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THE
WATE R-CURE,
APPLIED TO
EVERY KNOWN DISEASE:
A COMPLETE DEMONSTRATION OF THE ADVANTAGES OF THE HYDROPATHIC SYSTEM OF CURING DISEASES: SHOWING, ALSO, THE FALLACY OF THE MEDICINAL METHOD, AND ITS UTTER INABILITY TO EFFECT A PERMANENT CURE.
WITH AN APPENDIX, CONTAINING A WATER DIET AND
RULES FOR BATHING.
BY J. H. RAUSSE,                  -   J-1
PRACTITIONER OF WATEr-CURE IN MECKLENBURG, ERmANY.
TRANSLATED BY 0. I. MIEEKER, M. D.,
MEMBER OF THE SCIENTIFIC HYDROPATHIC SOCIETY OF GERIANY
THIRD EDITION, ENLARGED AND IMPROVED.
NEW YORK:
FOWLERS AND WELLS,
CLINTON HALL, 131 NASSAU STREET.
1850.




Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year I847, by
G. H. MEEKER.
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the
Southern District of New York.
R. CRAIGHIEAD'S POWER PRESS,
112 FULTON STREET.




CONTENTS.
PAGE
A. Power of Assimilation and Secretion in General..    1
B. Power >f Assimilation and Secretion of. the Animal Organism in particular........         5
C. What is Instinct?.............11
D. The terms " Health and Disease" fixed....   18
E. Arrangement of the Causes of Disease in classes...  21
F. Classification of the Diseases themselves; various rules
of classification....23
G. The Symptoms of Disease and their classification..  27
H. Proofs of the Materiality of the Causes of Disease, or for
the existence of Matters of Disease.               30
I. Proofs for the truth of the classification of Disease in
Healing and Destroying Diseases....   46
K. What is Poison? What is Medicine?......   50
L. Of the Effects of Cold Water upon the human organism in
general.................  67
M. The Primary or Healing Diseases.....            73
1. Manner in which Primary Diseases in general arise.   73
2. Hydriatic Cure of the Primary Diseases.....          74
3. Medicinal Cure of the same Diseases..75
4. The Normal Stomach...                 78
5. Primary Diseases of the Stomach in general....    82
6. Cure of the Priniary Diseases of the'Digestive Organs
in general..........    84
7. Nausea and Vomiting.-Diarrhcea... -.....   85
8. Mucous Envelopment of the Matters of Disease, especially of the poisonous.........      90
9. The Nature and Purpose of- Fever.....            103
10. The Internal Process of taking Cold......    108
11. Drinking when Overheated.......... 113




iv
PAGE
12. Dysentery..............            115
13. Cholera..................120
14. The Primary Inflammatory Diseases in general..    125
15. Inflammation of the Eyes.-Inflammation of the Brain.
Inflammation of the Throat.-Inflammation of the
Lungs............... 134
16. Cough and Catarrh..........        141
17. The Intermitting Fever'.........     143
18. Concluding Remarks on the'Primaty Diseases.;,,.   148
N. The Secondary or Destroying Diseases....... 150
1. General Preliminary Observations........    150
2. The Manner in which the three stadia of Sebondary
Diseases arise..............151
3. The Cure of the Secondary Diseases.....  156
4. Loss of Appetite.-Heartburn and Eructations.-Hard
and Sluggish Evacuations.-The Faise-Mucous Sliming.-Worms...159
5. Consumptive Diarrhcea.-The true Muaous Sliming.Hardening of the Slime and Indurations in the Walls
of the Digestive Canals...........  163
6. The Mucous Fever.-The Nervous Fever.-The Putrid
Fever........ 181
7. Nervous Complaints.-Cramps.......    187
8. Hypochondria and Hysteria..-Disgust of Life, and Suicidal Propensity..........          196
9. Rheumatism... 203
10. Gout..                               213
11. Chlorosis, or Green Sickness.-Scrofula.-Rachitis. 224
12. -Hemorrhoids....                         227
13. Sleeplessness.............   229
14. Chronic Fever.-Chronic Night Sweats.-DropEsy.   231
15. Concluding Remarks on the Secondary Diseases..   235
O. The Contagious Diseases.........                      238
P. The External or Surgical Diseases.......   246
Q: Critical States in the Water-Cure...                252
R  What Diseases are Curable by Water...   260
S  Invitation to the Physicians......  261




TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE.
I was induced to undertake the translation of the present
work for several important reasons: first, to employ advantageously several leisure hours of each day, which
would otherwise.have been entirely wasted or misspent;
second, as a means of gaining a more intimate acquaintance with the principles and processes of the hydriatic
art, which is to'be acquired only by a diligent study of
the writings of the most approved authors and practitioners of this new system; third, because it is a most excellent work, containing wonderful and astounding new
truths, as every one who reads it must admit; and fourth,
because it is written by the most successful and scientific
practitioner of hydriatique (the father of the system excepted)-in Germany, who spent eight years in studying
the various branches of scienbe connected with the watercure art, though, at first, without the intention of employing his knowledge for the benefit of " suffering humanity," to which he was, however, afterwards induced, from
reasons best known to himself.  Three years of his study
were passed among the Indians of the Amerioan wilds in




Vi
strictly observing nature, and the effects of a life of
original simplicity.
In the- German language there are also a number of
other valuable works, which enjoy a permanent and welldeserved reputation; among others, those of Munde,
Krause, and Weiss, are the most prominent. Munde's is
a hydrotherapy, though neither original in its conception,
nor true to hydriatic principles in its execution; still, in
most points, it is an excellent hand-book of water-cure,
and stands among the first of all treatises upon the subject in hand, it being a compendious, comprehensive, and
highly elaborate work, entering into all the minutiae of
the treatment of the various diseases. Krause's is an
excellent hydrotherapy, adhering strictly to the principles
and method of treatment pursued by Vincent Priessnitz.
The work of Weiss, with whom I also became acquainted
while residing at Graefenberg, and had many conversations on the subject of water-cure) has already been laid
before the English public, and, consequently, water-cure
readers are, to some extent at least, acquainted with. its
character.
The present work of Rausse, however, is, in its character, conception, and intention, altogether distinct from
the above-mentioned; it is not a therapy; it is not to
be used as a hand-book to direct the treatment of dis.
eases;, it is a true pathology, a doctrine of disease divested of the errors of the old system, retaining only that




Vii
part of the same which is consistent with true sense and
sound reason. It portrays a true picture of the nature
of diseases, astonishing us with the sense of the reality
that most of the so-called acute diseases are, in truth, a
blessing rather than a misfortune, under a correct hydrotherapeutic management; detailing, in particular, and
drawing a strict line of' antithetical distinction between
th emedical and hydriatic method of treatment and cure;
representing, from all-recognised principles and laws of
physiology, the injuriousness of the medical method, and
the advantage and lasting benefit accruing from the hydri.
atic treatment of disease.  The American public may
judge somewhat of its worth and merits by the fact that,
through the influence of the members of the medical pro~fession, the public sale of it was prohibited in the Austrian
dominions.  Still, it was in the possession of almost every
Graefenberg cure-guest, and the work was -at first brought
to my notice and presented to me by Mr. C. von G., a
Tyrolean gentleman of fine talents and excellent disposition, who, I am'happy to say, was, before my departure
from Graefenberg, quite restored to an excellent state of
health; and although not far removed from his third score
year of life, and has labored under a complication of the
most severe maladies, still avowed that, since his eighteenth year he had never enjoyed better health.
C. H. M.




