THE CHIGWELL ROW MEDICINAL SPRINGS. 67
with some considerable acidity. Upon the whole, I can venture
to pronounce it a useful purging Chalybeate.19
[The writer next discourses at considerable length on various
properties of water and its action on different substances, but
his remarks are omitted, as being of general, not specially of;
local, interest. He then returns to the Chigwell Row well, of
the water of which he says] it will here be necessary to say
something more, before I begin with its properties and efficacy
as a medicine.
The earth, for some considerable distance round these places
where this mineral water issues out. is of a black foetid loam,
in appearance like a black rotten bog20; weh is probably
occasion'd by the nature of the water, as the adjoining soil seems
to be a stiff clay. On inspecting these places more narrowly,
I discover'd among the mud a kind of scum reflecting changeable
colours; and, upon a nearer inspection, [I] found it a kind of
substance composed of sharp pointed spiculae or crystals, pointing
from a centre, as is observ'd in the mundick, but so tender that.
no quantity could be got sufficient for any tryal.21 It tasted
strong of iron. The water at first is of a dull muddy colour and
lets fall an ocrey sediment.
I am told that formerly people used to come [from] many
miles round to drink and also bathe in these springs and
receive[d] much benefit thereby. The old inhabitants say that
it is a sharp water, [and that it] cures the itch, scurvy, and
other cutaneous diseases.
I have given it to several, who found much relief. I gave
it a young woman last sumr for a most violent scabby face and
anus. She drank near a pint of it every morning. In about a
week, the scabs grew dry and came off. In another week's time,
they were all off. She continued well and went to her place
again. She sd it purg'd her sometimes 3 or 4 times a day; and
19 Mr. Dalton writes:—"The chemical re-actions effected are:—(1) with galls, the
"formation of black tannate of iron; (2) with ammonia carbonate, of green protoxide of iron;
"(3) with lime-water, of the same, tinging the cloud of insoluble carbonate and sulphate of
"lime; and 4) with acetate of lead, of insoluble lead carbonate and sulphate. The decom-
"position of the carbonate of iron into peroxide upon continued exposure to air destroys the
"blackening action of gall-tinctuie. Evaporation would leave the soluble ingredients as
"crystals (see note 24)."
20 Mr. Dalton writes:—"The blackening of the soil is due to the formation of tannate
"(or allied salts) of iron by the vegetable acids; partly, perhaps, also to the action of the
"iron oxide on decomposing matter, producing compounds akin to humus."
at Mr. Dalton writes:—"The iridescent film of peroxide of iron is exceedingly thin and
"brittle. Though it is of very common occurrence, I have never observed it to exhibit any
"such stellar structure as that described. The film on lime-water, mentioned further on, is.
"similarly composed of insoluble carbonate on contact with air."