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The mineral springs of western Virginia

with remarks on their use, and the diseases to which they are applicable
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

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 VIII. 
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expand sectionX. 
 XI. 
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 XIII. 
CHAPTER XIII.
 XIV. 
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CHAPTER XIII.

We think that a candid review of the analysis
of the Red Sulphur and of our remarks
on its action, founded on a long observation
and experience, will lead every unbiassed
mind to conclude that the claims of this water
as a curative agent are well founded; but
we do not mean to rest our case here; we can
prove beyond a doubt that this water exerts
an influence over the circulation that no
other agent has been known to exert. The
evidences which we have received of this fact
in the course of our nine years of ownership,
would fill a large volume; but we will content
ourselves with publishing a few recent
cases in addition to those given by the late
Dr. Huntt in his pamphlet on this Spring.
Few persons were better qualified than that
lamented physician to make observations on
a mineral water. His perception was clear,
his observation acute, his discrimination accurate,
his judgment sound, and his integrity


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incorruptible; and after witnessing with his
own eyes the effects of this water, and reflecting
well and long on what he was about to
assert, he pays it the following compliment:

"The Red Sulphur is decidedly sedative
in its effects. It subdues chronic inflammation,
tranquillizes irritation, and reduces the
frequency of the pulse in the most astonishing
manner. It has been considered peculiarly
adapted to the cure of pulmonary diseases,
and it is true that it has a most beneficial
effect in most cases of this disease; but its
good effects equally extend to all cases of
subacute inflammation, whether seated in the
stomach, liver, spleen, intestines, kidneys,
bladder, and most particularly in the mucous
membrane. In fact, nature never yet gave
to man a remedy capable of more extensive
application, nor better calculated to relieve
a larger class of diseases.
"

Such was the testimony of that eminent
physician, from personal observation, prompted
too by no partiality towards the proprietor,
to whom he was an entire stranger; but
purely by a desire to benefit society. Will it
be objected, as we are informed it has been


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objected, that he subsequently died of the disease
for the cure of which he had so highly
eulogized this water? Surely every medical
man ought to know that where there is a predisposition
to disease of any organ, an actual
lesion of that organ, though cured, increases
that predisposition, and that it is expecting too
much
of a medicine, not only to cure the existing
disease, but to secure the organ from
any future recurrence of that disease.

A man with a chronic affection of the bronchi
or parenchymatous structure of the lungs,
is to go to the Red Sulphur and drink the
water for 15 or 20 days, and the attack is relieved,
and he is restored to apparently perfect
health; but this does not suffice, he must
not only be healed, but he must be protected
to all future time, not only from the consequences
of predisposition, but from the effects
of imprudent habits of life, exposure, or other
source of attack. It is just about as reasonable
to expect this, as that, being upset in a
coach and having a limb fractured, should
secure a man from being upset a second time
and having his neck broken. We can have
patience with such remarks when coming


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from ordinary men, but when a learned physician
puts forth such opinions as arguments
for his scepticism, we are forced to infer that
he has permitted prejudice to cloud his judgment.

As we are writing this book for the benefit
of the uninitiated in the mysteries of the profession,
we have thought it might be expected
of us to say something on the diognosis, and
treatment of consumption and other diseases,
for the relief of which we recommend the
Red Sulphur water.

Of the means of distinguishing affections of
the lungs by immediate or mediate consultation
or percussion, we will not speak: in the
first place, because we do not feel competent
to give any instruction in the premises, and
in the next place, because no one but a professional
man who has devoted much attention
to these methods can obtain any satisfactory
result.

The symptoms of acute or rapid phthisis
are, according to Doct. Williams, in the first
stage,
induration and obstruction. The
indurations are generally accompanied by
various irritations, both local and general.


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Of the local irritations the earliest is a cough,
at first slight, but more or less constant. It is
either dry or accompanied by thin transparent
expectorations. Another sign of irritation
is pain in the chest, a stitch, soreness or
sensibility to cold or exertion more than pain.
Of the more general irritations, quickness of
pulse is most constant,—the quickness not uniform
at first, but dependent upon any accidental
excitement. As the organic lesion
increases, it becomes more constant, and is
accompanied by a general febrile state. This
febrile condition is aggravated towards night,
when the fulness and frequency of the pulse
increase, attended with flushing of the face,
heat of the palms of the hand, and the soles
of the feet. This terminates by perspiration
more or less profuse, which, occurring in the
night, leaves the pulse lowered, but the frame
weakened and exhausted in the morning.
The symptoms of obstructions comprehend
those from obstructions to the passage of the
air, to that of the blood, and to the motions of
the lungs in respiration.

The indurations by obstructing the passage
of air to the air-cells cause shortness of


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breath. Partial indurations sometimes cause
shortness of breath, not only by their impediment,
but also by occasioning dilatation of the
air-cells. Indurations by obstructing the blood
vessels may cause sanguineous congestion,
hemorrhage, inflammation, œdema, gangrene,
atrophy of the pulmonary texture, hæmoptysis,
profuse bronchial secretion, effusion into
pleura, disease of the heart, &c.

