Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 1, 1802).djvu/219

Rh of energy, though its effects have, till lately, been little understood. Physicians, as well as patients, have hitherto been too generally accustomed to consider a warm bath as weakening the body, and useful only for the removal of certain diseases, especially those of the skin. Experience, however, has amply proved, that there can be no safer and more efficacious remedy in a variety of chronic or inveterate complaints, than the warm bath, if properly used, and continued for a sufficient length of time. Dr., resident physician of Pyrmont, has, in our opinion, satisfactorily demonstrated, that the warm bath, in many cases of debility, from spasms, pain, anxiety, and other causes, as well as to hectic and emaciated persons, is, generally, of eminent service, and almost the only means of restoring their health, and prolonging their lives. Instead of heating the human body, as has erroneously been asserted, the warm bath has a cooling effect, inasmuch as it obviously abates the quickness of the pulse, and reduces the pulsations in a remarkable degree, according to the length of time the patient continues in the water. After the body has been over-heated by fatigue from travelling, violent exercise, or from whatever cause, and likewise after great exertion or perturbation of mind, a tepid bath is excellently calculated to invigorate the whole system, while it allays those tempestuous and irregular motions, which otherwise prey upon, and at length reduce, the constitution to a sick-bed. Its softening and assuasive power greatly tends to promole the growth of the body; on which account it is peculiarly adapted to the state of such youth as manifest a premature disposition to arrive at a settled period of growth: and it has uniformly been observed to produce this singular effect, in all climates.

The warm bath is of very great utility to such individuals as are troubled with a parched and rough skin; it has also been found to afford relief in many paralytic, bilious, hypochondriacal, hysteric, and even insane cases, as well as to forward the cure of scorbutic and leprous eruptions, when strict attention had been paid to both diet and regimen. In palsy, likewise, modern observers assert, that warm bathing is one of the most effectual remedies; though the late Dr. expressly maintained, that it is prejudicial to all paralytics.—Dr. , of Bath, was the first who refuted this assertion; because he had seen, in the hospital of that city, numerous and manifest proofs of its efficacy in paralytic cases. This judicious physician remarks, in his "Inquiry into the Efficacy of Warm Bathing in Palsies," printed in 1770, that he was induced to turn his attention to this subject, by the prevalence and increase of nervous diseases, but particularly on account of the palsy, which formerly used to be the attendant of the aged, but has now become the too frequent and miserable companion of youth. Of 996 paralytics, most of whom had resisted the powers of medicine, 813 were benefited by the proper application of the warm bath.—It is perhaps necessary to remind the reader, that this desirable effect may be derived from the (of which we shall treat in a subsequent article), as well as from every other bath, whether furnished by Nature or Art,