The Influence of Artificial Sulphurspring Bath on The Skin

Abstract

In Narugo spring, patients with skin disease take principally 4 different sulphursprings for their mdeical treatment, that is, “Higashi Tagano-yu”, “Nishi Tagano-yu” “Takino-yu”, and “Genzo-yu”. I made artificial springs which were very similar to the above mentioned natural sulplur springs in the chemical constituents and I studied the influence of the artificial sulphurspring particularly about the influence on capillary vessel to elucidate the effect of the above mentioned springs.
The artificial sulphursprings I prepared were simple sulphurspring (0.2g SH₂ in 1 liter water), including sodium bicarbonate or sulphuric acid, so the resemblance between the natural sulphursprings and the artificial ones was high in their pH. (N. B. See Table 1),
Reddening of the skin caused by hydrogen sulphid (SH₂) after immersion in these artificial sulphursprings was observed macroscopically and capillaroscopically.
A) The reddening by sulphurspring is characteristic of the fact that it happens even at low temperature. Therefore the lowest temperature of the SH₂ water that makes the skin red, or the limiting temperature of the SH₂ water was examined in 34 persons on the volar surface of the forearms, and it was by far lower than the one in the case of fresh water bath. Besides its relation to the tension of autonomic nervous system, temperature of environment, temperature of the skin surface, sexuality, and the age were examined.
B) The reddening by SH₂ is chiefly brought about from the congestion of the capillary vessel in the skin surface, and as for its intensity, it was more remarkable in the case after immersion in the sulphurspring including sulphuric acid than in the case after immersion in the simple sulphurspring, and weak in the case of sulphurspring including sodium bicarbonate, and after the reddening the reactive ischemia was observed distinctly in the case of simple sulphurspring.
C) Influence of the heat reaches more profound layer of the skin, and the temperature of the artificial sulphurspring also plays a part of the role in the reddening by SH₂. Among these influences of the artificial sulphursprings a good contrast could be seen, as compared 42°C sulphurspring including sulphuric acid with 42°C sulphurspring including sodium bicarbonate. One who had taken the former bath, felt his body became comparatively cool after his bath, and on the contrary after he had taken the latter, felt comparatively warm. This process was sufficiently explained by the capillaroscopical studies on both springs.
D) I experienced the fact that one, who had taken the artificial sulphurspring several times, accustomed himself to it, and his capillary became dull to SH₂.
E) The above facts were very instructive to treat 2 patients for roentgen ray dermatitis. Among the various hydrotherapies I practiced, the sulphurspring including sodium bicarbonate was the most effective, and I also have experienced the phenomenon of naturalization to SH₂ during these treatments.