The mineral springs of western Virginia with remarks on their use, and the diseases to which they are applicable |
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
 | VII. |
| VIII. | CHAPTER VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. |
| XXI. |
 | CHAPTER VIII. The mineral springs of western Virginia |  |
CHAPTER VIII.
HOT SPRINGS.
Travelling west, five miles from the
Warm Springs you reach the Hot Springs.
This property is owned by Dr. Thomas
Goode, a physician of high standing for talents
and experience, and a man in the honesty
of whose advice we think entire reliance
may be placed.
Dr. G. is a tall, gentlemanly man, of great
conversational powers and extensive information.
He is high-toned, and by some would
be termed supercilious in his manners; the
remarks we made on the subject of his neighbour,
though not intended for him, are nevertheless
applicable to his case. His education
and early habits of life were too high-pitched
for such an occupation, and should serve as
an apology for any deficiency in the art of
pleasing.
Whatever may be the opinion of Dr. Goode's
his fare is excellent and plentiful, and served
with neatness and comfort, and all his arrangements
conducive to the great object he has in
view—the physical improvement of his patients.
We presume his accommodations are
ample for 150 persons.
"The Hot Springs (Bell) are three in number.
One of them is of the temperature of
96° Fahrenheit, and of a moderate depth, and
sufficiently capacious for several persons to
bathe at a time. Spout Bath 103. Hot Bath
108."
"The temperature (Col. Perkins) of the
Spout Bath is 106°. These baths are particularly
resorted to by persons afflicted with gout,
rheumatism, eruptions of the skin, and other
disorders enumerated in the printed accounts
of the Springs. There are two baths in which
the water may be taken at six feet fall on any
part of the body; the column of water is three
by four inches, and when taken at the whole
height of the fall, must prove beneficial to rheumatic
patients and others where the douche
is required. As one of the baths is capacious,
it is used as a swimming bath by the sick, as
and afforded the writer great delight as well
as benefit."
It will be seen by the analysis of the Hot
Springs, that they are not obnoxious to the
charge brought against the Warm—of an excess
of nitrogen gas; they may, therefore, be
used in all cases in which any water of their
temperature is admissible; but as the Hot
bath is decidedly stimulating to the human
system, it is always proper, if not absolutely
necessary, to obtain the best advice before we
have recourse to so powerful an agent. There
cannot be the slightest doubt of the high curative
power of the Hot Springs, and nothing is
more certain than that they are destined to
become extensively useful in a country of
such variable climate as ours, and in which
rheumatic affections must necessarily be so
general; but, on the other hand, if improperly
applied, we know of no agent which may produce
a greater amount of mischief. Dr. G. is
directly interested in having those baths judiciously
and successfully administered, and we
have ourselves entire confidence that he has
the ability to discriminate, and the candour to
or may not be used. We had written thus
far when a pamphlet entitled the "Invalid's
Guide to the Virginia Hot Springs," prepared
and published by Dr. Goode, came into our
hands, and we unhesitatingly avail ourselves
of the information it contains for the benefit
of our readers.
"There are six baths at this place, each
supplied with water from a separate Spring;
they range in temperature from 98 to 106 degrees
of heat. The effects of these waters in
disease prove that they are highly medicated,
though they are considered by many as simple
hot water. They are known to contain sulp.
and carb. of lime, sulp. soda and magnesia,
a minute portion of muriate of iron, carb.
acid gas, nitrogen gas, and a trace of sulphuretted
hydrogen gas; and when used internally,
the consequences are such as we might
expect from our knowledge of some of their
constituent parts."
"But the chemical composition of a mineral
water can lead to no safe conclusions as to its
medical powers. Its most potent part may be
incapable of analysis, or destroyed by the process;
by analysis; our only sure test is
experience of the actual result when applied
to the diseased human system. I have been
at the Hot Springs for six entire seasons, and
have watched their effects on several thousand
invalids, with all the interest which ownership
could excite; and the result of my experience
is as follows:—These waters taken
internally, are anti-acid, mildly aperient, and
freely diuretic and diaphoretic. But when
used as a general bath, their effects are great,
and excel all expectation. They equalize an
unbalanced circulation, and thereby restore
the different important parts of the system,
when torpid,—that natural and peculiar sensibility,
upon the existence of which their capacity
to perform their several functions, and
the beneficial action of all remedies, depend;
they relax contracted tendons, excite the action
of the absorbent system, promote glandular
secretion, exert a marked and salutary
influence over the whole biliary system, and
often relieve, in a short time, excruciating
pain caused by palpable and long standing
disease of some vital organ."
