A Hand-book to the Peak of Derbyshire, and to the use of the Buxton mineral waters ... With ... a botanical appendix by Miss Hawkins, etc

Front matter

I > fop * Ut A HAND-BOOK TO THE PEAK OF DERBYSHIRE, AND TO THE USE OE THE BUXTON MINERAL WATEES. South and West Fronts of the New Ranges of Hot Baths at Buxton, showing the connection of the Baths with the East End of the Crescent. South Front ofthe New Ranges of Natural Baths at Buxton, showing the connection ofthe Baths with the West End of the Crescent. A HANDBOOK TO THE PEAK OF DERBYSHIRE, AND TO THE BSE OF THE BUXTON MINERAL WATERS. By WILLIAM H. ROBERTSON, M.D., SENIOR PHTSICIjVN TO THE BUXTON BATH CHAB_TT- AND DEVONSHIRE HOSPITAL. WITH A MAP OF THE PEAK OF DERBYSHIRE, AND THE SURROUNDING DISTRICTS ; ELEVATIONS AND PLANS OF THE BATHS, ETC. ; % gota.tk..l By MISS HAWKINS ; AND A NEW DIRECTORY OF DISTANCES, ROUTES, HOTELS, INNS, AND LODGING-HOUSES ; A NEW ISSUE: TO WHICH IS PREFIXED A BRIEF STATEMENT OF THE MORE BECENT PROGRESS AND CHANGES IN BUXTON, ITS INCREjVSED jWCOMMODATIONS AND RE- SOURCES, LOCAL SANATOEY CONDITION, ETC.

BUXTON : JOHN CUMMING BATES, CRESCENT NEWS ROOM SOLD BY W. ROBINS, BOOKSELLER, W1NSTER PLACE ; W. D. SUTTON, "HERALD" OFFICE, SPRING GARDENS; JOHN ACTON, CHEMIST, QUADRANT ; JAS. TURNER, SPAR MUSEUM, HALL BANK ; E. WEBSTER, SPAR MUSEUM, MARKF.T PLACE ; F. ANZANT, BAZAAR, SPRING GARDENS ; ETC, etc. LONDON : W. H. SMITH AND SONS, STRAND. MANCHESTER : DINHAM AND CO., CORPORATION STREET. BUXTON : PRINTED BY JOHN CUMMINO BATES, " ADVEBTI9EB " OFFIOE, HOT BATH COLONNADE.

Preface

. The want of such a work as the present has been so continually and urgently complained of, that I hope this volume may prove to be acceptable to the public I have made occasional use of my work on " Buxton and its Waters." The present hand-book is, however, of a much more extensive character ; at the same time that it is not intended to answer all the moro strictly medical purposes of the older publication. I am so much indebted to Miss Hawkins, for the excellent botanical commentary and catalogue, — to Mr. Smithers, the able and indefatigable agent of his Grace the Duke of Devonshire, for valuable suggestions and kind and efficient assistance in every way, — to Mr. Henry Currey, the architect of the new baths and principal buildings, for permission to use the elevations and plans, — and to Mr. Smith, of the Buxton office, for the excellent map of the district, and plan of the new park, walks, and pleasure grounds, — that it is my grateful duty to record the obligations, and express my thanks.

The Square, Buxton, June, 1854 The seven years which have passed since the first issue of this work have been years of steady progress. The year 1850 saw the termination of tho active and useful life of Mr. Smithers, the enterprising agent of the Duke of Devonshire, under whose PBEEACE. energetic advice and care the New Baths had been erected, and so much had been done, during five actively employed years, to add to the capabilities, the resources, and embellishment of Buxton. During those years, of three of which this work had given a full statement, not only had the New Baths been erected, the Buxton Park laid out, the walks carried through Corbar Wood, and the important analysis of the great gaseous tepid mineral waters obtained, but a large sum of money had been collected by public subscription, for building and establishing a Hospital, for accommodating the patients of the Bath Charity.

