An Austrian officer, aged sixty, had been very stout and remarkable for the goodness of his appetite; but by degrees he became dyspeptic, very nervous, and above all, lost his sleep more and more by degrees, till at length he was not able to procure more than one hour of dosing in the twenty-four, for upwards of two years. He had no regular sleep whatever: opiates would not succeed, and he was in a most wretched state when he went to Graefenberg. Three months passed away without any decided improvement. It was in the beginning of spring; the weather very cold, and he was not strong enough to take much exercise. Hence a slower improvement. Treatment: in the first of the morning a leintuch followed by a shallow tepid bath; an abreibung twice aday; usually a second leintuch, followed either by an abreibung or shallow bath. By degrees he improved, gained some appetite, and sleep returned, at first for an hour only; then more and more, till, by the middle of summer, he could sleep comfortably for seven hours; and he quitted Graefenberg recovered from every inconvenience. (Related by Sir Charles Scudamore.)

HYPOCHONDRIASIS, PSORIASIS, AND SCIATICA.

The gentleman, (an Englishman) about sixty years of age, who was the subject of these three severe afflictions, belonged formerly to the civil service in India. I made his acquaintance at Graefenberg immediately on my arrival, and am indebted to him for introductions to several valuable cases besides his own. He had laboured under these affections for eight years. Shortly after he had become the subject of sciatica and psoriasis, (which latter disease his French medical advisers denominated dartre farineuse) his mind became excessively excited by some family occurrences, with the particulars of which he did not, of course, think it necessary to acquaint me. In a short time, what with this excitement, the torture arising from his sciatica, (inflammation of the sheath of the great sciatic nerve where it passes through the structure of the hip,) and the intolerable itching produced by the skin disease, the equilibrium of his mind became so much disturbed that he was not considered in a fit condition to be left by

himself. Always in a state of high excitement, there were times when he was perfectly insane.

For eight years the sufferings of this poor gentleman, bodily and mental, were indeed awful. When I asked him to give me a detailed account of his sufferings, he sat thoughtful for a moment, and then, going to a table, he took up a small pocket-book, and opening it at a particular page, and placing his forefinger between the leaves, he re-seated himself. "Some time ago," said he, "I was perusing the book of Deuteronomy; and in the course of my reading, the passages which I have copied into this pocket-book rivetted my attention. They were so exactly characteristic of my sufferings, that I almost fancied myself the particular object of the divine wrath, and that I was even then realizing the fearful denunciations which those passages of Scripture contained. No language of mine can so truthfully or so forcibly convey to you the horrors under which I was labouring both in body and mind. Read them," continued he, "and judge whether I have not great reason to be thankful that I am now such as you see me." He handed me the book and I read as follows: "The Lord will smite thee with the botch of Egypt and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed. The Lord shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart. The Lord shall smite thee in the knees, and in the legs, with a sore botch that cannot be healed, from the sole of thy foot to the top of thy head: and thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life. In the morning thou shalt say, 'Would God it were even; and at even thou shalt say, Would God it were morning!" "

"At the time," continued he, when I had done reading, "that I was perusing those passages, those terrible denunciations were most of them actually realized in my person. I trembled as I read - for at that moment I was covered from the sole of my foot to the top of my head' with an intolerable itching botch. I was even then smitten in the knees and in the legs with a sore botch,' and was covered with scabs. Madness, and blindness of the understanding, and astonishment of heart, were also mine. I had indeed no assurance of my life,' for I was often sorely tempted to destroy it; and every morning I wished it were night, and at night I longed for the morning and every effort I had made to get healed' had been utterly in vain."

This gentleman had then been under the Water Cure about three months. His sciatica had entirely left him-the eruption was nearly gone-the itching had wholly ceased -while the state of his mind was perfectly

calm, cheerful, rational, and full of thankfulness. (Related by Dr. E. Johnson.)

HAIR RESTORED.-VERY CURIOUS EFFECTS OF MERCURY.

