The sitz bath and foot bath come next in point of importance. The former acts with marked effect in cases of congestion of the liver and other internal organs; by abstracting heat from the surface of the body submitted to its influence, it causes a transference of fluids from the centre to the exterior, and the congested organs are relieved from their excess of blood by its being thus determined to the surface; this effect, at first temporary, becomes permanent when the use of the bath has been persevered in for some time. Let us now compare the effects of this bath, in the cases of congestion of the liver, with the treatment usually pursued by the orthodox physicians. Their remedies consist in dosing with Calomel, or Taraxacum, or in the application of leeches to the affected region. The two former stimulate the action of the liver, in spite of the congested blood which oppresses it, but they do not attempt to deal with the causes of this congestion, the result of which is that the liver being weakened by its unnatural exertions consequent on the unnatural stimulants which have been administered to it, sinks—after the effect of the unnatural stimulus has worn away—into a more enfeebled and exhausted state, and the original cause of the congestion remaining unremoved, matters become worse than at first. In the case of leeching, the topical bleeding relieves the affection for a time, but this is a remedy which cannot be REPEATED in consequence of the weakness which it engenders, and when the bleeding is given up, how do matters stand? The disease remains in statu quo; not so, however, the constitution, for this has been weakened by the bleeding, and nature being consequently less able to cure herself, chronic disease of the liver results. On the other hand, the hydropathic treatment necessary to determine the blood from the congested organ to the surface, and so remove the disease, can be repeated as often as desirable, with constantly increasing effect, until permanent relief is afforded by a perseverance in the treatment, and the patient improves in general health, pari passu, with the cure of his particular disease. The effects of the sitz bath, are, it appears, either tonic or relaxing according to the length of time during which it is administered; if a tonic effect is desired, a period varying from ten to fifteen minutes is prescribed—if a relaxing or derivative effect is to be produced, the period is extended to half-an-hour or forty-five minutes.