Happily for the interests of Buxton, Mr. Smithers was succeeded in the Ducal agency by Mr. Wilmot, in the autumn of the year 1856 ; and the erection of a Market Hall ; the conversion of large buildings to the purposes of the poor patients of the Bath Charity, by the munificence of the late Dulce of Devonshire ; the erection of one new church and three new chapels, in the town or its immediate neighbourhood ; the efficient construction of ample and extended drainage and sewerage works, under the able guidance of Mr. Bawlinson, in connection with the act for the Local Government of Towns, within the provisions of which Buxton has had the good fortune to be placed ; the rapid progress of two lines of railway, from AVhaley Bridge on the north and from Bowsley on the east, by which Buxton is soon to be connected with the London and North Western Bailway Company on the one side, and with the Midland Bailway Company on the other ; the planning and completing of Cavendish Terrace, a wide and level promenade, connecting the Crescent and Hall Gardens with the south-western extremity of the town, affording building sites of great extent and value, opening out the valley of Buxton more and more fully, and enabling its beauties to be enlivened by the construction of ornamental waters of important magnitude; are some of the improvements which distinguish the few years since the death of Mr. Smithers.

And more and more baths are necessarily added from time to time, to meet increasing wants ; a hot-air bath, or so called Turkish Path, is now in course of construction, to supply what may prove to be a means of _BE_A-E. III increased usefulness ; a rapid increase in the number of lodging houses, connecting Buxton with Cote Heath in one direction, with Northern End in another direction, with Fairfield in another, and with Burbage in a fourth direction, probably multiplying the lodging accommodation of the place by not less than four times, within a very few years, shew the endeavours that are made to meet the requirements of the public. The Devonshire Hospital contains 100 beds for patients, in addition to spacious day-rooms, lobbies, domestic offices, a house for the master and matron, and a house for the chaplain, and is surrounded by its own walks and grounds.

It stands on a dry eminence, close to the town, — has a southern and western exposure, —is a cheerful and well-lighted mansion, commanding extensive and beautiful views, — is thoroughly ventilated, — and is warmed in the most efficient way. An annual subscription of one ginuea, or a casual subscription of thirty shillings, gives the right of sending a poor and fit person as an in-patient for three weeks ; during which time, board and lodging, medical advice, medicines, baths, &c., and every care and comfort are provided. A printed statement of the rules, &c, may be obtained by application to the Master of the Hospital, either by letter or otherwise. The Local Government Act has given to Buxton and its neighbourhood, including Northern End, great part of Burbage, and the whole of both Upper and Lower Buxton, the most complete and efficient modern system of drainage, by which all possible sources of local impurity and disease are at once removed, in addition to the creation of an active executive system, by which general local government is secured, nuisances are abated, improvements are regulated and carried out in the best way, and streets, roads, and houses, are planned or supervised.

The great fact, that the local drainage has been executed so efficiently, in a place so favoured as Buxton is by nature, as to its upland position, and the limestone and gritstone formations, on which it is built, and by which it is surrounded, must obtain for Buxton a sanatory character of the highest class. vi PBEFACE, In the year 1860, Dr. Muspratt, of Liverpool, published the following analysis of the Buxton tepid water :— ■ " Grains in the imperial gallon. Carbonate of lime 8-541 Carbonate of magnesia 3-741 Carbonate of protoxyde of iron 0-082 Sulphate of lime 0-330 Chloride of calcium 1-227 Chloride of magnessium 0'463 Chloride of sodium 2-405 Chloride of potassium 0-260 Silica 1-044 Nitric acid trace Organic matter 0*341 Fluoride of calcium trace Phosphate of lime trace Total per gallon 18-434 Free carbonic acid .... 3-5 cubic inches.

Nitrogen 504- „ This analysis so far differs from that published by Dr. Lyon Playfair in the year 1854, as to give a larger proportion of silica, a much smaller proportion of sulphate of lime and of chloride of potassium, and two grains less of total saline constituents in the gallon of water. Inasmuch, however, as Dr. Playfair's analysis was obtained from the residue of 100 gallons of the water, it may be probably held to be the more authoritative analysis, so far as regards the saline constituents. What is much more interesting is, that Dr. Muspratt obtained from the water an appreciable proportion of organic matter. This may have an important degree of influence on the absorption of the water through the pores of the skin during immersion in the baths, and may contribute to or produce the remarkable emollient effect on the skin produced by the Buxton baths.

It is also satisfactory to find the large proportion of nitrogen first claimed for this water by Dr. Playfair's analysis confirmed by the analysis of Dr. Muspratt, and that no less than 504 cubic inches per gallon are said to have been obtained from it. We may know little of the physiological or the medicinal action of uncombined nitrogen on the human system when administered in any other form than that of the Buxton thermal waters; and the degree in which this gas contributes to the

PREFACE.