A gentleman, aged thirty-three, having used mercury with great freedom, and being careless in exposing himself in unfavourable weather, fell into a state of great debility and nervousness, and gradually became almost bald. He went to Graefenberg in this state, and was described to look more like a corpse than a living person. His first treatment was a sitz-bath, two leintuchs, followed by a shallow tepid bath and free drinking of water. Afterwards, he sweated in the blanket, and used the plunging bath every other day; douching also on most days, but omitting one leintuch, and not using any on the day of the blanket. He drank water freely, and took as much exercise on the mountains as his strength would allow. Soon after his arrival, the few hairs on the head which he brought with him disappeared, and the baldness was complete. Boils formed particularly at the nates, and suppurated freely; when the treatment was reduced to the use of two leintuchs and a sitz-bath. Soon after, an eruption appeared over the whole body; first vesicular, and afterwards scaly, also more boils. The linen was stained with appearances which were supposed to arise from mercury. At the end of six months, he gained some colour of the cheeks, and became stronger; but also new shoots of hair appeared on the head; and which in two months more so increased, that when I saw him, two months later, he had a fine head of hair! He was pursuing regular treatment, and evidently was quite in a fair way of re

covery.

During my stay at Graefenberg, I heard frequent mention of the stains of mercury and of iodine appearing in the leintuchs, either of blue or reddish colour; but Priessnitz assured my friend, Dr. Buxton, that he had seen mercurial globules issue at the ends of the fingers after a continued course of the Water Cure, in patients who had made a great employment of mercury either internally or externally, or both, notwithstanding that they had desisted from all use of the medicine for even several years! This appears almost incredible. I cannot doubt the veracity of Priessnitz; and Liebig, with whom I discussed the subject, had no doubt of such a fact, and offered this explanation that mercury combines with animal matter, and may remain so combined for an indefinite time; and that the quick change of matter which belongs to the Water Cure treatment would tend to the separation of the mercury, which might appear in a globular or other form.

I have witnessed examples of the latent stay of mercury in the system, and shall cite the following: I prescribed to a poor woman, afflicted with rheumatism of the wrist joint, threatening anchylosis, a mercurial ointment, which she rubbed in with only occasional intervals from January to the end of May. No mercury was taken internally; none used externally after May. In November following, she was seized with the most violent salivation that can be imagined. (Related by Sir Charles Scudamore.)

CURE OF DEAFNESS AND RESTORATION OF SMELL.

A gentleman, aged twenty-four, of healthy appearance, when twelve years old, had a nervous fever, which exceedingly weakened his constitution and rendered him very deaf; from that period he had been weak and sickly, and unequal to much exertion. When he arrived at Graefenberg, four months and a half ago, such was his state, with a bad appetite and almost a loss of smell. His hearing also very defective. Began treatment very gently with abreibung, leintuch, and sitz-bath; to drink water very freely, and take abundant exercise. After a fortnight, his appetite and strength were improved, and treatment was increased to the use of the sweating blanket, followed by the plunging bath twice a week. The douche on the other days; head bath twice a day; and to sniff water freely several times in the day.

There ensued a critical diarrhoea several times, after which the hearing improved. When this diarrhoea occurs, boils seldom happen also. The sniffing of the water was at first disagreeable; but finding advantage from it, he persevered; and when I last saw him, his hearing and smell were both recovered. He was strong, active, and in good spirits. (Related by Sir Charles Scudamore.)

SYPHILIS.

The subject of this case, a Bohemian gentleman, resident in Vienna, appeared to have been affected with two distinct diseasespiles and syphilis of six years' standing. He had been under the care of the most skilful medical men, who salivated him to such an extent, and so reduced him by their medicines, that he could not walk fifty yards without the greatest exertion and fatigue. In this state he arrived at Graefenberg, encased in flannel and thick wrappers, in order to prevent his catching cold, under the advice of his physicians. He was suffering with great thirst, nausea, fever, continued pain at the back of the head, pains in the

limbs, eruptions, costiveness, and excessive debility.

