THE GUILFORD SPRING. 
Its History, 
The remarkable medicinal spring in Guilford, Vermont, 
seven miles from Brattleborough, has been known for many 
years, particularly in its own neighborhood and the vicinity, 
for its healing and invigorating powers. Its properties were 
understood anterior to the war of the Revolution, for we have 
the statements of aged persons, living in that part of the 
country, that its valuable healing elements were known to 
their ancestors. An old Jady, who resides in the town, 
remembers that her father, who was with the Vermont troops 
which fought in the battles that preceded Burgoyne’s sur- 
render, spoke of the Saratoga water, which had then come 
into use, as being inferior, as a medical agent, to that of the 
“ Guilford Pool,” as this Spring was generally called, having 
obtained its name probably from the Pool of Siloam, being 
possessed of healing qualities such as were attributed to the 
latter by the people of Judea. 
Important Testimony, 
More than fifty years ago, Dr. Erastus Root, a native of 
Guilford, then a medical student, and afterwards a successful 
practitioner in Rensselaer County, New York, having analyzed 
the water, wrote a Dissertation upon this Spring and its 
medicinal and chemical qualities, which was read before the 
Second Medical Society of the State of Vermont, on the 
8th of January, 1817. Doctors Nathaniel Chamberlain, John 
Brooks, and Cyrus Washburn, a Committee of the So- 
ciety, on its part, presented the thanks of the members for 
the Dissertation, and requested a copy for the press. The 2 
THE GUILFORD SPRING. 
request was granted. Tlie lecture was printed by Simeon 
Ide of Brattleborough, and some copies, bearing the marks of 
age, are still in existence, from one of which some extracts 
have been taken, and which are presented herewith. 
Dr. Root’s Analysis. 
“ I take the liberty to introduce to your notice, what may with 
propriety be regarded as an article of no small value in the Materia 
Medica of this vicinity—the Mineral Water of Guilford. 
“ This mineral fountain is situated on the farm of Major Edward 
Houghton, nearly a mile wrest of the Congregational meeting-house. 
The soil in its neighborhood is generally fertile, consisting principally 
of clay and silicious earth. We also find rocks of granite and gneiss 
in the composition, of which there is a considerable proportion of iron. 
As we approach Connecticut River the rocks of gneiss have more the 
appearance of blue schistus (slate). Among these are quarries of the 
primitive schistus (slate), wdtich have been wrought for the purpose 
of covering houses. In many places the strata are seen taking a 
direction between S. W. and 1ST. E., having an inclination to the 
eastward, forming an angle of about 45°. A similar direction and 
disposition is observed in the gneiss. The rifts are often filled with 
quartz, and sometimes the quartz is found chrystalized in small and 
beautiful six-sided prisms, terminated by pyramids of an equal 
number of sides, properly called rock crystals. 
“ About two miles H. E. from the Spring is a rock of aluminous- 
schistus, whose surface being exposed to the atmosphere and descend 
ing rains, becomes decomposed. The oxygen of the atmosphere 
combines writh the sulphur contained in the rock, forming sulphuric 
acid, which unites with the alumine (pure clay) composing sulphate 
of alumine. The substance formed by this process is sometimes seen 
adhering to the rocks in a concrete state, and has a strong aluminous 
taste; but it most commonly has an effloressed appearance, mixed 
with other particles of the same rock, and so light as to be washed off 
by the rains, whereby another surface is exposed to the atmosphere. 
When this eflloressed ore is collected and lixivated, on adding a little 
of the solution of potash to the lixivium, and evaporating, crystaliza- 
tion takes place and forms a triple salt, the sulphate of alumine and 
potash (common alum). Most of the alum ores wrought in Europe 
are of this kind. 
“ Iron ore is the only metallic ore found in this neighborhood, and 
from a number of circumstances we might suppose it to abound in 
considerable quantities. It has been dug and conveyed to the furnace 
and wrought into iron of a good quality: from its apperaance in the THE GUILFORD SPRING. 
3 
different rocks and stones, and from the deposition of ferruginous 
matter, by the channels of some rivulets in low marshy ground. 