. V medicinal action may be matter of opinion; but it must be gratifying both to medical men, and to those suffering from rheumatism, or gout, or the other disordered conditions, in relieving which this water is so useful, to find successive analysts confirm the statement that an important elementary substance is thus largely and characteristically connected with this mineral water : securing for it a position of much chemical interest, and removing it far from the category of ordinary spring, river, or rain water. When it is added, that, in the two years, 1859, 1860, the Buxton Devonshire Hospital had 1,760 patients under treatment ; that its 100 beds were occupied, and many of the patients were obliged to have beds out of the hospital, during many weeks of both years ; that the cases of 1,577 of the patients were relieved, and of these 862 were cured or much relieved, only 92 of the patients having derived no benefit during their stay ; and that the account for drugs averaged less than sixteen pence per head, although 205 of the patients, or about one-ninth of the whole, were not suffering from any of the forms of rheumatism, but were such cases as are ordinarily met with in hospitals, and required medical treatment accordingly; the value of the Buxton mineral water as a powerful medicinal agent, the character of this important charitable institution, and the small share that drugs had in producing the beneficial result, will need no commentary.

On the average of the two years, the patients remained under treatment 25 days ; and 1,555 cases of rheumatism, embracing every conceivable variety of this distressing malady, and for the most part cases of severe and obstinate character, for the relief of which ordinary medicinal means had been used in vain, before these poor people had been sent to Buxton, were, in a time comparatively so short, and with so little aid from other means than the Buxton water, discharged with results so satisfactory. June, 1861. CONTENTS. PAGE Elevations of the New Ranges of Natural and Hot Baths, at Buxton .... .... Frontispiece, &c. Map of the Peak of Derbyshire, and the surrounding districts, to face 1 Plan of the Buxton Park, Pleasure-Qrounds, c&c. . . „ 1 j.

Chapter I. Historical Records Of Buxton And Its Baths

The upland district around Buxton 1 Ancient wells and baths ......... 3 Ancient roads .......... 7 Ancient use of the waters ......... 8 Buxton during the reign of Queen Elizabeth .... 9 Visits of Mary, Queen of Scots, to Buxton 9 Grant by Queen Elizabeth to Fairfield, for the support of a chaplain ........... 11 Early resort of impotent poor to Buxton . . . . . . 12 Temporary closing of the baths and wells, by public authority, at the Reformation ......... 14 Buxton in the seventeenth century . . . . . . . 16 Buxton in the eighteenth century . 19 Buxton fifty years since 20 Buxton in 1854 CONTENTS.

Chapter II. Physical Character And Itinerary Of Buxton And The Peak Of

DERBYSHIRE. PAGE Elevations of Buxton and the surrounding hills above the level of the sea 25 The valley of Buxton 26 Characteristics of the mountain-limestone formation . . .27 Results of volcanic action — igneous rocks — toadstone . . . 30 Limestone fossils .......... 34 The Millstone-Grit formation . . . . . . . . 36 Fairfield 39 Batham-gate — Marvel-stones — Eildon-hole . . . . . 40 Dove-holes — the Peak ......... 41 Edale — Mam-Tor — Valley of Hope — Castleton and its caverns . . 42 Ebbing and flowing well 43 Course of the river Wye — Ashwood Dale — Sherbrook Dell . . 44 Chee Tor— Millar's Dale 45 Monsal Dale — Topley Pyke — Taddington 46 Haddon Hall 47 Chatsworth House . 48 Darley Dale — Matlock 49 Chelmorton Low — High Wheeldon . . . . . . . 50 Beresford Dale .......... 51 Dove Dale 52 Axe Edge ........... 54 Lyme Hall 56 Crescent aud Serpentine walks at Buxton . . . . .56 The Buxton Park and its Roads — Corbar Plantation Walks . . 57 Various walks around Buxton ....... 58 Poole's Hole 63 Drives in the neighbourhood of Buxton ......

CONTENTS. PAGE Extent and boundaries of the mountain limestone formation . . 68 Climate of Buxton ... 70 The Buxton season . . . . . . • . . . 79 Change of air 83

Chapter III. Origin And Cause Of The Heat Of The Thermal Springs

OF BUXTON. Origin ofthe waters which supply the Buxton Tepid Springs . . 87 Cause of the heat of the Buxton Tepid Waters . . . .93 Connection of the heat of waters with volcanic action . . . 101

