■■'.!Sai,-.!-?:*:v ARMY MEDICAL LIBRARY FOUNDED 1836 WASHINGTON, DC DIRECTIONS FOR THE U. SE OF THE MINERAL WATER AND COLD BATH, AT HARROGATE, NEAR PHILADELPHIA. PHILADELPHIA!: JDFER TISE ME NT. ^p^HE following directions were drawn up at the re- JL queft of the Proprietor of the Mineral Spring and Bath, at Harrogate, whofe laudable difpofition to pro- mote the health of his fellow-citizens, at the rifk of his property, merits the encouragement of every friend of hu- manity. Thofe directions, which relate to the ufe of the mineral water, are extrafted chiefly from an effay read be- fore the Philosophical Society in the year 17^3,by the au- thor, on the mineral waters of Philadelphia, Abington and Briftol, and afterwards publifhed in a pamphlet. The analyfis of the water at Harrogate will be laid in due time before the Society. It will be fufficient for the pati- ents, who ufe it for the prefent, to know that it is very light, and that it contains a fmall quantity of iron, with a large quantity of air, which has lately received the name of hepatic air, and from which its offenfive fmell and tafie are derived. / The directions for the ufe of the Cold Bath will derive their principal merit from their according with the opini- ons and advice of the mod approved writers upon that fubject. BENJAMIN RUSH. Chefnut-ftreet, 18th July, 1786. DIRECTIONS FOR THE USE OF THE MINERAL WATER. THE different ftages of fociety, like the different ages of the human body, have their peculiar difeafes.— In the infancy of all focieties difeafes are fimple and few in number, but in proportion as they advance in arts and opulence, which always bring along with them the refine- ments of luxury, difeafes multiply, and are complicated in fuch a manner, as to require more powerful aids than the fimple preparations of plants and metals. Thefe aids have been fought for from a variety of fources, but from none oftener than mineral waters. Thefe waters, which have flowed for many years unnoticed by our anceftors, have of late attracted the attention of the public, and have now become a very important part of the Materia Medica. The mineral water, which is to be the fubjedt of the following directions, when taken into the body, is gently ftimulating and tonic, promotes the urinary fecretion, and perfpiration, and fometinies gently opens the bowels. Of the diseases in which this mine- ral WATER IS PROPER. i. This water is proper in, the Hysteria.— Thisdif- order fhews itfelf in a variety of fhapes. It is known by attacking the female more than the male fex; efpecially fuch as are of a delicate habit, by being accompanied with flatulencies, contractions of the mufcles of the belly, and a fenfe of fomething refembling a ball rifing in the throat.—It prevails mofl in warm climates and feafons ; and laftly, it is always fubject to exacerbations from any caufe that fuddenly affects and difturbs the mind. 2. It is proper in the Palsy, whether of part or ©f the whole of the body, when the pulfe is not A 2 full, c [ 4 1 full, and when the fyraptoms of a plethora arc wanting ; it is always a ftrong preemption of the propriety of ufing thefe waters, where the difeafe has continued a long time, without any remarkable change in the fymptoms. 3. In the Epilepsy, when it arifes from an affection of the ftomach, or the womb, or from a general weak habit of body, this water is proper. 4. It may be drank with advantage in a certain ftage of the Gout, particularly when it comes on in the decline of life.-The conftitution then exhibits various marks of great debility ; the gouty affection in confequence of this, inftead of appearing in the feet, fhews itfelfin a weaknefs, naufea and acidity of the ftomach. Th.-fe fymptoms are generally accompanied with coftivenefs and flatulency of the bowels. 5. It is ufeful in an old obflinate Diarrhoea or an ha- bitual purgings, when not accompanied with a griping or a difcharge of blood mixed with the ftools. Sailors returning from long voyages, or from warm climates, are moft fubject to this diforder. 6. It affords the moft certain relief in all cafes of a want of appetite, when it originates from a defect in the ftomach. The appetite may be diftroyed by caufes which operate directly or indirectly upon the ftomach. Thofe which operate directly are tea, fpirituous liquors, and bitters taken in an immoderate quantity, or at impro- per times, too full meals, ftrong vomits, and warm drinks of all kinds ; the caufes which operate indirectly on the ftomach are all fedative paffions of the mind, fuch as, grief, fear, love, &c. together with whatever weakens or difor- ders the other parts of the fyftem. We fhall hereafter point out what kind of diet fhould be joined with the mineral water, in this diforder. 7. It is proper in all thofe Colics, which arife from mere weaknefs of the bowels, and particularly in that fpe- cies, which is accompanied with an overflowing of the bile, a difeafe this to which the inhabitants of warm climates are moft fubjeft. 