University of Virginia Library

CHAPTER XV.

(Dr. Huntt.[1] )—In March, 1837, I was attacked
with a slight hemorrhage from the
lungs, attended with other symptoms indicating
a diseased state of those important organs.
For a time I neglected to resort to medical
treatment, and continued to pursue my professional
labours until warned by my failing
strength that the disease was gaining ground.
By the application of the usual remedies the
violence of the symptoms was soon subdued,
and in a short time I felt myself sufficiently
restored to resume my usual labours; but
with the exercise my wonted strength did not
return; the cough continued, with occasional
pain in the chest, and an uneasy sensation of
fulness about the liver, stomach, and spleen.
These symptoms, after a time, were attended

with increased cough, copious, morbid expectoration,
hectic chills, fever, and night sweats;
my weight was reduced from 135 to 115 lbs.

Such was my situation, when, about the
middle of July, I left home for the Red Sulphur
Spring, in Virginia. On the third evening
I arrived at the Warm Spring, a distance
of 230 miles from Washington, and immediately
after getting out of the stage I plunged
into the delightful bath of that place, an imprudence
against which I would earnestly caution
all invalids, who arrive after a long journey,
with the system exhausted by fatigue.
The consequences in my own case warrant
me in pronouncing it to be fraught with great
danger. While in the bath, its effects were
very grateful and pleasant; but shortly after
leaving it, I became chilly, and this feeling
was followed by a hot skin, intense headache,
and pain in the chest. After breakfast the
next morning, though still very unwell, I continued
my journey, and arrived before night
at the White Sulphur Spring, where I remained
two days, drinking freely of the water,
which seemed only to increase the cough and
pain in the chest, and produce an aggravation

of all the other symptoms. Leaving this
place on the third morning, I passed Union at
noon, dined at the Salt Sulphur, and before
sunset arrived at this celebrated fountain, for
the benefit of whose waters I had left home.
The Red Sulphur Spring is situated in latitude
37° 37′, in Monroe county, Virginia,
about twenty miles south-west of Union,
which is the seat of justice for the county.
The approach to the village is beautifully romantic
and picturesque. Wending his way
around a high mountain, the weary traveller
is for a moment charmed out of his fatigue
by the sudden view of his resting-place, some
hundreds of feet immediately beneath him.
Continuing the circuitous descent, he at length
reaches a ravine, which conducts him, after a
few rugged steps, to the entrance of a verdant
glen, surrounded on all sides by lofty mountains.
The south end of this enchanting vale,
which is the widest portion of it, is about two
hundred yards in width. Its course is nearly
north for about one hundred and fifty yards,
when it begins gradually to contract and
change its direction to the north-west and
west, until it terminates in a narrow point.
This beautifully secluded Tempe is the chosen
site of the village. The north-west portion is
occupied by stables, carriage-houses, and shops
of various sorts; the southern portion, just at
the base of the east and west mountains, is that
upon which stand the various edifices for the
accommodation of visiters. These buildings
are spacious, and conveniently arranged; the
servants are prompt and obedient; and the
"table d'hôte" is abundantly supplied with a
variety of viands that can tempt the appetite.
The promenades, which are neatly enclosed
by a white railing, are beautifully embellished,
and shaded from the mid-day sun by indigenes
of the forest, the large umbrageous
sugar-maple (acer saccharinum). The Spring
is situated at the south-west point of the valley,
and the water is collected into two white
marble fountains, over which is thrown a substantial
cover.

At the distance of a few hundred yards from
the Red Sulphur Spring, up the south ravine,
is another Spring, supposed to be a chalybeate
of a singular character. My situation did
not permit me to make a satisfactory examination
of its water, but I should be highly

gratified to know the particular character of
the water of this Spring.

