Year: 1860

Water as Il Medicine.


The influence of personal cleanliness on
the health is pretty generally understood,
and yet we suppose no duty is more neg
lected than regular battling, often from want
of conveniences for it. We have no doubt
that the heroic treatment by cold water,
where there is vital power enough in the
system TO give the proper reaction, acts
very efficiently for the expulsion of disease
and the general invigoralion of the body
1t is mentioned in some of the papers that
j. +. Bronson of Russell, finding his health
declining, commenced bathing in the open
air in January last, and has bathed every
morning since in the water of some stream
often cutting through the ice to get at it,
and his health has improved under this rig
orous treatment. 1t does not follow from
this instance that everybody would find this
ultra application of the cold water theory
beneficial. 1t would be pretty certainly ia





tai to some, and probably dangerous to the
majority. But there are none so feeble
that they cannot endure regular bathing, if
not with positively cold water, then with
that which is blood warm, reducing the
temperature as the body becomes accustomed
TO it. The true tonic effect, however, is
only produced by cold water A warm
bath simply cleanses the skin, and is ener-
waiting rather than invigorating. A good
Illustrative anecdote is told of the celebrated
DIR. Abernethy of England. His prescrip-
tian TO wealthy patient was-'Letayour
servant bring TO you three or four pals of
water AMI put it into waSh-tub take off
your clothes, get into it, and from head to
foot rub yourself well with it, and you'll
recover This advice of yours seems very
much like telling me to wash myself said
the patient We'll, said Abernethy, 'it is
open to that objection


Experience has taught US that water is
prompt and certain remedy for all febrile
complaints in children. And it has this
great advantage over medicine that it leaves
no unpleasant and painful effects behind
An ordinary fever in child may some
times be removed by single bath in cold
water If it is more obstinate, packing in
the wet sheet, a simple wet bandaye
about the body, changed as often as it be-
comes hot, and plenty Of cold water taken
internally, will soon reduce the superhuous
heat, and leave the little one to refresh it.
self with quiet sleep. The hydropathists
say that the'same means are just as effect
ual upon adults, only that they are slower
in their operation.


1t is well understood that for those going
from temperate to hot climate the best
preventive of the acclimating fever is fire.
quent bathing, which keeps the skin clean
and active, so that the distractions which
produce fever are thrown off. Even so
violent disease as smallpox is successfully
treated with cold water, and it is stated that
hydrophobia has been cured by it. For a
fit of drunkenness the safest remedy is TO
put the victim in bath and let him soak
till he is sober. 1t is told of an Englishman
in the West Indies, much given to bacehan-
allan pleasures, that he could get thorough
ly drunk three times in day, his negro
servant taking him each time TO pond and
holding him in the water till he was sober
ed. This application of water is of no
practical use, however, because men in their
sober senses don't get drunk at all in this
age of total abstinence societies and pro-
hibitory liquor laws. We do not doubt that
there are various safe and salutary applica-
tions of water as a medicine. 1t may not
cure all diseases, or be beneficial in all
cases, but beyond question regular bathing
in cold water is a powerful preventive ol
disease, by keeping the skin in good work
ing order and elevating the tone of the
whole system. The practice ought TO be
general.-Sprinqfeld Republican.