The Wilmingtonian., 1888-09-01
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER l, isss.
The Free Use of Water as Therapeutic
Agent

The opinion that the cNlizeu i"00S az
too sparipg in the use of drinking water mas
been advanced during the past few years oy
some of ihe leading therapentlsts oil the
world, and the idea that this propositoh
correct has taken q considerable hold, not
on,v upon the mai rity of the members oil
the medical profession, but through Cne"
has permeated to the more Intelligent Oh tue
laity Water is said to be solvent oil more
s,hstances than any other fluid, when Is
notbino more than might be expected II we
consider it's vast Importance in the whole
system of nature.
Now. the unsparing use of this solvent
NAV he looked upon as the surest methou OF
aushipg the system, and of keeping the Vari-
GUS organs and their ultimate h'sVoloso"'
elements in good working ordtr'
Regarding tina use of waters at spas anu
,n,peral springs, there can be no doubt thaC
the complete change in the moue oi me
which ferquenters undergo while takiuR
course at one of these resorts, mas as hluou
IN do with the favorable results oo'alheu "s
the inhibition of quantities OF nasty SUI
phurous or chalybeate water Inc resU "uu
freedom from work and worry is perhaps
more needed by the worn-out merchant OF
iaded politician than is iron or alkaiies lu-
deed this principle is now SO wioe'y reoos-
nized that santarums are sprlnglhg up III
nlaces where no medicinal properties are
raunted for the waters. To ladies VINO nave
sone through a ''season," with its many
onxieties. its intense excitement, and lts re
yers;ng the pelit ds of rest and waketulness,
tho change also to an outdoor lie, pure ar,
baalthful exercise, less ned excitement, anu
pleasant, easy. going life at the seaside OF
health resort, is just what is needed 10 re
store the over-worked nervous sS stem 10 ts
proper balance and give that sense oil Agu.-
ness and well being which can only oe leu
when all the organs and tissu OF the oo"S
are thoroughly depuIated. Doubtless tne
,votars at medicinal springs, taken in large
quantities, are beneficial to many forms oi
disease. Why is it, however, that with an
the refinement Of analysis OF our cherhleal
laboratories brought to bear upon mineral
waters. with a positive knowlede ol theh
every constituent, even down to three dec'mal
places in grains, that we are not able TO gt'
the same good results flom the adm'nlStra-
t;or of such remedies, when artifcially pre-
nared as we rot when prepared in Natures
laboratory? We can prescribe any or all o'
the sa ts found in the most noted springs OF
the world, to be taken out OF spoon VIII
the utmost regularity; we may regulate 1h'
diet the sleeping hUuls, the amount oil "ork
even, hich shall be INDUCED in by Our pa
tient, aud yet get no such results as are go
at health resorts. The ference in result Is
believed to be due, leaving out the adVant
age gained by the charge of scene, a'r' etc'
already referred to, to the greater dllutlol
of the remedies contained in the natula
waters. We said just now we could ordei
out patients remedies to be taken out OF
spoon. If we ordered them taken out OF {
large tumbler, we should have brtt RESULT
with MANY of them. There is not enJugl
plain water taken by most of us, especial.
in cities and towns. For social reasop
women refrain from drinking water and ST
often do men. Our working population
afflicted by no such restraints, and dprompte'
to quench their thirst by plentiful draught
of water, are much better off in this respec'
Such people rarely need s'journ at a spa
and, indeed, get much of the beuetts whicl
visitors to such resorts obtain, by drinkin!
largely at home 1t ilushes the system
bathes every tssae dissolvts aud remove
the products of tissue metamurphosis, keep
tie skin more active, simulate TIL kidnt y
to the removal Of waste matter, and urload
the emunctories generally, AID So ! aves Jh
cells in the best condition for functional ac
tiyty, unclogged by surrounding debris an
able to perform their respiration eely an
naturally. Thus it not only rmoves old
worn-out matter but paves the way for tn
reconstruction of new material, and IT,
whole system is as it Nere, from day to di
ujuvenated. Tins Explains tie popular lde
that drinking much water increases til
weight of the body, which, under many ci
cumstauccs, is absolutely true. Fuile
pointed cut the necessity of ordering larg
draughts Of water when administering chaly
b,at,s. Ringer speaks Of water as being
''true tonic, iml rowing The vigor Of the b d
and mind The ordit y tumblerlul
cold water every morning is an excellei
hygieuic measure II washes out the s.omacl
clearing lis membrane of mucous whc
would hildel lie lice sectetlon Of the ga
trc iuic" &c ) focal as a tuDic 70 the ga
trc walls, stimulates tie action Of the bowel
aud is, AS Futhergill says, "a true Lematinj,
by its removal Of waste matter, which hi
DIS Ii S ugeutsi,.