Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1859-03-06

lowing curious story
"My uncle, an old clergyman, bad
lived many years in damp parsonage
in the new Forrest and he was
sorely afflicted with Rheumatism. He
was advised to consult DR.. Graham,
who was then all the fashion. He did
90, and was persuaded by him to take
an earth bath he accordingly took
one, and he thought it did him good
and was likely to be Of great service.
My uncle often regretted that be had
not resolution enough to persevere !;
but it was exceedingly unpleasant
The patient was led into doctors gar
den there he took of his clothes be-
hind screen, stripped himself stark
naked. He was then placed in a hole
in the ground, just large enough to
contain him +; in what posture do not
recollect, but think standing. Earth
finely sifted vegetable mould-was
gently filled in, quite up to the collar
bone, the head and neck being free,
remaining out of the ground; the
arms were buried, being placed close
to his sides. The patient being fairly
in the bath, the screen was removed,
and he commonly saw other persons
around him in like situation with
himself; and he passed the time, as
we'll AS he could in conversing with
them-for it was necessary to remain
three or tour hours in the earth"
How cold it must have been !" q
lady remarked.
"On the contrary, the sensation Of
heat was most oppressive; there was
an unpleasant feeling Of sufocat,on,
and the Precipitation was profuse.-
When the time prescribed had expir-
ed, the screen was placed around him,
the bather was taken out Of his grave,
and we'll rubbed, and he was allowed
to put on his clothes and depart. 1t
was so disagreeable, that my uncle
could never summon courage TO un-
dergo the operation second time !;
but several Of his friends had taken an
earth bath frequently, and they
thought that the process was of great
use to them.
II have seen persons in the earth
bath myself. l we'll remember going
with my uncle the first time he con-
suited DR.. Graham. A man-servant in
splendid livery, received us, and con-
Quoted us into the garden, and we saw
there, what seemed to be bed Of eau
lifowers. 1t was the age of wigs-of
powdered wigs-and there were sew
eral old gentlemen buried up to the
neck in the ground, with the head on
Iy to be seen above the earth, and a
we'll whitened wig upon it. The foot
man led NY uncle up to one Of the
most considerable Of the wigs, and in
troduced him to his physician 'This
sir, is DIR. Graham" For the Doctor
took a bath every morning himself to
encourage his patients, and shone forth
on the surface of mother earth as the
biggest Of the big wigs. He could not
feel my uncle's, for his arms were in
TERED as well as his body; but he
looked at his tongue, and asked him
very many questions, in exact accord
ance with the practice of the college,
and finally he prescribed an earth bath
which shortly afterwards my uncle
took.
allow dreadful all the ladies ex-
claimed with one voice it must be
just like being buried alive! Were
there any women there?
"Not when was present, certainly;
and rather think that femsles did not
like these baths and yet l recollect
that the advertisements stongly recon-.
mended them to ladies as an unfailing
remedy for sterility, inasmuch a. the
earth would surely impart to them
some portions of its fruitfulness-the
earth being the fertile mother of oil
things"