The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1848-05-02
Written for the Galaxy.
THE PREVENTION OF SCROFULA.
NOW.

t1uence of cold & wet, is the cold bath. Its use
| should be begun Immediately after BIRTH using
the water at first of such temperature the ten
der powers of life will at that time bear and grad
ually reducing the temperature. The proper
time of day is the morning, Immediately on rising
Its invigorating effect is greatest at that time and
the skin is not then moist by perspiration, the
circulation enfeebled by fatigue so TO make its
use dangerous. So great is my confidence in the
efficacy of this measure that 1 believe, if it were
pursued with every child born till the present
generation of valetudinarians had passed from the
stage the trade of doctors would be shorn of half
Its profits and moro than half its reproaches.
Cold bathing improves every function & strength
| ems every fibre in the system And then the
pleasure of it 1t produces comfortable feelings
by its cleanliness, it makes the mind cheerful the
body elastic, the sleep sweet and the whole life
doubly pleasant. Try it, if you never have, and
you will find its effects exhilirating that you
will straightway discover yourself attitudinizing
and declaiming eloquence 10 the yashbowl. In
some instances the system is too much debi,itated
at once to bear very cold water. This may be
known to be the case, in a particular instance if
after the use OF it the comfortable glow of heal
thy reaction is not felt, but in its place a sensa-
ton of chilliness, languor and headache Here
you must begin with tepid water. and gradually
reduce the temperature. But this very condition
of health especially calls for this regimen. Such
people take cold easily. Now this susceptibility
10 the impression of cold, which, by the way,
believe to be one of the strongest proofs of pro-
cliyity to scrofula, is effectualy removed by cold
| bathing, and the most comm on cause of disease
in this climate thereby materially lessened. In
my acquaintance there is not one sickly child who
has been subjected TO this plan, and in many in
stances have known weakly children who need
ed physicians care about half the time, and
whom it was thought hardly possible to raise
such children l have known TO become robust &
healthy under the of the cold bath. No APP
paratus is necessary. a plunge bath, or a show
or bath perhaps the best, but sponge or a
towel will very well answer the purpose. Salt
dissolved in the water will be found good addi-
ton with weakly people, it increases the inyigo-
rating effect of the cold BATH and salt ITSELF exter
nay or internally is not without testimony TO its
| efficacy in scrofula
The Albany Orphan Asylum at its first estab
liSliment was located in one of the most crowded
streets in the city of Albany, where fresh air and
| proper exercise were out of the question and
cleanliness was next to impossible. Bathing
performed in perfect manner only once IN three
ueekS. During the first three years in which this
system followed, from four to six children
were continually on the sick list and sometimes
more. A physician was needed once, twice or
| thrice week, uniformly, & deaths were frequent.
Subsequently the children were removed into a
large, commodious aDG exceedingly well ventila-
ted building, situated out Of the city. In addi-
lion to cold battling eray morning. the children
were required to take an abundance Of exercise,
were confined but three or four hours daily in
school, instead of six or seven, and were, moreo-
yer, allowed meat occasionally, though the prin-
clpal part OF the diet consisted of milk potatoes,
Indian mush and plenty of good bread. After
the new system was fairly adopted the nursery
was entirely vacated, and for more than two years
no case of sickness or death took place. Those
who came to the Asylum weakly became healthy
and strong, and all were greatly increased in ac-
tivity. cheerfuness and happiness"
Facts are so much more cogent than arguments
that will quote one more case of this particular
regimen, from the American Annals of Edu-
cation for August 1886. The experiment was
made in a German school, when the diet consisted
of bread, meat, milk, fruits and vegetables. Gold
bathing ,rds prdcticed daily. The teacher states
tile result as follows: l am at present the fos-
ter-father of nearly seventy young people, who
were born in all the varieties of climate from Lis
bon TO Moscow, and whose early education was
necessarily very different. These young men are
all healthy; not single eruption is visible on
their faces; and three years ofton pass during
which not a single one of them is confined to his
bed; and in The twenty years during which have
been engaged in this institution, not one pupil has
died. Yet l am no physician. During the first
ten years of my residence here, no physician en-
tered my house. and not till the number of my
pupils was very much increased, and l grew anx-
ious not to overlook anything in regard to them,
did l begin to seek at all for medical advice"
/ The proper regulation of the temperature of
the body is al-important to the health Of a scrof
ulous person. The depressing influence of cold is
ALWAYS injurious. The sensation of chlliness is
the general evidence that this effect is having
place. A chill is the warning that nature gives
that the system is suffering. To guard this point
without declaring the individual from air and ex-
= II. Al.
ficicntly warm and adapted TO the season. 1t
should not be too warm; this interferes with OK
ercises, and promotes undue perspiration, there
by facilitating the system generally, and, in par
ticular producing such relaxed condition of the
skin as increases the tendency TO cold. Every
weakly person, and especially the scrofuous, in
this climate, should wear flannel next the skin,
in winter, for its warmth, in summer TO counter
act atmospherical changes. The voice of expert
cnce is so single on this point that facts and ar
guments may be spared. The feet should be kept
dry and especial care be taken to avoid the i'm
preston of cold when at rest or perspiring Fee
bic persons very apt TO take cold in sleep if
exposed TO currents of cold air not sufficiently
covered. In regard to exposing children to cold
air certain precautions should be used. If the
child be born in the cold season of the year, he
should not be carried out till the warm weather of
| spring. If the child be born in summer he should
&c accustomed to outdoor air with little delay
and the custom need not be broken off when
/ winter arrives.
A favorable change is often wrought in scrof
u!ous diseases, and their development in con-
stitutions predsposed thereto prevented by res
| idence in a warmer climate. Patients exhibit
ing consumptive symptoms often so decided
" relieved by this transfer as TO believe their dis
case mistaken, an error of which they are in many
cases too soon convinced their return to a more
inhospitable latitude. On the other hand, and es
peciaiIy when resorted to too late residing in
warm climate is often so inefficacious in arrestng
the progress of that complaint, that many have
lost all confidence in its remedial powers Some
have indeed gone so far as to recommend jour
new TO a colder climate, the Labrador coast for
example. Now, in regard to that the dIyness
equability of climate are undoubtedly OF quit.
as much Importance as its temperature; and, Of
the two it is not improbable that cold, dry and
eouable cir would be preferable to moist and va
riable though warm sky; and have no doubt
that residence in Labrador during the summer
| season wonld benefit some scrofulous Individuals
who had lived in a more relaxing atmosphere