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WILDBAD. — CHAPT. VI.
mildly aperitive, sudorific and diuretic rcmedies, chicfly in cases of suffering of the mucous membranes, and of the glandular System of the channels of nutrition, and in con- sequence to such complaints, as have their seat in the digestive organs: induration and scirrhosity, weakncss, and torpidity of the stomach, colic, cardialgy, and cramps of the stomach arising from weakness of the nerves. — In fact in most maladies the internal application of the water, if not sufficient to remove tliem hy itself, will at least power- fully second the effect of the haths.—In the diseases of the bladder and the kidueys howevcr, Wildbad may be cousi- dered as almost specific, Many invalids who have heen suffering for ycars of ischury, and stone or gravcl in the bladder, were curcd liere in a miraculously short time. Old honest Dr. Mechinger, in his work on Wildbad, written so early as 1513, says on this licad: “ln renum eliam at- que vesicae morbis friyidis et humidis mullum opilulanlur; quia humorcs grossos in eis conlentos eliquando faciunt cursibiles et cum, urina educunt: ac per hoc haec membra mundificant. Nec lanlum humorcs , immo calculos et lapides comminuunl et cum urina evacuant: pro tanlo Avicenna de cura lapidis docet pannos infusos in thermis aclu calidos poni supra renes et vesicam: cujus rei juvamentum ipse novit per experienliam. Ego denique ipse novi nonnullos ulriusque sexus dolore calculi et lapidis valde moleslalos: qui post istas thermas senserunt se alleviatos et dolores ad annum vel dimidium mullum mitigalos. Noli scindere lapidem, nisi paliens prius biberit aquam Balnei naturalis.” This passage first induced Dr. Fricker, some five-and-twenty years ago, to try the internal use of the Wildbad water upon the late Dr. H. of Stuttgart, who suf- fered of an habitual vomiting, which for years had resisted all attcmpts at curing it. The patient arrived at Wildbad quite exhausted, and ahnost reduced to a skelcton.