Transcribed from the 1892 John Heywood edition by David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org BUXTON AND ITS MEDICINAL WATERS. BY ROBERT OTTIWELL GIFFORD-BENNET, M.D., _Senior Acting Physician to the Devonshire Hospital and_ _Buxton Bath Charity_. * * * * * JOHN HEYWOOD, DEANSGATE AND RIDGEFIELD, MANCHESTER; 2, AMEN CORNER, LONDON, E.C. PREFACE. Knowing from long experience the powerful action exerted upon the human system by the Buxton Medicinal Thermal Water, and the unsatisfactory results arising from its indiscriminate and incautious use, either in the form of baths or by taking it internally, I have in the following pages, as briefly and succinctly as possible, endeavoured to make some practical suggestions for the guidance of those of my professional brethren who have had no opportunity of becoming personally acquainted with the Buxton Spa, with the hope that they may prove of service. R. O. G. B. Tankerville House, Buxton, May, 1892. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. TOPOGRAPHICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. PAGE Situation—Altitude—Geology—Roman Baths—Climate and 9 Temperature—Death Rate—Water Supply—Rainfall Drainage—Railway Communication—Public Buildings—Devonshire Hospital and Buxton Bath Charity—Visitors’ Accommodation—Antiquarian CHAPTER II. THE MEDICINAL WATERS AND THEIR ACTION. Physiological Functions in Healthy Individuals—Performance 22 of the Physiological Functions in Health and Disease—Action of Oxygen upon the Nitrogenous and Non-nitrogenous Compounds—Origin of Calculi, Nodosities, and Tophi—Action of the Thermal Water upon the Great Emunctories—Chalybeate Water when Used as a Douche, or Taken Internally—Analyses of the Waters—Selection of Buxton by the Romans—First Treatise upon the Buxton Spa, written by Dr. Jones in 1572—Source and Nature of the Waters CHAPTER III. THE BATHS AND MODE OF APPLICATION. Kinds of Baths—Natural and Hot—Action of Thermal Water 31 upon the Skin—Natural Baths—Swimming and Plunge for Males and Females—Necessity of Caution in their Use—Importance of Time and Frequency in Taking the Baths—Directions During and After Bathing—Most Favourable Time for Taking Warm or Hot Baths—Directions for the Use of Half, Three-quarters, and Full Baths—Drowsiness after Bathing—Massage, When and How Used—When Baths Inadmissible—Hours for Drinking the Medicinal