The forest trees of the eastern and western
mountains have been cut down by Mr. Burke,
the present worthy proprietor of the Spring,
so that this delightful glen enjoys the purifying
influence of the sun from 7 o'clock in the
morning until near 5 in the afternoon, which
makes the grounds much drier than they formerly
were, and less liable to morning fogs.
Regular stages, or post-coaches, arrive here
daily both from the north and south. It is
but justice to the amiable and intelligent proprietor
to say, that the improvements he has
made within the short period of four years,
since he has had the control, give assurance
that, should he live a few years longer, the
Red Sulphur Spring will not be excelled by
any of the numerous places of resort among
the salubrious mountains of the Old Dominion,
either in magnificence of scenery,
beauty, taste, comfort, or health.

On the evening of my arrival at the Spring,
I commenced the use of its water. The next
day, during a violent paroxysm of coughing,
a coagulum of blood was discharged from the

lungs, which was followed by considerable
hemorrhage. After this, the cough became
less troublesome, but the evening exacerbations
of fever and the night sweats continued,
my pulse beating 115 strokes in a minute. I
confined myself to a low diet, and drank six
glasses of the water during the day, namely,
two before breakfast, one at 11 A. M., one at
5 P. M., and two at bed-time. The water
acted freely on the bowels, and particularly
on the secretions of the liver. In ten days,
the abdominal viscera were entirely relieved,
the pulse reduced to 78, and the fever and
night sweats had ceased. The quantity of
water was now increased to twelve glasses
during the day, taken at the same hours, but
in double doses. It acted very gently on the
bowels and skin, but most powerfully as a
diuretic. Thus it appears that in small quantities
the water acted freely on the bowels,
and but little on the kidneys, while in larger
quantities it acted freely on the latter, and
scarcely affected the former. In fact, I could
direct its action to the one or the other at pleasure,
by increasing or diminishing the quantity.
My cough became better, but my strength still
continued feeble, owing to my extremely low
diet, and the copious action of the water. Unfortunately
I took but little exercise, which I
deem all-important while using the waters.

After a residence of three weeks at the
Spring, and the constant use of the water during
that time, to the manifest alleviation of
the most pressing symptoms of my complaint,
I was unexpectedly called home, in consequence
of the illness of a member of my family.
In the commencement of my homeward
journey, my weak state compelled me to make
very short stages; but as soon as I had crossed
the mountains, and resumed my usual
mode of diet, my appetite and strength returned
rapidly, and I completed the distance
of 306 miles in five days, without feeling the
slightest inconvenience. The water seemed
to produce its good effects in the improvement
of my health for months after I had left the
Spring.

In a conversation with Mr. Harvey, a plain,
honest, and sensible man, who was the former
proprietor of the Red Sulphur Spring, I gathered
the following facts, which I give in his own
words. He stated "that he had lived at and

about the place for upwards of forty-three
years. The Spring was first visited by the
neighbours for itch, sore legs, and other inveterate
diseases of the skin, which were always
cured by drinking, and rubbing the
parts affected with the muddy deposit. About
thirty-six years ago, Dr. John Cabell, of
Lynchburg, Va., was the first person who
visited the Spring for a cough, and disease of
the throat, attended with chills and fevers.
He remained here several weeks, and returned
home much better. The next season, several
other persons came, with cough, and every
appearance of consumption. Afterwards, the
number of visiters afflicted with this disease
increased every year. There are many persons
now living, within my knowledge, (said
Mr. Harvey,) and enjoying excellent health,
who visited this Spring many years ago, to
all appearance in the last stage of consumption.
The visiters who were the most benefitted
by the water, remained here five or six
weeks, confined themselves to a diet of rye
mush and milk, and were industrious in rising
early, drinking the water, and taking exercise.
Others, who indulged themselves in eating,
sleeping late in the morning, and lounging
about during the day, derived but little advantage
from the use of the water, and generally
returned home dissatisfied. The cold
plunging, or shock bath, was used in those
days with decided advantage. I never knew
a case injured by the use of the cold bath.
Many cases of dropsy visited the Spring, and
I never knew an instance where they were
not relieved by the use of the water. One of
my neighbours was cured many years ago by
the use of this water, and now enjoys excellent
health. I have known many persons
affected with complaints of the liver and
bowels completely relieved by the Red Sulphur
water. From the 1st of May to the
middle of November, is the proper time for
using the water to advantage, but I think it is
strongest in its various virtues during the
months of September and October."

