MEDICAL V1KTUES OF THE WILDBAD WATERS.
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and incessant fatigue, rise out of tbese baths with new strength and youth. They are, on the othcr hand, itrju- rious in fevcrish conditions of the body, and in dropsies arising from inflammation brought on by chronic dcrangc- ment or stoppages of the circulation, owing to a desor- ganisation of one or more of the important viscera: and they sliould never be used merely in sport, by the blooming youth of either sex.
The virtues of the Wildbad springs, taken internally, have been known and appreciated for centuries, still to Dr. Fricker the merit is due, of having revived tliis mode of applying tbem for medical purposcs, whicli had long been neglected. Accordingly, when in 1839 a new spring, of a temperature of 100°F., was discovered, measures were taken to protect it from contact with the bathing-water, and to employ it solely for drinking purposcs. Two other springs of lower temperature, are used internally in conjunction with it. Now almost all patients, sojourning at Wildhad, apply the waters internally, cven if they also use the batlis. According to Dr. Fricker, the favourable effects he has ob- served of this method, ought rather to bc ascribed to the innate caloricity of the water, tlian to the agency of the Chemical ingredieuts present in it. In this way he accounts for its powcr of promoting the action of all the secretory Organs, namely: the kidneys, the skin, the livcr, and the mucous membrane of the intestines, not only by increasing their secretions quantitatively, but also by altering and ameliorating them qualitatively, and fmally bringing back to its original Standard the alienated activity or corrupted texture of some Organs.
The internal use of these springs will therefore be most bcnefieial to tliose patients, who reqtiire dissolving,
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