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HYDROPATHY

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Originally appearing in Volume V14, Page 167 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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HYDROPATHY , the name given, from the See also:

Greek, to the " See also:water-cure," or the treatment of disease by water, used outwardly and inwardly. Like many descriptive names, the word " hydropathy " is defective and even misleading, the active agents in the treatment being See also:heat and See also:cold, of which water to See also:loo See also:principal divisions. In the centre of each See also:weight is a hole capable of admitting the lowest and thickest end of the conical See also:stem C. and a slot is cut into it just wide enough to allow the upper See also:part of the See also:cone to pass. Each weight can thus be dropped on to the See also:lower stem so as to See also:rest on the counterpoise B. The weights are marked to, 20, 9o; and in using the See also:instrument that weight must be selected which will allow it to See also:float in the liquid with a portion only of the stem submerged. Then the See also:reading of the See also:scale at the See also:line of flotation, added to the number on the weight, gives the reading required. A small supernumerary weight F is added, which can he placed upon the See also:top of the stem. F is so adjusted that when the 6o weight is placed on the lower stern the instrument sinks to the same point in distilled water when F is attached as in See also:proof spirit when F is removed. The best See also:instruments are now constructed for See also:revenue purposes of See also:silver, heavily gilded, because it was found that saccharic See also:acid contained in some See also:spirits attacked See also:brass behind (he See also:gilding. The following table gives the specific gravities corresponding to the principal graduations on Sikes's See also:hydrometer at 6o° F. and 62° F., together with the corresponding strengths of spirits. The latter are based upon the tables of See also:Charles See also:Gilpin, clerk to the Royal Society, for which the reader is referred to the Phil. Trans. for 1794.

Gilpin's See also:

work is a See also:model for its accuracy and thoroughness of detail, and his results have scarcely been improved upon by more See also:recent workers. The merit of Sikes's See also:system lies not so much in the hydrometer as in the See also:complete system of tables by which the readings of the instrument are at once converted into percentage of proof-spirit. Table showing the Densities corresponding to the Indications of Sikes's Hydrometer. 60° F. 62° F. 60°F. 62° F. ° See also:Density Prf Density. Proof 4 Density. Proof Density. Proof n n Pet Ptrtt a Seer Speer - per per cent. cent.

