In the first volumes of printed notes of society have been working on Siberian resorts. Growing popularity Kavminvod increased arrival of patients, and sources have not yet been sufficiently studied. In order to produce serious design and finishing sources in accordance with the requirements of hydraulic engineering, on the initiative of the Smirnov was invited by a French engineer hydrogeologist Jules Francois, who was previously involved in the improvement of many well-known European spas. Jean Francois arrived in 1874, and already the first acquaintance with the sources allowed him to write: "In all Europe there is no such a happy combination of a variety of keys so the relatively small space. Without a doubt, the implementation of proposed technical work Caucasian water should be among the best European waters. " Under the leadership of Jean Francois were conducted large-scale geological survey and balneotehnicheskie erected buildings.
In Pyatigorsk, founded the Alexander Ermolaevskiy tunnel, which gave the hot sulfuric water. In gallery number 1 and 2 are also given to 50 000 buckets of hot mineral water. But of particular importance were by Jean Francois in on the sources number 17 and 18, which is rightly called the pearl of the Caucasus waters. The main outcome of the work Jean Francois were scientifically sound principles of planning and capping prospecting of mineral waters. All Mail 60-year-old spa community work provides a basis to assert that the Russian resort science was born and matured in the waters of the Caucasian and had an exceptional influence on the development of other resorts.