Page 107 - 1915, Springs of CA.

HOT SPKINGS. 101

in the rock surface of the barren area. It is usually crusted with
salts and is a saturated solution. On evaporation it forms crystals
that have been examined microscopically by R. C. Wells and are con-
sidered to be probably potassium sulphate and sodium chloride, the
former predominating. The red coloring matter easily passes through
filter paper and is rendered only slightly less .distinct by boiling. It
may be a minute vegetable organism, but a bottled sample of the
water retained its color after standing four years.
The Catarrh and Complexion Spring (No. 20) issues on the south
side of the creek, about 120 yards east of the Main Springs. Like
the other springs its water is sulphureted and strongly salty, its
chemical character being shown by the analysis on page 102. It
has been used as a tonic drinking water, as a douche, and as a
shampoo, being considered to be efficacious in removing dandruff.
Three small springs are in basins a few feet apart in a spring house
southeastward, across the creek from the hotel. The western one
(No. 24), which is called the Cold Magnesia Spring, is the pleasantest
for drinking and is the one most patronized. The central one (No.
26), which is also a magnesia spring, tastes more noticeably of
magnesia. No. 28 is a cold sulphur spring. The Cold Black Sul-
phur Spring (No. 30) is on the south side of the creek, beyond the
stable and about 125 yards east of the hotel. It has been protected
by a board curbing and cover and yields a moderately sulphureted
but palatable water. Jackson Sulphur Spring seeps from the road
bank across the creek from No. 30. Its water tastes sulphureted and
magnesic, and has been used slightly for drinking, but it is locally
believed that its use tends to produce headache. Eastward, down-
stream from the Jackson Spring, there are several other cool, sul-
phureted seepages, but in 1910 these had not been developed.
The following tables give the approximate temperatures and flows
of the principal springs, and analyses of those that had been chem-
ically examined prior to August, 1910:

Approximate temperature and flow of principal springs at Wilbur Hot Springs, Colusa
County, Cal.
Temperature. Flow
(gallons
a
°C. °F. minute).
43 110 5* i
Spring No. 10, Hot Black Sulphur Spring. ..................................... 49 120
60 140 21
43 110 1
43 110 1
49 120 1
47 116 5
16 60
16 60
18 64
Spring No. 30, Cold Black Sulphur Spring......................... ............. 21 69 2J
Jackson Sulphur Spring ............................ ........................... 18 65