Under the Water treatment he improved daily, and to such an extent, that in two months he could walk six miles with comparative ease; and in December last, in severe frosty weather, he walked about with one coat on, namely, a pilot of light texture. His flannels wrappers and superfluous clothing had been discarded soon after reaching Graefenberg. At the period of my departure he had been four months at Graefenberg. The piles yielded to a regular action of the bowels, although he had been troubled with them for some years.

It is a remarkable fact that after the wet sheet baths, which formed part of the treatment of this case, the water wrung from the sheets always had a milky consistency and fetid smell. (Related by John Smethurst, M.D.)

REMARKS.-The period is not far distant when the Water Cure treatment will supersede every other mode at present practised for this disease. The cure is radical, effected with great facility, and not followed by secondary symptoms. Every medical practitioner who has seen much of the secondary effects of mercury will hail the new treatment as a great boon. Once fairly tried in our great hospitals, the Water Cure treatment will become general. I had the opportunity of seeing the results of the treatment in a great number of cases, presenting every form of syphilis and venereal disease. There was a very bad case here when Drs. Dewsbury and Crawford were in my house; the recovery was complete in three weeks. Eight months have now elapsed, and the patient has remained perfectly well. Did space permit, I could relate a great number of similar cases, attended with the same happy result.-J. W.

GOUT IN AGED PATIENTS.

An Austrian field marshal, eighty-two years of age, had been a gouty martyr through a long life, and visited Graefenberg four years ago, when in such a state of infirmity that he could scarcely put his feet to the ground. Mild treatment was used, but it proved sufficient to produce boils, which formed near the affected joints. He gradually improved, and finally threw away his sticks, walking and riding on horseback with almost the activity of former years.

An old Polish general, nearly eighty years of age, also received nearly equal benefit from the treatment of his gouty sufferings and infirmity. (Related by Sir Charles Scudamore.)

The Prussian field-marshall Titchtell, at the age of eighty-four years, was going

through all the processes of the Water Cure for his general health, and for gout, at the time I was under the same treatment. His constitution was much improved, and his gouty sufferings relieved. I have introduced these cases to show that the Water Cure cannot be so "desperately dangerous," when individuals at this advanced period of life can go through it with benefit. The next case of rheumatism is also an illustration.J. W.

RHEUMATISM TREATED AT THE AGE OF SEVENTY.

A gentleman, residing at Leamington, put himself under my care last summer. He had suffered a great many years with rheumatism, and had been treated by all the most noted practitioners with little or no benefit. During the last twenty years he had been forbidden to touch cold water. I found him in the following state: the hands, knees, and feet distorted and enlarged; the patella of each knee firmly fixed and immoveable; all the locomotion he was capable of, was a few yards on crutches. For the seven preceding winters he had not ventured out of his house, and he was carried up and down stairs. A few weeks after he had commenced the treatment by water, he was able to walk a considerable distance with one crutch, and shortly afterwards a stick was found a sufficient support, and he went out in all weathers without any disagreeable result. He left Malvern in the autumn, and has returned here to spend part of the summer. He has told me that during the winter he had taken a cold bath nearly every morning, and walked out every day. Many medical men were very angry with him, and a report was raised that he had fallen down in a fit coming out of church," the necessary and inevitable result of his morning ablutions!" His door was crowded with carriages to inquire his fate; so that he was obliged to go and walk about the town to quiet the tumult. In the midst of all this, a little liberality is so very refreshing, that I cannot resist recording, that Dr. Jephson, meeting this gentleman walking about the streets of Leamington, said to him, Well,

66

I do not care how you got so well, or who made you so, I congratulate you on your great improvement." He has not taken a grain or a drop of medicine for the last ten months.

CASE OF INFLAMMATION OF THE BRAIN.

