In giving the history of the well in Chapter I., the writer did not state the properties of the Woodhall water; but as these depend upon the geological elements, from which it originates, this seems to be the proper place to state them. The official analysis made by Professor Frankland, F.R.S., 1875, is as follows:—[98c]

Parts Grains per gallon
Total solids in solution 2361.200 1652.8400
Organic carbon .362 .2604
Organic Nitrogen .532 .3724
Ammonia .810 .5070
Nitrogen as Nitrates and Nitrites .009 .0063
Chlorine 1425.000 997.5000
Total combined nitrogen 1.208 .8456
Bromine 6.280 4.3960
Iodine .880 .6160
Arsenicam .016 .0112
Temporary hardness 20.000 14.0000
Permanent do 245.000 171.5000
Total do. 265.000 185.5000

The water contains unusually large proportions of Iodine and Bromine.—E. Frankland.

The remarkable features of this analysis are the quantities of iodine and bromine. Professor Frankland, for the Geological Survey, found, of iodine, 6.1 grains in 10 gallons of the water; bromine, 44 grains in ditto.

As compared with the water of Cheltenham, of Leamington, and of the famed German Spa at Kreuznach, we have the original analysis of Mr. West, of Leeds, giving:—

In 10 galls. Iodine. Bromine.
Cheltenham one third grain one and two-thirds grains
Leamington one grain four grains
Kreuznach one and one-quarter grain twenty-five grains
Woodhall six and one-sixth grains forty-four grains

The Woodhall water, therefore, has five times the amount of iodine, and nearly twice the amount of bromine, of the strongest known Continental water. [99a]

I mentioned, in Chapter I., that the Dead Sea, in Palestine, was stronger in bromine than Woodhall. According to M. Marchand’s analysis, it contains bromide of magnesium 74 times the amount at Kreuznach, or about 30 times the strength of Woodhall; but the other great ingredient of the Woodhall water, iodine, is absent from the Dead Sea. [99b] In iodine the only known water surpassing Woodhall Spa is the spring of Challes in Savoy, [99c] which contains 1.045 parts per 100,000 of water.

I may add that at Old Woodhall, about four miles distant from “The Spa,” at a depth of 33 feet, in sinking a well, some 20 years ago, salt water was tapped, resembling in taste that of the Woodhall Spa well, but it gradually became less salt, and finally was replaced by a supply of fresh water. [99d]

There is one other geological feature of the neighbourhood of Woodhall, which has not yet been touched upon, viz., the Fens bordering on the Witham. These are said to have been, to some extent, drained by the Romans; [99e] but