The waters of this place greatly resemble those of Spa and Seltzer; they are received into two fountains, called Saint-Léger and Saint-Marcel which are surrounded by a prettily laid out garden and a covered promenade.
The mineral waters of Pougues have been analyzed several times, but the preference is given to that of Hassenfratz, who shows the presence of free carbonic acid, carbonate of Lime, carbonate of Soda, muriate of Soda, carbonate of Magnesia, Alum, Silex, and the oxide of Iron.
Monsieur le docteur Martin affirms that these waters are essentially tonic and purgative, that they are suitable in all cases of debility of the digestive organs, in affections of the liver and spleen, in inveterate jaundice, irregular menstruation, nephritic complaints, removing heat of the kidneys and bladder and in expelling gravel.
These waters may be beneficially taken in various forms of dyspepsia, proceeding from a sedentary life, from torpor of the bowels; etc; also by corpulent persons who indulge too much in the pleasures of the table, taking but little exercise; and in obstinate constipations as they invigorate the primæ viæ, and dislodge from them all accumulations and impurities.
From four to six glasses of the waters constitute a dose, which should be taken fasting early in the morning; twenty or thirty days are considered necessary for a complete course.
SAINT-GALMIER.
A small village situated upon the side of a hill near de la Coyse, in the department of the Loire, and three leagues from Mont-Brison. Its mineral spring is called Font-Forte.
The water is limpid and has a very agreeable vinous flavour, there arise from the spring, large bubbles of air which sparkle at the surface of the water, the source of which is lost in the little Brook Couasse.
The proportion of carbonic acid which the waters of Saint-Galmier contain is very considerable, one portion is found free, and the other combined with an alkaline base, which appears to be the carbonate of Soda a small trace of sulphate of Lime is also found.
The medical men who have observed the effects of these waters speak highly of their salutary action in chronic catarrhal diseases of old men, in calculous affections of the kidneys, and in Polysarcia, (Obesity).