The Sun.
London, England, 1842-11-02 00:00:00

HYDROPATHY, OR THE COLD
WATER CURE.
• (From the Kentish Observer).
On Friday evening last a very interesting lecture
on Hydropathy, or the Cold Water Cure, was de-
_ _

livered at he Royal Oak Assembly-rooms, Dover, by
Captain Claridge, who is the author of a work on the
subject. After a few general remarks the Captain
related to. the audience his own experience of the be-
nefits to be derived from the system. He was suffer-
ing severely from rheumatism, headache, and weak-
ness of the eyes, for which he had consulted many
physicians, and tried various remedies without ef-
fect, when he was advised to try the effect of
this method. For this purpose he proceeded, with
his family, to Grafenberg, in Silesia, the residence
of Mr. Priessnitz, the originator of the system.
Mr. Priessnitz was a peasant, without education ;
and his skill in curing diseases originated in
accident. He was severely injured by a kick from a
horse, which broke two or three of his ribs. The
surgeon whom he consulted said he would be disabled
for life. He, however, determined to attempt a cure,
which he effected by cold water and spare diet
alone. He afterwards performed several cures on
men and animals. Grafenberg is situated about half-
way up one of the mountains of the Sudates. The
establishment of Mr. Priessnitz is a very irregular
structure, having been built at different periods ; but
it has one noble room, which is used for meals and
assemblies. The accommodations are very coarse,
and, in consequence, Captain Claridge took up his
quarters in the neighbouring town of Freiwaldau. He
had not been long here before he was visited by two
Englishmen, whom he had persuaded to apply to Mr.
Priessnitz. They assured him they should owe him
an eternal debt of gratitude, for their restoration to
health. They then invited him to dine at the public
table, where they sat down about 300 persons, and
the aptain took occasion to remark the extraordinary
flow of spirits which seemed to pervade the company,
so different frOm what any one would expect in in-
valids. His friends then pointed out to him some
extraordinary cures effected by hydropathy. One
was a young lady, who went there with scrofula in
her face and neck, so bad as to render her quite an
object; in nine months she was so completely reco-
vered as to be considered the beauty of the room.
Another case was that of an officer who, in conse-
quence of a wound, had his leg so withered that it was
not thicker than his wrist. He shortly had the limb
perfectly restored. Many others they pointed out.
'ie table is spread with plain food, and no restric-
tion is placed upon the patients,-except in forbidding
the use of wine, beer, mustard, pepper, 8:c.
The course prescribed by Mr. Priessnitz, for Cap-
tain Claridge, was the following :—At about four
o'clock in the morning his servant brought a large
coarse blanket, in which he was enveloped, and
which was tightly fastened round his neck, and at his '
feet ; then, as many blankets as he could conveniently
bear were heaped upon him, and on these a bed, so
as effectually to exclude the external air; in this state
he remained till six o'clock. In about an hour, per-
spiration took place, when the doors and windows were
opened, and he was instructed to drink about a pint of
cold water, by means of a pipe. At six o'clock the
coverings were removed, and he had his faCe, chest, and
shins washed with cold water, to prevent his taking
cold. He then descended to he bath in a pair of
straw shoes. In the bath he remained three minutes;
dressed, with all the windows open, and walked,
drinking cold water at various places (to the amount
of about eight glasses), until he arrived at the estab- •
lishment to breakfast, which was composed of milk,
butter, and brown bread, with wild strawberries, for
five months in the year. Then he descended the
mountain by another path, and on his way took a
douche bath, in which the stream flowing from the
mountain is collected in a pipe. This is suffered to
flow first on one part of the body; -then on another,
and lastly on the part affected. From this he pro-
ceeded home, took a sitz bath—a tub with about six
or nine inches of water, in which he sat for fifteen
minutes • he then took a foot-bath for the same length
of time, the servant rubbing his feet while they were in,
the water. For the weakness of his sight he lay on the
floor upon his back, and placed the back of his head
in a basin of water for five minutes. He dined at
one o'clock: at three repeated the same process, and
walked until nine. For supper he ate the same as at
breakfast. His daughter, who was supposed to be
"consumptive, but who Mr. Priessnitz pronounced had
merely outgrown her strength, being, as he expressed
it, too tall for her breath, underwent a similar pro-
cess, except that, to produce perspiration she was en-
veloped in a wet sheet, instead of a blanket, and at
night she wore a wet cloth upon her chest, and an-
other round her body. In less than three months she
was perfectly recovered.
The Captain remarked that he could see no reason
why man should not live to 200 years of age. The
inferior animals, it is calculated, live eight times as
long as it takes them to arrive at maturity, and why
not man ? He then adduced several examples of
longevity.
He gave an extract from a work by Dr. Itausse to
the following effect :—" It is impossible for any man
to die of any acute disease, while the patient has suf-
ficient strength left, to allow of water producing its
re-action in him." He said that people never died at
Grafenberg of any acute disorder. He states that
there are now a hundred establishments on the same
plan in Germany, and gave an account of the number
of patients who have consulted Mr. Priessnitz in each
year, from 1829, its commencement, to 1841. The
total amount is 74000.

CUPAR 'ANGUS--SUDDEN RISING OE A RIVER.—
So suddenly did the river Ericht, near its conjunction
with the Isla, a little beyond Cupar Grange, rise on
Friday last, that it nearly swept the boatman and his
coble down the stream, while crossing about mid-day.
The river was at its usually low ebb and calmness at
this season when he crossed with a passenger, which
occupies about two minutes, and on his instant return
it had risen so quickly, and so strong was the current,
that he had great difficulty in effecting a landing,
and the spot from which he emigrated so recently was
occupied by a black foaming peatish flood. The late
rains amongst the hills account in some measure for
this uncommon flood; but the oldest persons in the
district do not, from their earliest recollection, bring
to mind a similar instance where so great a body of
water came breasting down on the same day.—Perth-
shire Advertiser.

DEATH IN BRIXTON HOUSE OF: CORRECTION._
On Monday Mr. Carter, the Coroner for Surrey, held
an inquest in the Brixton House of Correction re-.
specting the death of Henry Brice, a prisoner who had
been committed from Union-hall, for fourteen days,
for refractory conduct in Newington Workhouse. It
appeared the deceased was one of those who would not
work after breakfast, but preferred, as soon as that
meal was over, taking a walk to some other place for
the same purpose. By lying about in the open air
and damp he had greatly impaired his health and con-
stitution, and was ill when admitted, and, although
every attention was paid to him, he got worse, and
expired. Verdict—" Natural death."

WHIMSICAL PROJECT.—A young lady advertises,
in-a morning paper, for some cancelled postage-stamps
to paper her dressing-room. She states that she has
collected nearly 16,000, but she finds that insufficient
for the purpose, and will be :obliged to any good-
natured persons assisting her in her whimsical project.