
"The Salt Sulphur is hemmed in on every side by mountains. To the south
and east, in full view, and about 10 miles distant, is Peters Mountain;
due north, and about 14 miles distant, is a low spur of the Alleghany;
and west, it is bounded by Swope's Mountain, at or near the base of
which, are the two principal springs.
"It appears from the statement of some of the 'oldest inhabitants,'
that the Old or Sweet Spring was discovered in 1802 or 1803 by
Alexander Hutchinson, Esq., who was engaged in boring for salt along
Indian Creek. For several years it enjoyed much celebrity, and was
annually the resort of a large company.
"The house occupied as the hotel, and several of the old cabins, are
still standing. The opening of the Salt Sulphur Spring, the medical
properties of which are so much more strongly marked, and the erection
of commodious buildings near it, soon destroyed the fame of the Sweet,
the water of which at the present time is used almost exclusively for
the baths, although there are some individuals who still prefer it to
that of either the Salt or New Spring. To gratify such, and at the same
time to test the value of the water, the enterprising proprietors, in
the summer of 1839, caused the spring to be deepened and thoroughly
repaired. At present it is enclosed in a white marble reservoir, two
feet square by two feet four inches in depth, over which is erected a
neat wooden edifice, of an order 'sui generis.' In taste, smell,
colour, and constituents, it closely resembles the Salt Spring, but is
much more feeble as a remedial agent, which is to be attributed to its
containing a smaller quantity of the active principles common to both.
"The second spring, or the Salt Sulphur proper, was discovered in 1805,
by Erwin Benson, Esq. He was induced to believe that either sulphur or
salt might be found in considerable quantities at the spot now occupied
by the spring, from the fact of its being the favourite 'lick,' of
immense herds of buffalo and deer. Under this impression he began
boring, and penetrated but a short distance below the surface, when he
struck the vein of sulphur water, now constituting the spring. Like the
old, this spring is enclosed in a marble reservoir, two feet square,
and about two feet ten inches deep, but from the boldness of its
sources, it is probable, that this spring will be enlarged. It is
protected from the influence of the weather; by a neat and appropriate
edifice, furnished with seats. The water possesses all the sensible
properties of the sulphur waters in general; its odour, for instance,
is very like that of a 'tolerable egg,' and may, in certain states of
the atmosphere, be perceived at some distance from the spring, and in
taste it is cousin-german to a strong solution of Epsom salts and
magnesia. In a short time, however, strange to say, these disagreeable
properties are either not observed, or become on the other hand,
attractive; indeed, there is hardly an instance of an individual's
retaining his original repugnance to them longer than three or four
days, and some there are, who become so excessively fond of the water,
as to give it the preference over any other liquid. Like most of the
sulphurous, this water is perfectly transparent, and deposits a whitish
sediment composed of its various saline ingredients mingled with
sulphur. It is also for the most part placid; occasionally, however, it
is disturbed by a bubble of gas which steals slowly to the surface,
where it either explodes with a timid and dimpling smack, or is eagerly
caught up by some careworn and almost world-weary invalid, as a gem
from the treasury of Hygeia!"
_Analysis of the Salt Sulphur Springs, by Professor Rogers_
"Temperature variable from 49° to 56°. Solid matter procured by
evaporation from 100 cubic inches, weighed after being dried at 212°,
81.41 grains.
_Quantity of each solid ingredient in 100 cubic inches, estimated as
perfectly free from water._
1. Sulphate of lime, 36.755 grains.
2. Sulphate of magnesia, 7.883 "
3. Sulphate of soda, 9.682 "
4. Carbonate of lime, 4.445 "
5. Carbonate of magnesia, 1.434 "
6. Chloride of magnesium, 0.116 "
7. Chloride of sodium, 0.683 "
8. Chloride of calcium, 0.025 "
9. Peroxide of iron derived
from protosulphate, 0.042 "
10. An azotized organic matter
blended with sulphur, about, .004 "
11. Earthy phosphates, a trace.
12. Iodine, a trace.
_Volume of each of the gases, contained in a free state, 100 cubic
inches._
Sulphuretted Hydrogen, 1.10 to 1.50 cubic inches.
Nitrogen, 2.05 " "
Oxygen, 0.27 " "
Carbonic acid, 5.75 " "
"I enclose you a list of the ingredients in the Salt Sulphur water,
which applies to the New as well as the Old Spring; the former having
rather a smaller amount of saline matter in general, though in some
ingredients surpassing the other. It has been very minutely analyzed,
and is the first of all the waters in which I was able to detect traces
of iodine, which it contains in a larger amount than the Old Spring,
and, indeed, most of the other waters in which I have been so fortunate
as to discover this mineral.
_Diseases to which the Salt Sulphur is applicable._
"Chronic diseases of the brain, neuralgia, nervous diseases,
chronic diseases of the chest, disease of the heart, chronic
diseases of the abdominal viscera, hepatic affections, chronic
splenitis, chronic gastric irritation, gastralgia, or nervous
dyspepsia, pyrosis, or water brash, chronic irritation of the
bowels, constipation, hemorrhoids, chronic diseases of the urinary
organs, chronic diseases of the genitals, chronic rheumatism and
gout, mercurial rheumatism, periostitis and inflammation of the
bones, chronic diseases of the skin, &c."