102

WILDBAD.

CIIAPT. VI.

total paralysis impending over bis liead, than to produce any favourable result. The springs of Wildbad, if they can not remove the root of tbe evil, at least will cut off some of its branebes, and in most cases effect a great improve- ment. Frequently aftcr a single scason tbe patient bas been enabled to disniiss bis guide, or to throw aside bis crutcbes, tbougb, to teil the truth, no instance of an entirc recovery is known.

The third, or last stage of this paralysis, is eharacter- ised by a total incapacity for walking, and for remaining in an erect position, the lower extreinities being totally paralysed. Rarely the invalid will be still able to walk by means of crutcbes; in most cases it will 1 cquirc all the strength still existing in the upper portion of bis body, to get over the least distance by laying hold with both hands, upon all objects he may find on bis way. Yet, though he have lost the faculty of moving, still that of feeling will gener- ally reniain to a certain degree. The decrease of animal heat in the inferior members is scarcely perceptible, though the patient may tliiuk them cold and benumbed, or as if they were those of an otht'r man. Frequently he will fcel an itching in them, particularly when the paralysis was the consequcnce of an attack of apoplexy; and they are accessible to sensations of frost or of superficial contact, if even stronger impressions, such as scaldings, wounds, or sore- ness from lyirig in bed, affect him but little. The para- lytic rarely suffer great pains, not even in the back, and, excepting constipations, or the frequcncy of their watery secrctions, have not much to complain of, in their general state of health. Howevcr hopeless these cases may appear, and certainly often really are, still it is surpri- sing, that they do not show the obstinate resistance against remedies, of the second stage. The waters of Wildbad also