The ore of that species called Bog, or Argillacious iron ore, the iron 
being mixed principally with clay and some other earthy substances, 
and perhaps some carbon. 
“The spring itself rises in a narrow marsh by the side of a small 
rivulet. The surface of the ground for a short distance has an 
inclination to the S. E. There is at present a small cask, open at 
each end, sunk in the spring, into which the water boils up from the 
bottom after having passed through a bed of clay. Air bubbles are 
seen adhering to the sides of the cask, and numerous others rise from 
the bottom, and burst immediately at the surface. Upon the bursting 
of the largest bubbles a small quantity of a whitish sediment may be 
seen falling back. The appearance of the water as it is viewed in the 
spring, is rather turbid, but in a common glass its turbidness is not 
perceptible. A thin broken pellicle forms on its surface after the 
water has remained for some time unagitated. Clay is deposited at 
the sides of the cask where it runs over. A darkish yellow sediment 
is deposited at the sides of the channel. Its temperature was about 
48° Fahrenheit, when the thermometer in the atmosphere stood 6° 
below the freezing point, and in the brook by its side nearly at 32°. 
“From these natural appearances I was led to the following 
experiments to ascertain its chemical properties. 
Exp. 1. “ On adding the infusion of blue cabbage and also of the 
blue violet, newly prepared, their blue color was changed to red, 
which indicates the presence of an acid. 
2. “The water after boiling produced no change upon the blue 
infusions, which shows the acid to be a volatile acid. This experiment 
also denies the presence of an alkali. 
3. “ When lime water was added, a white cloudiness appeared, and 
after standing two or three minutes a precipitate of the purest white 
fell to the bottom of the vessel, leaving the water above clear. 
This experiment shows that the acid contained in the water is the 
carbonic. 
4. “ Muriatic acid poured upon this white precipitate occasioned an 
effervescence, which still further confirms the presence of carbonic 
acid. This acid, by uniting with the lime of the lime-water, as in 
Ex. 3d, formed the carbonate of lime; wherefore the muriatic acid, 
by its stronger affinity for the lime, caused an effervescence. 
5. “ After boiling, lime-water produced no precipitation, because 
by this process the carbonic acid was expelled. 
6. “ A strong infusion of green tea produced a purple color, which 
grew darker by standing. 
7. “To another portion of water the tincture of nutgalls was 
added, which immediately produced a black color. These two last 
experiments establish, without a doubt, the presence of iron. 4 
TIIE GUILFORD SPRING. 
8. “ The water, after having been boiled, was not altered in color 
by the infusion of tea, or tincture of galls, which shows the iron to 
be held in solution by the carbonic acid. 
9. “ Sulphuric acid produced a slight effervescence, occasioned by 
the extrication of fixed air; and no precipitation by standing several 
days, by which we do not suspect the presence of lime. 
10. “Acetite of lead occasioned a milky whiteness on account of 
the fixed air, but should have been changed to a dark color if there had 
been any sulphurated hydrogen, or hydrosulphurets present. 
11. “ Nitrate of Mercury produced a whitish tint, but rather darker 
than that effected by the acetite of lead, which strongly indicates the 
presence of muriatic acid. 
12. “Muriate of lime effected no change; whence we have reason 
to deny the existence of alkaline carbonates. 
13. “Nitrate of silver produced a blue color, on being exposed to 
the bright light of the sun, and grew darker by standing. To destroy 
the agency of any of the alkaline carbonates, which might possibly 
exist in the water, a few drops of the nitric acid were previously 
applied. This experiment shows completely the existence of muriatic 
acid. This acid is probably combined with soda; it must however 
exist in a small quantity, as it was sometime before the test effected 
a change of color. 