Hæmoptysis occurring in the early stages
of phthisis is generally from this cause; and
it is a serious symptom, not only because it
may endanger life by loss of blood or direct
suffocation, but also because it is often accompanied
by hemorrhagic consolidation and rupture
of the lung, which tend to accelerate the
process and promote the further deposition of
tubercle. In some instances, however, hæmoptysis
is followed by decided relief to the
dyspnœa and cough, having removed a congested
state of the blood-vessels. How true
are the following remarks of the same author:
"When once the integrity of a nicely adjusted
apparatus like that of respiration is
extensively injured, disorder begets disorder,
and unless the counteracting or respiratory


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powers soon come into operation, unless the
indurations are soon diminished or the
blood-vessels closed, the whole of that part
of the lung may become a solid mass.
"

Second Stage.—On the conversion of the
gray or dark red indurations into the crude
yellow tubercle, and during the original deposition
of this matter, besides the symptoms
of irritation and obstruction, which still continue,
there are indications of loss of flesh
and strength, and a general depression of the
functions. The pulse loses strength although
it is as frequent as before; the evening chills
are more severe; the sweats are more profuse.

Third Stage.—The more truly consumptive
symptoms which had begun to manifest
themselves in the second stage, are developed
fully when the tubercles become soft, partially
or entirely liquid, and are evacuated by
the aid of secretion and ulceration of the adjoining
textures. Then comes on in addition
to the symptoms before described, a copious
and heterogeneous expectoration of pus, mucus,
softened and occasionally solid tubercle,
blood, shreds of lymph, and, not rarely, portions
of pulmonary tissue in a sloughy fetid


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state. Then occur the usual constitutional
concomitants of extensive unhealthy, suppurating
ulcers, confirmed hectic, with its successive
chills, heats and sweating, occasionally
diarrhœa and the increasing marasmus in
this case rendered more pronounced, by the
importance of the organ affected and the relation
which it bears to the process of sanguification.
Then are the dyspnœa and cough
increased by the continual discharge of matter
into the air-passages, and by the extension of
the diseased depositions and ulcerations of
the tissue."

To the preceding extracts of Dr. Williams,
a portion of which we have somewhat condensed,
much may be added, but it would
answer no good purpose to dwell with minuteness
on this part of our subject; we will
therefore hasten to the treatment of the disease,
so far as it may be connected with the
agent which we have now under consideration.

At the threshold, we have to encounter the
objection that tubercular consumption is incurable.
On this subject we ask attention to
the following extract of a letter from Dr.


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Thomas D. Mutter, of Philadelphia. The
history of the letter is this. He was informed
by a friend that he was reported to have spoken
disparagingly of the Red Sulphur, and, denying
the charge, he wrote to us a letter, dated
Philadelphia, Nov. 9th, 1841, from which we
extract the following paragraph:

"I have said to many, as I would say to
you or your son, or any well-informed physician,
that the Red Sulphur never yet cured
a case of tubercular consumption, and you
know as well as I do that such is the fact, for
there is no cure for this disease; but I have
always said, both privately and publickly,
that the Red Sulphur was a most valuable
water in many cases resembling consumption,
and that I had seen many such cases
perfectly cured by the use of this water, when
all other agents had failed to afford relief.
Not only have I said this, but I have sent you
many a patient, and hope to send you many
more.

Very truly, your friend
and well-wisher,
Thos. D. Mutter."

The above extract is of great interest, because
it virtually admits all that the advocates


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of the Red Sulphur contend for, viz., "that it
has cured cases resembling consumption,
when all other agents had failed to afford
relief.
" Now this is praise enough, and we
might rest the fame of the Red Sulphur on
such admission, coming from such a source;
but with all deference for the distinguished
talents and great experience of that gentleman,
we would suggest that his opinion of
the incurability of consumption is too sweeping.
We think we are fully impressed with
the intractable character of the disease in its
worst forms, and if our friend, Dr. M., meant
to limit his assertion to these, there can be no
difference of opinion on the subject; but if he
means to assert, as his language seems to intimate,
that tubercular phthisis is altogether incurable,
we must respectfully dissent from his
opinion, and offer some of the reasons why
we do so.

In the first place, we ask how has this eminent
physician discovered that the cases of
cure he had witnessed only "resembled" consumption?
We imagine this discovery can
only be satisfactorily made by a post-mortem
examination. Has he made this examination?


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It is not probable that he had the opportunity,
for the cure is declared perfect, and if
he did not, how can be certain that his opinion
is correct? We are aware that Avenbrugger
and Laennec have shed a flood of
light on the diagnosis of disease of the chest;
but the latter makes the following admission,
which proves that cicatrices may exist without
being discovered by auscultation. "These
cicatrizations, especially when complete, and
composed of a substance analogous to other
natural tissues, produce no symptoms whatever
that can denote their existence. I have
only remarked in some cases, when there was
reason to believe their existence, that the
respiration was less distinctly audible in the
supposed diseased point."

We shall notice this disease only under
two heads—Acute and Chronic.