Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1845-11-20

aoiS W iht util8Ntlui w nONtitl-to Hppuh-
ing to the sickly dependency Of a hypochondrise
would murmur aud growl over public table spread
with no tempting condiments. Could hope to
find healing in my own land, and not too for from
my own doctors IN OF failure, might indeed
solicit the watery gods--but the journey who
scarcely lived through the day without eech or POI
ton 1.-THE long-geid journey to Graalenberg-I
should be sure to fall III by the way--to be cuched
and mismanaged by some German doctor-to de-
post my bones in some dismal church-yard on the
banks Of the Father Rhine
While perplexed, | fell in with one Of the pam
phles written by Doctor Wilson, of Malvern, and
my doubts were solved Here was an English doc
tor who had himself known more than my own suf
ferings who, like myself, had found the pharma-
copDia in yan-who had spent ten months al
Graafenberg, and left all his complaints behind him
who, fraughi with the experience he had acquir-
cd, not only in his own person. but from scientific
examination Of the case under his eye, had trans
ported the system to our native shores, and who
prohered the proverbial salubry ofMalvern air and
its holy springs, TO those who, like me- had ranged
in van from simple TO mineral, and who had be-
come bold by despair--bod enough TO try II health
like truth, lay at the bottom Of well.
was not then aware that other institutions had
been established in England OF more or less fame
saw in Doctor Wilson the first transpouer--at
least as physician--of the Silesian system, and
did not pause TO look out for other and later pupils
of this innoyating German school,
resolved then TO betakc myself TO Malvern
On my way through the town | paused, in the in
nocence Of my heart, to inquire Of some Of the fac
ulty il they thought the waier-cure would suit my
case. With one exception, they were unanimous
in the vehemence Of their denunciaiions. Grant
ing even that in some cases, especially Of rheu-
matism hydropathy had produced a cure-,o my
complaints il was worse than napplicable-it was
highly dangerous--t would probably be fatal I
had not stamina for the treatment-it would fix
chronic ailments into organic disease-surely il
would be much better to try what | had not yet
tried. What had no, yet triedl A course Of
prussc acid Nothing was better for gasirte IT.
ritatlon, which was no doubt the main cause OF my
suiieringl II, however, was obstinaiely bent up
on so mad an experiment, Doctor Wilson was the
last person | should go TO. was not deferred by
all these ntmidailons. seduced by the salubri-
Gus aurements Of the prussic acid under its seien-
tiiic appellation Of hydiocamic. little reflection
taught me that the members Of learned profession
are naturally the very persons least disposed 10 ia
YOUR innovation upon the practices which custom
and prescription have rendered sacred in their
eyes. a lawyer is no, the person to consult upon
bold reforms in Jurisprudence A physician can
scarcely be expected 10 own that a Silesian peas
ant will cure with water the diseases which resist
an armament OF phials. And with regard to the
peculiar objections TO Doctor Wilson, had read in
his own pamphlet attacks upon the orthordox prac-
tice sufficient 10 account lor-perhaps to Justify
the disposition to depreciaie him in return.
Still my friends were anxious and fearful; TO
please them continued to inquire, though not Of
physicians, but OF patients. | sough, Of those
who had gone through the process. sfed some
of the cases of cure cited by Doctor Wilson. i
found the account Of the patients so encouraging,
the cases quoted SO authentic. that grew mpa-
tlent OF delay. ! threw physlc TO the dogs, and
went TO Malvern l...
II is not my intention, Mr. Editor, TO detail the
course underwent The different resources of
water as medcsment are TO be found in many
works easily TO be obtained, and well worth the
study In this letter suppose myself TO be ad-
dressing those as thoroughly unacquantcd with the
system myself al the first, and deal there
fore only in generals.
The FIRST point which impressed and struck me
was the extreme aud utter innocence Of the water
cure in skilful hands-in hands indeed not thor
oughly new 10 the system. Certainly when went,
] believed II TO be kill cure system | fancied
il must be very violent remedy--that il might
doubtless effect great and magical cures--but that
if it failed it might be fatal. Now, speak not
alone Of my own case but Of the immense number
of cases have seen-patlents OF all ages-all spe-
ces and genera of disease-ali kinds and condi-
tions Of constitution when declare, upon my hon
or, that | never Witnessed one dangerous symptom
produced by the water-cure, whether at Doctor
Wilson's or the other Hydropabc Institutions
which afterwards visited And though unques-
tionably fatal consequences might occur from gross
Encouragement, and as unquestionably have &C.
Cured AT various establishments, ! am yet con-
WINGED that water in itself is friendly TO the hu-
man body, that il requires very extraordinary de-
gree OF bungling, Of ignorance, and presumption,
TO produce results really dangerous that a regu-
lar practitioner does more frequent mischief from
the misapplication Of even the simplest drugs, than
a water doctor of very moderate experience does,
or can do, by the misappcation Of his baths and
friction. And here must observe, that those por-
lions of the treatment which appear to the uniniii-
aied as the most perious, are really the safest, =
and can be applied with the most impunity to the
weakest constitutions whereas those which APP
pear from our greatest familiarity with them, the
least startling and most innocuous, I are those
which require the greatest knowledge of general
pathology and the individual constitution. shall
revert to this part Of my subject before conclude
The next thing that struck me was the exiraor-
din4ry ease with which, under this system good
habits are acquired and bad habits relnquished-
The difficulty with which, under orthodox medi-
cal treatment, stlmuanis are abandoned is here not
witnessed. Patients accustomed for half century
to live hard and high, wine-drinkers, spirit-bibbers
whom the regular physician has sought in vain to
reduce TO daily pint of sherry, here voluntarily
resign all strong potatons a0er day or two cease
to feel the want OF them and reconcile themselves
10 water as If they had drank nothing else all their
lives. Others, who have had recourse for years
and years to medicine--ther potion in the morn
ing, their cordial at noon, their pill before dinner
their narcotic at bed time, cease TO require these
aids to life, as il by charm Nor this alone
Men to whom mental labor has been necessary
who have existed on the excitement of the passions
and the stir of the intelect-who have felt, these
II ri -