The Droitwich Salt Springs; Their Medicinal Action and Curative Properties (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1873 edition. Excerpt: ... are cases for Baths of higher temperature than usual. For the absorption of an insufficient quantity of the chemical ingredients of the waters, owing to the course of Baths being too short for the necessities of the cases, renders this valuable remedy partially inert. The remedial qualities of the Baths are therefore dependent on physical conditions, as well as upon a thousand other circumstances connected with the general health of patients, exhibiting the care and caution necessary in using this remedy, and without which none should be surprised at its failure of effect. "Free Livers," for example, can bear a good deal of stimulus from Baths composed of mineral waters, such an amount indeed as would produce serious mischief in inflammatory cases. With the latter there would be a too active chemical change induced, whilst there would certainly exist a far less amount of superfluities of which the system might be profitably cleansed. A gentle, gradual, and permanent stimulus to the skin especially, together with the restoration of the alkalinity of the blood, and the solution and absorption of morbid deposits, is what is required by patients seeking the healing properties of these waters, and, aided by exercise, their field of operation upon the function of the body generally may be greatly extended. It is almost needless to add that the cure of each case will be very much assisted by a proper regulation of diet, in which the patient should chiefly avoid such indigestible substances as pastry and cheese, and eat sparingly of fruit and vegetables, avoiding especially all rich and greasy articles of food. Still more care may wisely be taken in the matter of exercise. Exercise is almost as necessary to the body as food. Without it be...