that he must be bled;' so he drove a bargain, and stepped into a back room. That fool,' said I, does not require cupping.' 'He does not look as if he did,' said the druggist, 'but we can't afford to let him go without.'' And now, after reading and pondering over such testimonies, who will contentedly surrender his liberty, in medical matters, into the hands of the medical profession? Every man who is prudent will insist upon the preservation, in all their integrity, of his natural rights to choose for himself and his family that mode of medical treatment which he shall deem most effectual, and that practitioner in whom he shall most confide-whether that treatment be hydropathic, homeopathic, or allopathic, or vegetable pillism or that practitioner a fellow of thirty colleges, or a simple peasant. I am, dear Sir, yours very faithfully, JOHN GIBBS. Camberwell, February 17, 1848. ERYSIPELAS. TO THE EDITOR OF THE WATER CURE JOURNAL. SIR,-I have been a reader of your Journal from its commencement, in expectation, from month to month, of seeing something said therein of the applicability of Water as a cure for Erysipelas, especially in the head, which seems to be a very general complaint in our country. Of course, where the disease has gone to any great extent, the patient would need the personal advice and attendance of a physician; but where it is only incipient, or but slightly developed, your remarks may prove useful in directing attention to means calculated to restore health, or at least prevent the further development of this trouble. It is much easier to apply water to any part of the body than to the head, owing to the hair retaining the moisture so long, and, without judicious treatment, it is thereby apt to aggravate instead of alleviate the complaint. But you may. be able to recommend a scientific and safe mode of using water to the head in Erysipelas. Water is generally believed to be specially inimical to this trouble. I am, Sir, yours, &c., [We shall answer this letter in our next.] A READER. NUTRITIVE PROPERTIES OF FOODS. TO THE EDITOR OF THE WATER CURE JOURNAL. DEAR SIR,-The desire expressed by "A Progressist," in a letter which appears in your number for the present month, for information on the subject of regimen and diet, induces me to send you an extract on the "Nutritive Properties of Foods," which I cut from one of our papers some time ago. It purports to be an extract from the writings of Liebeg: perhaps you can tell whether, as such, it be genuine; and, if so, how far the opinion of that celebrated man, on the point, is worthy approval. The extract is as follows: "Nutritive Properties of Foods.-The calculations of the celebrated chemist, Liebeg, of the quantity of nutritious matter contained in a hundred pounds weight of the several bread-stuffs, vegetables, and meats, show that while peas, lentils, barley-meal, wheat-meal, beans, sago, maize-meal, oat-meal, and rice, yield respectively from 84lbs. to 92lbs. 4oz. of nutritive matter out of every 100lbs., potatoes contain but 281bs. of nutrition in the same weight, and butchers' meat only 25lbs. It hence appears that soups made of bread-stuffs and lentils contain in every 100lbs. of the materials used 63lbs. of nutritious matter more than a soup made out of an equal weight of butchers' meat. This fact is demonstrably true." I have shown the foregoing analysis to several physicians here, and asked them their opinion of it. Some doubted that it was Liebeg's; others doubted that it was correct; all of them appeared very ignorant on the matter, which seemed odd to me, as I imagined it to be a subject which would form an important. element in the education of every medical man. For, how can the physician recommend a particular course of regimen and diet, unless he be acquainted with the component parts of the different articles of food he recommends to his patients? I have observed that doctors are often very particular in their directions in this respect, ordering chicken, wild-fowl, beef, mutton, &c., to their convalescent patients, who require different amounts of nourishment, and that they seldom or never order vegetables. If the various grains enumerated be really the most nutritious articles we can procure, why is it that physicians lead men to believe that animal food is the real strengthener, and that on it (and alcoholic liquors, which are constantly recommended for a like purpose,) depends the regaining of health and bodily vigour? I have put this question to several physicians, without ever obtaining a satisfactory reply. The usual answer was, that expe rience proved that animal food was the best for the purpose; yet all acknowledged they had never tested the relative nutritive properties of vegetable and animal food. This is an interesting inquiry-one about which it seems strange there should be any doubt in this advanced age of chemical and medical knowledge. Can you throw any