cent. cent. 0 815297 1670 '815400 166'5 51 905024 111.4 •905138 110'7 1 816956 166.1 •817059 165.6 52 906869 110.0 •906983 1093 2 818621 1653 818725 1648 53 908722 108.6 908837 107.9 3 '820294 164.5 820397 163.9 54 910582 107.1 910697 106.5 4 •821973 163'6 822077 163.1 55 912450 105.6 912565 105.0 5 ;423659 162.7 823763 1623 5(i •914326 104.2 914441 103.5 6 825352 1618 825457 1(114 57 916209 102.7 916323 102.0 7 527052 169.9 .827157 1130.5 58 '918100 101.3 918216 100.5 S .828759 160-0 .828864 159.6 59 919999 99'7 '920115 98.9 9 .830473 159.1 830578 158.7 (i0 921906 98'1 •922022 97.4 10 832195 158.2 832300 157.8 60s 921884 981 '922000 97.4 11 '533888 157.3 833993 156.8 61 '9237(10 96'6 •923877 95.9 12 835587 156.4 835692 1559 62 925643 95'0 925760 94.2 13 .837294 155.5 •837400 1550 63 927534 93'3 '927652 92.6 14 839008 1546 •839114 154.0 64 929433 91.7 '929550 90.9 15 •840729 1537 •840835 153.1 6.5 '931339 90'0 931457 89.2 16 '842458 1527 •842564 152.1 (i6 933254 88.3 '933372 87.51 17 .844193 1517 •844299 151.1 67 935176 86'5 •935294 85.8 18 .845936 150.7 •846042 150.1 68 '937107 84'7 937225 84.0 19 .847685 149-7 •847792 149.1 69 '939045 82.9 939163 82 2 20 .849442 1487 •849549 148.1 70 '940991 81'1 '941110 80.3 20s •849393 148.7 •849500 148.1 70n '940981 81.1 '941100 80.3 21 851122 1476 •851229 147.1 71 '942897 79'2 '943016 78.4 22 •852857 1466 •852x964 146.1 72 944819 77'3 '944938 76.5 23 854599 1456 •854707 1-15.1 73 '946749 75'3 '946869 74.5 24 •656348 144.6 •556456 144.0 74 '948687 73'3 '948807 72.5 25 .858105 1435 •858213 142.9 75 '950634 71'2 '950753 70.4 26 859869 1424 •859978 141.8 76 '952588 69'0 '952708 68.2 27 861640 1413 861749 140.8 77 '954550 66'8 '954670 66.0 28 .56.3419 140'2 -563528 1397 78 '956520 64'4 '956641 63.5 29 865204 1391 •865313 138'5 79 '958498 61'9 958619 (il1 30 '896998 138.0 •867107 137.4 80 960485 59'4 '960606 58'5 30s 866991 138'0 •867100 137.4 80n '960479 59'4 '960600 58'5 31 .868755 136.9 •868865 136-2 81 '962433 56'7 '962555 55.8 32 .870526 135'7 .870636 1351 82 '964395 53'9 '964517 53.0 33 '8722305 134'5 .S72415 133.9 83 '966366 50'9 '966488 50'0 34 .874090 133.4 .8742200 132'8 84 '968344 47'8 •968466 47.01 35 575883 13'2.2 •875994 1316 85 '970331 44'5 '970453 43'8' 3(1 -577084 131'0 •877995 130'4 86 972325 41'0 '972448 40'4 37 379492 1_x9'8 •879603 12x9'1 87 '974328 37'5 '974451 36.9 1 33 841307 1235 •881419 127 9 88 '976340 34'0 '976463 33.5 39 8831'29 127.3 88:3241 126'7 89 '978359 30'6 '978482 30.1 40 884960 126'0 535072 125'4 90 '980386 27'2 '980510 26.7 40B '854888 126'0 '885000 1254 90s '980376 27'2 '980500 26.7 41 '886689 1248 •88980i 1242 ~ 91 '982371 23'9 '982496 23.6 42 85,8497 123'5 •888609 1229 ' 92 '984374 20'8 '984498 20-5 43 390312 1'22'2 •590425 121.6 93 '986385 17'7 '986510 17.4 44 892135 120'9 •892248 120'3 94 '988404 14'8 '988529 14.5 45 '593965 • 119'6 •89.1078 119.0 95 990431 12'0 '990557 11.7 40 .8.15803 118'3 .535916 117.6 96 '992468 9'3 '992593 9.0 47 897647 116'9 .8977(11 116.3 97 '994512 , 6-7 '994637 6'5 48 .899500 115'6 .899614 114.9 98 '9965615 4'1 '996691 4'0 1 49 901360 114'2 901417 113.5 99 '998626 1'8 '998752 1'6 50 90:3229 112'8 903343 1121 100 1000696 0'0 1'000822 0'0 50B 1.903186 1128 '903300 1121 In the above table for Sikes's hydrometer two densities are given corresponding to each of the degrees 20, 30, 40, 50, 6o, 70, 8o and 90, indicating that the successive weights belonging to the particular instrument for which the table has been calculated do not quite agree. The discrepancy, however, does not produce any sensible See also:

error in the strength of the corresponding spirit. A table which indicates the weight per See also:gallon of spirituous liquors for every degree of Sikes's hydrometer is printed in 23 and 24 Viet. C. 114, See also:schedule B. This table differs slightly from that given above, which has been abridged from the table given in See also:Keene's Handbook of Hydrometry, apparently on See also:account of the equal divisions on is little more than the vehicle, and not the only one. Thermo-See also:therapeutics (or thermotherapy) is a See also:term less open to objection. Hydropathy, as a formal system, See also:dates from about 1829, when Vincenz Priessnitz (1801-1851), a See also:farmer of Grafenberg in See also:Silesia, See also:Austria, began his public career in the paternal See also:homestead, extended so as to accommodate the increasing See also:numbers attracted by the fame of his See also:cures. Two See also:English See also:works, however, on the medical uses of water had been translated into See also:German in the See also:century preceding the rise of the See also:movement under Priessnitz. One of these was by See also:Sir See also:John See also:Floyer (1649-1734), a physician of See also:Lichfield, who, struck by the remedial use of certain springs by the neighbouring peasantry, investigated the See also:history of cold bathing, and published in 1702 his "NYvXpohovoia, or the History of Cold Bathing, both See also:Ancient and See also:Modern." The See also:book ran through six See also:editions within a few years, and the See also:translation was largely See also:drawn upon by Dr J.