8. Befides thefc difeafes, in which the nervous fyftem is chiefly affected, this mineral water is ufeful in all ob- structions of the liver and spleen, whether they are brought on by indolence, intemperance, or intermit- ting fevers, and whether they fhew themfelves in a mere fwelling C 5 ] fwelling and hardnefs, or a jaundice, a cough or a dropfy. In the dropfy it fhould be given only while it continues to operate by urine or ftool; for this purpofe it fhould be drank not in the ufual manner, but in large quantities. 9. It is proper in all cafes of chronic Rheumatism. It will be more efficacious in this diforder if the flefhbrufh be ufed at the fame time. 10. It is very ufeful in the Piles, efpecially when they occur in that ftage of life in which the artereal plethora yield to the venous. This feldom happens till the thirty- fifth or thirty-fixth year of life, 11. In all Female obstructions and weaknefles, which are accompanied with general languor and debility of the whole fyftem, this water affords confiderable relief. 12. It may be given with advantage to Children afflicted with Worms. Here it acts like bark, rhubarb, aloes and bitters of all kinds indireclly upon the worms, by giving a proper tone to the bowels. Among the many fubftances which deftroy them diredly^ there are few more powerful than sugar, honey, fait and ripe fummer-fruits; all children fhew a fondnefs for thefe things. The appe- tite in this early period of life is not corrupted by habit or vitiated by difeafe, and may therefore be liftened to as the voice of nature. Thefe fubftances fhould be given upon an empty ftomach, and the patient fhould not eat any thing for an hour afterwards. 13. It is proper in all cutaneous diseases and foul ulcers of long ftanding, whether they be of fcorbutic or fcrophulous nature.--The part affected fhould be wafhed with the mineral water twice a-day. 14. It is ufeful in difeafes of the Kidneys and Blad- der when a difficulty or obftruaion in making water arifes from'relaxation or fmall calculi in thefe organs. ic. It has been ufed with fuccefs in obftinate Gleets, after the moft powerful aftringent medicines have been ufed to no purpofe. Let us next enquire in what diseases this water is hurtful. t In the Hypochondriac disorder it is an improper remedy.—Although this diforder is fomet^esp.ned with [ 6 ] Hyfteria, yet it is diftina from it in its nature and re- quires a very different treatment-It is known by its at- &th/m.le more than ^ female fex by its pre- vailinf moft in cold feafons and climates and by itsbemg accompanied with acidity, flatulency, coftivenefc or a di- arrhoea, an entire want of, or an inordinate appetite, pain in the ftomach and breaft after eating, a vomiting, an un- ufual difcharge of fpittle from the mouth, colic, «c. in this diforder all preparations of iron have been found hurtful. It is a little extraordinary, that a draught of warm water, will fometimes create an appetite in this diforder, after bitter and aromatic medicines have been aa- miniftred to no purpofe. 2. It has fometimes been recommended in the Phthe- sis pulmonalis or confumption of the lungs.--But 1 doubt much wh- ther a chalybeate water ever cured or re- lieved a true confumption, whether brought on by an ab- cefs, tubercles, or ulcers.-In every ftate of the human bo- dy, when the inflammatory diathefis prevails, this water is improper—that it prevails in the confumption we in- fer from the hard pulfe and fizy appearance of the blood. This water we faid is improper in all difeafes, when an inflammatory diathefis prevails. 3. It is hurtful therefore in moft cafes of Hemorrha- gy, or praeternatural difcharges of blood from the body. Hemorrhagics are either adive or paffive : the former hap- pen before, the latter after the thirty-fifth or thirty-fixth year of life. It is in the former in which the inflammatory diathefis chiefly prevails. They are known by an increafe of tone and adion of the arterial fyftem, and by all the common fymptoms of plethora. 4. This water is likewife hurtful for the fame reafon in the acute Rheumatism and Gout. This latter difeafe refembles the former a good deal, in its feat, fymp- toms and methods of cure, when it attacks in the early period of life. It appears at the ufual feafons of inflamma- tory diforders, and is accompanied with a degree of inflam- matory diathefis. It is now called the tonic gout, to diftinguifti it from that which comes on in the decline of life, and which, from the irregularity of its feat, times of acceffion, and fymptoms, is called the anomalous or atonic gout. On C 7 ] OF THE MANNER OF USING THIS WATER. The quantity to be drank daily of this water muft be determined-by the conftitution and difeafe of the patient. Too large a draught at firft has fometimes produced very difagreeable effects, which have difcouraged patients from giving it a fair trial. They fhould be guarded againft this, and in fome cafes, when the ufe of it is clearly indicated, they fhould be encouraged to look upon its harm operation at firft as a prefage of its doing much good. The beft method for people of delicate habits, is to begin with a gill or half a pint and increafe it gradually to five or fix half pints in a day. Formerly the chalybeate water was drank in a much larger quantity, but experience has taught us that three pints or two quarts at moft in a day is fuffi- cient to produce all the falutary effects we have reafon to expect from it. The patient has always drank too much, if he becomes feverifh and perceives an uneafy fenfe of heat in his breaft, immediately after taking the water. He fhould drink it if poffible at the fountain head, as its virtue is much impaired by being deprived of its air.