VINCENT PRIESSNITZ.
TR.E inclinations and antipathies of instinct are the leading.
strings by which Nature directs man and beast on the road to
happiness and health. Man. is not ordained to independent
emancipation from the bonds of.Nature; every digression from
the voice of Nature is a revolt, an outbreak, and their consequences are misery and affliction. A great part- of the huinan
race has burst asunder- these bonds, and.  is consequently broken
down and loaded with affliction; it is going the way to destruction.
Salvation is alone possible by a return to Nature, to simplicity
-that is virtue. Health is alone possible by abstinence from
everything against which the instinct of a man of Nature warns,
especially from the poisons which it has pleased man to call
Medicines, and from those drinks and potions which the chemical art prepares, and which are enemies to human reason.
Cure is alone possible by means of the abundant use of the
elements Air and Water!'Such are the thoughts, that lighten, as guiding stars, in all
the doings and efforts of Vincent Priessnitz.  He does not
express them, because he is no friend to many words; -he treads
the path of his thoughts silent and alone, as the extraordinary
among mankind have in all times been wont to do.
He is more than a genius, in the modern sense; heis a wise,
i. e. a true man, and, in every respect, a man. Whithersoever




ix
e-: might have turned the eye of his radiant mind, there he
would have discovered new truths, and opened new paths of life.
Destiny assigned to him the.healing of man.
Already: a mere youth, he perceived, with searching glance in
the structure of the healing art, which centuries have inherited,
and on which millions of workmen have labored, a labyrinth full
of murderous deceit and error; already, as a mere youth, he
had the unshakable courage to form, express, hold firmly, his
own opinions in contradiction to the authority ofthousands of
years, and the belief of millions of men.; aye, and to stake his
life upon the truths of his opinion.- -The bold position was won,
and with this won, Va-banque! was it decided that, at some
future time, the obscure peasant boy of the remote Sudates will
blow into air the old title-dressed, order-bedangled art of poisoning.
A youth- of eighteen, he cured himself of inflammation of the
lungs, and a serious'fracture of the ribs, in an incredibly short
time, and, by a course which, according to the old healing-art,
should have caused his death. So soon as he had obtained
these great results, he pursued, with a bold soul eager of discovery, the course he had taken, on an entirely unknown, unnavigated ocean.
The Atlantis, which he was yet to discover, the blessed island
of cure, lay afar off, and was veiled and hidden behind the foam
of the most fearful. breakers. For well may one compare the
death-menacing crisis which the water-cure calls up, and through
which alone lies the path to the cure of chronic diseases, with
the most terrible raging of the waves. Such a crisis, with its
burning fever, accompanied, sometimes, with franticness, would
have been sufficient to frighten back any common person with
terror and trembling from the perplexed path. But Priessnitx
remained calm, cool, firm; for to him it was certainty that Nature never deceives, and never leads man into misery, and he
was' following the dictates of Nature.
Thus he stood undaunted, a second Columbus; he alone




x
against the barking and ridicule of the old world; thus steered
he his bark into the haven of the new.
Now he has the raging and the monsters of the deep behind
him;' now he stands, the palm-crowned hero, under the palms of
the new world, which he has discovered.
Thou that readest this, banish thy smiling until thou hast
perused these pages throughout! If then thou still wouldst ridicule, I pray thee desist, go hence -to the Sudates, look into the
eye of Vincent Priessnitz, behold the tears of joy of those he
has saved, and list to the stammering of. their thanks.
Go thither to those mountains; there, high above nations'
heads, stands the- form of that great man, embracing and upholding with one arm the eternal love-dispensing Nature, reaching
forth the other to mankind, and offering it restoration to health,
happiness, and a new era.




PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION.
SINCE writing my first hydriatic pamphlet eight years have
elapsed. The enthusiasm for the creation of Vincent Priessnitz
which seizes every one who is so fortunate as to find his way
into this new spiritual world, directed, at that time, my. pen.
Enthusiasm is, in its nature, a something ardent and streaming;
it moderates either in the course of time, and dissolves into air,
or it cools and hardens to an unshakable conviction, whose
foundation must rest as well in facts as in reason.and-science.
To such a conviction has my enthusiasm, since the last eight
years, cooled and hardened.; The facts which I have collected
in these eight years, indeed, first, in a great number of private
cures, afterwards in a water-cure establishment, founded and
directed by myself, all these consonant facts have furnished me
the proof that the water-cure method is the only right.one, and
that the theory of the water-cure art, and the doctrine of disease,
detected and brought forward by me, is, in all points of chief
moment; truth.  I must confess that, in affairs of secondary
importance, I have sometimes erred; especially in the first editions
of my works, there are errors present in regard to the practical
detail-application of water. The practical errors of the first
editions consist wholly in recommendation of an excessive use
of water and too cold degree of temperature.:Without here
investigating the causes whence the excesses in the water-cure




xi1
originate, I may herewith excuse my former faults, on the ground
that originally Vincent Priessnitz himself had fallen. into many
excesses, and that every patient, as soon as he wins full confidence in the hydriatique, carries the use of water, at first, to
excess. I have never yet witnessed an exception to this rule,
for which reason I warn-every new cure-guest on entering my
establishment against overstepping my directions; while at the
same time, I feel assured, and- apprise the patient of my conviction, that he will still surpass the prescribed limits. Farthermore, I have formerly represented, in exaggerated terms, the
beneficial effects of the water-cure art'in chronic diseases- not
intentionally, however, but from the error into which enthusiasm
so easily leads. My eight years' experience has convinced me
that the effects of medicinal poisonings cannot, in all chronic
diseases, be completely removed by the water-cure, because these
poisonings. often enough occasion such  organic changes or
ravages that -they then still partially continue when the medicinal
poisons are driven out of the body through the agency.of.water.
But, on the other hand, I have, by the experience and the
most diligent research of these eight years; been confirmed in
the conviction and the knowledge that, hard as I have in the
first editions of my writings judged of the medical method o'
cure, still I have not done' it injustice,. and in that.case, have
been guilty of no exaggeration.  I have been convinced that,
in all diseases, the medicinal means of cure can produce only
increased'misfortunes of disease, even if in acute diseases they
are of apparent good; I have been farther convinced, that there
is no disease and no state of disease, in which the greatest possible assistance and benefit cannot be afforded by the water-cure.
This book contains the physiological and pathological demonstration, why the medical method of cure-must always be injurious.:It contains at the same time, and first of all, the outline
of a new doctrine of disease, which is deduced as much from
the results of the new method of cure as from recognised physiological rules and fundamental principles. It is farther proved




Xiii
in this work that the pathology and therapy of the physicians
stand in contradiction with the physiology which these physicians
recognise and teach from their professorial chairs, and that the
doctrine of disease first discovered by me, and brought forward
in this book, contains nothing which is not a consequence fairly
drawn from well-known physiological rules.  In accordance
with the foregoing,. it need scarcely be observed, that this book
is no therapyj and that no one may expect, with the assistance
of this alone, to conduct water-cures. I insert here a warning
against water-cures on one's own responsibility, unaltered from
the preface of the second edition of this work, for this reason,
that no one may attribute this warning to selfish motives, because at that time, and for three. years after, I neither had a
water-cure establishment nor the'intention to undertake the
practice of'hydriatique as a vocation.
On page vii of the second edition it reads thus: —
" Many persons, as soon as they have gained confidence in the
water-cure, commence immediately to treat themselves, on their
own responsibility, presuming that no especial requirements and
experience are necessary to this method of cure. That is a
dangerous error, which has, already done much injury, as well
to such persons as to the water-cure. Even under the direction
of a distant water-physician, the consequence of the treatment
is, at the, best, doubtful, since misconceptions of many kinds
cannot but arise. If Priessnitz knew how strangely wrong
many of his correspondence-patients understood and pursued
his directions, how inclined most are, in the alarm of a crisis, to
have recourse to a mediciner, and how much less judgment people in general possess, than he attributes to them, I believe that
Priessfiitz would wish to renounce all correspondence-practice.
Where then any one, through' his- own errors, grows worse
instead of better, then he accuses the water, while he should
only lament his own want of judgment. Most mediciners hail
such unfortunate events as real blessed turns of fortune, which
they employ in ordeic, with loud voice, to warn their unfortunate