14. “ Potash, after standing mixed with the water of the spring, 
sometime, occasioned a slight cloudiness towards the lower part of the 
vessel, indicating an earthy carbonate. Now it may be considered 
rather doubtful which of the earths is present, as no experiment goes 
directly to prove. But, when we consider that this spring passes 
through a bed of clay, that clay is deposited at the sides of the cask, 
and by the channel of the stream, and also that a small quantity of 
whitish powder falls from the surface when 1he largest air bubbles 
burst, we may with much propriety conclude it to be the argillacious 
earth. The presence of lime is denied by the authority of the 
sulphuric acid in Exp. 9th. We cannot infer the existence of any of 
the alkaline carbonates by any of the tests, as the blue infusions 
remained unaltered by the boiling water, as in Exp. 2d, and by the 
muriate of lime affecting no change. We may rationally conclude, 
also, that the alumine (base of clay) unites with the carbonic acid, 
constituting the carbonate of alumine; for it must seem very improb- 
able that the water thus highly charged with carbonic acid should 
pass through a bed of clay and the acid not unite with its base, 
especially when we consider the affinity that exists between them. 
It is well known, that this argillacious earth, precipitated from the 
solution of alum by the carbonates of alkalies, combines with their 
acid. But M. Chaptal says, ‘ this salt is rarely found in nature, 
and that he knows only of the observation of Schreber, which ascer- 
tains its existence. 1 This naturalist asserted, that the earth, known THE GUILFORD SPRING. 
5 
by the name of Lac Lunse, is a true carbonate of alumine.’ Further, 
Mr. Tompson, in his chemistry, states 1 water containing carbonic 
acid, dissolves a little alumina.’ 
u From these facts, the conclusion then is, our subject contains in 
its composition a considerable quantity of 
‘ Carbonic acid in excess,’ 
Carbonate of iron, 
Carbonate of alumine, 
Muriatic acid, 
which is most probably combined with soda. Wherefore it may be 
called an Acidulous Chalybeate Water. 
“ In what manner this spring becomes impregnated with these 
various substances is a problem which cannot be solved by actual 
experiment. Nature here works in secret. Within the bowels of the 
earth there is a process carried on, by which decompositions and 
new combinations are effected according to the immutable laws of 
chemical affinity.” 
Note.—Dr. Boot's statement, made upwards of half a century ago, 
is interesting as showing the then existing state of chemical science,— 
and many of his deductions are correct. But, viewed from our presen t 
standpoint of chemical knowledge, we find in it some errors, for we 
know that no such combination as carbonate of alumine exists. There 
are some other errors of little practical importance. 
Present State of the Spring. 
The description of the Spring and its surroundings, by Dr. 
Root, will answer generally for them at the present time. 
The present proprietors have built a house near the Spring, 
and laid out a convenient road to the location. Very near 
to the “ Pool,” and nearly on a line with it are three other 
springs, two of sulphur and one of the purest water, while 
a running brook passes along near to them. 
Though the beneficial properties of the Spring have 
always been known and acknowledged in the vicinity, and 
visitors have been attracted by its good report from a dis- 
tance, yet its retired situation, and the fact that no efforts 
have ever been made to bring it into notice, have prevented 
its obtaining universal notoriety. That its waters have 
always been highly esteemed for their health-giving and 
health-restoring properties, we have abundance of evidence 
from the mouths of l’esidents of the neighborhood—their own 
experience and that of those who lived before them. 6 
THE GUILFORD STRING. 
Since the year 1868 came in, a company of gentlemen of a 
scientific and business character purchased the estate within 
which the Spring is situated, for the purpose of bringing the 
water, with all its health-imparting influences, more directly 
before the public. They did not do this until they were per- 
fectly satisfied, by inquiry, observation and analysis, that the 
virtue or the water was of a remarkable character, and that 
its valuable properties had nothing ephemeral about them, 
but were gs thorough and enduring as they were astonishing 
in their application and effects. The whole matter was 
■well investigated and considered, for unless they could be well 
convinced that the water was of actual “value in the Materia 
Medica,” as testified to by Dr. Hoot so many years ago, 
they knew that the investment would be a hazardous one. 
They were very thorough in their researches, and very par- 
ticular in their tests. The history of the Spring, and the 
beneficial effects which had followed the use of its water, 
wmre without any discount or disparagement whatever. Dr. 
Charles T. Jackson of Boston analyzed the water and gives 
the following result:— 
O 
Dr. Jackson’s Analysis. 
(Copy.) 
Boston, July 14, 1868. 
Dear Sir,—I have made a careful chemical analysis of the 
sample of mineral water you sent me from Vermont, with the follow- 
ing result per gallon :— 
Grains. 