The following interesting letter, addressed
to Dr. Goode, and received by us after we had
written our remarks on uterine diseases in our
article on the Red Sulphur, will be found to
coincide with our views of the important
agency of the Hot Springs in dysmemorrhagia,
or painful menstruation. Dr. Howard was
formerly professor of midwifery and the diseases
of women and children in the University
of Maryland, and is now professor in the
medical department of the University of Virginia:—
I have just received your letter
of the 7th inst., soliciting my opinion and experience
of the remedial effects of the waters
of the Hot Springs in chronic diarrhœa and
difficult menstruation.
"In reply to your inquiry, I may state that
for many years, but most particularly for the
last ten, and during my residence in Baltimore,
I have advised all my patients who
were afflicted with chronic diarrhœa or painful
menstruation, that resisted medical treatment,
to avail themselves of the medical
recollect of an instance, when the proper preparatory
measures and indispensable auxiliary
regimen to the use of the Baths were
strictly observed and persevered in, in which
my expectations of the efficacy of the waters
were disappointed.
"It is true that a few cases have occurred
in which the patient returned to me without
receiving any relief, and some have claimed
my attention in which the diseases appeared
aggravated; but in all these cases it was ascertained,
that either the preparatory measures
necessary to be adopted previous to taking
the baths, or the auxiliary regimen to be used
simultaneously with bathing, were not rigidly
adhered to.
"I feel constrained by the result of my observation
and experience during my visit to
the Hot Springs, to state, that I believe that
those waters are so potent for injury as well
as benefit to those afflicted with chronic diarrhœa
or painful menstruation, that none
such should use them without the advice of
a physician, conversant with their qualities.
And physicians, when recommending this
them aware, that travelling and its incidents
sometimes convert chronic into acute affections,
and that a regimen and course of medical
treatment, very proper in the former state,
may be highly improper in the latter condition.
The invalid's attention is especially invited
to the annexed cases, as illustrative of the
sanative effects of these waters, when properly
and perseveringly applied.
Cases showing the benefit from the use of
the Waters at the Hot Springs.
"In April, 1833, I was seized with cholera in
a southern climate, from which I had scarcely
recovered when intermittent fever attacked
me. This continued at intervals until September,
when congestive fever intervened,
and continued with great violence for the
space of nine days, and only subsided to give
place to the intermittent again. From this,
morbid appetite began to prey upon me. The
ague alternated with a severe dysentery until
lower extremities made their appearance, but
gave way to the use of alteratives and
muriated tincture of iron. I became much
emaciated and debilitated; my spleen became
much enlarged; an excessively morbid condition
of the stomach continued; an ungovernable
craving for food of the grossest description,
and other indigestible substances.
In the mean time, an uncontrollable diarrhœa,
which has given me more uneasiness than
every other symptom, came on.
"During nearly three years every article of
diet swallowed would ferment, produce the
most distressing cardialgia, and run off from
the bowels by profuse watery evacuations.
The spleen in the left side, and swelling of
the stomach and intestines, was great and
painful. The irritability of the alimentary
canal was so great that the smallest portions
of calomel or blue pill, combined with opiates,
would produce an hypercatharsis, sometimes
almost fatal; neither food nor medicine
agreed with me. In this state of almost despair,
I visited the White Sulphur Springs, and
finding that the water disagreed with me,
to visit the Hot Springs.
"For the first two weeks of using the bath
I had a bilious dejection, which had not occurred
for eight months. In four days' time
my diarrhœa ceased, and my evacuations became
almost healthy in complexion. I had
been very much annoyed with hæmorrhoids
for fifteen months, which were relieved by
the Spout Bath in three days. The improvement
in my complexion was so great that the
visiters would remark, `Why, doctor, you will
soon be well.' My spleen was reduced about
one half, the abdominal muscles became relaxed
and soft, my strength and activity were
much improved, and every symptom seemed
to give way to the use of the bath.
"In the month of January, 1806, during my
attendance on the Virginia Legislature, of
which I was then a member, I was very sorely
afflicted with an attack of inflammatory rheumatism;
and about the first of July, in the
same year, after the disease had assumed a
Virginia much debilitated, requiring two persons
to put me in and take me out of the carriage.
I remained at the Springs sixty-three
days, using the bath once every day except
three. I was weighed the day I got to the
Springs, and also on the day I left them; and
if I was correctly weighed, I gained sixty
pounds in weight in sixty-three days, and remained
free from that complaint for upwards
of twenty years.
of Franklin County."
