Pilgrimages to the Spas in Pursuit of Health and Recreation: With an inquiry into the comparative merits of different mineral waters: the maladies to which they are applicable, and those in which they are injuriousJohnson, James
Science
Pilgrimages to the Spas in Pursuit of Health and Recreation: With an inquiry into the comparative merits of different mineral waters: the maladies to which they are applicable, and those in which they are injurious
Johnson, James
Balneology; Health resorts; Mineral waters
At eight o’clock all disperse to their breakfasts; after which they
either repose for an hour or two, or take some walking exercise. At
eleven o’clock, the bathing process commences, after which another
promenade or repose—and then the one o’clock dinner. After dinner,
and perhaps a cup of coffee, the promenades in the garden, and the
excursions into the country are made. In the evening, the garden, the
conversation-halls, theatre, and gambling-tables, are the great places of
resort.[59]
I shall conclude with the following remark of Dr. Balling.
“In speaking of the gaming-tables of the Kurhaus, which are open from
three till ten o’clock every afternoon, it is to assert, in the most
positive manner, that all such games are eminently injurious to invalids,
and greatly obstruct the cure of their complaints. This is the case
whether the individual wins or loses money. In the state of excitement,
almost febrile, produced by the waters themselves and the re-action of
the constitution, the valetudinarian runs the risk of some dangerous
perturbation in the animal organism, which may cost him his life, and, at
all events, must interrupt the salutary operation of the springs.”
P.S.—On visiting these waters in August, 1840, I found that the number
of English invalids had somewhat decreased during that season. The
reputation of the waters, however, is evidently on the increase. I saw
several English who had experienced considerable benefit in stomach
complaints; whilst others complained much of the bad effects of the
waters on the head and nervous system. They are powerful waters, and
require attention. The spa doctors of Kissengen now enjoin a most
rigid system of diet, which greatly aids the medicinal effects of the
waters. No wine is allowed. The food is confined to soup and a little
meat, without any pudding, fruit, vegetables, or made dishes of any
description! This dietary, with early hours and plenty of water, must
go a good way to insure restoration of health, independently of the
medicinal ingredients in the springs.
BOCKLET.
When the waters of Carlsbad or Kissengen have washed away the
superfluous green fat and ill-assimilated roast-beef from the body of
JOHN BULL—the sour krout and rancid sausages from the GERMAN—and the
caviare and train oil from the RUSS—then these worthy personages repair
to BOCKLET or BRUCKENAU, to undergo a very different process from that
of depuration—namely, to have their ribs lined with steel, and their
stomachs converted into gizzards. According to my information, those
who come to these acidulous chalybeate springs with digestive organs in
a state analogous to that of blotting-paper, go away from them, with
the same organs in a condition very closely resembling well tanned
sole-leather!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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