II. On The Effect Of Saline Mineral Waters. Part 5

During the second period the patient received 16 grams of Sprudel salt daily, in 100 c. c. of water, in the morning on an empty stomach. From two to three thin evacuations of the bowels occurred daily. The result of this treatment was that the loss of nitrogen was somewhat increased, while the loss of fat stayed well within the normal boundaries. In the meantime, basing on this preliminary experiment, the absorption of fat under the influence of Carlsbad mineral water was subjected to further clinical and experimental study by Dr. Friedrich Kraus, Jr., in the laboratory of the Municipal Hospital in Frankfort-on-the-Main, under von Noorden's direction; in all of the cases the fat that was administered (and this exceeded normal quantities) was not only splendidly absorbed, but also borne without detriment by the patient. The cases studied in this direction were one patient suffering from chronic intestinal catarrh, one suffering from arthritis urica, and one from gastric ulcer.

Since that time, a number of other authors have performed similar experiments; for instance, C. Brandenburg, in a patient undergoing a cure with artificial Carlsbad Muhlbrunnen water; by M. Jacoby, in a patient using Apenta water; and by E. Allard, in a patient using the stronger saline Mergentheimer Carlsquelle water (in diabetes mellitus, and in obesity). The absorption of fat either remained unchanged, or was slightly improved or slightly decreased in the periods during which the mineral water was taken, as compared to its absorption during the control periods in which no mineral water was administered. If one is fairly well versed in interpreting such investigations, one will agree that the differences found by these different authors, immaterial in what direction they deviated from so-called normal values, were quite insignificant, and must be considered to lie within physiological limits. From all these experiments one conclusion can be drawn, namely, that the old dogma that fats are to be interdicted when a course of mineral waters is being undertaken is mere superstition and must be relegated to the realm of fairy tales.