Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-04-12
POPULAR CRAZES.


Some of the Curious Ideas of InvaIids-
Drinking Calls Blood as a Cure for
COnsumptiOn-The Mud Baths. Sand
Baths ard Blue Glass Cures.
ProUidence Telegrau
Popular crazes,' did you ask about
was the answer well-known physician
made to question prOpOunded by
TELEGRAM reporter. There are many
kinds Of peculiar craZes, and some of the
methods people take to keep free from
disease, or rather try to, are simply alb
surd. Take, for instance, the man who
goes the year round with pair Of sea
beans tied about his neck as a preventive
to diseases of a contagious nature. Some
wear beans, some corn, some horse chest
nuts, and others plain piece of ribbon,
all Of which are mere cases of supersti-
ton. There are many who,
when suffering from cold, will
wrap wet sock, which they have worn
during the day, about their necks. and re-
tire for the night. Others wear a drv
sock, and still others piece Of cloth sat
urated with lamp oil. Inithe country it is
standard remedy to wear piece of salt
pork about ones neck when sugerinU
from a sore throat. This, by the way. is
a good remedy. Some inhale the smoke
from burning cherry wood, and others
the smoke from oak chips in an open fire.
place, as cure for Il cold in the head and
n0stris. There are great many per-
sons who believe that when one gets a
thorough drenching with rain, or receives
Wet feet, that they should not hasten to
their homes and put on dry clothes. but
instead should let the wet clothing dry
upon them, as by so doing they believe
they viii never take a cold.
The 'hOt-water cure,' which amounts
N q N = in
breakfast Is considered complete without
the addition of cup of hot water to rinse
and stimulate the stomach is the latest
of a long list Of odd cures. It is believed
by great many that to take drink of
this kind before each meal, or even a
single drink on arising each morning. will
cure the worst possible case of dvspepsia.
Speaking of odd cures and fashions, a few
OF them may be recOunted. Less than ten
years ago Partisan physician Of some
note prescribed for a patient suffering
from pulmonary complaint a cup of
fresh calls blood after breakfast, an
other at noon, and one just before sup
per. The queer remedy proved efica-
clOus. The patient improved under il
rapidly, and finally became a well and
hearty person. A statement Of the ease
was read by the mercurial, eXcitable and
curiOsty-lOVing Parisians, and started an
interest in the blOOd-cure that in a very
short time spread among all classes and
became veritable craze. Every person
in any way troubled with weak lungs be-
came a convert. The slaughter houses i'm
the suburbs of Paris were thrOnged every
morning with crowds made up of all
ranks. who actually fought to procure
the blood of the dying animals. There
were delicate women and men. old and
young, who came, some in their carriages.
attended by their servants, and some who
teebly crept along alone. The most deli
ly-Organized persons and the cOarsest
were on a common level, and it appears
that the uninviting looking fluid was
served impartially by brawny handed
butchers. The great majority of the pa
tients manifested no repugnance to drink
ing the fluid, and with a great many n
taste for it was developed that ran into a
craving. 1t acted much like rum on
many, and even fowls were killed bv
some who were unable to get blood
at the slaughter houses. The demand
was great, and at some places the blood
was sold at high prices, each slaughter
house having a large run of Gus
toners. who would reach the pen where
the killing was going on as early as 4.
m. Meanwhile a hot discussion went on
in medical circles over the merits of the
cure. Many celebrated physicians were
dragged into argument, and were taken
to see cured patients. The burden of the
fessiOnal opinion was against the were
prOnOuncing it nOnsensical and positively
injurious rather than helpful. This craze
reached its limit in a few weeks, to the
grief Of the butchers, who had reaped a
golden harvest.
''The mud found at a certain spa in
Germany. few years ago, was discOy-
cred suddenly to possess remarkable medi-
cal properties. ltwas an intensely black.
pasty, thick, OdOriferOus mud, but thou
sands of persons FASTENED from all parts
OF Europe TO battle in it, To bathe in it
was simply to be buried in it for an hour
or two, and tn en- to spend several hours
in tub OF water to get rid Of the remns-
cense. The bath is described as being
pleasant, and its curative effects, in cases
of rheumatism, gOuu and other diseases
are well attested. The mud was
analyzed, and was found to possess
active properties, magnetic ard
chemical The mud baths have
had their day, and are now visited by
only few travelling invalids, whom the
remedy does not frighten. Similar to the
mud bath is the sand bath. of which Joa-
quin Miller relate n tragic story. A
party Of explorers were crossing the
sandy deserts, carrying six of their COM
rades, i'll of a peculiar disease. The sand
bath was proposed to them. They all as
sented, and were buried in the sand, their
heads alone being left above ground. In
this position they were left, chatting with
each other, their comrades having retired
for the night in a tent close by, and not
the least noise was heard. In the morn
ing they were Mortified to find that wolves
had visited the camp and eaten off each
sick mans head level with the ground.
''The blue-glass cure is too fresh in the
public mind to need more than passing
mention. OF the thousands and hundreds
of thousands of early believers that the
health-giving and strengthening princi-
pies of the sunlight might be largely in
creased by passing rays through blue
glass, there are thousands yet remaining.
''The sun-bath cure, the fish-oiI cure
for consumption; the severely simple
diet cure for all kinds of ailments, the
celery cure for nervousness. and many
others were the beginning, more or less.
of craze. The best principle of each is
now included in every wise PHYSICIANS
array of medicines. There have been
cures for cOrpulence that found armies Of
followers, as was attested in Byron's
time, when every man who laid claim to
be considered a man of fashion was thin
and pale, in marked contrast to the we'll
rounded, cOmfortable-lo0king, modern
young man."