xiv
patients against the water-cure, and to-retain them in the medical.
"Such mishaps can only be obviated by a comprehensive and
universally serviceable hand-book of hydrotherapeutics. Munde
has already supplied one, serviceable in some respects and particulars, namely, serviceable for those who-have also visited a
hydropathic establishment, and then only in certain states of
4isease. But his book lacks much of being a comprehensive
and generally serviceable guide for all persons in all diseases.
Mr. Munde lacks all capability to the literary improvement of
the hydriatique; he lacks the talent to bring within the scope of
the understanding the principles of hydrotherapeutics, ofttimes
practised by Priessnitz in the never-erring instinct of an intuitive
geniality, and adapt the peculiar good of the genius to the general good of all men. It, does not belong in this plade to prove
that also all -future attempts at therapeutic hand-books must
necessarily prove abortive, even in their birth, if they are constructed upon the hitherto customary principles (which Munde
has also followed); still less can the new therapeutic principles
be unfolded, which, moreover, are nothing else than consequences
deducible from the pathoaogical fundamental truths given in this
work.'
A cursory comparison of this third edition with the second
will convince the reader that this book has undergone an entire
change, partly through erasure, partly through retouching, and
partly through addition of considerable extra matter.
When in this work I speak of physicians in general, of the
incorrigibility of their professional errors and prejudices, of -the
conceitedness and arrogance of the sect, of their indifference to
truth, of their tender sensibility for the interests of their purse, I
would not have it understood that, by this general censure, [
exclude, or dispute, in any wise, numerous honorable exceptions.
Under all classes the common souls compose the majority: under
all classes are to be found individual noble men, to whca~ truth
is dearer than private emolument. Already many tWh Di,




xv
physicians have altered materially in their practice, and these
changes will, in future, occur yet more frequently.  But the
" servumn pecus " of common receipt-blotters will persevere in
their old habits, either from error or self-interest, so long as the
same can be made a lucrative business.
J. H. R.
Stuer, December, 1845.








A.
THE POWER OF APPROPRIATION
AND
SECRETION IN GENERAL.
The power of appropriation, of assimilation of foreign substance into one's self; into bodily I, is the fundamental
principle upon which Nature has built her system.
This propensity and this power is not only in all organic bodies, the predominant, but also in the elementary
bodies.*
In the beginning the globe was a bleak rock, upon
which the air and water exercised their power of appropriation.
Appropriation can be efected only by decomposition.  In
order to appropriate, the air and water decomposed the
* The words " elementary bodies, elements," are here employed
in the old popular sense, in which they signify, " Air, Earth, Fire,
Water;" consequently not in the chemical sense, in which they
denote" chemically indecomposable substances" in contra-distinc.
tion to the compound.
1




2
earth's crust, thus originated the dissolved surface capable of producing and maintaining organic beings.
Since these beings —beasts and plants, are intended to
live in a world wherein the elements constantly exercise on
all matter their power of decomposition and appropriation:
therefore from the beginning the same power must have developed itself as primary and fundamental power in the organic beings for a defence against the elements.
Instances of the appropriating propensity of the elements
among one another are: The air decomposes the water in
vapors, in order to appropriate to itself its gases.  Water
again absorbs from the air oxygen gas. Fire devours the
oxygen gas of the air again; it frees water into its two
elements, viz. hydrogen and oxygen gas, and thus by
burning these gases it transforms water into fire. The
air absorbs many gases, which fire sets free.  The air
draws gases from the earth, the earth draws oxygen gas
from the air.  Thus the elements stand in constant strife
with each other; each endeavors to decompose the other,
and wholly appropriate its elements to itself.
Instances of the strife of assimilation between the elements
and organisms are: THe organic bodies draw in from the
air oxygen gas through the respiratory process, which
dwells also in all plants; the organic bodies (plants) draw
through the absorption of the roots or (beasts) by the consumption of- plants, into their own substance- all that,
which the earth's soil offers them capable of assimilation.
Vice versa fire decomposes and assimilates all organisms
and their products;'water and air endeavor to effect the
same on the organic' beings, which, while they are alive,
is accomplished only in part by appropriation of the evaporations, after their death, however, entirely.  The earth




3
exercises upon living -organisms this power only conditionally and partially, namely, when their residence isin
the earth,-as for instance many beasts live-there, and all
the roots of plants. On- man the earth does not generally
exercise decomposition until life has become extinct (unless on those who use the dirt baths of Dr. Graham, which
Lichtenberg classes among the materia medica, because
they sometimes perhaps do no injury).
The earth, however, exercises somewhat of this power
also upon those living human beings, who in the savage
state live in caves of the earth, or sleep on the bare ground.
To these belong especially most tribes in New Holland.
This power is the co-operating cause, which, even
when there is no taking of cold in the question, produces
a commotion in the body after sleep on the bare ground,
and when this is treated in the medical manner, degenerates into a real disease.  Therefore people usually say,
the exhalations from the earth are unwholesome; but
they are so only for the effeminate, and those weaned
from Nature.
Instances of the strife of assimilation among the organisms themselves are: Beasts devour each other and plants;
that is, they appropriate to themselves, with the help of
the stomach, so much of their substance as can be assimilated by them. Plants, on the other hand, transform many
parts of dead beasts and  plants (dung) into their own
substance.
Besides this power of assimilation and the power of reaction against foreign attempts at decomposition, it is still
requisite for each being, element, and organism, to be exposed
to the influence offoreign appropriative power.




4
That is the fundamental principle of the doctrine of
healing.
Instances of this principle: Water becomes thick and
putrid if withdrawn from the decomposing power of agitated air; the air loses its oxygenous principle and becomes mephitic if it find no water and no vegetables with
which to exercise reciprocally its decomposing and assimilating power.  Beasts and plants sicken and die when
their surface is so covered that-neither air nor water can
exercise their decomposing power upon it.
When nutriment is withdrawn from an organic -being, i. e.
the, opportunity to appropriate to itself foreign matter, then
death follows from a failure of the supply to the juices of
the body; if, on the contrary, this being is withdrawn from
the influence of foreign decomposing power, disease follows
from the coagulation and corruption of the juices from want
of the removal of refuse humors by the power of foreign
appropriation.