"In 1826, I had a protracted attack of bilious
fever, which left me in this condition. My
stomach and bowels being much disordered,
accompanied with great flatulency, gave me
from 4 to 6 passages every 24 hours, and
sometimes oftener; my stools mixed with
blood more or less, and sometimes with matter
very offensive. At length a tumor formed
in the lower intestine about the size of a
small walnut, attended with great heat and
itching, which ultimately broke, and I occasionally
discharged considerable quantities of
blood and matter by stool. I then thought, and
diseased, and I should be compelled to submit
to an operation or fall a victim to the disease.
In addition to many other sufferings, in the
fall of 1831, I had a severe rheumatic attack,
which pervaded my whole muscular system,
but was most distressing about my breast,
chest, bowels and hips. In this situation,
about the first of July following, I went to
the Hot Springs barely able to sit up, and
used the waters freely, drinking and bathing
until the 30th of August, when I left them
much relieved in every way. The ensuing
summer I again returned to the Hot Springs,
and used the waters by drinking and bathing
until the last of August, when I returned
home entirely relieved of bowel disease and
nearly so of my rheumatism. I have again
this summer visited these Springs, where I
have been for three weeks using the waters
as before, and believe myself entirely relieved
of all my complaints, except a little stiffness
in my hips and back.
"The above statement is believed to be entirely
correct, and if you think it will be of
any service to you, or to sufferers in a similar
you think proper.
At your request, and for the
benefit of the afflicted, I give you as near as I
can, a statement of my case, which has been
complicated and difficult to describe. I am a
resident of Detroit, State of Michigan. In July,
1829, I was attacked with a bilious fever and
severe inflammation of the stomach, and was
reduced very low by bleeding and medicine.
I remained in a feeble state about six months,
when an ulcer came out on the side of my
ancle nearly the size of a dollar. This has
continued on one or the other, and sometimes
on both of my ancles, ever since except about
two months in March and April last. My
legs have been so much swelled, that I have
been compelled to bandage them to the knee,
most of the time. About three years ago, a
rheumatic disease set in, the cords of my legs
(mostly on the inside) with hard lumps on
the cords frequently as large as hickory nuts,
and extremely painful.
"In this state I remained hobbling about,
confined to my room about one-fourth of the
time, and had the advice and attendance of
our most celebrated physicians, without much
benefit, until about the 1st of January last,
when it extended to my hips and back, and
confined me to my bed; my bowels at the
same time became swollen, so that a dropsy
was feared, with a soreness about the region
of the stomach and liver. I also had the piles
very badly, and ulcers continued to form and
break in the rectum, and pass off with my
stools with a great deal of pain. In this condition
I remained until about the 1st of May,
when I was advised to try the Virginia Springs.
I arrived at the White Sulphur Springs on the
8th of June, on crutches, with one foot and
leg so much swollen that I feared it would
burst.
"At the end of two weeks I was again able
to ride, when I came to the Hot Springs, and
put myself under your charge. For the first
my pain rather increased. At this time there
appeared to be a copious discharge of bile from
the liver; and from that time my health has improved
rapidly every way. The rheumatic disease
and piles are very nearly cured, the ulcers
on my ancles assume a healthy appearance,
and look as if they would soon heal. The
swellings about the bowels have subsided, and
the pain in my stomach and liver has nearly left
me. I would also state, that twenty-one years
ago I divided the tendons of the left foot by a
cut with an axe, and when it healed the cords
seemed fast to the bone, and I have had little
or no use of those toes since. The effect of
these hot baths has been to remove that stiffness,
and loosen the tendons so that I can now
move the toes quite well.
"I have taken in the last five weeks that I
have been here, sixteen Sweat and twenty
Spout baths, and I now feel better than at any
time in the last five or six years.
"In the summer of 1836 I visited the Virginia
Springs, with liver disease, as stated by
for some time, but without any decided effect.
I then came to the Hot Springs, and after
using the Spout bath for a few days, the pain
in the right side, from a dull, increased to an
acute, which induced me to apply to Dr.
Goode for advice. He gave me ten grains of
calomel, which brought about a most happy
change in my feelings and health; producing
copious discharges of dark bilious matter,
when forty grains, often before taken, produced
but a limited effect.
"From the Hot Springs I returned to the
White Sulphur, and the water then acted
freely on my bowels.
I give you the following statement
of my case. About ten years ago I became
dyspeptic, and was unwell in the usual way,
when at length I became much worse; almost
every thing taken in the stomach produced
pain, and frequently violent spasms, which
when under the influence of calomel.
Tiring of which, after suffering for about
two years, I determined to try the Sulphur
Waters.
