MEDICAL VIRTUES OF THE WILDBAD WATERS.
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— An oflicer in the Wurtemberg scrvice had been wo und cd by a musket-ball in the fore-arm, in the last French cam- paign. The wound was bealcd completcly in a short time, but a sense of pain remained in the arm, as well as a paralytic affection, wbich did not allow him to move the limb so freely as before the accident. Some years after, the use of the Wildbad baths was recommended to him. After having taken cleven baths he cxpcricnces violent pains in the wounded arm, an inflammation comes on, the cica- trice opens again, and from it a considerable quantity of pus is discharged. Next morning, on the bandages being taken off, a foreign body is discovcred in the orifice, which, upon being removed witli the pincers, and laved, is found to be a small piece of flannel, that had entered the wound with the ball and not been extracted. After some days, during which the patient continued to bathe, the wound cicatrised again, the pains disappeared, and the patient left Wildbad with his limb completely restituted to its for- mer ability.
In obstinate gouty and rheamatic complainls the effects of the Wildbad springs are surprising; and against lame- ness, contraction of limbs, partial paralytic alfections, and loss of power in the lower extremities, arising from these two causes, tbey may be considered as specific. A line of distinction ought however to be drawn between the acute and chronic forms of these complaints, as only in the latter the baths will be found beneficial. In these cases a powerful stimulant of the skin is required, in order to predispose the body for an increascd fluid and gascous secretion, and this the springs of Wildbad are well adapted to supply. By their agency the dry skin is softened, a more vigorous circulation is produced in the whole organism, the per- spiration becomes abundant, and takcs a peculiar, viscous,
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