BI
THE POWER OF APPROPRIATION
AND SECRETION OF THE
ANIMAL ORGANISMS IN PARTICULAR.
THE condition of vitality in general has not as yet been
thoroughly investigated by any one, still less its classification in species, varieties, and individual cases.
Individual powers and processes of vitality have been
explored, and we are accustomed to call the systematically
arranged doctrine of these processes-the physiology of
plants and beasts.
Under the as yet known laws of physiology (we are
here concerned only with the animal physiology) the
law of appropriation and secretion is one of the most
general'importance, and in the relation it bears to the
healing art, decidedly the chief.- The renovation of the
substance in animal bodies is the necessary consequence
of this- law, which renovation extends itself to the innermost and most solid parts, viz. the bones, i. e. all parts
of the animal bodies receive into themselves daily foreign
matter, and incorporate it into a part of themselves (they
make it similar to themselves, hence the words assimilate,




6
assimilation); in like manner these bodies excrete some.
what of their own substance, and thus renew by degrees
their whole substance.
Learned naturalists have produced learned proofs for
the existence of the above mentioned laws, which, however, are very superfluous for the true thinker, since the
one untaught perspicuous fact that no animal organism
can survive without nutriment (i. e. sustain itself spontaneously in its separate individuality from the external
world), furnishes to the'thinker the proof of the law of
assimilation and secretion, and -consequently of the law
of the change of matter in the animal bodies.
For if none of the aliment of animals were transformed
into their own essential substance, then this whole aliment
would again pass off without being used, and would be
quite superfluous; consequently animals would be spared
the numerous sufferings arising from want of, nourishment, and from the endeavors to procure it. This is,'however, impossible,because there is no absurd law to be
found in Nature. If, however, much of the nutriment
is incorporated by the animal bodies into their essence,
then on the other hand'much of this must he again
secreted, because otherwise the body would constantly
increase in weight just as much as the weight of the food
which is assimilated.  (The secretions, however, are to
be divided into such as consist in unemployed, unserviceable aliment, and in such as consist in refuse matter of
the organism itself.)
I must, however, because I live in a more learned than
thinking age, bring forward also some learned detail
proofs of the transformation of matter in animals. Readers
who do not love learnedness, may omit the same.




7
1st. In anatomical examinations we notice plainly a
certain alteration in young and old bodies, viz. increase
of the earthy and fibrous matter, and decrease of the
glutinous and serous.  This alteration does not arise from
disease as an exception to the general rule, but normally,
and always from old age.
2d. The bones of beasts become red, when -they are fed
with madder.
3d. The roots of the milk teeth disappear.
4th. The bones in advanced age decrease in circumference and weight.
5th. Cartirage changes into bony matter, and thus cartilaginous substance disappears.
It is not so difficult to show in what manner solid matter
is, transformed into liquid in the' animal bodies, as is the
explanation' of the manner of forming solid from fluid
matters; the latter comes more conspicuously to notice,
when the bones, in the growing season of life, are increasing, which are undoubtedly formed directly and indirectly from the blood.
The transformation of the liquid into solid is thus:
on the extremities of the arteries, there where they deposit serum  on the fibres, the blood loses oxygen gas,
which transforms the liquid serum into'solid matter.
The change of the solid into liquid'takes place in the
following manner: the absorbent vessels (vasa absorbentia)
or lymphatic veins (venae lymphaticae serosae)'soften
solid substances by moisture and absorption, they conduct
absorbed liquids out of the limbs into the body, and empty
themselves through the main- trunk of the veins in the
back part of the breast into the left collar bone vein (vena
subelavia sinistra) and in the right jugular vein (vena




8
jugularis dextra); solid parts having in this manner been
made liquid, and conducted into the above-mentioned veins,
the discharge of the liquid takes place through the organ
of the skin, further by the aid of the glands from the
hollows of the eyes, of the ears, and of the nose, further
also partially throtigh the bladder and rectum.
The processes, also, whereby on the one hand the
formation, maintenance, and increase of the bones, whereby on the other. hand the removal of refuse matter from
the body ismcarried on, have already been followed out in
detail by learned physiologists, and exposed to view.
Many kinds of experiments, which have been confirmed
also.by Troja's method, have shown that the formation,
growth, and sustenance of the bones proceed from the
external periosteum, the absorption, however, from  the
internal or skin of the marrow.
The following facts relate thereto:
1. When the skin of the marrow has been destroyed,
the bone dies, whereupon a new skin to the marrow, and
a new piece of bone grows instead.
2. This latter forms itself between the new skin of the
marrow and the periosteum.
3. These two skins form together only one very thick
skin, divisible into laminae.
4. The new skin of the marrow separates by degrees
from the periosteum by the interposition of the new bone.
5. The texture of the skin of the marrow, which is at
first very thick and close, becomes gradually more tender,
fills with juices, and at last becomes precisely similar to
the former skin.
6. The inner surface of the new, skin of the marrow,
which exhibits alternately elevations and depressions, dis



9
solves and destroys the old bone, and absorbs it completely.
When the medullary skin of the end of an amputated
bone is separated with a stilet, the untouched skin of the
leg begins to swell; there arises on the outward surface
of the bone a layer of cartilage, which originates in the
skin of the leg, with which it is intimately connected, and
from which the new springs.
The exchange of matter in the organic beings, as well
as in the elements, is an evident truth, which to my knowledge has not been disputed by any-naturalist since the
discovery of that law.  This exchange in the organic
beings is only possible through liquefaction of the solid
matter, and on the other hand through consolidation of the
liquid matter. These unceasingly successive transformations can only be effected by means of oxygen and hydrogen, since the oxygen hardens the liquid, and the hydrogen softens the solid matter, as has been proved by
many concurring investigations and experiments, among
others by the discovery first made by Dr. Curssel, in
Petersburg, that flesh on the oxygen pole of the galvanic
chain became hard, and-on the hydrogen pole became soft.
Curssel has proved, on many other substances, the solvent
power of the hydrogen pole, and the desiccating hardening
power of the oxygen pole.
From the foregoing principles we make the following
deductions:
1. Water, as is known, consists of hydrogen and oxygen;
2. and moreover, that these constituent parts of water
effect the transformation and exchange of matter in the
organic beings; 3. to this we add, in conclusion, that the
undisturbed and normal exchange of matter in the body
is the fundamental condition of the life and health of or.
1*




10
ganic beings. From these three data taken together, we
draw the conclusion, that water is the chief material of
health and cure for the' orgahic, body, and consequently
that the Water-cure method is the correct method, and
deeply and eternally founded in nature.
Whoever is not yet enabled by the foregoing to discover
the small connecting members between the deductions
brought forward, will find them farther on, and also the
detail proofs of the above made inferences.




C;
WHAT IS INSTINCT?
THE law of assimilation and secretion, which with cer.
tainty governs the terrestrial creation, and with probability
the whole universe, produces manifold collisions and conflicts amnong the various beings respecting the substance to
be assimilated.'Also the existence of beasts of prey in the
animal kingdom is a consequence of this law. The philosophical consequences of this law are very important,
especially for the vindication of optimism; however, they
belong not in this book.
To reconcile the collisions and conflicts which take
place in procuring matter for assimilation with the continuance and propagation of the various races, was without doubt one of the most important problems for the
creative principle, which has. been solved with the most
eminent and admirable wisdom.
Numberless dangers on all sides and from all the kingdoms of nature threaten young inexperienced animals
(we wish to turn our attention to the animal kingdom
only). How were it pQssible to afford them a protection
agarist those dangers, since experience and knowledge
are not innate?  The assertion that the parents take care




12
of their young till they become of full age, is, from many
reasons, entirely untenable. The first reason is the falsity
of the thing asserted. Never, in a state of nature, do the
parents remain with their young till their full growth, and
the great mass of animals never get sight of their parents,
viz. fishes, insects, and amphibious animals do not, which
come from eggs, the hatching of which is committed to
the sun.
What a multitude of dangers is there for animals in
the vegetable kingdom alone from the presence of poisons!
What a still greater multitude in the animal kingdom
from the assimilating enemies, generally called, beasts of
prey! How was it pQssilble, then, in a creation, wherein
the law of assimilation rules supreme, to insure the con.
tinuation of the various races?  It was possible through
the Instinct alone, which nature has bestowed on individuals.
WHAT IS INSTINCT?
That is the question which the learned of all times have
variously answered, and these extremely learned explanations have for the most part ended in a literal sense without sense.
WHAT IS INSTINCT?
Ah, that is so simple, easy a question, that any uncorrupted plain human understanding can give but one and
the same.answer.  Instinct is the purely sensualfaculty of
all animal creatures, to distinguish by perception of the
agreeable and disagreeable, what is conducive to health and




