The text describes the medical establishment in Birštonas in Vilnius Governorate, near Kaunas. The appearance of the plant is described, as well as its history, including, for example, the question of Vytautas hunting lodge, where King Casimir Jagiellon is said to have stayed. The surroundings of the current plant are presented, as well as the issue of the mineral waters themselves extracted at the plant (Source: Tygodnik Illustrowany, Warsaw 1889, Series 4, T:13, pp. 202-203, after: University of Lodz Digital Library).

A modernised reading of the text

Biršťany healing facility.

Birštonas is one of the youngest mineral spas in the western part of the country, having been known to the general public for only several years. As early as 1840, according to Dr. Wenier ("Biršťany mineral waters", Vilnius), the local inhabitants used them for various ailments; however, it was not until 1861 that they were scientifically first examined by Prof. Dr. Abicht. This work was followed at different times by: J. Kuszewicz, Schiller and Dr. Kadeński, from whose book I present their chemical composition below. Birštonas is located in the Vilnius province, in the Trakai district, 1½-verst voyage from Kaunas, which is easily accessible by stagecoaches and private carriages, on the right bank of the Nemunas River, which bends here in numerous picturesque curves. The estate is sheltered from the northern and eastern winds on one side by the forest, and on the other side by the neighbouring hills, one of which is called "Vytautas Hill", because centuries ago Vytautas' hunting castle was supposed to have stood there, honoured, according to legend, with a prolonged stay of King Casimir Jagiellon, together with the queen and her two sons: Casimir and John Olbracht.

Local people claim that from the top of this hill one can see "five Niemens", i.e. as many river bends; however, as for me, I have to confess that I counted only three of them. The surrounding park, not very large but carefully maintained, is decorated with lush trees, bushes and various flowers, making a stroll there a very pleasant experience. Two hotels, with a total of 70 rooms, quite spacious and well furnished, at a price of 12 to 20 roubles a month, and a number of private villas, fully or partially rented, provide decent accommodation for guests, some of whom are also looking for cheaper accommodation in the town. In the park, a Jewish orchestra plays every morning and evening, not a great one, but one that the Birštonian government can afford. A reading room in the bath house, children's gymnastics and a bowling alley round off the necessary entertainment.

In addition, dance parties for adults and children are held every Sunday and Thursday in the ballroom of the "kinhauzia". For those who cook at home, the local market and the farmers' market provide food; for the others, there is a restaurant which can satisfy all tastes. The monthly subscription for lunches ranges from 12 to 15 roubles. In the baths, the first class costs ... kop., the second class ... kop., and the number of baths issued daily reached 400 last year. The spa doctor is Dr. Sawicki from Vilnius. The town has a pharmacy, a postal station and a neat, though poor, Catholic church.

Social life in general is very well developed, despite the inevitable diversity of elements gathering in every public establishment. It is mainly centred in indigenous circles, in the sphere of the middle classes of the Lithuanian intelligentsia. You won't find a trace of aristocracy or those climbing up to it here, as there is no room to shine. The main points of collective excursions are: a beautiful pine and fir forest on the left bank of the Nemunas, where guests are transported by nice carriages always ready to serve them; further on, the church village Zedejkany, in a beautiful location, at the mouth of the river, or rather a brook called Zwierzchni, rushing with a noise over the boulders of its rocky bottom and flowing into the Nemunas through a deep, picturesque ravine; and finally the ruin two miles distant, where once upon a time there was a fortified castle of Margier, about which Syrokomla sings:

"Two days' walk from the Troki town, in the forest by the winding Nemunas, from the Teutonic Knights' seat, there rose an old and wooden Lithuanian castle; when Kiejstut takes possession of this side, he transferred his princely rights to Margier".

However, it is difficult to imagine where this fortified castle, with towers, ramparts and cellars, could have stood, as the summit of the only mountain is now so large that hardly a hunting pavilion would have been able to accommodate it. One can only assume that, over the centuries, the neighbouring hills, formerly connected to the mountain, have been eroded and turned into ravines. In any case, the trip is well worth it, as from the top you can see a magnificent panorama: on the one hand, the waves of the Nemunas flowing here in a tight channel, on the other hand, steep gorges at the bottom of which streams roll down. As a detail, perhaps or not exclusively proper to the Nemunas sites, I should also mention here the fishing for "jacice", which Orzeszkowa vividly described in the last book of "Vistula". Jacice are white butterflies of the mayfly genus, small and frail, with transparent wings, which appear by the billions over the surface of the river every year at the end of July and the beginning of August.

These creatures are a favourite bait for fish, and so the local inhabitants lure them to fires lit either in dugouts or on the shore, and then scoop them into sacks with brooms. The sacks, filled with this catch", says Orzeszkowa, "can barely hold it, because two skilful men, after fishing for a couple of hours, bring back several boxes". This gives a sufficient idea of the inconceivable number of these tiny insects, of which several thousand can probably be counted per pound.

The sight of the river, with its wide expanse of fires flickering in the distance, and dark human figures loitering mysteriously about, on a calm, clear summer's night - and this is the only time when fishing is possible - is indeed something fantastic, almost magical. The water from the old Birštoná springs, which supplies 10,000 buckets a day, contains potassium sulphate and calcium chloride, as well as sodium chloride and calcium and magnesium bicarbonate as its main ingredients. There are 7.05 solid parts per thousand parts of water, and of this number: potassium sulphate 1.62, calcium chloride 3.52, sodium chloride 0.39, calcium bicarbonate 0.06, magnesium bicarbonate 1.25.

The water from the new spring (Wiktoryi), supplying 20,000 buckets per day, consists mostly of sodium chloride, sodium and calcium sulphates and calcium and magnesium bicarbonates. One thousand parts of water contain 5.05 solids, namely: sodium chloride 3.70, sodium sulphate 0.52, calcium sulphate 0.70, calcium bicarbonate 0.48, magnesium bicarbonate 0.44, iron trace very small. In addition, the Viktorya spring, so far used only for drinking, contains free carbonic acid and traces of iodine. Birštoná water is especially helpful: in chronic rheumatism; in scrofula; in chronic joint pains, as well as in scrofula and rachitic pains of children. The warmth of the old springs is 9°C, the new one 9.2°C.