The former happens with the great mass of society from the cares of business, the scheming of competition, and the harrass of intense thought, study, and anxiety; while the latter occurs from the prevalence of sedentary habits, the great and universal facilities of conveyance by vehicles, and the neglect of walking exercise in the open air. It is worth while to remember who are the longest lived classes of the community, and why they are so. The aristocracy, as being exempt from their ascertained and defined position in society, and their abundant wealth, from all care respecting these their active and regular habits and generous yet temperate diet-the clergy from the same reasons to a certain extent, and the salutary exertion of the lungs which their office imposes ;and the better class of agricultural labourers from the absence of mental anxiety-their constant living in the open air-their early hours, simple diet, and uniform temperance. It is a great advantage of Harrogate that its delightful sceneryits surrounding attractive objects-its beautiful walks-and agreeable society, all tempt the invalid to forget his cares and sorrows, and to the regular practice of muscular exertion, and the enjoyment of social intercourse while he is also

using the more direct means of recovering his health. Thus to the more direct benefits of the waters and the purest air are added the less obvious, but very important ones derived by the patients from the change of scene and of company.

"The calculating merchant is taken from his counting-house; the puzzled student from his desk; the harassed statesman from his office; the jaded voluptuary from his pleasures; the hypochondriac and melancholy mourner from their solitude.

"For these enervating and health-destroying scenes and pursuits are substituted country air— beautiful drives, agreeable company, medicinal waters, and all the expedients which ingenuity can devise or money purchase for healthy and pleasing recreation. What wonder then, while the really diseased are benefited by the medical virtues of the springs, those scarcely less to be pitied who are exhausted and debilitated in the ever-anxious cares, and feverish tumults of life should regain their prostrated energies; and with their shattered powers invigorated and repaired, be enabled to return to the busy scenes they had quitted, and start afresh in the race they had for a time been compelled to relinquish.”*

* Observations on the Waters of Harrogate.-(By the Author.)

CASES.

CASE I.

Mr. C. of C., a gentleman sixty-six years of age, had been here six weeks literally drenching himself with the sulphur water. He was most abstemious in his diet, avoiding animal food and all stimulating liquids. He was much emaciated, and debilitated to an extreme degree. In addition to this, he was the subject of an eruption on the side and upper part of one of the extremities, which had existed two years, and the irritation of which so tormented him that he could get but little sleep in the night. I directed him to discontinued the sulphur water, and to substitute for it the saline chalybeate in alterative doses; to amend his diet by eating animal food at least twice a day, and to drink of porter and wine daily as large a quantity as he could bear without creating feelings of discomfort. The medical

treatment was merely a "Plummer's pill" every night for three nights-decoction of sarsaparilla and tincture of cardamoms, a table spoonful of each, mixed, twice a day, and no other application was made to the part affected than the simple spermaceti ointment. By this simple plan my patient was cured in three weeks. His case

forms a practical commentary upon the remarks made in page 32 of this work.

CASE II.

Miss D., aged twenty. This young lady seemed to be in almost the last stage of consumption. Her emaciation, night sweats, hectic fever-and the whole complexion of the case appeared to be utterly hopeless. Had she died I would have described her expectoration as purulent. As she did not, I dare not do so, for fear of being accused of medical heresy. I advised her immediate return home. I found her mouth and tongue furred and coated, and that although the bowels were reported to be in a comfortable state. seemed very extraordinary that this should be the case; and accordingly upon more minute

It

inquiry and examination, it was found that notwithstanding this favourable representation the motions were dark, discoloured, and foetid. Here then was a plain indication of treatment; to endeavour to improve the state of the secretions by such very gentle treatment as the extreme weakness would allow. An alterative, such as a child of four years old might have taken-the mildest and most nutritious diet in small and frequent quantities-the most careful attention to the secretions, and the state of the digestive organs, without reference to the pulmonary symptoms-to my astonishment produced so great a change in her condition that in a short time she was able to travel; and as I heard nothing of her afterwards, although her mother promised to communicate with me if she became worse, it is fair to conclude that she recovered, at all events for the time.

After all, according to all right medical rule and calculation, this young lady ought to have died; but nature every now and then deals discourteously with us, and utterly heedless of medical prognostics, and regardless of individual reputation, allows some to recover whom the most skillful have given up as hopeless; and some to die