New-York tribune., 1885-07-19
A FOREIGN WATERING PLACE
THE PLEASURES OF AK.
the Editor OF The Trt6une.

year-Wn0c
nineteen -twenteths have como either In pursuit Oh
health for themselves or as tho companions OF health
seeking friends. An Englishman met the other day
exception. had lost my way, aud askea hlu
in my best French II no could tell me where was the
house OF Dr. Blauc.
al am English, and am WE'LL" was the somewhat
startling reply; and having asonished. me by this state
he proceeded add that being WE'LL he had had no
occasion to know where doctors lived. Ihave seen no
specimen proud independence; for 1t Is as
o" cure" technically socaed that AK Is chiefly known,
though Rousseau loved its beauty In his time, when ne
lived with Madame dc warens at Chambery The regular
inhabitants OF AK scarcely number 5000; and 1t seems
to that OF either ply soans, doucheurs
o hotels. do not mention shopkeepers Tor
thcy chiefly butteres-no let me say rather
keen and industrious bceswho come here from
winter resorts like Cannes aud Njce and sell goods TO the
unwary 1T prices far higher than Quo would pay IN
Paris or great centres OF attraction are the
Thermal Establishment for health and the casino Ior
amusement Everybody wants to 90 to the Etablissc-
mcn des ains the forenoon as to have the after
free for peasurc but also OF course not every one
can be fortunate to secure the early hours Iho
Establishment Is imposing building aud contains iour
| Immense swimming baths. two family swimming baths
ouches OF every possible variety vap0r baths rooms or
inhalation steam baths for hands and fect-patence
would fail werc to enumerae them all. The doucbcurs
and douchcuses AK les Bans said to be the bestn
the world Their skill has become tradition and their
methods handed down from parents to Children ohe
of those most noted for sktu massage is la Granie
Charlotte Sho has been sent for 10 Baiiorai 10
syc the Queen the benefit OF her method She devotes
herself chiefly to patients suffering from rheumatic gou
ani having aided In some remarkable cues, she Is
| In great demand.
In the height the baths said tn open Mt
"a NJ. This may be tho atar on. but at present
| tho hour for opening Is 4:30 o. m, and near wiid
rmors OF who play baocarat at the Casino until
morning. losing winning fortunes IN single night,
and then co. their way homo..to the Eabssenentfor
their euche and thcn take their sleep while the rest OF
the world wakes AK los Bans H. above all. the chosen
refuge for people afflicted with neuralgia, rheumatism.
gout, and that disease wont to call rheumatic
sout, though DR.. Garrod-the great Lonion physician
who is its godfatherhas given more stately sound
| ing name which sorry TO have fOrg0ttep..
"I might almost claim TO hayo discovered rheumatic
gout, said Dr. Garroi. In an Interview :. had with hni
In London. silently wished that he al.not made this
discovery mcan" said he. perhaps by way OF self
| Justification. "thaj differentiated tho disease and
classified H. az no one hal done before Twenty
sovcn years ago gave II q name and wrote book
| about It,"
.You are then In way, its proprietor" suggested
| aumby.
| "Imlght almost say I have hundreds OF patients
with in single week. They come from every quarter
of the word-Iuda, Australia. New Zealand. North and
| south America and they arc OF all ages. too"
| "Lterallyr'
"wel pretty ncary.1 The youngest patient ever had
with II ,chd OF three years old, with every pro-
nouncei symptom chalk deposits and ALL and the eldest
was an old man OF cisny scvcn VINO hal neyeF.hai a
| touch of the dsea TIL he reachoi that age"
| Think he loves rheumatic gon tais Dr. Garrod % an
astronomer loves his ,clec"Te or chemist his bottles
AMI he believes In AK les BARS deyoutly ii you want
to come here you only % TO Dr. Carols office
| aud lie Will send YOU
My own chosen honr for the baths Is o'clock tho
| deu Ia aonth thp
| day and the doucheuses nottyet too tired. one
great advantage In getting through the baths In tho
morning Is that there many pleasant things TO
occupy tho OF the day. From M place can moro
lovely excuraons be made than from AK. You drive to
the Grand Poit aud take rowhoat with two oarsinen,
and out YOU go on lovely lake lovely rs Leman or
Lusano two hours row trlngs you to tue Monastery
OF naute ComDc burial place OF the royal house OF
sayoie 20 which the present King OF Italy belongs The
chapel here contains besides pictures. basrelies aud
mosscs mors 300 marble statues. all interesting
and some OF them extremely beautiful Other excur-
sio. by boat are to ourdcau. Lo Bourgct and Chaton
There are many delightful drives, also, and various
excursions he made By broIk as they call sort OF
omnibus covered the top and open at tho Sides
which takes you away from AK about noon. aud brings
Won back again In tlme for dinner Delightful trips 10
mako when YOU have an on day from the baths those
IN Annecy and Cbambery. Chambcry the birthplace
and CAPITAL OF tho House OF Sayoe The old residence
Of this prncelJ house almost entirely destroyed In
| 1893 but the three and the chapel remain
Perhaps moro people, however, think OF Chambery in
connection with Jean jacques Rousseau than even Ia
connection with House OF savoe. Ncar Chambery is
tho little place called Lea Charmcttes. which was the
home OF Rousseau and Madame de Warens; and II IL
mite unchang ged they lived there II Is possible 70
maze an cursion from AK to La Grand Chartreuse
and return In q single day. but II Is much easier aud
10 take two days for the trip Tho gentlemen
of your party will be allowed 10 pass the night In the
which shelters the holy monks, tut the ladies
must seek humber refuge outside tho gates In little
Inn kept by lay sisters Another charming excur
sion "a by railway 70 Annecy. There Is lovely lake
which flows up the town. and the soft ovet ess OF the
spot equals that Of Como. Engene sne. Custire and
ihe honse OF Rousseau still exists though is falling into
decay. But to nd beauty and interest enough one I need
yon 10 the entrance OF the Gorge OF Gresy aud then
steamer taxes You tue voar head aod see
20 close mpenetraby before you NOT SOUND save the
| winds low whisper breaks the stiffness. You nie
vertaby in some realm OF Fary Pan has taken refuge
there perhaps; and the wood nynphs and the water
~ mscKea by adcctves You hold your breath for
very rapture and glide through the charmed silence too
Ihere are mountains climb here for the entcrprsns;
and patient donkeys all sadded and brlod await your
pleasure. or. II You are lazy. there Is inc oasino
whore you may go and read tue papers %r wre Your %
letters or drink afternoon tea Win your r.. rehd . IN ,ne ,ne
week there Il theatrical performance IN tue dainty
mnsnyotber ts nights there are concerts aud fire.
| 9ucntly there are fireworks and illuminatons. Ana
one quiet tnc
@ ,,h,e the music plays or the dancers dance, the
fireworks the night the players heed nothing that
roes IN outsde but ait there and play and lose and
yin ~ n their whole lives centred In tho turning OF
| cari am told that many silent tragedies 20 on here
u we ace nothing OF all thawe others who go TO the
or the concert watch the dancers In the great
hall and then 90 home to rcstful snmbcrs ana awake
for our morning baths with 1uct mind
The Hotel de Europc, which had the honor OF queen
yictorias patronage during her visit TO AK In the spring
~ fls wear gave n ball long In honor OF the
| ouecn's birthday, ana o very nice ball II was The
spper was on grand scale, and the dancing was most
asne The longing dance seemed To possess almost
| eyery5ody People yon wore wont to see walking
painfully about. leaning on slaves danced IKE mad ~