Medicinal mineral waters, natural and artificial : their efficacy in the treatment of chronic diseases, and rules for their employment : especially those of Carlsbad, Ems, Vichy, Kissingen, Marienbad, Pyrmont, Egra, Pullna, Seidshutz, and Heilbrunn / by S. Hanbury Smith.

  • Smith, Samuel Hanbury, 1810-1894.
Date:
1856
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Medicinal mineral waters, natural and artificial : their efficacy in the treatment of chronic diseases, and rules for their employment : especially those of Carlsbad, Ems, Vichy, Kissingen, Marienbad, Pyrmont, Egra, Pullna, Seidshutz, and Heilbrunn / by S. Hanbury Smith. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    (Nachwirkung) of mineral water is not a fallacy, but a truth proved by repeated experience. Many diseases are too ancient and deep-rooted for a care to be effected by a month or six weeks' course; and though an aggrava- tion rather than an amelioration of the complaint, is oc- casionally experienced at the time, yet the patient fre- quently feels himself benefitted by the after operation.* A course of mineral waters, or cure, as it is termed in Germany, generally lasts from four to six weeks; in many cases, however, a shorter, as from two to three weeks, is recommended. In other instances a much longer course is required, or even two courses during the season, two or three weeks intervening between them. During this period, patients for the most part drink the water daily; the quantity being gradually increased ac- cording to circumstances, towards the termination of the course gradually decreased. The water should always be drunk early in the morning at the spring, when pos- sible, gentle walking exereise being taken at the time. In some instances it is diluted with milk, or some other simple fluid. It is also advisible in many cases to drink a little of the water in the afternoon. As other medi- cines mostly interfere with the operation of mineral wa- ters, they should be abstained from, unless recommend- ed by the physician. It likewise not unfrequently happens, that what is called an after cure, by a different kind of mineral water or of other means is required. Thus, to relieve the state of relaxation and oppression which these other springs sometimes occasion, the subsequent employment of a cold saline or chalybeate is advisable. Patients, after having undergone a course of Wiesbaden or Ems, are often sent to Schwalbach, or Schlangenbad, to use those —*Brunnen Diatetik. 4th edition.