A gentleman, between forty and fifty years of age, was suddenly seized with all the symptoms of inflammation of the brain;

pain of the head, with urgent feelings of congestion appearing at the outset, a hot skin, great excitement, and very quickly strong delirium. The attack was met by active measures; the rubbing down in the shallow tepid bath, and small affusions of cold water for several hours in succession; and when the violent symptoms were subdued, leintuchs were used, followed by the further use of shallow-bath and affusion. This was the chief treatment, and the recovery was quite accomplished in two or three days.

By ordinary proceedings, it is not improbable that more than as many weeks might have been required. Both Captain Claridge and Dr. Wilson relate similar cases to this, treated in the same manner, and with equal success. (Related by Sir Charles Scudamore.)

I have your instructions conveyed in your letter of the 6th, and they shall be implicitly followed, as shall be also any other alterations you may be disposed to make in my treatment, being convinced, (and this in the midst of much suffering,) that if anything can relieve me from my most dreadful of all disorders, your skill, and zeal, and great experience and prudence, will bring me through. I mark this latter word more particularly, because I hear of the most absurd and malicious reports being abroad of your having very nearly killed me!

Quelle folie, or rather, quelle méchanceté!!! Why, in general health I never was better than since you took me in hand, and I can declare that since the 21st of September, 1842, I have never for a single day had occasion to assist in any way whatever, stubborn bowels which reluctantly yielded for years and years, only to the most powerful and pernicious drugs.

It is true that to Homœopathy I owe much, from having first taught me to abandon druggery; but then Homœopathy had nothing to offer (ME at least) in order to effect that which the free use of the pure simple water within and without, have, under your prudent and judicious management, so admirably effected. Still I am often in great pain-and no wonder ;-a desperate malady that for six or eight and twenty years had been in full possession of me, and which has probably been immensely aggraIvated by the swallowing of a mass of the most violent and poisonous drugs-a quantity, which I do believe if noted down would not be credited. It is no wonder, I say, that

even water cannot in thirteen months effect a cure. But it has kept me in excellent, and even robust general health, and if, instead of being seventy-five I was only fiftyfive, I should not be without hope of your totally subduing the enemy; but as I shall probably hardly give you time to obtain a complete victory, I must continue to bear my malady with all the patience and resignation that I can muster. If I do outlive it, (which, however, I own I do not expect,) I shall owe it entirely to your system. So persevere, my good doctor, as you have hitherto done, and believe me you will find a confiding patient; and may you and the admirable system you have introduced into this country with so much talent, perseverance, and success, go on and prosper through good report and bad report.

You will be glad to hear that Lady Adelaide is in high health, and a steady advocate of the Water Cure, and I hear most favourable reports of Lord Lichfield. Lady Anglesey is tolerably well. We all send our best wishes to Mrs. Wilson, and I remain, my dear doctor,

J. Wilson, Esq., M.D.

Yours truly, ANGLESEY.

STOMACH AND LIVER DISEASE, WITH ASTHMA.

MY DEAR SIR,

Malvern, 9th October, 1843.

It affords me the greatest pleasure before leaving Malvern to add my evidence in favour of the admirable system you practise, and my thanks for the kindness and attention with which you treated my case.

I have been upwards of eleven years in India; in the year 1836 I returned home on leave of absence, and had a most severe attack of influenza, and have not been well since. I returned again to England in May last. I had stomach asthma, and spasms of the stomach in their severest forms, with indigestion and constipation of bowels, and torpid liver of many years standing. I was treated with bleeding, leeches, blis ters, and medicines, but all my symptoms returned again with the same severity. I then tried the mineral waters with no benefit, suffering two severe attacks while taking them; in this most miserable state, I determined to place myself under your care. I am in every way more than satisfied with the result. After from three weeks to a month's treatment I met by accident your neighbour, my friend the Rev. Mr. who did not recognise me with my altered appearance. When I came to you in August I was clothed in flannel, and wore a great coat, and was still chilly and cold, now in October I am

without flannel, wear a single light coat and am warm and comfortable.