--The beft time for drinking it is early in the morning, at noon and in the evening, upon an empty ftomach.—The patient fhould always walk or ride, or ufe fome gentle exercife im- mediately after drinking it. When we want to promote perfpiration, it fhould be drank juft before the patient goes to bed,- In fome difeafes, which require thefe waters, the ftomach is oftentimes fo weak as to reject them even in the fmalleft quantity ; when this is the cafe, the water fhould be mixed with a little cinnamon or mint water, or the fto- mach fhould be prepared for it by fome grateful aromatic tincture. I have heard of a Lady who could retain a cha- lybeate water on her ftomach only when fhe drank it in bed, and remained there an hour or two afterwards j it re- lieved her of the complaint for which fhe drank it. If the water fhould not keep the bowels gently open, the patient fhould make ufe of fuch laxative medicines as will beftfuit his diforder. It may be drank forfeveral months in any feafon of the year, efpecially in the fpring, fummer and autumn ; it is a good practice to intermit it now and then for a kw days, left it fhould lofe its efficacy by habit, It [ 8 ] It would encro-ch too much upon our plan, to mention the oscular diet, which the feveral difeafes we have men- tioneT require The patient fhould obferve the moft SS^igS » the quantity of his food. This caut.on ., hemorf ncceffary, as the water fometimes excites.anar ti- ficaT apatite, wLh it is by no means fafe to gratify fu 1 y Four o? five fmall, are better than one or two full meals in a day for valetudinarians, upon the account of their being lefs ftimulating. t . In all cafes of indigeftion, acidity, flatulency, &c. in the ftomach, patients fhould abftain from vegetables and live as much as poffible upon an animal diet. Beet and mutton will be found much eaf.er of digeftion in thefe cafes than what are commonly called the white meats.* This diet fhould not be continued too long. In propor- tion as the ftomach recovers its tone, the patient fhould gra- dually return to the ufe of vegetables or to mixed aliment. What Dr. Cadogan fays of milk, we may fay of vegetables, that it is generally a fign the ftomach requires them, when it cannot bear them. In all cutaneous and fcorbutic difeafes, foul ulcers, &c. the patient fhould live entirly upon vegetables, provided he is not very old or of a weak habit. There can be no other objection to patients drinking this water with all their meals, than the danger of loofing their efficacy by too conftant a ufe. The ingenious female au- thor of " The hiftory of putrefaction," has proved by ex- periment, that chalybeate waters haften the diffolution and putrefaction of aliment. After all that has been faid upon this fubjedt, we muft acknowlegde, that mineral waters, like moft of our medi- cines, are only fubftitutes for temperance and excercife in chronic difeafes. An angel muft defcend from heaven and trouble * "The younger an animal is, the more it poffefles of a " vegetable nature, and of courfe the lefs it is difpofed " to corruption. In proportion as it grows old, it " loofes its vegetable nature, and tends to alkalefcen- " cy, and hence it becomes more fufccptible of putre- " faction. By the ftrengrh of the organs of maftica- " tion, digeftion, &c. in full grown animals, vegeta- " ble food is completely animalized." Madame DarcanvUlis hiftgry of futrefa£lionr r 9 ] trouble this chalybeate pool, before we can expect any ex- traordinary effects from its ufe alone. There is a great refemblance between the fate of medicine and religion. In every age and country an article of faith or a mode of wor- fhip have ufurped the place of the precepts of morality. Thus in medicine we find a variety of remedies fuch as mercury, bark, fteel, woodlice, tar, lime and mineral wa- ters of all kinds, pine buds, ginfeng, Sec. have been put in the place of temperance and exercife. The fafhion of the former paffes away, but the effects of the latter, like the obligations of morality, endure forever. DIRECTIONS FOR the USE of the COLD BATH, It would be an eafy tafk to collect a variety of facts In favor of the antiquity and ufefulnefs of the Cold Bath, and to fhew that it has been recommended by the Phyfici- ans, ufed by the Philofophers and praifed by the Poets of every age and country, both as the means of health and pleafure; but this would be foreign to the fimple defignof the prefent effay. Before I proceed to deliver directions for the ufe of the cold bath, I fhall take notice in a few words of its u'.ual effects upon the body, and mention the difeafes, in which it is a proper or a doubtful and improper remedy. 