Kissingen

Kissingen, the most popular watering-place in Bavaria, is situated on the Saale, 60 miles E. by N. from Frankfort-on-Main. Of its three mineral springs (temperature 50.7°-51.2° F.), the Rakoczy and the Pandr furnish saline and chalybeate waters, while the Maxbrunnen is acidulous and saline. The Solen-Strudel is remarkable for the periodical ebb and flow of its waters, caused apparently by the accumulation and discharge of carbonic acid gas. Besides these there are two other springs near the town, and in the same valley the spas of Bocklet and Brückenau. The waters of Kissingen are both drunk and used as baths by the patients, and are considered specially efficacious in cases of dyspepsia, skin diseases, affections of the bowels, eyes, and ears, gout, &c. The population (4024) is increased by an influx of 13,000 to 14,000 visitors annually. Although the existence of mineral (saline) springs at this spot was known as early as the 9th century, it was not until the 16th that their medical properties were recognised, and not until the 19th that the springs came to be in great repute. Between 500,000 and 600,000 bottles of the Kissingen waters are exported annually. At Kissingen an attempt was made to assassinate Prince Bismarck, by Kullmann, on 13th July 1874. See guides, all in German, by Sotier (2d ed. 1883), Werner (3d ed. 1883), Dirnf (5th ed. 1884), and Ising (3d ed. 1885).