I had what is called a crisis, and a severe one; the phenomena attending it would not be believed by many without witnessing them, but I felt perfectly well at the time, ate heartily with an appetite three times a day, and took plenty of exercise with alacrity. A friend of mine, Captain whose case is well known to all in your establishment, had a crisis at the same time; it was considered one of the most formidable that occurs, yet I observed that his gaiety was not diminished, and his general proceedings as little disturbed as my own.

So great has been the benefit I have received, and so convincing are the many proofs I have witnessed of the extraordinary benefits to be derived from the Water Cure treatment fairly carried out, that it is my anxious wish to see others under similar suffering avail themselves of so certain and safe a cure. Wishing you many years of health to continue your present employment so eminently for the service of others, I have great satisfaction in subscribing myself, My dear Sir,

Yours very faithfully,

J. DOUGLAS DE WEND.
Captain 44th Regiment.

LETTER FROM GENERAL MARRIOTT.

Avonbank, Pershore,
October 7th, 1843.

MY DEAR SIR, Hearing that reports are going about the country that my treatment whilst under your care at Malvern had not ended satisfactorily, and that I had been obliged, on my return home, to call in the assistance of other medical gentlemen, I have done all I can to contradict these malicious and false reports, and shall be obliged by your doing the

same.

I commenced the Water system on the 21st of September, and I left Malvern on the 29th, contrary to your express wish and desire to remain another day or two. On my return home, my family at that time not having the confidence that I had, requested you to ride over and see me on the 1st instant, when you found me in a state quite satisfactory, and without cause for alarm, and I have since been gaining strength by daily horse exercise.

Now not having the least knowledge of physic, I cannot pretend to explain my 66 case," ," but can conscientiously affirm that in the one short week at Malvern, without the hundredth part of a grain of medicine or one minute of pain or suffering, I passed through one of the most threatening and severe bilious and liver complaints that a quarter of a century's experience in tropical

climates has enabled me to understand and appreciate. I passed through it without any of that nausea, sickness, or disagreeable effect of calomel and other medicine, which I feel I have not now to get rid of.

Should the report alluded to, tend to injure your system, I should be much grieved, because I have already assured many of my friends that I had gladly placed myself under your treatment to test to the residents of the county, as far as I could, the beneficial results proposed by it; for if half the ailments proposed to be cured by its simple means, should prove true, what a blessing to humanity it will be to have the system generally adopted!

As chairman of a Board of Guardians (eight or nine years) over forty-two parishes, it could not have escaped me, that the principal part of our expenditure (" Out-relief") is caused by disease in the heads and elders of families, prematurely brought on by want of early attention; and most of these diseases are those which are successfully treated by the Water Cure system.

Why should our list of incurables through rheumatism, &c., be daily increased, and young heads of families begin to show tendency to the same malady? And why from fevers, &c., should a whole family and sometimes village be pensioned on "Outrelief" for ten or fifteen weeks, when in most of these cases a few blankets, sheets, and bathing-tubs, would stop or prevent the whole expense in a few days or weeks?

Now as the medical officer, in this part of the world at least, is generally paid by a salary for his whole district, and not " per case," I am certain that instead of losing, he would gain most materially by using, when proper, this short and easy mode of treatment; but my wish would be, that as the system is a most powerful one, so it should not be practised by the ignorant, but admitting as it does of scientific explanation, that EVERY professional man (even for the sake of humanity) should make himself acquainted with it and study it.

I have little doubt that in a very few years a certificate of having attended a proper course of instruction will be as necessary as any other diploma or certificate now required, before a professional man can be appointed to the charge of a district; and had I any influence with the Poor Law Commissioners, the necessary preparatory instructions should be given as soon as possible. It was with these ideas that I placed myself under your care. that people might not say "he recommends what he dares not try." I need scarcely say that I am satisfied with what I saw and heard amongst your patients, that my confidence in your skill and ability has been confirmed, and that I feel very much obliged to you for your

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