S. See also:

Hahn of Silesia, in a work published in 1738, On the Healing Virtues of Cold Water, Inwardly and Outwardly applied, as proved by Experience. The other work was that of Dr See also:James See also:Currie (1756-1805) of See also:Liverpool, entitled Medical Reports on the Effects of Water, Cold and Warm, as a remedy in Fevers and other Diseases, published in 1797, and soon after translated into German by See also:Michaelis (18or) and Hegewisch (1807). It was highly popular, and first placed the subject on a scientific basis. Hahn's writings had meanwhile created much See also:enthusiasm among his countrymen, See also:societies having been everywhere formed to promote the medicinal and dietetic use of water; and in 1804 See also:Professor Ortel of See also:Ansbach republished them and quickened the popular movement by unqualified See also:commendation of water drinking as a remedy for all diseases. In him the rising Priessnitz found a zealous See also:advocate, and doubtless an instructor also. At Grafenberg, to which the fame of Priessnitz See also:drew See also:people of every See also:rank and many countries, medical men were conspicuous by their numbers, some being attracted by curiosity, others by the See also:desire of knowledge, but the See also:majority by the See also:hope of cure for ailments which had as yet proved incurable. Many records of experiences at Grafenberg were published, all more or less favourable to the claims of Priessnitz, and some enthusiastic in their estimate of his See also:genius and penetration; See also:Captain Claridge introduced hydropathy into See also:England in 1840, his writings and lectures, and later those of Sir W. See also:Erasmus See also:Wilson (1809-1884), James Manby See also:Gully (1808-1883) and See also:Edward See also:Johnson, making numerous converts, and filling the establishments opened soon after at See also:Malvern and elsewhere. In See also:Germany, See also:France and See also:America hydropathic establishments multiplied with See also:great rapidity. Antagonism ran high between the old practice and the new. Unsparing condemnation was heaped by each on the other; and a legal See also:prosecution, leading to a royal See also:commission of inquiry, served but to make Priessnitz and his system stand higher in public estimation.

Increasing popularity diminished before See also:

