surely the boon is worth an effort, even a protracted one. The first matters to be attended to are diet and exercise: let the patient, therefore, read again the chapters on these subjects. Let him then commence in earnest, by rising early in the morning, sponge and rub himself well all over; drink freely of cold water, and take a brisk walk of three or four miles, or use other exercise for an hour, so as to produce a glow of heat. When the costiveness has been of several years standing, add Sitz, and foot baths, umschlags by day and night; and douches on the abdomen, to correct the weakness of this part. He will find this plan far more effectual than all the tonic, aperient, and antibilious pills and potions, the announcement of which, and of their right honourable, and right reverend patrons, the advertising columns of Newspapers and Magazines are filled. This treatment has never failed to effect a cure, even in cases where there has been no natural evacuations from the bowels for upwards of thirty years.

FEVERS

are of such frequent occurrence, that one-half of mankind is said to perish by them alone; but they have invariably yielded to the cold water treatment: so that of the thousands so treated by Priessnitz, he is said never to have lost a patient in fever. The general symptoms of this disease are increased heat, affections of the head and loins, weariness of the limbs, rigours in various degrees, from shivering to chronic spasms; the nails and lips are livid, and the skin is usually pale, cold, and dry, and the thirst is excessive.

During the treatment of fever the patient must abstain from animal food, cheese, eggs, butter, and all stimulating food or drink. His food should be

cold. He should drink nothing but cold water. The room must be well-aired and dry. All excitement be avoided, and evacuation secured daily. He should lie on a mattress, sleep as much as possible, and should never be waked under any circumstances.

In the excitement of fever of any kind, the wet sheet, and cold or tepid ablutions are of the first importance. They speedily carry off the morbid heat, relieve pain, and tranquillize the pulse without in any degree adding to the debility of the various structures of the body, already sufficiently great. The propriety of drinking cold water also in fever is clearly indicated, and has proved most beneficial. Instances have occurred at Grafenburg, of persons being kept in the half bath for nine or ten hours, and others being put in from forty to fifty wet sheets in the course of twentyfour hours, with complete success. In the first appearance of fever, let the patient be wrapped in wet sheets, and let Umschlags be applied to the head at the same time. The latter are to be changed more frequently than the former, where there is violent head ache. The sheets must be repeated according to the degree of fever, every half hour or hour. If the patient be relieved after three or four applications, and his head be clearer, he may be washed with cold water, of about 55°; after which he should take moderate exercise in his Room, or if fine, in the open air. Thirst should at all times be relieved by cold water, but during the process of sweating, not so as to check it. During the whole process, the bowels should be kept open by bandages round the body, and by clysters, repeated seven or eight times a day, if necessary; in short, they must be continued till an evacuation is effected. The ban

dages are not to be renewed before they are perfectly dry.

GOUT,

is a formidable monster which appears in various shapes, the medical treatment of which is an act of insanity. Drugs are of no use here; nay, they are injurious. Drs. Mudie and Bigel assert, with a perfect knowledge of cause, and a deep conviction, founded upon innumerable and notable facts, that the sudorific process, and cold water, are the only means of curing this disease. The cure of the gout requires the application of the whole treatment. It should be felt on the entire system, before it be particularly applied to the parts afflicted. The first object should be, by the sudorific process, or baths, to relieve that excessive irritability of the skin, which is the source of so much pain; adding to this, exercise in the open air. By degrees gouty subjects should leave off flannel, which they may do with impunity on the fifth or eighth day after treatment. When the patient is not too weak, he may go immediately to the Douche equally on all parts of the body, but only for a few minutes. It is only when he is able to sustain it easily that he should expose the suffering part to it, to put the humours which are there established, in motion. Cold water must be taken freely; the diet must be vegetable, and scanty; much exercise in the open air, and friction, by rubbing and brushing the whole body, and of the affected parts particular, are very necessary. If the patient be young and strong, much perspiration is of the greatest importance, but with umschlags applied to the diseased parts. Few pass more than five or six weeks under the treatment without having the Crisis; (i. e.) with

out being charged with eruptions or boils. On the appearance of the Crisis, the Douche, and process of perspiring, should be either modulated or remitted, in order not to augment the crisis. All that has been said above on Gout and its treatment, equally applies to

RHEUMATISM,

which bears such a great resemblance to it, that it is supposed to take the same origin. The principal means to be employed are the application of the wet sheets the first thing in the morning; the next morning, sweating in the blankets; the third morning, wet sheets again, then the blankets, and so on, alternately. After each, a cold ablution; a sitz bath daily at twelve o'clock, and a tepid one at six in the evening, with wet bandages over the painful parts.

INFLAMMATIONS

are very numerous, and arise from various causes.

INFLAMMATION OF THE BRAIN

is the most dangerous, and may prove fatal. The general symptoms are-pain of the head, redness of the eyes, deafness, flushed face, singing in the ears, and intolerance of the light. The patient is noisy, and evinces great strength; has a hard pulse and a hot dry skin. The treatment should be as follows. The part of the head affected should be shaven immediately, and application of cold water laid over the whole head, and changed every five minutes, or sooner if the bandages become warm; as much depends on this point. Several napkins should be placed in very cold water, under 40°, if possible, and never above 50°, that the applications may follow in quick succession. To

neglect this may be FATAL. Sometimes there is great difficulty in getting the patient to drink, as they dislike water, but this must be overcome, if possible. It is also of great importance that the bowels act freely. The head should be raised; the room kept quiet and well aired; and the light excluded. If after twenty-four hours, no favourable symptoms appear; such as free perspiration, copious discharge of blood from the nose, the bleeding piles, plentiful discharge of urine, it is advisable to pour cold water over the whole body of the patient, and by the wet sheets and blankets, seek to promote perspiration. If the patient be delirious, the nervous excitement must be allayed by cold affusions, not only of the head, but of the whole body. There are also Inflammations of the Throat, such as

CROUP;

which dangerous disease is confined to a definite period of infancy, from two to the sixth or eighth year, and takes place in Spring generally, or late in Autumn. Plethoric children are most endangered by it. The premonitory symptoms are, hoarseness and fretfulness towards evening; to this is added a dry hollow cough, pulse hard, and the face flushed. As soon as the least of the above symptoms appear, the child should be wrapped in a well wrung wet sheet, and the umschlag applied round his throat, for the purpose of producing perspiration; if the object be promoted, the patient be relieved, the cough loosened, and respiration become more free, he should be allowed to remain at least eight or ten hours in moderate perspiration. This should be followed by an ablution of cold water, at 65 to 70°, when the patient should be put to bed, and lightly covered, to keep S