Chapter IV. General Properties Of The Buxton Tepid Waters

; THE SUC- CESSIVE ANALYSES, AND THEIR RESULTS; AND COMMENTARY ON THEIR COMPOSITION, IN REFERENCE TO THEIR MEDICINAL EFFECTS. Blue tinge of the Buxton Tepid Waters 104 Brilliancy of the waters . . . . . . . . 105 Buoyancy of the waters in the baths ...... 106 Shock and reaction from the use of the baths . . . . . 106 Stimulating effect of the baths 107 The water fever . . . . . • • ■ • ■ • 109 Secondary effect of the baths - 1.09 History of successive analyses of the waters . . . . . Ill Examination ofthe waters by Dr. Jones, a.d. 1572, and his inferences as to their chemical constitution 112 Dr. Lister and Dr. Leigh on the effects and composition of the waters 113 Dr. Short (a.d. 1733) on the gaseous and saline constituents of the waters, and the medicinal effects X CONTENTS. PAGE Dr. Hunter (a.d. 1765) and Dr. Percival on the saline constituents of the waters 116 Dr. Higgins' analysis (a.d. 1782) 117 Dr. Pearson's medical and chemical observations and experiments (a.d. 1784), and his discovery of the nitrogen in the waters . 117 Analysis of the waters by Sir Charles Scudamore and Mr. Garden (a.d. 1819) 120 Dr. Lyon Playfair's analysis and report (a.d. 1852) . . . 122 Inferences from the results of Dr. Playfair's analysis — Uses aud importance of nitrogen . . . . • . . . 127 Quotations from Baron Liebig, respecting the agencies and combinations of nitrogen 128 Quotation from " Edinburgh Medical and Surgical Journal," No. 193, on the medicinal action to be ascribed to nitrogen . 131 Dr. Sutro on the physiological and medicinal offices of nitrogen . 132 On the saline constituents of the Buxton tepid waters . . 135 On the gaseous constituents . . . . . . . . 137 Critical consideration of an ammoniacal hypothesis as to the action of the tepid waters 141

Chapter V. Ascertained Elevations Of Different Parts Of The District

— THE NEW RANGES OF BATHS. — AMOUNT OF FLOW OF THE TEPID SPRINGS. — THE WELLS, BATHS, AND DOUCHES. Elevations of different places in and near Buxton . . . . 144 Interesting application of the aneroid barometer .... 145 The Buxton Crescent ......... 147 The Square — the new ranges of Baths ...... 148 Range of natural baths ......... 149 Range of hot baths 150 St. Anne's and Chalybeate wells . . . . . . .151 Amount of flow of the tepid waters . . . . . . CONTENTS. PAGE Depth of the water in the natural baths, and its importance to exercise, friction, absorption of the waters, and their medicinal effect 154 The douches, their use, and mode of action . .. . . . 156 Dimensions, &c, of the natural baths 160 Effects of the hot baths of the Buxton waters . . . . 162 Usefulness ofthe new swimming baths ofthe heated waters . 165 Arrangement and dimensions of the hot baths . . . . 168 The cold swimming bath 170 Ground plans of the baths and wells 172

Chapter VI. Primary, Secondary, And Alterative Effects Of The Buxton Tepid Waters

— MORBID CONDITIONS FOR THE RELIEF OF WHICH THEY ARE USEFUL. CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH CONTRA-INDICATE THEIR USE. RULES FOR THE USE OF THE BATHS, AND FOR DRINKING THE TEPID WATERS. Primary effects of the baths 174 Secondary effects of the baths . _. 176 Alterative effects of the baths ........ 177 Diseases to the relief of which the use of the baths is applicable . 179 Morbid conditions which contra-indicate the use of the baths . . 180 Rules for using the baths 181 Rules for drinking the tepid waters 186

Chapter VII. Analysis, Character, And Uses Of The Chalybeate Water Of Buxton

Origin and character of the chalybeate water .... 190 Dr. Playfair's analysis of the water 191 Medicinal effect of the chalybeate water 191 Rules and suggestions for the internal and external use of the chalybeate water CONTENTS.

Chapter VIII. The Gritstone Water

— AMOUNT AND CHARACTER OF ITS SUPPL FOR DOMESTIC AND ORDINARY PURPOSES AT BUXTON. PAGE Relative purity, character, and properties of calcareous and gritstone waters . . . . . . . . .194 Dr. Playfair's report on the gritstone water supplied to Buxton . 195

Chapter IX. History, Progress, Position, And Usefulness Of The Buxton Bath Charity

Probable antiquity of the Institution 197 Summary of the results obtained by means of its operations since the year 1820 200 Abstract of annual report, rules for admission of patients, &c. . 202