Londonderry Lithia

Londonderry Lithia was a brand of bottled lithia water sold in the northeastern United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.[1] The source of the water was in Londonderry, New Hampshire, and the company headquarters of the Londonderry Lithia Spring Water Company was in Nashua, New Hampshire.

Used as a table water and in the treatment of kidney troubles.

— Artemas Ward, The Grocer's Encyclopedia[2]

Londonderry Lithia
1886 advertisement
CountryUnited States
SourceLondonderry Lithia spring
Typestill/sparkling
pHunknown
TDSunknown
All concentrations in milligrams per liter (mg/L); pH without units
Bottling plant in 1892.

As a marketing promotion, Annie Kopchovsky, the first woman to bicycle around the world, changed her name in 1895 to Annie Londonderry and carried the company's placard on her journey.[3]

Composition

According to the company, the water had been analyzed by Prof. H. Halvorson and found to contain among various other minerals 8.620 grains of lithium bicarbonate per Imperial gallon.[4] However, following the prohibition of adulterated and misbranded drugs, a government chemist determined that the water contained only a spectroscopic trace of lithium, less than 1/1200 grain per gallon, and that sodium chloride and sodium bicarbonate had been added to some samples. This resulted in action condemning and forfeiting the product.[5] The company ceased production by 1920.[6]

References
  1. Londonderry Litia Water: History.
  2. Ward, Artemas (1911). "Londonderry-lithia". The Grocer's Encyclopedia: A Compendium of Useful Information Concerning Foods of All Kinds : How They Are Raised, Prepared and Marketed : How to Care for Them in the Store and Home : How Best to Use and Enjoy Them, and Other Valuable Information for Grocers and General Storekeepers. New York: Artemas Ward. OCLC 57070453.
  3. Ciccarello, Joanne (August 29, 2006). "Backstory: Retracing Annie Londonderry's Victorian Odyssey". The Christian Science Monitor. Boston, Mass.: Christian Science Pub. Society. ISSN 0882-7729. OCLC 10969332.
  4. Londonderry Lithia Spring Water Co (1891). "Londonderry lithia spring water : nature prepares the antidote : the strongest natural lithia water in the world : an absolute specific for gout rheumatism, dyspepsia, gravel and all renal and vesical diseases : a delicious table water". Londonderry Lithia Spring Water Co.
  5. Articles on the Nostrum Evil and Quackery Reprinted from the Journal of the American Medical Association. 1. American Medical Association. 1912. "Notice of Judgment 822"
  6. "History of Londonderry Lithia".
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