The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-28

the fact that they are very pure, and that
the use OF them induces a patient to imbibe
liquid.
II am willing to say that where mineral
waters are not easily obtained any pure
water. taken at the rate of two or three
on the system. 1t must be pure, however,
and filtered, If there are any doubts about
Its cleanliness. This liquid, taken slowly
in small tumblerfuls and for the most part
between meals, will largely serve the pur-
pose of mineral water. Not more than a
tumblerful is wholesome at each meal and
1t is best not to take the water just before
or after eating or on getting into bed.
"A rheumatic must be nourished, and
most especially one who has a languid ap-
petite. Three meals a day are not enough
for such a patient. Between breakfast and
lunch and between lunch and dinner a fresh
egg, beaten up in sweet, fresh milk is an
excellent stimulant more valuable than all
the milk punches ever devised. All these
reasonable courses do not lead to a cure
though, unless exercise that is regular and
never stinted is taken every day. First of
all, don't pretend to try for athletics or vio-
lent motion OF any kind, since it is just as
Injurious to strain the aching limbs as to
let them lie inert.
For example, when rheumatism attacks
the knees, to swim, to bicycle or to play
golf simply overtaxes the Tortured nerves
and muscles, but If you will take a cane
and walk quietly for mile or two or if the
weather is dry take your gun and go proWl-
ing through fields and woods in search of
game, or, lacking interest in that try to
cultivate taste for hunting botanical or
chronological specimens, the exercise then
serves as an tonic. The main point is to
use the muscles regularly. In wet weather
bedroom gymnastics serve as an excellent
substitute for the more intelligent outdoor
pleasures, but only in wet weather Care
must be taken never to exercise so violently
that any danger is incurred from cooling off
too suddenly.
The average American puts considerable
faith in baths, and naturally prefers the
stimulating cold water This is well enough
when the twinges are not severe and the
rheumatism it is most essential to avoid
cold water and substitute a hot daily bath
dlssolving In the water piece of sulphur
as big as hens egg. Such bath may
not seem so invigorating as the cold water
but If taken rapidly followed by brisk tow
cling, with no sudden after-exposure for an
hour to any cold air or draughtS the hot
dip is as bracing as the cold.
Last on the list of aids to the rheumatic
is massage. 1t Is one of the few real aids
TO relief in severe attacks. Amateur rub
bling is often of as great injury as genuine
help. but good Swedish masseuse can help
an invalid over the hardest places and
really help to tone up the system. rheu-
matte must, moreover, submit to the I'M
pleasant bondage of flannels-not the thick
swathings that the patient American, in
his steam-heated house, dutifully puts on In
October and bears until the 1st of June but
close, lightweight fiannelS, and in so chang
ing climate as that of the Northern States
fiannels of various degrees of weight These
must be shifted off and on as the thermon-
eter rises and falls, so that at no time need
the body be exposed or overlooked but in
variably carefully protected. This is the
whole tactics OF war against rheumatism
and it's the only way that modern science
can assume to battle such dire enemy to
human well-being."