The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-10-13
NEW YORK CORRESPONDENCE
Correspondent on The Sick Lia-Twelue hours
experience at a Water Cure.
~.

Correspondent on The Sick List-Twelue hours
experience at a Water Cure.
New YORK, Oct 1, 1853.
To the Editor of the National Era.
The statement that write, this week, from
Dr. Trails Hydropathic Institute will proba-
bly, awaken your fears for the condition of
your correspondents health. Well, am sick,
though not seriously So hope awoke yes
terday morning, with q chill upon me, which
finally took the form Of regular old-fashioned
shake" Ii was many hours before reaction
commenced, and | went into the congestive
stage the second time in one day, suffering
much agony, dd interim, from structure about
the chest, involving the pleura to some slight
gree-pleurisy having been an old acquaint-
ance of mine.
| have given this outline account of my
symptoms, as preliminary to describing the
treatment to which they subjected me First,
about o'clock at night, George Thomas, the
attentive and sympathetic bath attendant,
/ plunged me into bath at 104 degrees He
kept me in about ten minutes and then put
me to bed with wet grdle around my chest,
and wrapped dry blanket around me, piling
several cOmforters over that Thus Law all
night evidently benefited by a pleasant reac-
ton aided.
This morning, at O'Clock, my faithful at
tendant made his appearance again, and put
me into the regular "paek" As curious
matter to many of the readers Of the Era, |
will describe this process Of treatment briefly,
and as accurately as the state Of my brain and
muscular system will permit:
The first process is the preparation of the
bed Two comforters and heavy blanket are
spread upon it and cold sheet, fully satura-
ted and dripping, is spread over these, in turn
You are required to throw yourself on this, and
on the broad of your back. Then each piece of
bed clothes is separately and tightly wrapped
around you, from your toes to your chin, the
sheet going next to the naked skin Your feet
and hands are now az completely pinioned as
those of the maleiactor prepared for the scat
fold You cannot move a muscle. Nobody
thinks of following the idea of Butler, in his
Hudbras, about catching the itch on purpose
to enjoy being scratched in such "fx"
The shock of the cold wet sheet is dreadful,
as you may imagine, when it first touches your
flesh. But you are assured that it is "not very
cold, and an effort is made by the attendant
to rally your courage. In few moments, the
chilling sensation is gone and then there SUI
pervenes pleasurable reactive process, under
which you feel "good," and probably forget oil
your pains and aches, and dreaming only Of
mummies, and falling into q sweet repose.
From this the attendant arouses you, and rubs
you down with dry sheet. Sometimes he
will take you to the bath room, and give you
tcpid bath. He SO served me this morning.
You ask me what has been the result. an
swer, frankly, improvement--for, although
have had a return Of my congestion to-day, it
is not 80 deep and painful as yesterday. Be-
sides, the pleuritic "stitch is easier.
had designed writing on other topics but
And that my head is getting muddy, and DR..
Trails assistant (Dr. Hosford) has just come
in, and advised me to desist. The sole topic OF
my present epistle will be tuelue hours erperi.
ence at Wafer Cure. promise to let my next
letter itself (which will come to you in better
time and in morcvaried condition announce
as hope it will, that have recovered.
INDICATOR.