Doctor Gravalosa
Doctor Josep Gravalosa was the first person to analyse the water from Font Picant and discover its mineral and medicinal properties.
In the 17th century, some farmers discovered that there was a kind of water near the Mansolí stream that had a different taste. Rumours said an ox was healed from the kidney irritation he had by drinking from that spring. Doctor Gravalosa himself wanted to check it out. Only by tasting it, he noticed that it had great diuretic properties.
He began prescribing it to his patients who had bladder problems, renal colics and kidney problems, and he noticed that almost all of them were healed. From then on, he made it known while writing his first memoir about these waters in 1779. There, he includes his first analyses and describes the properties that water has to help cure renal colics and kidneys.
In 1909, the town council decided to honour him by naming a very central square and a street after him. In 1911, the house La Saleta had a tombstone placed with an inscription taken from his memoir on the steps leading to the Spa.
