It will be as well for the generality of our readers, if we confine
ourselves in this chapter to a brief consideration of those medicated
baths only, which have been proved to be efficacious in the amelioration
and cure of illnesses, whether chronic or acute. We must preface our
remarks, however, by stating that no course of baths is likely to be of
the slightest avail to a sufferer, unless he first and foremost makes up
his mind to adhere to certain rules of living, and endeavours to conform
to the laws of health.
Exercise must be taken in the open air, he must also be most careful to
study his diet and his clothing, and to secure sound sleep by every
natural means in his power, narcotics however being avoided as poisons
(see pages 21, 22, and 23).
Tonics, taken with judgment, assist a patient to recover strength, but
they must be administered or prescribed by a medical man, who is
acquainted with the symptoms and nature of the case.
It is really surprising the amount of good that can be done by a
well-regulated course of Turkish or other baths, combined with some
carefully adapted plan of constitutional treatment and regulation in
living. If this were only more generally known, thousands would soon be
enjoying all the blessings of health, who are now languishing on beds of
sickness, or confined to warm and stifling rooms, instead of breathing
the free fresh air of heaven.
It would seem that Professor Lionel Beale is somewhat of the same
opinion as ourselves, and he even goes somewhat further, for he
deprecates foreign travel, or at least considers wandering abroad in
search of health, is, in many cases, a needless expense.
"If," writes this learned authority, "patients could be induced to
retire to a pleasant part of the country where they would take moderate
exercise, and be free from mental anxiety, meet with agreeable society,
live regularly, take small doses of alkalies, and bathe themselves for
an hour or two a day in warm water, in which some carbonate of soda has
been dissolved, they would receive as much benefit as by travelling
hundreds of miles away; and at much less trouble and expense."
There is a great deal in these words _free from mental anxiety_. It is
to obtain this very needful aid to the cure of chronic complaints,
especially those brought about by over-work or fast living, that we
ourselves are in the habit of recommending to our patients a short sea
voyage, such as that to America or Madeira and back. But very great
benefit results in numerous cases from a short residence at some of the
innumerable hydropathic establishments, which, like small terrestrial
paradises, are scattered here and there in our beautiful island home.
Those actually sick may go there, as well as the languishing invalid or
_the over-worked_ man of business, or worn-out pleasure hunter. To
those resorting to these sanatoria, we can confidently recommend a handy
and useful invention, recently brought out by Messrs. Allen and Son
(Plate Six). It is a portable electric bell, the cords can be passed
under or over the doors, from one room to another, and by this means the
nurse or attendant can be called immediately and _quietly_ at any hour
of the day or night.
We do not mean here to say much about the mercurial bath, because it
must only be used under medical advice, but while reminding the reader
that there is provision made for this kind of bath in the portable
Turkish bath (page 44) there is (see Plate Seven) a nice handy little
apparatus which can be used for this purpose used for this purpose or
any other kind of fumigatory bath which the physician considers it right
to recommend.