Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 182?-183?, 1832-04-13
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ENTR ACT

! bath and analogous remedies, such as the
| warm and hot bath, for either of these may
be compared 10 the former according To the
degree of heat to which il is raised, would
seem 10 be applicable by direct sympathy be-
tween the skin and all the internal organs
The moderate augmentation in calber,
and medium state of sensibility in which
the vessels and nerves Of the skin are placed
by the bath, is directly participated in by the
vessels and nerves of the mucous lining of the
lung, and Of the stomach and intestines, as
well as by the expanded tissue of the white
membranes, Serious and fibrous and the Sc
creting vessels, or the parts instrumental in
| The secreting function Of the glands, liver,
pancreas, mammn sc.
! Mere derivation ofblood would fail TO give
entire relief; however we might excite and
redden the skin sweating, however profuse,
as where paroXysm of fever or of violent
pain ends in this way, will not suffice 10 re-
move the disease. II is not the mere amount
OF blood IN the skin and It's suhiacent tissue
nor the mere sweat that is sufficient 10 re-
lIeve the internal organs from their state of
irritation or inflammation. The benefits are
gained, not only by inducing that action of
The skin by which its natural functions are
restored and maintained, but also by ndu-
eng similar Consentaneous action in all the
internal membranes and secreting apparatus
w hena vapour bath cures ichorous discharg-
es from the skin, and chronic ulcers of the
same part, we cannot explain the effect thus
produced by any principle of derivation or
Counter-irritation Neither ought we TO at
tempt similar solution of the problem when
the internal sero mucous discharges from the
| bowels are increased by this remedy In
both cases the cure depends not on an af1luX
of fluids TO one part and their minor quantity
in another, but on altered condition of the
tissues themselves, brought aboutby impress
sions which modify their sensi ility and the
mode IN which the minute vessels dispose of
their contained fluids. On the skin the I'M
preston is immediate on the internal sur
face, secondary and mediate The kind of
| action is the same in both. feel myself the
more called upon TO expose the fallacy ofthe
common theory OF the nlOdus operandi of all
the varieties of baths, on account of the iniu-
| rlous influence which il has eXerted on prac-
tice. Both Physicians and the people at
large seemed TO have little other idea OF baths
OF various temperatures, than as means of
driving away The blood when in excess from
the surface, or drawing this fluid out 10 the
skin from the internal organs or of con.
stralniEg or relaxing the fibres Morbid
or peccant humonrs supposed 10 be evinced
on the skin by eruptions, were also presum-
ed at times 10 be driven inwards, TO cause all
the danger and distress following their dis
appearance. 1t was forgotten that there
could not well be such a sudden transfer of
these humors from the minute vascular NET
work Of the skin TO the internal organs. such
as the stomach, heart, and brain, and neres
sarily often as speedy return 10 the skin
without the blood in the circulation being in
the mean time affected or tainted-a change
which we are certain it does not undergo. =
When external heat by the warm or vnpor
bath restores the eruption on the skin. If is
not by withdrawing from the inward parts
by Kind Of fermentation or CoCtion. peccant
humours, but simply by so altering the con
dillon OF the cutaneous tissue that the dilafion
Of the capilaries and partial extravasation of
their fluid causes the disColouration and spots
diagnostic Of the eruption. The same effect
as veil as the bringing on of perspiration
has been caused by cold air and cold water
applied TO the skin, when this part had been
preternaturally excited and its heat morbid
ly great.
There is not, therefore, any specific pow
er IN colo or in warm water, or vapour. OF;
Their 10 repel or attract blood and humours
and TO drive them in or fix them external
ly.
I'd The guides TO regulate us in tie use of
baths generally are the temperature and SEN
sibity of the skin, and the ranges of SYM
pathies between it and other paris The Sc
dation by cold, excitation bya hot. eouable
action bya warm and increased nutritiye ac-
tlyIty IN absorption and exbaldtion by va
pour bath, which arc undergone by the skin
are all seyeralIy participatedinb by iheinternaI
membranes-muCOus, Serious ,synoviaI & f.
brous, and by The gandular and other viscera
with the notifications growing out of their
peculiar tissue.
As far as the nervous expansions blended
with capillaries, red and white and all
sorbents, seCretors, and exhalants. are ron
cerned, the kind of action TO which ali these
parts arc subjected by bathing is the same in
all The difference is merely in mode or de-
gree. The measure in these cases can never
be furnished by an arbitrary estimation of
The amount of fluids driven from The sur
lace on one occasion or drawn 10 il ON suo,b-
er, as 1.-THE skin on one side and the internal
organs on another represented two sides oCa
hydraulic machine, The fluid in v bicb ,v,s (
driven backwards and forwards by counter !
vaIling forces. Equally erroneous would no !
the supposition that baths operate on The svs- !
TEN as they, would on piece ofdead fbrc or J
Ieaiher-by constructing and relaxing an !
ProNimaIing parts and separating them. All
these are notions derived from physics and /
The laws ofdead and inorganic matter and
ought not 10 find countenance with anv in,el-
lgent physician They have serve.I NJ oil