'The firft effea of the cold bath is, to wafh off impu- rities of all kinds from the fkin, and thereby to promote a free and equal perforation. 2d. By its preffure it drives the fluids from the furface to the incernal parts of the body. Hence the quick and and fometimes difficult refpiration which is generally felt after plunging into cold water. 3d. It braces the animal fibres, and thereby increafes their tone and ftrength. And 4th. Ic flimulates the whole nervous fyftem, and there- by favors the more eafy adion of the vital, animal and natural functions of the body. The firft advantage of the cold bath, which I fhall mention, is that it prevents the difeafes of warm weather. By its tonic adion upon the nervous lyftem, it dimimlnea * v» its [ io ] its fenfibility to heat, and thereby fecures the conftitution from the painful as well as morbid effects of the fummer months. Children therefore (who fuffer fo generally from warm weather) and pcrfons iubject to fevers or nervous. complaint*, fhould ufe the cold bath, in the Months of June, July and Auguft. 2d. In the chronic Rheumatifm and atonic Gout the cold bath is a fafe and powerful remedy. 3d. In difeafes attended with a relaxation of the nervous fyftem, the cold bath promifes relief. Thofe difeafes may be reduced to the following heads : The Epilepfy, The whooping Co.ugh, The Hyfteria, A defect of iceing or hear- Palpitation of the heart, ing from caufes that Afthma, are not obvious, St. Vitus's dance, Madnefe accompanied Rickets, with debility, Head-ach, Melancholy or partial in- Palsyofthe limbs, fanity, Periodical pains, A defect or decay of the The Colic, intellectual powers not The Diarrhoea, produced by old age. The Cramp, and lafliy The locked Jaw. The good effects of the cold bath in the laft named dif- order have lately been fully afcertaincd by Dr. Wright of the ifland of Jamaica. l 4th. In thofe obflructions of the liver and fpleen, which follow autumnal fevers, and which are not attended with inflammation, the cold bath may be ufed with advantage. 5th. The excefs and defect of that evacuation which is connected with the health of th- female conftitution, have both been relieved by the cold bath. It not only cures th fediieafes, but frequently removes barrennefs, and pre- vents abortion. Its agreeable effeas upon female'beauty, would fumifh materials for many pages, but thefe are fo- reign to the fubject of the prefent effay. 6th. In eruptions and difeafes of the fkin of all kinds the application of cold water in the form of a bath has' often produced the moft falutary effeas. I frail now point out thofe conftitutions and difeafes in which the ufe of the cold bath is doubtful or improper. 1 ft. In very old people, and in habits, where the pow- ers of nature have been exhauftcd by intemperance, or long and walling difeafes, the cold bath is a doubtful remedy: 2d. t II ] 2d. In full habits, where from the manner of life, oj from the peculiar make of the body, or from previous difea- fes, we have reafon to fufpea a difpofuion to Apoplexy or Palfy, the cold bath fhould be ufed with great caution, and never till previous evacuations have been made from the bowels or the blood veflels. > 3d. In a Plethora of the lungs whether it manifefls it- felf by pain, a difficulty of breathing, or by a .pitting of blood, the cold bath is never proper. It has feldom been ufed with advantage or even fafety, in confumptive cafes. . • How far an union of the cold bath with other remedies that determine powerfully to the lkin, might prove ufeful in the confumption of the lungs, remains to be determined hereafter by bold experiments and accurate obfervations OF THE TIME AND MANNER OF USING the COLD BATH. The beft time for ufing the cold bath, is in the morning before breakfaft. A fhort walk, or a moderate degree of exercife, is fometimes neceffary to prepare the body for the aaion of the cold water upon it, efpecially in the middle of fummer, when the heat of a clofe room and a feather-bed* the proceeding night, are fo apt to in- creafe relaxation, or promote weakning fweats. The foo- ner the water is applied to the whole body the better. The head fhould be expofed to the coldnefs and preffure of the water, as nearly as poffible at the fame inftant, with the other parts of the body. The inconvcniencies arifing from wetting the hair, may be obviated by the patients covering his head, before he goes into the bath, with an oiled cloth or bladder cap. From one to three minutes will be long enough in moft cafes, to remain in the bath. A patient may always know when he has ufed the bath Improperly or ftaid too long in the water, when he feels a chillinefs or pains in his head orbreaft, which do notfoon yield to the warmth of the air, or to gentle exercife ; on the contrary, it is a promifing lign of future benefit from the bath, when a patient, upon coming out of the water feels a fudden glow of heat diffufe itfelf over the whole * Patients, who ufe the cold bath, will find its good ef- k£ts more certain, if they at the fame time fleep, upon a matrafs. f 12 ] body, accompanied with a chearful and animated tone of ™The