13
life,from what is prejudicial, to seek the former and shun
the latter.
Not man alone possesses this sensual faculty in common
with the beasts, but every animal organism on every star
of the-universe must of absolute necessity be endowed with
it, if-the law of assimilation and excretion reigns there as
on the earth.
Why whimpers the new born babe after the mother's
breast?  He has a craving for it, because it is necessary
to his existence,-that is.already instinct.  Why are the
smell and taste of all poisons disgusting and painful to the
man of nature?. In order to withhold him from partaking
of things destructive to his health-through instinct. Even
in this age of refinement the guide-posts of instinct are
possessed in part by all.  There is no poison, which,
when unmixed with other things agreeable to the taste,
will not cause disgust and shuddering to every palate, and
excite vomiting. - However, when a little poison is combined-with a great deal of wholesome matter, as alcohol
in wine, with delicious fruits and sugar delicacies, then
the palate can be deceived, and thus gradually be corrupted.  The natural palate, when moistened by any in.
toxicating. liquor, becomes alarmed, as all seamen and discoverers unanimously inform  us, that every savage spits
out the first draught of anything intoxicating, or perhaps
swallows it with averseness and feelings of disgust. This
is related by the South.sea voyagers, Cook, Bougainville,
Dumont d'Urville, and all others. Of course, however,
the first warning of instinct is soon overcome by intoxi.
cating stimulants, the instinct-nerves are soon poisoned,
and the toper is made.  The idolatrous. respect of the
savages for the gods of thunder, whom they try to imitate




14
in everything, is to blame, that they all after a longer as.
sociation with Europeans overcome that warning and learn
to drink. Farther, man and every beast, that is liable to
be poisoned by the bite of snakes, feel, through instinct,
without the help of experience or any warning, a shuddering, fear, and deadly enmity at the sight of all serpents,
and either flee from them, or take the precaution to kill
them. On the contrary, the hog, which is in no wise injured by their bite, exhibits no symptoms of fear, but
searches for snakes as for caterpillars or acorns, and devours them; the same is the case with the stork and
crane.  The proud king lion flees from the scorpion: in
his cage it makes him tremble and cringe with fear into
the farthest corner; the colossal elephant exhibits the
same symptoms towards that minute insect, which creeps
into its trunk, and thence into its- brain, and thus causes
its death.
All the warnings of instinct are entirely innate and need
not the cultivation of experience, which constitutes wisdom.
Instinct confines itself to the absolute questions of life, and
is absolutely infallible. Wisdom presumes to see and explore farther, and is very deceptive.
As the instinct is absolutely infallible, just so absolutely
necessary is it to the continuation of our race; every animal tribe, that corrupts the instinct, and destroys it in itself must come to ruin, and it requires not much acuteness
to perceive, that the human race is travelling or decaying
on towards death; salvation is alone possible, if it regains
instinct and nature, which is still possible.
At all events the human species has many thousand
years to run on before its total extinction, although every
species of beast would have become extinct; for through




15
the whole chain of animal organisms this law prevails,
that the more perfect a species is in regard to -its- physical
constitution, it has in the same degree a limited instinct
and extended capacity for wisdom, and of the mental and
arbitrary functions; thus in the latter capacity it finds a
sort of surrogate, but one very deceptive for a' deadened
instinct. In the most intimate harmony and connexion
with that first law stands the second, that the senses are
less reliable for the instinct in the same order in which
they are nobler, more spiritual and perceptive, thus in tihe
following order: feeling and taste about equal, then smell,
hearing, and sight. Of this we mention an explanatory
instance. The young hare can sometimes be ensnared
by the fox, when the latter dances about him, imitating
the pranks of a young hare, so long as the hare is aided
by no other sense than that of sight; but as soon as he
hears the voice of the beast of prey, or gets scent thereof,
he is undeceived, and makes his escape, if it be not al.
ready too late. On that account the fox always endeavors to remain under cover of the wind —that is already
wisdom, of which the higher orders of beasts are decidedly
capable, and oftentimes to an astonishing degree; however,
more on this point belongs not here.
With these and similar fundamental features in the nature of the animal organisms the learned naturalists have
but little troubled themselves; with most of these gentlemen Nature is nothing else than a naturalist's cabinet
with beetles and herbaria:, and they are content with classifying salamanders, toads, lice, and caterpillars; alas let
those vermin rest in peace until you have explored human
nature'!
From the foregoing explanation concerning the nature




16
of instinct, and.from the law of assimilation and secretion
taken together, it follows, that the means to the continua,
tion of life and health are revealed to animals by their
physical impulses.
In like manner, when sickness occurs, the means of
cure must'be indicated by the same instinct.  This second
position follows as a consequence of the first;-, it is however
likewise a postulate of reason, that the capability of choosing correctly by infallible means those things necessary to
their well-being should be -bestowed upon animals of a
reasonable creation. This capability must in like dispo.
sition be distributed through all grades of the animal creation, and must therefore consist in a revelation of the
sensual feeling, and not in a function of the mental energy,
or in a result of experience, still less of true science, but
least of all in the results of a half silly science like the
medical.
It follows'from the foregoing, that animals falling sick
have a sensual desire for the means of cure proper for
them, and realize a sensual pleasure in the use of the
same.  In all primary diseases (concerning this see
farther. on) this is really the case, inasmuch as every
man (beasts still more) has a strong desire for the cooling
stimulus and refreshment of water; and in the use of the
same experiences a sensual gratification and comfort.
(Farther on I will show, how the instinct of man becomes
partially corrupted by poisoning, and how in the secondary
diseases it is never quite infallible, and is sometimes
directly false.)
It follows finally from those arrangements of nature, of
which we are speaking, that such pretended means of cure,
against which the instinct of the patient- and of every




17
healthy man feels averseness and disgust, must be wrong
and injurious. Herein then is contained the second proof
of the falsity and perniciousness of the medicinal method
of cure, because the instinct is infallible.
The sum of all practical wisdom is the rule, obediently
to acquiesce in the arrangements and follow the voice of
nature-for it is the voice of God; the sum of all theoreti.
cal wisdom is the knowledge of the reasons, why all the
contrivances of nature must so be, as they are. The sum
of all folly, and the fountain of all corruption, is the rebellion against the regulations of nature, and the endeavor to find fault- with and tutor them,
In this unfortunate direction of folly, there has been no
human or scientific error in so high a degree fatal and silly
as the'medicinal method of cure.




D.
SIGNIFICATION OF. THE TERMS
"HEALTH AND DISEASE."
BEFORE I commence defining the terms health and disease,
I must observe, that there are in reality no species or
-varieties definitely marked off from one another'; that the
individuals of every species and variety have dissimilarities among themselves; that the transitions, from one species to the other are so imperceptible, that with certain
individuals and concrete cases it cannot be determined
with certainty to which species they belong., This is
particularly the case with the different diseases, and even
the line of demarcation between health and disease is in
cases of reality frequently very wavering. In a word,
the denominations of species, &c., are not borrowed from
reality, and thence delivered over to human ingenuity,
but vice versa, have originated in the human mind, and
from there been transferred to the reality, because the
former cannot operate without them. Whoever wishes
to read more upon this subject, I refer to the introduction
to my "Guide to the Practice of the Water Cure Syste'm," soon to appear, where I was obliged to enter into
the depth of this thema.