The following was presented to me by Dr.
Saunders, the resident physician, as an analysis
of the Red Sulphur water, made at the
Spring by Professor Rogers, the Geologist of
Virginia; but it certainly does not satisfactorily
account for the wonderful effects of the
water.

"Temperature of the Spring, 54° Fahr.

Gaseous contents in an imperial gallon:—

     

Sulphuretted hydrogen,	4·54 cub. in.
Carbonic acid,	8·75
Nitrogen,	4·25

"Solid contents of 32 cubic inches of water,
gr. 1·25, consisting of sulphate of soda, lime
and magnesia, carbonate of lime and muriate
of soda. Besides these ingredients, the water
contains, in considerable quantity, a peculiar
organic substance, which, mingled with sulphur,
is deposited on the sides of the Spring,
and seems to increase by a species of organic
growth."

The Red Sulphur water 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 influence on
most cases of this disease; but its good effects
equally extend to all cases of sub-acute 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, or
better calculated to relieve a larger class of
diseases.

It is not uncommon for persons to arrive at
the Spring, who have not been able to sleep
during the night, even with the aid of opium,
and who, after drinking the water for a few
days, find their nervous irritation so soothed
and allayed, that no other anodyne is required
to procure them full repose for the night.
This fact is so striking, that a young lady of
this place, in writing to her father from the
Red Sulphur, facetiously styles it "Sleepy
Hollow." The soporific effect of the water
was most forcibly exemplified in the case of
Mr. C. Smith, of Georgetown, D. C., a gentleman
of the highest respectability, who had
been for some time labouring under chronic
laryngitis, and had not enjoyed sleep for
months, even with the aid of large doses of
morphia. He arrived at the Red Sulphur a
few days after myself, and immediately commenced
a free use of the water. The third
night after his arrival, he slept soundly all

night, without either coughing or turning in
bed, and not only continued to sleep well every
night during the use of the water, but was
compelled, from the drowsy feeling which it
produced, to indulge himself in more than one
nap during the day.

In a letter, dated some years ago at this Spring,
from the late F. W. Gilmer, Esq., professor
of law in the University of Virginia, he says:
"These waters are far superior to all others.
In a few hours they allayed my cough so as
to take away all that was unpleasant in it.
They diffuse a sense of coolness, freshness,
and newer life over the whole system. They
abate the pulse most rapidly, remove fever,
lubricate and soften whatever is hard and dry,
make one sleep as though he had taken an
anodyne, are the safest of all waters, and, indeed,
have no ill quality."

The late venerable Dr. R. H. Bradford, of
Va., who practised medicine for many years
at the Red Sulphur, in a communication on
the subject of the water, remarks: "The effects
of this water in reducing the frequency
of the pulse, is one of the numerous, singular,
and powerful properties belonging to it. It

lessens arterial action to such a degree, that
it seldom fails to remove fever, difficulty of
breathing, and pain in the chest. When the
patient is restricted to a proper regimen, this
water may be taken with greater advantage,
in all pulmonary cases, than any other remedy
I have ever seen employed for that purpose.
It is also an important remedy in enlarged
liver and spleen, and in diseases of the mucous
membrane generally."

The Rev. W. M. Green, a pious, good man,
of Hillsboro', North Carolina, makes the following
communication, dated October 15th,
1837. "In the month of March, 1830, (being
then in my 32d year,) I was taken with a distressing
cough, which would scarcely permit
me to speak half a dozen words successively
without interruption. The attack was doubtless
the effect of much exposure in travelling
the preceding winters, hastened and aggravated
by certain symptoms of dyspepsia,
which had been increasing upon me for some
months previous. The symptoms of my disease,
when first taken down, and for a long
time after, were an incessant hacking cough,
and clearing of the throat without expectoration,

a sense of choking or suffocation in the
lower part of the larynx, which afterwards
became inflamed and painful, a pulse varying
from 100 to 120 strokes in a minute, a stricture
across the breast preventing full inspiration,
dark greenish stools, lateritious urine,
copious and exhausting night sweats, sleeplessness,
great nervous irritability, a craving
appetite, with oppression after eating, insatiable
thirst, frequent involuntary sighing, and
more or less fever during the day, especially
in the afternoon.