Carbonate of Lime, 15.18 
do. Soda, . . . ... 2.40 
do. Iron, 2.99 
do. Magnesia, .... 0.60 * 
Chloride of Sodium, 2.41 
Insoluble Silica, 0.60 
Organic Vegetable Matter with traces of 
Nitrate of Potash, . 5.60 
Loss and traces of Sulphate of Soda, . 0.40 
Solid Matter, per gallon, 30.80 
Carbonic Acid Gas, 30 cubic inches, or 13.74 grains per gallon. 
This Gas gives the water an agreeable acidulous taste, and renders it THE GUILFORD STRING. 
7 
sparkling' in the glass. The Carbonate of Lime is ant-acid, as is also 
the Carbonate of Soda and Carbonate of Magnesia. The Carbonate 
of Iron is eminently tonic. Hence this water is very useful where 
tonics and ant-acids are indicated. It is also a very agreeable water 
to drink, it being very much like the German Seidlitz water; but much 
more tonic, owing to a larger proportion of Carbonate of Iron. If 
bottled, it must be very tightly corked, otherwise from the escape of 
carbonic acid, (the solvent from the Carbonate of Lime and Oxide of 
Iron,) there would be a brown precipitate in the bottles, which would 
make the water turbid. 
Respectfully your obedient servant, 
(Signed) Charles T. Jackson, M. D., 
41 Somerset Street, Boston, 
State Assayer to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 
Analytic and Consulting Chemist. 
What the Water Cures, 
One special and invariable quality of the water, is that it 
is an excellent corrective. Those who have used it find that 
it is not only a certain and rapid cure of costiveness, but that 
it is equally effectual in stopping diarrhoea. Its reputation 
for healing all kinds of skin diseases, humors, eruptions, 
salt-rheum, scaldhead and such like disagreeable and painful 
affections is astonishing, and is established beyond doubt. 
It has never failed in dyspepsia, and some of its cures of that 
prostrating disease are so remarkable that they are made 
subjects in the following certificates. 
In the cure of GENERAL DEBILITY and NERVOUS 
PROSTRATION and BROKEN-DOWN State or the CON- 
STITUTION the Guilford Water stands without an 
equal. 
Evidences of its Good Effects, 
Commendations of the healing effects of the water, cer- 
tificates of its use and the remarkable cures which have 
resulted therefrom, and testimonials of invalids who, from 
being wholly or partially prostrated, have acquired health, 
strength and elasticity by drinking the water, could be 8 
THE GUILFORD SPRING. 
obtained in great numbers, but it lias been judged best to take 
the evidence of persons who live at a convenient distance 
from the Spring,—people who are well known to have been 
effectually cured by the water; which were obtained without 
trouble, and the authors of which can be easily found by any 
person who would wish to make inquiries in relation to their 
cases. All the signers are of reputable character and in re- 
spectable circumstances, and their testimonials are given in 
their own language. 
D O 
Letters and Certificates. 
OPINIONS OF PHYSICIANS. 
Mrs. E. A. Henry writes to one of the proprietors of the 
Spring, under date of Bockville, Vt., October 12, 1868: 
Sir:—I regret I cannot give you much information concerning the 
famous Mineral Spring in Guilford. The most I can say is, that my 
father, Dr. Simon Stevens, for many years a prominent physician 
of the town, thought highly of its medicinal qualities in cases of salt- 
rheum and other cutaneous diseases. 
Kespectfully, E. A. Henry. 
, FEMALE WEAKNESS RESTORED. 
Dr. Benjamin W. Stevens, Guilford Centre: 
I have been a practising physician in Guilford more than fifty 
years, my father having also been a physician before me, in the 
same town. I have from my youth been acquainted with the Guilford 
Spring water and its effects upon those who used it. Upon weakly 
females in particular, the water has always had an excellent effect as 
a restorative of health. Young women would come to the neighbor- 
hood who were pale, puny and nerveless, their general health being 
badly affected, and they would soon recover their strength, bloom 
and elasticity. Many who came to the spring also consulted with 
me, and all of them were agreed that the water was a help and a cure 
for them. The larger portion were females, young and middle aged, 
though many males of different ages have always come to the.Spring 
to obtain the benefit of the water, and all held the same opinion of it. 
