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“...which adds to the
comfort of bathers. Mr. John C. Thresh, who recently
analysed the water, reported that it closely resembled
that from the Wildbad Thermal Springs of Wiirtemberg,
which are extensively used for chronic rheumatism and
gout; and he added that it contained no constituent
which would render it deleterious for drinking purposes,
and that he found it free from any signs of pollution. The j
analysis of the thermal water gave the results, expressed
in parts per 100,000, shown below :
Calcium carbonate . . .14-0
Magnesium carbonate . . 15-7
Sodium carbonate . . . . . • 5 ■ 65
Potassium sulphate . . . . . 3-1
Sodium sulphate . . . . • 3'55
Sodium xhloride ...... 13-55
Sodium nitrate . . . . . 3.3
Silica with trace of sodium silicate . . 4‘85
Total.solid constituents dried at 18o° C. = 63 • o 63-7
The efficacy of the waters was recognised as far back
as 1625 by “ Robert Harcourt of Stanton Harcourt in the
County of Oxford, Esquire,” who in his “ Relation of the
Voyage to Guiana,” published...”
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“...stands
on the site of a former Government House erected in 1750,
and is surrounded by very beautiful grounds.
Gage’s Soufrière hour’s ride) and South Soufrière
(i| hour’s ride) should both be seen. Gage’s Soufrière,
on land belonging to the Hon. W. Wilkin, who is glad to
permit visitors to inspect it, is easily accessible. It would
be an ideal spot for the erection of a bathing establish-
ment, as there are hot and cold springs near it, the former
being impregnated with mineral matter, chiefly calcium...”
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“...main line of the rail-
way proceeds through a fertile banana district to May
Pen, the junction for the Clarendon branch.
From there an expedition can be made to the ruins of
Colbeck Castle, which dates from the seventeenth century.
At Milk River, 13 miles from May Pen station and
12 miles from Clarendon Park, there is a thermal mineral
bath, an analysis of the waters of which gives the follow-
ing results:
Chloride of sodium 20-77 Chloride of potassium 0-16
Sulphate of soda 3 • 40 Chloride of calcium 1 ■ 50
Chloride of magnesium 4-12
Besides traces of lithia, bromine, and silica.
A recent test of the bath waters indicates that the radio-
active properties of the Milk River Spring compare very
favourably with the water of spas of world-wide renown.
The efficacy of the waters has stood the test of over
a century. Jamaica has no fewer than fifteen mineral
springs, including saline, calcic, sulphurous, and chaly-
beate waters, but only those at Milk River and the bath
of St. Thomas the Apostle...”
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“...reservoir of masonry has been built
round the outlet, and a pipe fixed in it carries the water
to the bath-house. In wet weather the temperature of
the water, as it runs from the rock, has been taken as
128° Fahr., and it rises in dry weather to 130° Fahr.
Tradition asserts that these waters were discovered by
a negro who in his own person found their efficacy. The
analysis of the Bath water gives the following mineral
constituents in one gallon of water :
Chloride of sodium
,, potassium
Sulphate of calcium
,, sodium
Carbonate of sodium
Silica
Oxide of sodium combined with silica
Organic matter ....
13 -84 grains.
o-32
5- oi
6- 37 ..
1 -69 ,,
2 -72 ,,
1 -oo ,,
o-99
Beyond Port Morant the coast road proceeds past
Phillipsfield (2j miles), Golden Grove (4 miles), Amity
Hall (ij miles), from which a road leads to Holland Bay
and Morant Point Lighthouse, Manchioneal (io£ miles),
and Priestman’s River (g£ miles), to Port Antonio (see
page 286) (77 miles from Kingston by this route).
An excursion to the...”
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