plied as tightly as comfortable-and the dry folds over in the same manner; the whole secured by pins, or better by tapes attached for the purpose. There should always be enough of dry cloths of some kind to prevent a permanent chill.

Sweating.

In this process, the patient, being naked, is closely enveloped in a large thick blanket, with the legs extended and the arms close to the body. The blanket must be tightly drawn and well tucked under, so that every part of the body, from the head down, is in immediate contact with it. Then over all there must be a sufficiency of clothing of some sort, (cotton comfortables are good,) all well tucked under so as to retain all the animal heat. "Thus hermetically enveloped, the patient exactly resem. bles a mummy." This constrained position and the irritation of the blanket are at first disagreeable, particularly until perspiration commences, which takes place in from one half hour to two hours' time. Those that perspire with difficulty, should move the legs and rub the body with their hands, all that the position will allow. It is how. ever more desirable to obtain the end without the exertion, if it can be done. Sometimes the head, all but the face, is also covered. When sweating commences, the windows should be thrown open, so as to admit fresh air, and the patient be allowed to take small draughts of water, a wine-glass or more every ten or fifteen minutes. This will not only be refreshing, but will also promote the sweating. If there be headache, or a determination of

blood to the head, cooling bandages should be applied, and changed as often as necessary. If from the length of time of the envelopment, it be necessary, a urinal should be placed at the patient before the wrapping up. To allay the pain of swellings, tumors, &c. warming applications should be applied before the envelopment; otherwise the pain would be liable to an increase, before perspiration commences. Those who are very restless, should be confined by additional cloths and girths; otherwise the time would be too much prolonged. With the best that can be done, some will require four or five hours' encasement.

The best time for sweating in chronic cases, is early in the morning. As a rule, only once a day. The repetition would be the exception. In acute cases, the time of sweating will depend upon the fever, exacerbations, &c., and should be resorted to when necessary without reference to the time of day.

When the process has continued long enough, the coverings (all but the thick blanket) are to be removed. The blanket must be loosened,-about the legs in particular. An attendant should wet with a cloth the parts to be exposed to the air. The patient, if able, goes immediately to the bath, washes the head, face, neck and chest very briskly, and then enters the bath immediately, and remains from one to six or eight minutes, keeping up constant mo. tion and friction; and then immediately, on leaving the bath, the whole surface must be made thoroughly dry by rubbing with cloths, &c.

Those who are able should then take exercise in the open air, or in a well-aired room. Those not able should be well-rubbed by attendants. No danger is to be dread

ed from the sudden transition from heat to cold, in this kind of sweating, if every thing is properly done, as abundant experience proves.

This highly valuable part of the water-cure can very easily be made the means of much evil. It is an engine of great power, and therefore should be practised with the utmost caution. In cold, phlegmatic habits, where the skin is inactive, the sensibility dull, and the circulation sluggish, it is productive of great benefit. But in the sanguine temperament, where the circulation is active and the sensibility acute, or if in any case it is carried too far it is productive of great mischief. The relationship or equilibrium, between the two great vital functions, circula. tion and respiration, would be destroyed. The velocity of the circulation would be increased, without a corres. ponding increase of respiration, thus destroying an equi. librium, absolutely necessary to health, and which destruc. tion, if maintained for a considerable time, must inevitably terminate with the most serious results.

"Profuse perspiration operates upon the body, first like the surgeon's lancet, in reducing the volume of the contained fluids. Secondly, it operates like the physician's blister, by determining from the centre to the circumference. It thus relieves congestion of the vital organs, and lightens the whole system. But it does vastly more than can be achieved either by bleeding or blistering: for it extricates from the body an increased amount of carbon and hydrogen, thus producing a deficiency of these elements within it. This deficiency of carbon and hydrogen is equivalent to a call for more food, in order to supply the place of the lost carbon and hydrogen. And thus it promotes appe

tite, which is more than can be said for either lancet or blister, by their warmest admirers."-JOHNSON.

Priessnitz does not resort to sweating as much as he once did. We are told that formerly, where he sweated fifty patients, he does not now sweat half a dozen.

In some cases it has been recommended to use a wet sheet for sweating, of suitable size to reach from the arms to the knees only.

Air and Exercise.

It will be observed that these important adjuncts to any kind of treatment, share largely in the water-cure. Priessnitz insists that all who are able shall take an abundance of out-door exercise regularly. The value of such exer. cise is inestimable. Every one who observes at all respecting it, knows the invigorating effect it has upon the system. The cases given by different authors in this work will furnish sufficient directions in reference to these adjuncts:

"Priessnitz's first endeavor is to alleviate pain, so that the patients may avail themselves of air and exercise. How far this object is attained may be judged of, from the circumstance that out of 500 or 600, the usual average number of patients under his charge, there are seldom a dozen of persons in bed at one time. If their complaint be fever, he is so completely master of the case, that no one ever keeps his bed, and seldom his room, for more than two or three days, excepting in cases of typhus, a malady which generally takes twelve or fourteen days to eradicate,

but hardly ever longer. The same remark will apply to rheumatism. If the sufferer can only reach Graefenberg, he may be sure of immediate relief, such as elsewhere would be called a cure, and which is repeated many times a year; but the cure can only be regarded then as just commenced, it being Priessnitz's object to eradicate the cause of malady from the system. What is understood by a cure at Graefenberg, is a perfect cleansing of the body of all impurities, a radical cure of that which has been the source of disease. Cases of no very long stand. ing succumb to the treatment, sometimes in two or three months; others resist for one or two years. Supposing, for an example, a young man to be attacked by gout, let him apply to Priessnitz, and he will be cured immediately; but another, who has inherited it from his family, and who has been a bon vivant himself for a number of years, cannot expect to be made a new man, but with the exer. cise of patience; yet he will have this satisfaction, that during the cure he will find himself, in other respects, in perfect health, never be confined to his room, and be able to take plenty of exercise."-CLARIDGE.

Clothing.

Priessnitz requires of his patients that they lay aside their flannel and cotton. He holds that they weaken the skin, render people delicate, and less able to contend against atmospheric changes." When objections are made, he says, "Wear it, then, over your shirt; but when you are accustomed to cold water, you will not miss it.