The Mineral argus., 1884-02-07
HOt-WaterC Cure.

Years ago, the grandmothers of the
present generation used to cure their
children of collie by making them drink
warm herb tea and applying hot
draughts to their feet. Group was re-
lieved by dipping strips of flannel in
in hot water, wringing them out, and
then enveloping the child's neck with
them. This old-fashioned method Of
using hot water as a remedy has again
become fashionable, and is spoken of as
something new.
Halls Journal of Health points out
the diseases in which the old remedy
will do good, and those wherein it may
do harm.
Take, for example, the case of a per-
son who has taken cold in the lungs.
The circulation of the blood in the
small blood-vessels in that portion of the
lungs affected becomes sluggish; In some
uses 1t is quite suspended; the general
circulation is impeded through failure of
an important organ TO do the work re-
Quired of it, and the whole system
suffers; the man is i'll.
Now, if we know why the disease ex-
lists, by what unnatural condition it is
kept up. the remedy suggests itself; as,
A q WdJCI~DlDO MSI0 1LOLCh up any
child knows thatthe remedy is heat.
And here is just where water as warm
as it can be comfortably borne will effect
a cure in ordinary cases.
Let the patient 60 to bed. Put bottles
of hot water to his feet, and cloths wet
in hot water on his chest. Let him
drink hot water as freely as he "a with
comfort; it matters little whether it is
clear hot water, or herb tea, it is never
theless hot water.
With this treatment we are employing
hot water at its full value.
Its internal use tends to thaw out the
blood-vessels, and its outward appli-
eation quickens the circulation in the
blood-vessels near the surface; thus
drawing on the deep-seated blood
vessels for supplies to keep up the &C w.
Ity, and thus the CONGESTION is relieved
and the patient cured.
In dyspepsia, hot water taken inter-
nally, under proper restrictions, is no
doubt useful, since dyspepsia depends
IN a congested and deranged condition
IF the digestive organs.
But n consumption and other diseases
attended by general debility it can only
oe detrimental.
When a person is feeble from disease
not marked with acute inflammation,
The hot water treatment necessarily in
;reases the debility.
Here a tonic treatment is applicable
1 treatment that will increase and enrich
the blood and supply the fuel required
20 keep the machinery of life in motion.
The hot-water treatment is useful in
'emoving distractions from the machin-
cry, but only in systems where there is
1 surplus of vital power.
To recapitulate: The drinking of hot
water at proper intervals and in proper
quantities is useful in dyspepsia, consti-
patton, torpid liver, congestion of the
stomach, chronic diarrhoea, and in vari-
BUS affections of the kidney and blad.
der; provided that there are not at the
same time serious diseases of the lungs,
with debility.
The water should be as hot as tea is
usually made, tn t is, from ITO deg. to $50,
deg. and should be slipped, not taken
rapidly. The quantity should be from
half a pint to a pint.
1t should be taken one to two hours
after meals, and nothing shonld be
eaten until at least one hour after-ward.
The evening draught should be just be-
fore going to bed.
The hot-water treatment should CONT
u until a cure is effected; the time
required will vary from one to six
months.