The greater portion of the visitors have always been young and 
middle aged people. 
B. W. Stevens. 
Guilford Centre, October 16,1868. THE GUILFORD SPRING. 
9 
EXTRAORDINARY CURE OF LONG-STANDING DYSPEPSIA. 
Mrs. Moses Feist, Brattleborougli: 
I have been troubled with dyspepsia for several years, which 
affected my stomach so badly that I could not take food without 
being greatly distressed threby, and also suffered severely from cos- 
tiveness as well as sick headache. I resided in Berks County, Penn- 
sylvania, and had the best medical attendance in Reading without 
relief, when hearing of the good effects of the Guilford [Spring 
water upon persons who were troubled with complaints like mine, 
and were similarly affected, I came with my husband to Brattle- 
borough in April last, and began to use the water, experiencing 
therefrom very great relief. My health has been much improved, 
and actually restored, so that I am able now to attend to my family 
affairs, though before that I was incapacitated for labor of any kind, 
and was obliged to give up housekeeping. The waters have done for 
me that which no other medicine has been able to effect, and I con- 
tinue their use when required, as I have entire confidence in them, 
having experienced so much help from them. 
Betty Peist. 
Brattleborough, October 10, 1868. 
[Mrs. Feist, in giving her certificate, observed that her husband had 
expressed a determination to publish an account of her case himself, 
so much gratified and thankful he felt at her recovery from such a 
long sickness and prostration.] 
KIDNEYS AND STOPPAGE OF URINE. 
J. Gr. Smith, Brattleborougli: 
I was for some lime affected by a disease which the doctor called 
lumbago, and which I supposed to be occasioned jjy a sprain, pro- 
duced by hayd labor. It had a bad effect upon my kidneys, caused 
trouble in discharging urine, and was very weakening and debilitating 
in its effects upon my body and strength. My physician thought that 
the use of the Guilford Spring Water would be a benefit to me, 
and I visited the Spring a few times, and drank several quarts of the 
water. My disease soon disappeared, and I have since been able to 
perform any labor connected with my business as a carpenter, which 
I was entirely unable to follow, being weak and unfit for work before 
I used this water. J. G. Smith. 
Brattleborough, October 8,1868. 10 
THE GUILFORD SPRING. 
SCROFULA AND DYSPEPSIA. 
II. E. Taylor, Brattleborouerh: 
My wife and her sister have for some years been afflicted with 
scrofula, accompanied with dyspepsia. Many assumed remedies for 
these diseases were taken by them, which were prescribed by different 
authorities, but none appeared to effect any good, and were discarded. 
Both of them afterwards commenced using the Guilford Spring 
Water, drinking it regularly, and experiencing great benefit therefrom, 
They use no other medicine at this time,being satisfied with its effects 
and having perfect confidence in its curative powers. 
H. E. Taylor. 
Brattleborough, Vt., October 10,1868. 
SKIN DISEASE ERADICATED. 
Mrs. Charlotte Franklin, Guilford : 
When my son, Lorenze Dow Franklin, was a child, between three 
and four years of age, there came upon him a terrible humor, which 
broke out in all parts of his body, head and eyelids, down to his feet. 
We tried many remedies which were recommended to us, consuming 
bottle after bottle of sarsaparilla, to no purpose, when my husband 
took the child to the Guilford Spring, and bathed him there twice, 
lie also brought home a jug of the water, but I had only use for it a 
few times, for the child began to improve immediately. The disease 
soon left him, and has never returned. 
Charlotte Franklin. 
Guilford, October 12, 1868. 
BURNING RASH AND SALT-RHEUM. 
Mr. Geo. W. Franklin, Guilford : 
About fifteen years ago I was attacked with a ms/i, covering my 
back, sides and breast with a burning and smarting itch, which nearly 
drove me mad at times. I had been affected with a similar complaint 
from my childhood upwards. I visited the Pool, as it was called, on 
Major Houghton’s farm, drank its water and bathed freely in the 
Spring. I went there but three times for help, and then found that 
I was permanently cured, for relief came as soon as I used the water, 
and, I have had no visitation of the humor since that time. 
