230 MINERAL WATERS AND MEDICINAL SPRINGS OF ESSEX.
land. Its taste is remarkably ferruginous ; but, nevertheless, the spirituous part
of the water conveys a very agreeable sense of freshness to the mouth."
Trinder next gives the results of seventeen experiments he
made upon the water, detailing the colours it assumed when
tested with various chemicals and in other ways. His conclusion
was115 that it belonged to "the first class of chalybeates" and was
"impregnated with magnesia, glauber's salts, and with sulphur."
It would be valuable, he says, in dropsy arising from debility,
hypochondriacal and hysterical diseases, obstructions of the
liver after a period of intemperance, and in low nervous fevers,
by reason of the sulphur contained in it and its mildly purgative
qualities ; for, he says, "it attenuates the fluids and expels
noxious matter from the body." He adds :—
" I am sorry to inform the Ladies that tea must be condemned as improper
during a course of this water ; for tea, like other austere vegetables, will precipi-
tate the ferruginous particles in the water and render them unfit to enter into the
lacteals and absorbents and so to execute their desired office."
The well in question no longer exists, having been drained,
filled up, and turfed over about four years ago. It was near the
top of the steep slope overlooking the lake (known as "Black's
Canal ") which bounds the south-west side of Gidea Hall Park,
and its site lies just within that portion of the park (forty acres
in extent and now known as "Raphael Park") which was given
to the town of Romford by Mr. H. H. Raphael a few years ago,
for use as a public park.
Mr. Joseph Sibthorpe, the present Park-Superintendent,
informed Mr. Christy that the well used to be about three feet
across, bricked round, with steps leading down to the water, and
that the ferruginous deposit round it was very obvious, as
mentioned by Trinder. He added that the over-flow water ran
down a small ditch into the lake. He stated also that people
from the neighbourhood used frequently to obtain water from it
for use medicinally—especially for the cure of sore and inflamed
eyes. He has himself used the water for this purpose.
When the park became public, the well was done away with,
so that children might not fall into it whilst at play. Conse-
quently, no sample of its water is now obtainable. A very slight
depression in the turf still indicates the site of the well.
Mr. Dalton surmises that the water of this well came from
the junction of the London Clay and the Thames Gravel.
118 Op. cit., p. 17.