light upon it? It is now about twelve months since I have confined myself to a vegetable diet. I cannot say that I find any material alteration in my health and strength, or in my mental powers, by this change in regimen. Certainly none of them have been impaired by it. On the whole, I consider my health improved. Water has been my SOLE drink for some years, with the occasional exception of a little milk. If a principle be good, it can be safely carried out; and a difficulty arises about this anti-animal food question. If it were generally adopted, how could the fertility of the land be kept up, seeing that we should have no large number of cattle and other domestic animals to supply the needful quantity of manure? I have not seen this point alluded to in any writings on the subject. Yours respectfully, 35, Eccles Street, Dublin, 27th February, 1848. JAMES HAUGHTON. [We shall give our note to this interesting letter in our next.] BENEVOLENT HYDROPATHIC INSTITUTION. TO THE EDITOR OF THE WATER CURE JOURNAL. SIR,-Would you favour me by inserting (if not too late) the names of the following persons, at the conclusion of my letter, intended to be inserted in the April month? I have the honour to be, Sir, 7, Clarendon Place, Somer's Town, March 13, 1848. W. CLARKĖ. In addition to the persons mentioned in a previous number of your valuable Journal, the following have very generously assisted us: Rev. Dr. Townley, 3, St. John's Terrace, Stockwell Park Road, Brixton. S. Bradley, Esq., Ashbourne, Derbyshire. Dr. Stummes, Ash House, Torquay. ESTEEMED FRIEND,-Having been myself a large partaker of the benefits of hydropathy, I feel much pleasure in contributing a trifle towards extending them amongst those to whom the inestimable blessing of health is most peculiarly important. I rejoice at the formation of your little Association, and sincerely wish you every success in the undertaking. I find that Mr. Gadsby furnishes you with a few copies of the Water Cure Journal; but if you could make an advantageous use of two or three more copies, I shall be glad to send them to you regularly. Let me know what number would be of service to you. A letter will find me here until next Wednesday or Thursday; after that, at Feethams, Darlington. I have been a resident here for six months, and can speak in the highest terms of the system, and of the mode of its administration by Dr. M'Leod, whose energy and abilities will, I have no doubt, do a great deal to bring the cause of hydropathy into notice. I am, sincerely thy friend, Wharfedale Hydropathic Establishment, Ben Rhydding, near Otley, Nov. 26, 1847. ELIZABETH PEASE. SIR,-At my arrival here, some days ago, I found your letter waiting for me, which will account for the delay of my answer. It will give me the greatest pleasure to contribute some books to the establishment of your Hydropathic Library for Working Men, and I will avail myself of the first opportunity to send them to London to your care. I highly approve of your humane and generous undertakings with regard to the hydropathic treatment for the working classes, as it will be a great boon to them, and must contribute to the spread of the good cause of hydropathy. I give you liberty to make use of my name, or of my letters, whenever you consider them of use to the advancement of your I remain, Sir, plans. Ash-hill House, Torquay, Jan. 18, 1848. Yours respectfully, L. STUMMES. SIR,-In reply to yours of the 25th ult., which followed me here from Camberwell, I request that you will put me down as a donor of £1 to the fund now being raised for the object you mention. I have long wished to see such an institution as the one now proposed to be established, and, wishing it every success, I must regret that I cannot proffer more effectual assistance. I should have cnclosed you a Post-office order for £1 by this post, but that I was refused it at the office here because I could not tell your christian name, as you only signed your note to me with your initial. When you favour me by rectifying the omission, I shall have the pleasure to remit you the above-named sum; and I am, Sir, yours faithfully, 112, Patrick's-street, Cork, Oct. 10, 1847. JOHN GIBBS. REVIEW. Hydrotherapia; or, the Water Cure; being a Practical View of the Cure in all its Bearings, &c., &c. By THOMAS SMETHURST, M.D. London: John Snow. pp. 288. It is only about six years since the water cure was first prominently brought before the notice of the British public by Captain Claridge in his excellent work on the subject; and in the short space of time which has since elapsed, the cause has made such progress, that about sixty books and pamphlets have been written and published in English by its friends and advocates, many of whom are authors of the highest talent and reputation; and it is no mean praise of the work before us to say, that it deserves no less consideration than any one of the class to which it belongs. |