"The medicines first administered were
brown mixture, and other expectorants of a
similar kind, together with the free use of
tartar emetic ointment. My disease, however,
seemed to gather force, until a temporary
check was given by the exhibition of calomel
in broken doses, until salivation was produced,
which alleviated some of the most distressing
symptoms. As soon as I had regained sufficient
strength for the journey, I set out with
a kind friend to spend a few weeks near the
sea-coast. The trip, however, was without
sensible benefit, owing to the prevalence at
the time of raw easterly winds, and I returned

to all appearance the same, if not worse than
on leaving home.

"Having heard much of the efficacy of the
Red Sulphur water, I determined to try it.
Accordingly, leaving home early in July, I
reached that place about the 10th, confining
myself closely to the use of the water, and of
the sulphur shower-bath, for nine weeks. I
had not been at the Spring more than two
days before I began to experience a favourable
influence on my system generally, as well as
an amelioration of some of the principal symptoms
of my complaint. My pulse soon felt
the wonder-working power of that mysterious
tempest-stilling agent which resides in
those waters. Arterial action was greatly reduced,
the nervous system composed, the
cough brought down to a mere fractional part
of its former proportions, digestion improved,
sleep restored, urine rendered colourless, the
stricture across the breast less oppressive,
night sweats lessened; in a word, every painful
and dangerous feature of the disease was
moderated, and time allowed to shake off the
enemy. The two most striking effects produced
by the use of this water were the evident

reduction of arterial action, at the same time
that the general system was recovering its
tone, and the total extinguishment of that
burning thirst which had been tormenting me
for more than twelve months. I hesitate not
to state here, what may appear incredible to
many, that for nearly six months after I returned
home I felt no symptom of thirst,
whereas, before my going to the Spring,
scarcely fifteen minutes would elapse during
the day between my calls for water. This
latter effect was still more strikingly experienced
in the case of the Rev. Mr. H**t, of Halifax
county, Va., who assured me, after visiting
the Spring a single season, he remained
eighteen months a stranger to thirst. As to
the effect on my pulse, although it was decidedly
marked and beneficial, yet there were
other cases under my own observation of still
more striking character. One I distinctly remember,
that of a Mr. Boal, a young Irishman,
residing in Lynchburg, Va. He came to the
Spring by the advice of his physicians, who
saw in him the well-known symptoms of pulmonary
disease. On his arrival, the average
stroke of his pulse was from 110 to 120 in a
minute. In three days, without the aid of
any other means than the free use of the water,
it was reduced to the healthful beat of 65
strokes in a minute. The case of Mrs. B****r,
of Raleigh, is no less remarkable; such was
the effect of the water on her arterial system,
that a single glass was known to reduce the
pulse 10 beats in a minute.

"My usual habit was to drink three or four
glasses of the water before breakfast, three at
11 or 12 o'clock, two about 5 o'clock in the
afternoon, and two on going to bed. I am
convinced that what was taken late at night,
and very early in the morning, was more efficacious
than all the rest taken during the day.
My exercise consisted in a ride of three miles
before breakfast on horseback, another about
sunset in my carriage, and in the interval
an occasional game at the shuffle-board—a
game, though not very refined, unquestionably
admirably adapted to exercise a weak
chest.