In 1860, my wife, Harriet Franklin, was attacked with the salt- 
rheum, so severely that the nails on her left hand came entirely off, THE GUILFORD SPRING. 
11 
with .two others on the right hand. We lived then on the shore of 
Lake George, in Warren County, Hew York. In the May following 
We came to Guilford to reside, and we went to the Spring to try the 
effect of its waters. She drank the water and- bathed in it, using it 
occasionally throughout the summer, and she became entirely freed 
from the disease at the time. The next winter she had a slight attack 
of the same humorous disorder, and in the spring, as soon as the water 
could be obtained in its purity, she tried it again. The use of the 
water has effected a permanent cure, so that she has not been troubled 
with any humor for seven years. 
G. W. Eranklin, 
Guilford, October 12, 1808. 
SCALDHEAD CURED. 
Warren Wilson, Green River: 
When I was a lad, ten or a dozen years of age, forty years ago, I 
had for three years what was called a scaldhead. My scalp was 
one solid mass of sore and corruption. Everything that was thought 
would help the disease was tried without effect. All kinds of salve, 
recommended by physicians and others, appeared to make the sore 
worse instead of better, and the condition of my head was very 
painful as well as mortifying to me. I had been troubled with 
humors from the time I was born, but they were partially cured 
when I was four or five years old. But this disease came on ex- 
tremely bad, besides being very disagreeable to me, when I was ten 
years old, for I had no hair above my neck, and my head was an 
ulcerated sore. I went over to the Guilford Spring, drank the water 
and washed my head with it. The scalp began to improve rapidly. 
I continued the use of the water, and in six months my head was not 
only entirely cured, but I had hair all over it, an inch in length. I 
have not been troubled with any disease of the kind since that time. 
Warren Wilson. 
Green River, Vt., October 13, 18tj8. 
IVY POISON ERADICATED. 
Mrs. Margaret Austin, Brattle borough : 
I was formerly a resident of Guilford, and about thirty years ago 
my daughter, then five years old, was so badly poisoned by ivy that 
she could not walk nor see, and was in severe pain. I took her to the 
Guilford Spring, bathed her in a cistern of the water, and gave it to 
her to drink. In three hours the inflammation upon her body was so 
reduced that she could see, and also walk a little, so that I took her 
home, and also took with me a gallon of the water, through the 12 
THE GUILFORD SPRING. 
use of which she wras cured immediately. This was after other 
remedies wrere used, which had been recommended to me, but which 
were of no avail: and as the child wras thought to be in a dangerous 
situation the cure was considered to be remarkable at the time. My 
husband had long knowui of the virtues of the Spring, personally, 
and from the fact that many persons, boys and others, had been cured 
by the water very quickly, wrho were afflicted similarly with my child. 
It was well known throughout Guilford and its vicinity, at the time, 
that the wrater wras an effectual cure for all humors of the blood and 
skin, and many persons visited the Spring and its neighborhood on 
that account, and, as was always reported, with entire success. 
Margaret Austin. 
Brattleborough, October 10, 1868. 
VARICOSE VEIN HELPED. 
Mrs. Charles Clisbee, Guilford: 
I have been troubled for twrenty years with a varicose vein, which 
has affected me more or less, and for the last six years has grown 
much wrorse than it wras previously, small sores having broken out on 
the limb. Quite recently I have begun to use the Guilford Spring 
water with much benefit. I drank the water, and washed the diseased 
limb with it, and upon relinquishing this, I had a return of the more 
serious pain and trouble. I have great confidence in the good effect 
of the water, from my short experience of it. 
Aliena C. Clisbee. 
Guilford, October 13, 1868. 
CASES OF SCROFULA AND DYSPEPSIA. 
Mrs. Amos G. Bowker, Guilford : 
I have for some years been troubled with scrofulous swellings or 
bunches on my body, and I have attempted to scatter them: the 
result of which was, that the disease settled in my ankles, and 
affecting the joints was very painful and weakening. My husband 
came to Guilford as minister to the Methodist Society, and when I 
learned of the cures which had been effected by the Guilford Spring 
water upon persons with scrofulous humors, I tried the water, and 
soon found great relief. Before I used it I was unable to sleep at 
night on account of the severe pain which I constantly experienced; 
but have no difficulty of that sort now, as the pain has passed away. 