19
The disposition of vitality in the organic: beings
in regard to duration of time may be called double;
namely, the vital energy may be of such a kind that it
wears itself out gradually by the labor of appropriation
and excretion, by the strife with theq appropriative power
of the external world, and finally perishes. Organic
beings, that are endowed with such vitality, can effectuate
the continuance of their species only through propagation
and births.  Of this kind are the organic beings of our
planet.
We may suppose that, upon other bodies of the universe
and, viz. upon the self-existent stars, which we call fixed
stars, there may exist beings materially organic of a
higher nature, whose vital energy does not wear out, and
consequently does not perish.  With such beings propagation may be dispensed with, because the race continues
on without it, and it must be dispensed with, because the
propensity thereto is incompatible with an exalted nature,
and because probably no constantly~ even and eternally
enduring vitality of individuals is compatible with the
capability and exercise of the propagation of the race.
Among the physiological and psychological laws known
to us, there is none that sets a contradiction between the
notions of immortality and materiality of any being.
In accordance with these two essentially different kinds
of vitality, the notions of absolute health are just as
essentially different. The idea of the absolute health of
a being not having necessarily self-consuming vitality,
coincides with the everlasting life of that being. The
idea of the absolute health of a being possessing necessa-'ily self-extinguishing vitality, is quite a different one.
In the latter case, not only the death, but also the earlier




20
or later occurrence thereof, give no certain principle
whereby to determine the idea of absolute health. This
conception is. chiefly determined by two indications, viz.
first, in freedom from pain during the whole course of
life; and second, in the harmony of the functions, and the
proportionate diminution of the functions in entering upon
that age which lies between the noonday of life and
death.   Finally, the following condition (which has
already been indirectly inferred in the two first-mentioned
indications) is included in the conception of the absolute
health of a being with vitality necessarily self-consurning,
viz. that death in good old age must occur without pain.
Such a death deserves the name of a normal and healthy
death, while on the contrary, every death connected with
a struggle is a death by disease. It is undeniable, that
such absolute health occurs but in'very few instances
with the animal creations of our planet, even when in a
state of nature, if we include in the term sickness all
the numberless and petty injuries inflicted through external violence.  When this- is not the case, -then absolute
health occurs much oftener, although by no means always,
because, upon our planet1 animals even in a state of health
are subject to epidemic diseases, which probably have
their originating cause in periodical corruption of the
elements; of this see farther on.




Et
DIVISION  OF THE
CAUSES OF DISEASE INTO CLASSES.
IF we take the term  disease in the broadest signification
of the word, then the causes of disease resolve themselves
into four several classes:
Namrely, first, In injuries inflicted by external objects.
Second, In destroying the balance of the functions
through over-exercise of individual organs; for example,
of the organ of sight, of thought, of procreation.
Third, In destroying- the same balance through injuries
and fearful affections of the mind.
Fourth, In the burdening of the animal organism with
foreign matters internally (matters of disease).  The foreign matters of disease fall into two several principal
classes, viz. first, into actual matter, which is foreign to
the organism, but is not in a normal manner promptly
excreted, from want of some of the conditions of excretion, of which farther on much will be said. Second,
Into such matters of the external world as are introduced
into the body through the organs of the skin or stomach,




22
and which from beginning to end are incapable of being
assimilated (poisons).
The causes of diseases given under 2 and 3 are ex.
tremely seldom present by themselves, they.are almost
always more or less combined with the matters of disease
given under division 4. In the very seldom cases in
which they may be present alone, to cure them  it is
necessary only to remove the causes of the disease.  We
do not occupy ourselves at all in this work with the
second and third causes of disease as existing of'themselves alone, and on this account, because in reality they
extremely seldom appear, and secondly, because for them
there is no positive, but only a negative method of cure,
and thirdly, because all signs of reaction fail them. (See
farther on.)
A fifth class of causes of bodily suffering, which arise
from insufficient nourishment and over-driven exertion of
the whole body, is accordingly excluded from this work,
because these noxious influences bring suffering only
upon the organic body, but -no disease, if they, to wit, are
by themselves alone and not connected with any grand
cause of disease in. the body.
The class of disease given under division 4, will first
be treated of in this work as by far the most important,
and the first class of disease will then follow as append.
ant.




C LASSIFICATION
OF DISEASES THEMSELVES;
DIFFERENT  MODES OF CLASSIFICATION.
IN the Introduction to the. " Guide to the Practice of the
Water-Cure Art," I have in detailed manner shown, that
in reality there are no classes among diseases, bhut only
cases or individual instances of disease, no two of which
are precisely alike, many of which, however, are similar,
and according to this similarity constitute groups natural,
but not strictly separate from one another. These groups,
which are natural and run into each other, have by the
human mind been arranged into.classes, or in species and
varieties, because it cannot work without specific ideas.
have in the above-mentioned introduction shown, that no
doctrine of disease is possible without classification of the
diseases in species and varieties according to their several
natures, and that on the other hand no doctrine of cure
with such a classification according to the natur6 of the
diseases can -have a practical usefulness.
The arrangement of diseases in species and varieties




24
may be based on very various and different signatures of
classification (a signature of classification is a mark which
gives the rule wherewith to direct the arrangement into
classes or into species and varieties). The duration of
the diseases, for instance, may be set up as the rule to
direct the arrangement, the nature of the matter of disease, or the physiological system  of. the body, in which
the disease has its seat (the glandular system, the muscular system, or osseous system), or the anatomical part of
the body which is affected (whether head, breast, or abdomen), may be taken to direct the rule of classification, &c.
If the division of diseases into classes and sorts actually
existed, then it would be possible to discover some one
signature of classification, in conformity with which the
construction of.the whole doctrine of disease could be
strictly and definitely carried out.  The fact, that pathologists have not succeeded in the arrangement of diseases
in strict truth and consecution according to one single
signature of classification, consequently explains itself
very naturally from this circumstance, that the division
of the divers sorts of diseases into classes does not at" all
exist in the reality. The labors of many pathologists in
endeavoring to arrange and fabricate the system of patho.
logy in conformity with one signature of classification
testify to the want of sense of these learned persons,
and to their misapprehension of the truth, that in the
reality there are no classes of diseases.  Such systems
bear in themselves the double stamp of being both untrue
and forced.- Whoever has perceived that the classification of diseases is an untruth in the reality, but for the
operations and researches of the human mind an indis.
pensable crutch, such an one gives himself not a moment's




25
trouble -to bring the whole territory of pathology under
one single signature of classification, and he is guided in
the choice of his different signatures, not by the endeavor
to attain to philosophical strictness, but simply in consideration of making himself intelligible to readers.
In this work we divide diseases into four principal
classes, namely:
1. In healing diseases.
2. In destroying diseases.
3. -In infectious and epidemic diseases.
4. In external or surgical diseases.
The healing diseases coincide for the most part, but not
altogether, with those diseases which physicians call
", acute;" and the destroying diseases with those which
are usually comprehended under the name " chronic diseases."?
Observation: Acute diseases are, according to the definition of the physicians, "such as do not last over four
weeks, generally accompanied by fever, and confine to
the bed.  Chronic diseases, on the other hand, are such
as generally do not confine to the bed, whose duration is
over four weeks, and are commonly unattended with
fever."
The unserviceableness of this mode of classification,
taken from  the mere surface, comes plainly into view
when we consider that one minute's difference in the duration of, the disease can make no essential point of distinction.  Generally speaking, the duration of diseases is
a mode of classifying which characterizes the nature of
diseases little or not at all, and consequently does not enter
into the depth of pathology. When, in the former editions
of my hydriatic writings, I received as normal the division
2




26
of diseases into acute and chronic, it was only because I
made use of these two words in a quite new signification.
Namely, in the divisions made first by myselfof diseases
into healing and destroying diseases;, I used the word
"acute" for the first class, and the word "chronic" for
the second.  Such an altered manner of:employing, old
medical terms, however, occasions rmisunderstandings,. and
on this account I have exchanged these old names for
such new ones as are more suited to my new system of
pathology, and subject to no. misunderstanding.  If in this
third: edition, also, the words "acute " and "chronic'"
should still remain in some places, I pray you attribute it
to the press for time under which I must undertake the
revision of this edition.  Instead thereof the words "'primary" and -' secondary" disease-will be found —" primary"
answering to the healing diseases, "secondary'" to the
class of destroying diseases. The. reasons which determined me in the use of these terms will he found
farther on.