"I commenced at the White Sulphur, but
the water disagreed with me, and I then went
to the Salt Sulphur, understanding that the
water there was more purgative; for you
must know that my bowels were invariably
constipated. After using the water for two
days, I had a violent attack of spasm, which
was relieved by a hot bath. I then came immediately
to the Hot Springs. My stomach
was so much debilitated that I was compelled
to live exclusively on milk and mush, and the
like bland food. The first meal I took at the
Hot Springs was milk and mush, which
brought on pain, threatening spasm. I went
immediately to the Spout bath, and from that
day to this I have been entirely exempt from
the disease. I bathed every day, sometimes
twice, and in a few days I was enabled to eat
of every thing at the table, including dessert
of all kinds.
of Hanover."
In compliance with your request,
I transmit you an account of my case.
In the latter part of 1836, I had a violent attack
of cholica pictonum, or white lead disease;
which, in despite of the most energetic
treatment, terminated in a paralysis of my
arms and hands, which deprived me almost
entirely of the use of them, with great emaciation
and general debility and prostration.
"All remedies failing, my medical advisers
recommended a visit to the Virginia Springs.
Thither I repaired in June, 1837, and passed
two weeks at the White Sulphur Spring, but
without any evident effect from the use of the
waters. At the end of two weeks I removed
to the Hot Springs, and commenced the use
of the Spout bath immediately. In a few days
there was evident improvement in my condition,
and after six weeks (using the Spout
bath every day) I found the use of my hands
and arms and my general health restored.
The use of my hands and arms has never
failed me since, nor does there appear to be a
vestige of my disease in my system.
"My friends and myself attribute my recovery
Springs.
I received on yesterday your
message from Mr. Seth Ward; it affords me
pleasure to comply.
"In the years 1828 and '29 my daughter had
a severe, protracted, and complicated illness.
The whole of one side became greatly paralyzed,
and so continued for about fifteen
months. In the season of 1829, we took her
to the Hot Springs; she used the bath between
three and four weeks. During the
latter part of the visit, she was enabled to
move the toes in a small degree. Under the
direction of her physician, Dr. G. A. Rose,
she gradually improved, but remained unable
to move alone. The next season, A. D. 1830,
we took her again to the Hot Springs.
"By the use of the bath she soon became
able to walk; her general health gradually
improved. She is now healthy and active.
The case of rheumatism you desired
the particulars of was that of Mr. J— C—,
of Charleston, S. C., aged eighteen years. He
had been seriously afflicted for some time before
he was put under my protection, which
was on the 17th day of June, when we left
Charleston for the Virginia Springs. We arrived
at the White Sulphur on the 28th of
June, and remained there until the 9th of
July, taking from eight to ten tumblers of the
water daily.
"On the 9th of July we reached the Hot
Springs, and on the 10th he commenced with
the baths, taking the Spout bath one day and
the Sweat bath the next, alternately, until the
22d of September. From the time Mr. C—
left Charleston until he arrived at the White
Sulphur, he was as helpless as a child, unable
to dress or undress himself, and was carried
in arms or a chair whenever it was necessary
to move him. Three or four days before he
left the White Sulphur, he was able to hobble
a short distance by the aid of a pair of
crutches, and in two weeks after taking the
without them. He arrived in Charleston
about the latter end of September; and during
a heavy blow, assisted in furling the topsail
of a schooner in which he was a cabin
passenger.
"I left Mr. C— in good health on the 6th
of July last, on the wharf in Charleston, when
I embarked on my present excursion.
Nothing has occurred with respect to this
valuable watering-place, since the first edition
of this work, which calls for much detail.
Every year, indeed, adds to the list of cures
effected here, but it would answer no good
purpose to multiply cases. Those given are
deemed sufficient, and besides, Dr. Goode has
published a great number which the visiter
can always procure. No important improvement
has been made within the last three
years, as, indeed, there has not, at any of the
Springs. They have all encountered a shock
such as, we trust, they will not again experience.