"It may be well to mention here, that on
my return home, my appearance was so little
improved, as to produce the impression among
my friends that my trip had been without

benefit. Nor was the improvement which
really had been produced, perceived in its
extent, even by myself, until I had been at
home a week or two. I mention this for the
encouragement of other invalids, who return
home dejected and hopeless, because they do
not experience the immediate good effect of
this and other Sulphur waters. The effect is,
in many cases, felt only after the fatigue of the
journey is over, and the noisy bustle of the
watering-place forgotten amidst the comfort
and quiet of home. I will only add, that
after my return, I was enabled occasionally
to occupy my pulpit, and to enjoy the society
of my friends.

"The next season I sought the mountains
again, but finding my pulmonary symptoms
in a great measure removed, and my dyspepsia
but little abated, I spent the greater part
of my time at the White Sulphur. A third
visit, two years after the second, served to remove
every unpleasant symptom, and put the
blessing of health once more in my reach. At
this moment, the only remnant of disease,
which all my friends, and nearly all my physicians,
pronounced to be phthisis pulmonalis,

is an appetite which often needs the bridle of
just moderation.

Mr. James Boal, of Lynchburg, who lost
two brothers by pulmonary consumption, in
a communication dated Red Sulphur, August
5th, 1837, states: "A change of life, from being
an active farmer to that of a sedentary storekeeper,
produced constipation and general debility
(especially in my arms and knees,) a
dry tickling sensation in the throat, slight
cough, and but little expectoration. The
tightness increased, until riding a refractory
horse, I had an attack of hemorrhage; the
discharge at first was pretty copious, of a
scarlet frothy appearance, moderating to a
mixture of bloody phlegm. My nights were
passed with but little sleep, and that disturbed
by troublesome dreams. In the month of June,
1828, had an attack of diarrhœa, and was very
much reduced. About the 1st of July, 1828,
I visited the Red Sulphur Spring. My pulse
on my arriva., (when free from excitement,)
was about 120 pulsations in a minute. Commenced
drinking the water, and in one week

my pulse was reduced to 65 strokes in a
minute, with an improvement in my strength
and feelings generally. Supposing my cure
effected, I omitted the use of the water for a
few days, and found my pulse increasing in
frequency. I again used it three weeks longer,
when my pulse was reduced to its former
standard, of 65 strokes in a minute. My
course of diet—for breakfast, dried toast and
boiled milk, or black tea; for dinner, a little
venison or mutton, rice, or cold wheat bread;
for supper, cold rye mush and milk, always
guarding against rich sauces or pastry; took
exercise in the open air. My plan was, to
drink freely, say six or eight glasses of the
water before breakfast, keeping in constant
motion. The general operation of the water
was that of a diuretic, and by taking exercise,
perspiration was very copious. My bowels
were regular, once a day, and have continued
so (except from casual indisposition) ever
since. I visited the Red Sulphur in the summer
of 1829, and had my general health so
completely restored, that I am now here in
August, 1837, on a visit to my old friend and
benefactor, in perfect health."

The following communication is from
Chief Justice Taney, of the Supreme Court
U. S., dated Baltimore, Jan. 8, 1838:

"The information you have received as to
the benefit derived from the Red Sulphur
Spring by Mrs. Taney and myself, is correct.
We spent six weeks or more there, in the
summer of 1835, and both of us were in bad
health when we went there. The journey,
however, was taken on Mrs. Taney's account,
and by the advice of Dr. Potter and Dr. Buckler.
Her health had been failing for several
years, and her lungs were supposed to be seriously
threatened. She complained of a pain
in her breast, coughed a good deal, and had
an excited and quick pulse. The alarming
symptoms were entirely removed by her visit
to the Red Sulphur, and she has since enjoyed
her ordinary health. It is proper, perhaps,
to remark, that although Mrs. Taney felt in
some degree the benefit of the water, while
she remained at the Spring, yet we were not
sensible of the extent of the improvement
until some time after our return home. Both
of us have since had much better health than
we had known for years before, and we both

have great confidence in the efficacy of those
waters, and, I may add, retain a lively recollection
of the kind attentions of Mr. and Mrs.
Burke while we remained there."