long that timidity which had in great measure prevented trial of the new method from being made on the weaker and more serious class of cases, and had caused hydropathists to occupy themselves mainly with a sturdy See also:order of chronic invalids well able to See also:bear a rigorous regimen and the severities of unrestricted crisis. The need of a See also:radical See also:adaptation to the former class was first adequately recognized by John See also:Smedley, a manufacturer of See also:Derbyshire, who, impressed in his own See also:person with the severities as well as the benefits of " the cold water cure," practised among his work-people a milder See also:form of hydropathy, and began about 1852 a new era in its history, See also:founding at See also:Matlock a counterpart of the See also:establishment at Grafenberg. See also:Ernst See also:Brand (1826-1897) of See also:Berlin, Raljen and Theodor von Jorgensen of See also:Kiel, and Karl Liebermeister (1833-1901) of See also:Basel, between 186o and 1870, employed the cooling See also:bath in abdominal typhus with striking results, and led to its introduction to England by Dr Wilson See also:Fox. In the Franco-German See also:war the cooling bath was largely employed, in See also:conjunction frequently with See also:quinine; and it now holds a recognized position in the treatment of hyperpyrexia. The wet See also:sheet See also:pack has become part of medical practice; the See also:Turkish bath, introducedby See also:David See also:Urquhart (1805-1877) into England on his return from the See also:East, and ardently adopted by Dr See also:Richard See also:Barter (1802-187o) of See also:Cork, has become a public institution, and, with the " See also:morning tub " and the See also:general practice of water drinking, is the most noteworthy of the many contributions by hydropathy to public See also:health (see See also:BATHS, ad fin.). The appliances and arrangements by means of which heat and cold are brought to bear on the See also:economy are—(a) Packings, hot and cold, general and See also:local, sweating and cooling; (b) hot See also:air and See also:steam baths; (c) general baths, of hot water and cold; (d) sitz, See also:spinal, See also:head and See also:foot baths; (e) bandages (or compresses), wet and dry; also (f) fomentations and poultices, hot and cold, sinapisms, stupes, rubbings and water potations, hot and cold. (a) Packings.—The full pack consists of a wet sheet enveloping the See also:body, with a number of dry blankets packed tightly over it, including a See also:macintosh covering or not. In an See also:hour or less these are removed and a general bath administered. The pack is a derivative, sedative, sudorific and stimulator of cutaneous See also:excretion. There are numerous modifications of it, notably the cooling pack, where the wrappings are loose and scanty, permitting evaporation, and the application of indefinite duration, the sheet being rewetted as it dries; this is of great value in protracted febrile conditions. There are also local packs, to See also:trunk, limbs or head separately, which are derivative, soothing or stimulating, according to circumstance and detail. (b) Hot air baths, the See also:chief of which is the Turkish (properly, the See also:Roman) bath, consisting of two or more See also:chambers ranging in temperature from 120° to 212° or higher, but mainly used at 15o° for curative purposes.

Exposure is from twenty minutes up to two See also:

hours according to the effect sought, and is followed by a general bath, and occasionally by soaping and shampooing. It is stimulating, derivative, depurative, sudorific and alterative, powerfully promoting See also:tissue See also:change by increase of the natural See also:waste and repair. It determines the See also:blood to the See also:surface, reducing See also:internal congestions, is a potent diaphoretic, and, through the extremes of heat and cold, is an effective See also:nervous and vascular stimulant and tonic. Morbid growths and secretions, as also the uraemic, gouty and rheumatic diathesis, are beneficially influenced by it. The full pack and Turkish bath have between them usurped the See also:place and bettered the See also:function of the once See also:familiar hot bath. The See also:Russian or steam bath and the See also:lamp bath are See also:primitive and inferior varieties of the modern Turkish bath, the See also:atmosphere of which cannot be too dry and pure. (c) General baths comprise the See also:rain (or See also:needle), spray (or See also:rose), shower, shallow, plunge, douche, See also:wave and See also:common morning sponge baths, with the dripping sheet, and hot and cold spongings, and are combinations, as a See also:rule, of hot and cold water. They are stimulating, tonic, derivative and detergent. (d) Local baths comprise the sitz (or sitting), douche (or spouting), spinal, foot and head baths, of hot or cold water, singly or in See also:combination, successive or alternate. The sitz, head and foot baths are used " flowing " on occasion. The application of cold by " Leiter's tubes " is effective for reducing inflammation (e.g. in See also:meningitis and in See also:sunstroke) ; in these a network of See also:metal or indiarubber tubing is fitted to the part affected, and cold water kept continuously flowing through them. Rapid alternations of hot and cold water have a powerful effect in vascular stasis and lethargy of the nervous system and absorbents, yielding valuable results in local congestions and chronic inflammations.

(e) Bandages (or compresses) are of two kinds, cooling, of wet material See also:

left exposed for evaporation, used in local inflammations and fevers; and See also:heating, of the same, covered with waterproof material, used in congestion, See also:external or internal, for See also:short or long periods. Poultices, warm, of See also:bread, See also:linseed, See also:bran, &c., changed but twice in twenty-four hours, are identical in See also:action with the heating bandage, and See also:superior only in the greater warmth and consequent vital activity their closer application to the skin ensures. (f) Fomentations and poultices, hot or cold, sinapisms, stupes, rubefacients, irritants, frictions, kneadings, calisthenics, gymnastics, See also:electricity, &c., are adjuncts largely employed.

End of Article: HYDROPATHY

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