Londonderry Lithia

Brand of bottled lithia water

Londonderry Lithia

Country| United States
Source| Londonderry Lithia spring
Type| still/sparkling
pH| unknown
TDS| unknown
All concentrations in milligrams per liter (mg/L); pH without units
Bottling plant in 1892.

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]

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

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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

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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. Vol. 1\. American Medical Association. 1912. "Notice of Judgment 822"
6. ^ "History of Londonderry Lithia".

## External links

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* Lithia Springs chapter of the History of Londonderry
* David Rumsey Map Collection engraving
* 1895 New York Times article