gained international recognition, but his work was very qualitative, and his water
had little resemblance with genuine water from Bad Pyrmont [7]. Priestley was
convinced that mineral water could prevent scurvy, and for this hypothesis, he was
awarded the Copley medal of 1772. Commercially most successful in the field was
watchmaker and silver smith Jacob Schweppe (1740–1821) who started production
of artificial mineral water in Geneva about 1780 and his company is still in the same
business over two hundred years later.
17.1 Medevi—The First Swedish Spa
Baron Gustaf Soop (1624–1679), influential politician and one of Sweden’s
wealthiest men, was the owner of many estates, among them Medevi close to lake
Vättern. The springs at Medevi had been used for sacrifices during the pre-Christian
era, but had received little interest since then. In 1677 Soop noticed the water and
sent a sample to Hiärne, who was the only authority on the subject in Sweden.
Hiärne immediately noted that the water from Medevi had the same taste as the
water from Aachen, and performed a crude chemical analysis. The following
summer, Hiärne travelled to Medevi to perform new analyses, and could confirm
that Medevi was a true surbrunn.
1 People in need for medical treatment started to
arrive at Medevi (Fig. 17.1), but the rich people, (the costumers they wanted to
attract) were harder to convince. As the interest in Medevi started to increase, new
competing springs were reported all over Sweden. Hiärne published a number of
texts, the most important being Den lilla wattu-prowfaren (The little water tester),
to teach the difference between a true mineral water and ordinary water, and at the
same time trying to protect and promote Medevi.
17.2 Bergman’s Interest in Mineral Waters
It is not known with certainty when Bergman first became interested in mineral
waters and when he first started to prepare artificial mineral water. In May 1769,
Bergman asked Wargentin to lend him a book on mineral water written by Monnet
[8].
’2
In his autobiography, Bergman claimed to have been drinking his own artificial
mineral water as early as 1771, [9] a statement doubted by Boklund [10]. Boklund
referred to a laboratory note made 11 p.m. on January 6, 1772 and which reports an
obviously failed attempt to prepare Pyrmont water. Bergman would later learn that
it was not simply possible to mix the required salts with water, but that more
sophistication was needed to avoid precipitation. On the other hand, Bergman stated
1
Literally “sour well”, A mineral well with acidic carbonated water. I have found no English
translation of the word.
2
Presumably Traité des Eaux Minerales.
236
17 Bergman and the Chemistry of Mineral Waters
had little resemblance with genuine water from Bad Pyrmont [7]. Priestley was
convinced that mineral water could prevent scurvy, and for this hypothesis, he was
awarded the Copley medal of 1772. Commercially most successful in the field was
watchmaker and silver smith Jacob Schweppe (1740–1821) who started production
of artificial mineral water in Geneva about 1780 and his company is still in the same
business over two hundred years later.
17.1 Medevi—The First Swedish Spa
Baron Gustaf Soop (1624–1679), influential politician and one of Sweden’s
wealthiest men, was the owner of many estates, among them Medevi close to lake
Vättern. The springs at Medevi had been used for sacrifices during the pre-Christian
era, but had received little interest since then. In 1677 Soop noticed the water and
sent a sample to Hiärne, who was the only authority on the subject in Sweden.
Hiärne immediately noted that the water from Medevi had the same taste as the
water from Aachen, and performed a crude chemical analysis. The following
summer, Hiärne travelled to Medevi to perform new analyses, and could confirm
that Medevi was a true surbrunn.
1 People in need for medical treatment started to
arrive at Medevi (Fig. 17.1), but the rich people, (the costumers they wanted to
attract) were harder to convince. As the interest in Medevi started to increase, new
competing springs were reported all over Sweden. Hiärne published a number of
texts, the most important being Den lilla wattu-prowfaren (The little water tester),
to teach the difference between a true mineral water and ordinary water, and at the
same time trying to protect and promote Medevi.
17.2 Bergman’s Interest in Mineral Waters
It is not known with certainty when Bergman first became interested in mineral
waters and when he first started to prepare artificial mineral water. In May 1769,
Bergman asked Wargentin to lend him a book on mineral water written by Monnet
[8].
’2
In his autobiography, Bergman claimed to have been drinking his own artificial
mineral water as early as 1771, [9] a statement doubted by Boklund [10]. Boklund
referred to a laboratory note made 11 p.m. on January 6, 1772 and which reports an
obviously failed attempt to prepare Pyrmont water. Bergman would later learn that
it was not simply possible to mix the required salts with water, but that more
sophistication was needed to avoid precipitation. On the other hand, Bergman stated
1
Literally “sour well”, A mineral well with acidic carbonated water. I have found no English
translation of the word.
2
Presumably Traité des Eaux Minerales.
236
17 Bergman and the Chemistry of Mineral Waters