THE SYMPTOMS OF DISEASES,
AND
CLASSIFICATION  OF  THE  SAME.
IN the_ following section H. the materiality of the causes
of disease will be treated of; and proved. Here the position that the causes, if not of all, yet of nearly all, diseases
are foreign matters in the diseased organism, must be anticipated and.premised previous to its proof. Accordingly,
then, disease itself consists in the burdening of the organism internally with foreign matters, particularly- with acrid,
corrosive, putrid, universally with matters more or less
poisonous.
Those expressions of disease manifesting themselves
externally to the perception, we call signs or symptoms
of the disease, well aware that we employ these words in
a signification widely diiTering from the medical terminology, which, indeed, cannot be. otherwise, since here we
have to do with a doctrine of disease entirely new. Disease comes to the perception of the patient himself through
his general feeling always. and through the senses of sight,
of s.mell,: of healing, and of touch sometimes,-to the




28
observing physician, through one or more of the last named
senses.
The symptoms of disease resolve themselves, according
to their inmost nature, into symptoms of the organic struggle
against the matter of disease in the body, and the destructive effects of this matter upon'the organic body.. The
first symptoms we wiill call symptoms'of reaction, because
they arise from  the reaction of the system  against the
matters of disease, i. e. disease-causing matters.  Accordingly the symptoms.of reaction arise from the endeavor of the organism to heal itself, to rid itself of its disturbing matter, and might therefore be called.healing
symptoms, if we did not need this word for a subdivision
of the symptoms of reaction, namely, for those symptoms
of readtion to which belong the signs of the success of the
reaction, i. e. of the victory of the organism over its diseasecausing matters.  The symptoms of reaction include also
those symptoms which are as yet only endeavors of, the organism to rid itself of the disease, even if those endeavors
fail.
In all internal diseases not produced by external injuries,
every severe pain, and -every severe (acute) inflammation
is decidedly a symptom of reaction.
The second -class of symptoms of disease consists in the
destructive effects of thQ matters -of disease upon the
organism, and these symptomswe will call destroying
symptoms or' passive symptoms of disease."  The term,
"active symptoms of disease" would be perfectly-expressive for the symptoms of. reaction.
The passive or the destroying symptoms consist in organic destructions through ulceration, fistula and cancersores, in organic transformations, ossification, enlargements,




29
contractions, accumulations of diseased fluid humors
(dropsy); farther, in cramps of the most various kinds,
&c., &c.
The symptoms of reaction in their perfection, totality,
and greatest strength, are only to be found in the primary
or healing diseases.  They aim  at the radical cure, the
complete expulsion of all- disturbing matters of disease.
There are, however, in the chronic diseases also imperfect
symptfims of reaction, i. e. signs of the contra-working of
the organism against the extension of the matters of disease, a struggle not for radical cure of the disease, but for
preservation of the status quo, for suppression of the disease as long as possible. We need, therefore, a distinction
between the symptoms of reaction in primary (acute) and
secondary (chronic) diseases, and we will call the first
absolute or total signs of reaction, the second, relative or
partial signs of reaction.
Since now, in the foregoing, we have erected the'framework of our mode of classification and terminology, we
can, in what follows, enter upon the matter itself, because
we now understand each other. I am well aware how
tedious the foregoing must have been to the reader, but it
could not be otherwise; classification and terminology are
always necessary, and both must be created anew, if one
wishes to bring into the World a group. of new truths.




H.
PROOFS FOR THE MATERIALITY OF THE
C A U, S ES  OF  D I SEA S E
OR FOR THE
EXISTENCE OF-MATTERS OF DISEASE.
My whole doctrine of disease rests upon two fundamental
positions, namely:
1. Upon the position that foreign material substances
are the causes of perfect diseases (of this see directly
below), and 2, upon the position that all diseases resolve
themselves into the essentially different classes of healing
and destroying diseases.
In the special pathology, farther on, will be found the
detail proof of these two positions in relation to each individual sort of disease. Here we must first bring forward the proofs for both of these positions in general,
which philosophy, physiology, and daily experience, i.- e.
the perception of the senses, furnish, so that hereafter in
the special pathology, in the detailed statement of the
sickening and healing processes, the basis of the whole
conclusion of this work may be ready at hand, without




31
which basis, the reader might think the later conclusions
float in the-air, and are petitiones principii.
In this section, H., we shall take up only the first of
my two fundamental positions, and consider the second
afterwards in course.
When I say that material foreign substances are the
causes of all perfect diseases, I understand by perfect
diseases those that are accompanied with symptoms of
reaction, or have been preceded by such symptoms.  To
the symptoms of reaction belong particularly all kinds of
pain and all kinds of inflammnmtion. We perceive from
this definition the extreme rarity of imperfect diseases not
combined with matters - of disease. It is an extremely
rare circumstance that a person gets diseased without ever
in his life having had a pain or inflammation, and that his
disease likewise arises and runs its course without both
of these symptoms. We might name the imperfect or reactionless diseases, also dynamic, and the perfect ones,
chemical (as regards their causes), however, in the argument concerning the existence of disease-causing matter
I could not choose these names if I wished to be free from
all objections.
In: a -later edition of this work I will devote an appropriate part to the imperfect diseases; now time fails me
for that purpose, which also compels me to leave unconsidered those abnormities which originate in the-natural
false structure of the body and its organs, and which are
likewise destitute of symptoms of reaction, and moreover
do not admit of cure.
Accordingly, when iln this edition we speak of diseases,
only those attended with signs of reaction, or the perfect
diseases, are intended.




32
Two proofs of the most different kind can be adduced
in confirmation of the existence of the materiality of all
perfect diseases, namely, a philosophical- proof upon the
principles of Deism and optimism, anc a proof from facts
drawn from the perception of the senses.




A.
THE PIHILOSOPHICAL PROOF.
IF the causes of diseases are material, man can avoid
them, because these disease-producing matters can only
get into his body in a manner which comes to the knowledge of his' e'nses, and which excites aversion, disgust,
and even horror in -every healthy and uncorrupted person,
since instinct revolts against it.
This feeling speaks plainly against all sharp and poison.
ous substances, when they are introduced into the body
either through the swallow or through the skin.
if then the -causes of disease are material, and -are
substances more'or'less poisonous within the body, man
has in his own self a warner and safeguard against disease-and it must be so'if we do not admit that man in
his very creation'is a marred and imperfect being, which
would condition therefore an imperfect total creation.
Only a fool can believe this; the wise man finds the older
he:grows, the deeper he penetrates into the spirit of the
creation, the more justifications of the apparent improprieties in the creation, and ~he more grounds for the acceptation of a most exalted wisdom.  The evils which
come upon the human race, are not the consequences of!2*