Some of the proprietors succumbed to
to be hoped that Virginia will, at length, do
justice to herself; and should that ever be the
case, the swarms that now visit Northern
Springs will turn towards a more salutary
hive. As monopolies, however, the Virginia
Springs cannot attain that degree, either of
comfort or appreciation, which they would attain
as villages having several independent
houses of entertainment, and the use of the
Springs being left free. The proprietors are
not, in every instance, well qualified to give
satisfaction in its full extent. During our late
visit to the mountains, circumstances prevented
our making any stay at the Hot Springs;
we cannot, therefore, say anything of their
management from personal observation. We
never heard a breath of complaint against the
fare and comforts of the establishment; hence
we infer that all was as it should be, for men
are prone enough to find fault, and sometimes
on very slight grounds. But it would not be
candid to deny that complaints long, loud, and
reiterated are made against Dr. Goode's
charges. First, then, as regards the charge for
board, we understand it is the same as at the
Warm Springs and White Sulphur. So far,
Goode. He only does what others do,—and
he certainly has a right to set his own price on
his accommodations. The Salt, Red, and
Blue Sulphurs, and the Sweet and Red-Sweet
Springs, have, we think, judiciously, reduced
the charge to eight dollars per week, and if
the boarder remain several weeks, we believe,
he is charged at some of those establishments,
only seven dollars. The facility of travelling
at the North, and its relative cheapness, are
drawing to that region much of the custom
formerly enjoyed by the Virginia Springs.
Now, we would respectfully suggest to the proprietors
that their true policy is, to do all that
can be done to attract back again their old
friends. Let them not go to work to undermine
or cast odium, one upon the other; but
let them hold a meeting early in the spring,
and arrange a schedule of charges such as
will afford them a fair profit, and publish those
charges to the world. Let them also call together
the contractors on the different routes
to their Springs, and obtain a reduction of
fare on those routes, or pledge themselves to
encourage opposition lines. If they conclude
to reduce the board and stage fare twenty per
for it, they will congratulate themselves, next
autumn, upon having adopted our suggestion;
if they will not do this now, they will try to
do it when it is too late. But to return to Dr.
Goode. It is complained, that besides charging
ten dollars for board, per week, he charges
in addition, for meals furnished at the cabins.
It is apparent that the propriety of this charge
depends altogether upon the fact whether
the individual is able to appear at the public
table, or not; if he is, and is disposed to produce
unnecessary trouble and expense, he
ought to pay for it; but if he be an invalid, it
is misfortune enough, without any additional
tax. It has been further said that Dr. G., in
his professional capacity, has forbid patients
going to the table, and then made extra
charges for the meals so furnished. We
trust this is not so; but if it has happened,
most undoubtedly it is good cause of dissatisfaction.
Such reports should be listened to
with great caution, for alas! there is too
much proneness in human nature to exaggerate
every supposed wrong. Again, it is complained
that Dr. G. charges for his baths fifty
cents each, or $3.50 per week, without any
or one requiring aid and attendance. They
argue thus: "We come exclusively for these
baths; there is no other attraction; they are
supplied by nature, cost nothing in the preparation,
and should not be subjects for an exorbitant
tax; we can get an artificial and most
comfortable bath, in the cities, for 25 cents,
and here, where thousands of gallons of warm
water are, every minute, discharged from
the bowels of the earth, we think it hard to be
charged double." We confess we think there
is some reason for this complaint, and we sincerely
hope, for his own sake, that Dr. G. will
revise and modify his tariff of bathing
charges. There is no reason in the world,
why his pleasure baths should cost more than
at the Warm Springs and Sweet Springs—
12½ cents; but the Sweating baths are troublesome
and attended with expense, and it
would be unreasonable to expect the charge
should not be higher. With regard to the
charges of rudeness and inequality of temper
urged against Dr. G. we cannot judge of their
justice; but we can aver, that we have never
witnessed any thing in his demeanour that did
not comport with a well-bred gentleman. We
in the preceding remarks; but they are
well meant, and we hope they will be so understood.
Most of the visiters of the Hot
Springs are invalids, and necessarily have
whims and caprices which require kindness
and forbearance. It is astonishing how far a
word or act evincing sympathy and good feeling
will win their gratitude and soothe their
fretfulness; while a short answer, or an indifference
manifested to their comfort, will arouse
their undying hatred. No situation therefore
requires more of the milk of human kindness
than that occupied by Dr. Goode. He should
be the physician and friend: always cheerfully
administering to the physical comforts
and mental quiet of his guests and patients,
and causing them to bless him upon their departure.
When Dr. Stribling of Staunton, a few
months ago, signified a disposition to resign
his situation of Physician to the Insane Hospital,
there was a general feeling of regret from
one end of the State to the other. Why? because
the impression had become general that
his benevolence and conciliating manners peculiarly
qualified him for the responsible trust
reposed in him. We venture to assert that if
physician, it would in three years number 300
visiters at one time, when now it seldom
passes 100. We believe that so conducted it
would prove a blessing to multitudes. We
perceive that Dr. Goode offers the place for
sale; we do not know his price, but of this we
are sure, that there are few estates in Virginia
of greater intrinsic value.
| CHAPTER VIII. The mineral springs of western Virginia | |