In two weeks after I commenced using the water I had sensible relief, 
which gave me great confidence in its efficacy, and my whole health 
has very much improved, so that I can fully attend to my household 
affairs, and am without the weakening as wrell as the painful effects of 
the disease. THE GUILFORD SPRING. 
13 
Our daughter, Adda Bowker, now 18 years of age, had been 
troubled with dyspepsia before we came here, which badly affected 
her general health. She used to say to me that she could not eat 
enough for her sustenance, as the food distressed her so much. She 
also drank of the Spring water, and it has effected a great change in 
her health and appearance, as she is now blooming, fresh and tough, 
when before she was weak and ailing, and her great improvement 
can be attributed only to the use of the Guilford Spring water. 
Lovinea A. Bowker. 
Guilford, October 16, 1868. 
CURE OF CHRONIC COSTIVENESS. 
Mrs. Kichmond Worden, Halifax : 
About ten years ago I was seriously afflicted with costiveness, 
which became chronic, and I suffered badly from it for a long time. 
My physician prescribed various remedies, and I followed his advice, 
without obtaining any relief.' I went to the Guilford Pool, which is 
about eight miles from my residence, drank of the water, and bathed 
in it, as I was also troubled with salt-rheum. The water cured the 
disease entirely, which I thought or feared was settled upon me, and 
I have had no costive affection since that time. 
Betsey Worden. 
Halifax, October 13, 1868. 
SALT-RHEUM EXTIRPATED. 
Jedediah Franklin, Guilford: 
I have been for several years troubled with salt rheum, my hands 
being a running sore, and so stiff that they were perfectly useless, 
besides being exceedingly painful. I have tried many prescriptions 
of medicine and outside appliances, but have obtained no relief ex- 
cept from the water of the Spring on the Houghton Farm in this town, 
the use of which has effectually restored me, and has cured the erup- 
tions whenever they appeared. 
Jedediah Franklin. 
Guilford, October 12, 1868. 
Letter from Mrs. Alonzo Mitchell : 
Dear Sir:—In reply to your communication' respecting the 
“ Guilford Mineral Spring,” I will say that I have used the water for 
a scrofula humor or erysipelas with satisfactory results. I have 
ERYSIPELAS AND SCROFULA. 14 
THE GUILFORD SPRING. 
been troubled from childhood with salt-rheum and scrofula, and had 
tried various remedies to no avail. Being advised to try the Guilford 
Mineral Spring water I did so, and have been entirely cured. I used 
the water both internally and externally, for about two years. I can 
recommend it to those suffering from salt-rheum or scrofula as an 
invaluable remedy. 
I am also familiar with the treatment and cure of a case of bad 
humor in a child by the use of the water. The child had been 
doctored by physicians without any benefit being derived from their 
treatment, and knowing the benefit received from the Mineral Spring 
water myself, I recommended the use of it. The water was used on 
the child, and given it to drink, and other medicines given up. In a 
few weeks an improvement was noticed, and the child was eventually 
cured. Yours truly, 
A. Mitchell. 
Greenfield, Mass., October 18, 1868. 
COSTIVENESS REMEDIED. 
From I. AY. Frye, Boston: 
I visited Brattleborough upon business the first part of October— 
and was then troubled with costiveness, which had followed a long 
and severe cough and cold. I drank some glasses of the Guilford 
Spring Water, which was furnished at “ The Wesselhoeft House,” 
—more as a matter of curiosity, and to compare it with the Saratoga 
AYater than as a medicine—but in less than two days all the 
costiveness was gone, and I have had no trouble from it since that 
time. I. AY. Frye. 
Boston, November 27, 1868. 
ANOTHER CURE OF DYSPEPSIA. 
From H. C. Nims, Boston : 
Guilford Mineral Spring Co., Guilford, Yt. 
Gentlemen,—Having experienced the benefits resulting from the 
use of the Guilford Mineral Spring Water, in the treatment of that 
dread disease, Dyspepsia, I cordially recommend it to any person 
suffering from any derangement of the digestive organs. 
