Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 1, 1802).djvu/224

196]  practice, which could not fail to diminish the number of cures, and to reduce their ill-acquired reputation. Notwithstanding this unfavourable result, it would be unreasonable to impute the want of farther success to the inefficacy of medicinal substances, or the baths themselves; on the contrary, we venture to pronounce, that both will operate, when properly used, in an uniform manner, so long as the nature of man, and diseases, are conformable to general laws. Hence our success will always less depend upon the specific virtues of substances, or drugs, than upon the manner in which they are used for particular purposes.

Water impregnated with the scales or rust of iron, which abound with the saline and sulphureous particles of that metal, is of great service for strengthening the part to which it is applied; re-invigorating debilitated limbs; stopping various kinds of bleeding; restoring the menstrual and hemorrhoidal discharges, when obstructed; and, in short, as a substitute for the natural iron-bath. In the vicinity of smelting works, large quantities of the slag of copper, antimony, and cobalt, are generally thrown away as useless; but these substances contain a considerable proportion of sulphur and vitriolic acid, combined with an earthy base, which renders them valuable in baths designed for bracing and giving tone to the weak fibres, or relaxing mem when they are preternaturally rigid. Besides, such baths are possessed of detersive properties, so that they may be used with advantage in many cases, if due regard be paid to those circumstances which we have pointed out under the head . In preparing such artificial baths, however, the slags ought to be thrown into the water immediately after they are taken from the furnace, or they should be previously heated: these preparations may then be used, occasionally, either in the form of baths, or fomentations.

There are various other medicated baths, such as those saturated with alum and quick-lime, sal ammoniac, &c. by boiling them together or separately in pure rain water: they have long been reputed as eminently serviceable in paralytic and all diseases arising from nervous and muscular debility.—Lastly, it is worthy of remark, that all mineral waters presented to us by the beneficent hand of Nature, may be artificially prepared, with tolerable accuracy, and sometimes of superior efficacy, when we are sufficiently acquainted with the component parts of such springs.  BATH-WATERS are celebrated on account of their having a higher temperature than any other in Britain, and being the only springs which are sensibly hot to the touch. All other thermal waters of this island are below the animal temperature, and deserve that appellation only, from being invariably warmer than common springs are in general.

By the erection of elegant baths, these waters are particularly adapted to the benefit of invalids, who find here a variety of establishments, contributing equally to health, convenience, and amusement.

There are three principal springs in the city of Bath, namely, those called the King's Bath, the Cross Bath, and the Hot Bath; all within a short distance of each other, and