The thermal springs of Selangor and Malacca
Dr. W. Bott, a chemist and geologist attached to the colonial scientific establishment, published this detailed chemical and geological survey of the thermal springs of Selangor and Malacca in 1891, in the Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. The article presents systematic analyses of water, dissolved gases, and surrounding rock from springs across both states, arguing that they constitute a class of “simple thermal waters” of non-volcanic origin whose therapeutic value derives primarily from temperature and trace hydrogen sulphide content.
Summary
Bott’s central contribution is a rigorous chemical classification of the springs. He demonstrates that all the springs he examined—Setapak, Gombak, Semuniah, Dusun Tua, Ulu Selangor, and Ulu Klang in Selangor, and Cherana Puteh, Ayer Panas, and Alor Gajah in Malacca—belong to the class of simple thermal waters: high in temperature but low in total dissolved solids, with silica as the dominant mineral constituent. The immediate geological setting is uniformly granitic, with no limestone or basalt present, which Bott takes as evidence that the springs rise from silicious rather than calcareous strata. He notes the presence of tin-bearing minerals in the surrounding rock and observes a small quantity of gold in a diorite sample from Ulu Klang, though he cautions against over-interpreting this single finding (pp. 44–45, 53–54).
The article addresses the question of ultimate origin, which Bott acknowledges cannot be resolved without a full geological survey and deep boring. He rules out direct volcanic action on the grounds that no basalt or volcanic minerals are present in the vicinity, yet he stops short of affirming a purely intra-terrestrial heat source, leaving the question open for future investigation (p. 60). On the therapeutic front, Bott ranks the springs by medicinal merit, placing Ulu Klang first on account of its extreme temperature and hydrogen sulphide content, and recommends the waters for chronic skin diseases, rheumatism, chlorosis, and dyspepsia. He notes that Malays and Chinese already use the springs for bathing, particularly for skin conditions, though neither group drinks the water (p. 59).
A significant portion of the article is devoted to refuting a paper by Stanislas Meunier published in the Comptes Rendus, which had claimed that tin oxide was being deposited from the spring water in statu nascenti—a finding Meunier presented as a major contribution to the theory of tin ore formation. Bott dismantles this claim point by point, arguing that the tin in the sinter is simply inherited from the tin-bearing granite on which it grows, and that the proposed mechanism of tin oxide deposition from hydrogen sulphide-bearing water is “a chemical impossibility” (pp. 60–62).
Key Findings
- Spring temperatures range from 100°F to 185°F in Selangor and 95°F to 130°F in Malacca; Ulu Klang is the hottest at 83–84°C (181–183°F) (pp. 45, 52).
- Total dissolved solids are low across all springs, ranging from approximately 15.4 grains per gallon (Dusun Tua) to 21.95 grains per gallon (Ulu Klang), with silica as the single largest dissolved constituent in every case (pp. 46–52).
- Escaping gases are composed predominantly of nitrogen (95.85–98.1% by volume) and carbon dioxide (1.9–3.5%), with hydrogen sulphide at 0.3–0.7% and traces of hydrogen and marsh gas (pp. 46–53).
- The average composition of the granitic rock surrounding the Ulu Klang spring is 74.30% silica, 14.20% alumina, 5.10% alkalis, 3.00% lime, with tin ore disseminated in small quantities through the mass (p. 53).
- A diorite sample from Ulu Klang contained gold equivalent to ¾ oz. per ton, though Bott regards this as a sporadic occurrence not warranting further investigation at that time (pp. 53–54).
- Meunier’s claimed mineral deposit from Ayer Panas was shown by Bott to be common siliceous sinter (91.8% silica, 7.5% water) with trace tin inherited from the host granite, not a novel tin-bearing opal (pp. 60–62).
Conclusion
Bott’s definitive takeaway is that the Selangor and Malacca thermal springs are geologically unremarkable in their chemical composition—simple, silica-rich, non-volcanic waters—yet therapeutically significant by virtue of their high temperatures and hydrogen sulphide content. He positions Ulu Klang and Setapak as the most promising candidates for formal development as bathing and drinking establishments, while firmly correcting the international scientific record against Meunier’s erroneous claim of tin deposition from solution.
Context
- Bott was a colonial-era chemist and geologist (F.C.S., F.G.S.) whose work served the administrative and scientific interests of the Straits Settlements; the article’s therapeutic recommendations and suggestions for developing the springs for bathing reflect a colonial public-health and economic-development framing.
- The article draws on Bott’s own field observations and laboratory analyses; no external archival collections are cited beyond Meunier’s Comptes Rendus paper, which Bott refutes.