I am, Gentlemen, your obedient servant, 
II. C. Nims. 
Boston, November 28,1868. THE GUILFORD SPRING. 
15 
CHRONIC RHEUMATISM CURED. 
From JonN C. Farnham, Boston: 
Guilford Mineral Spring Co., Guilford, Vt. 
Gentlemen,—I have been for the past five years a sufferer from 
Chronic Rheumatism, and having used the Guilford Mineral Spring 
Water with good results, I cheerfully recommend it as a valuable 
remedial agent. Yours, truly, 
John Farnham, 
With Orlando Tompkins, Druggist, Boston. 
Boston, November, 1868. 
AN OLD RESIDENT’S TESTIMONY EXTRAORDINARY EFFECTS OP 
THE WATER. 
Jarvis Root, Brattleborough: 
Mr. Jarvis Root, now a resident of Brattleborough, was born and 
grew up in the immediate neighborhood of the Guilford “Pool,” as he 
says it was then called, and to which came many people from Massa- 
chusetts and New Hampshire as well as Vermont, who were drawn 
thither by its great reputation. lie remembers this very well, and 
his own experience when a boy, as he had to make frequept journeys 
to the Spring, to procure the water for invalids who stopped at his 
father’s house, there being no public place of entertainment near by, 
or within some distance of the water. He remembers one lady in 
particular, who was so entirely helpless when she arrived, that she 
was lifted from her carriage, and who after stopping about a week, 
was able to get into the carriage and drive olf herself. 
This was about forty or fifty years ago, when the Spring property 
was in the possession of Major Houghton. Mr. Root was a nephew 
of Dr. Root who was then pursuing his medical studies, and who 
analyzed the water and delivered the address concerning its prope r 
ties before the Vermont Medical Society, which is mentioned else- 
where. Mr. Root’s grandfather, Timothy Root, father of the Doctor, 
when about 78 years of age, was afflicted with scrofula, which badly 
affected his limbs, and the scalp of his head was one complete sore 
and scab, before he began to apply any remedy. Then he com- 
menced using the Guilford Spring water, drinking it and bathing 
himself freely with it, and a perfect cure was effected. His hair 
which was gray, all came off with the scab, and a new growth came 
out of the color of that of his youth, which after two years all changed 
to white. Mr. Root was one of the pioneers of Guilford, to which 
place he emigrated from Northfield, Mass., when quite young, and he 
was very well known in the town and vicinity. His cure, which was 
considered extraordinary at the time, is well remembered now by 
older residents of Guilford and Brattleborough, who allude to it 16 
THE GUILFORD SPRING. 
among their reminiscences of the Spring. He died in Guilford at the 
age of 101 years and 4 months, having no disease, but expiring from 
the decay of nature alone. 
Perfect Confidence in the Water, 
As has been stated before, all the preceding certificates, 
letters and statements, are the free offerings of those from 
whom they have been derived. Every person who was 
asked for an opinion or a testimonial concerning the water 
and its healing qualities, gave it cheerfully, and most of the 
signers were quite enthusiastic in relating their reminiscences 
or their experience of the value of the water to themselves, 
or their acquaintances. Everything which has been said of 
the Guilford Spring in these pages can be fully substantiated, 
and this can be very easily done, if any question should arise, 
as to the authenticity of the statements, or the absolute cer- 
tainty of the cures which have been effected, as set down 
here. The proprietors, in common with all who have had 
acquaintance with the valuable properties of the Avater, have 
no doubt whatever that, as it has done much good in the past, 
it is destined to be a source of mnch greater benefit in the 
future, as the knowledge of its merits shall be more Avidely 
extended. They invite the attention of invalids to its use 
with the utmost confidence,—not as a cure for all the ills 
which flesh is heir to,—but as a sovereign help in every dis- 
ease for Avhich they propose it as a remedy. 
Notice, 
The Guilford Water is put up in Cases, containing two 
dozen quart bottles—and every Cork is stamped with the 
Trade Mark of the Proprietors. None other is genuine. 
All orders should be addressed to 
WEEKS & POTTER, General Agents, 
170 Washington Street, Boston.