34
perverted creation, but of perverted application of our
own powers and our own freedom.  Thus it must be;
every being must bear in its own self the capability of
being happy.
In the acceptation- of the so-called dynamic theories,
which, since Haller, have been the ruling in medicine, the
capability-of man to protect himself against sickness is
denied, and therefore these.theories, considered in a philosophical point of view, are necessarily- untruths.  According to these theories the germs:and processes of disease
find their way into the body in a manner not perceptible
to the. senses, or develope themselves therein in armanner
that man -has. in none of his capabilities a warner or means
of defence against them.
Moreover, these, as all dynamic theories, have the mis.
fortune to, be more or less phantasms of which one can get
no clear idea, and which are set. forth in learned words,
since the theorists can neither giye an intelligent account
of the matter to themselves nor to others. Dynamis signifies strength, and we understand by'" dynamic " something relating to the higher powers, and, very particularly,
to the mainspring of all powers, the principle of Zife, of
which nothing is understood.  Hence it has come to pass
that the word dynamic is very frequently synonymous with
the idea of want of knowledge iii man.  More honest.is
it, without doubt, to confess there is a gap in science; however, it sounds more learned, and imposes on the stupida
when the space is eked out with dynamnic flourishes, yet
this itself shows like stupidity.to those. of higher intelligence.  If we connect with the word dynamic the idea
of that which regards the first spring of life, and the inner
nature of our power, then for us human beings this is




35
synonymous with the unexplored and unknown: in mathe.
matics alone the word dynamic has a clear and determinate sense, when used to mark the fully investigated
powers and motions of the heavenly bodies.
The physiology of man in all that relates to the inner
nature, to the origin and highest energies of vitality, presents only an empty page; also on the relation of the
nerves to the vital energy, and on the nature and state of
the nerves, an empty page only is, to be found. The physiology of man has penetrated most deeply into the laws
of assimilation and secretion, and has in this province
brought tonlight not only demonstrable' principles, but has
also effected a consolidation of. the principles into an.-organie combination, into a systems
The pathology of the mediciners is founded upon- the
empty page of physiology, and wavers, without foundation,
inl the air. To it belongs as' little as does to the medical
therapy the claim  to the name of science, and therefore
the term of rationality in- behalf of the medical science
can, only be vindicated "by.such physicians as have no idea
of the nature of a true science.
My doctrine of- disease is founded upon demonstrated
and undoubted laws of physiology, and rests therefore on
a solid -foundation.




B.
PRACTICAL PROOF.
A rRACTICAL proof of the presence of morbific matters of
disease has been afforded many thousand times in the results of the water-cure, inasmuch as, through the various
kinds of crises in this cure, morbific matters are secreted
in such a manner as. to be plainly perceptible as such by
the several' senses.  In by far the most cases, where the
water cuare is rightly managed and -successfully employed,
there arise critical eruptions and boils.'. That these exanthems discharge morbific matters which cause the disease, and that they consequently (with the help of woater)
show themselves in those persons only who have acrid and
foreign matter'in their bodies, is not necessary first to
prove to any unprejudiced man:; and no physician-even
has called this in question-until the discovery of the
water-cure by Priessnitz.  I am  fully convinced.that
even at this day this is not really doubted by a single
physician, but very many se'ek to persuade the public to
this doubt, since the water-cure has begun to threaten the
existence of the physicians. I remember very well, that
seven or eight years ago many physicians contended, that
if boils and eruptions appeared in a water-treatment, it




37
were a purely accidental coincidence with the water-cure;
this treatment could not be the cause of such appearances.
As hydropathy afterwards became more widely extended,
and as -thousands of facts proved, that the application of
water after, the method of Vincent Priessnitz brought out
boils and eruptions in the majority of secondary diseases,
and' also in many pr'imary cases of disease, then indeed
such a denial was no longer possible; and since then the
great body.of physicians have contrived another cunning
in order- to dispute with success' the truth of the watercure system; now they assert, it is a necessary effect of
water upon the human skin, that when abundantly used,
it always produces boils, even with any one perfectly
healthy..I doubt indeed that any physician in the world
can be so simple as really to believe this-such a belief in
a-disciple of the natural sciences would at least allow the
presumption of a moderate degree of stupidity; but several
of these gentlemen have the effrontery to endeavor to teach
such like- doctrines to the public, in order to keep them
far as possible from the water-cure.  I am almost in: doubt
whether to honor such an assertion with a refutationhowever,'for the sake of the weak it may be necessary.
I refer then, to the experience of thousand fold cases, that
in almost: every individual- case the water-cure brought
out boils and eruptions,-a notorious fact, which of itself
alone gives the lie.to that assertion.  With persons in the
water-cure, that are too weak to.produce a crisis and are
therefore incurable, no boils or eruptions make their appearance; thousands have learned this to their deep distress.  Also with persons having-very weak or shattered
nerves, no crises appear, when from the ignorance-of their
water physicians they are treated with too cold water




38
(alas this occurs too often enough! I could mention the
names of several water practitioners), and they accordingly are not cured but often injured.  In the third place, no
boils make their appearance in the water-cure with such
persons as have no morbific matters in themselves.  This
is indeed a very rare occurrence, but hasj however, in individual cases- been amply proved.  I mention among
others the Norwegian,Captain Ramm, who, a Hercules in
strength and health, came to'Graefenberg to be cured of
incipient blindness, which arose solely from over-exertion
of the eyes, and not from  medicinal poisoning.  (Mr.
Ramm was an engineer captain, had for many years been
engaged in making the most delicate delineations through
strongly magnifying lenses.)  During'a six months' cure,
with the strongest application of. water in douches, &c.,
this Hercules had not a mark of eruption or boil-indeed
he was pot yet cured, as in all probability he would never
be perfectly.  Hundreds of the Graefenberg- cuie-guests
have also witnessed this same.  A fourth class of patients
in the water-cure get no-boils or eruptions for this reason,
because they are cured by means of strong offensivelysmelling transudations; these'cases are by no means seldom, and have ofteni occurred in my practice.
The physicians, who are guilty of the above mentioned
assertion, are accustomed to cite the case of wVasherwomen,
since they get cracked hands in washing. To this we
answer, that in the'first place the washerwomen in winter
have Lheir hands alternately in hot and ice-cold' water,
which, by the long duration of the washing, is at least a
mistreatment of the skin; thatin the second place, corrosive
stuffs'such as soap and ley are here co-operating to the
same end; and that in the third place, the washerwomen




39
do -not get boils nor eruptions from such injurious-use of
water, but cracked hands, the highest degree of brittleness
and weakness even to bleeding,- and the origination of holes
in the flesh.   This cited instance of the washerwoman,
therefore, is as silly as untrue, and can at the farthest be
excused only in'a washerwoman.
Considered, moreover, abstractly from all experience and
knowledge: on -the subject, it is sufficiently evident from
the physiology of man, that boils and eruptions cannot be
produced in perfectly healthy persons through the action
of water, singe' water is a matter the most:conceivably
mild, and since boils produce a feeling always painful,
and more or less acrimonious- and corrosive, which can
only be caused by acrid corrosive -matters, or by biting
animalculae which fornm  the boil.. We will- comprise'these boils and eruptions under the name of Exan-thems,
and then say that acrid and poisonous substances are the
causes of.al.l exanthems that are not contagious; on the
other hand that living, but to the naked eyb invisible, animalculae are the causes of contagious exanthems —concerning which we will treat in detail farther on.
The exanthems brought out by the water-cure vary according to the acridness of their secretions; ofttimes they
are so acrid, as to eat through -the linen-bandages in a few
weeks; always so ac.rid, that they Cause itching, burning,
and:pricking. The substance of the human body may in
some diseases become putrid, but never can it exert a
corroding power upon the same organism from which it
springs,.
The causes of the not-contagious, critical exanthems
must therefore be foreign corrodingI substances, which already previous to the water-cure have lain in. the diseased




40
body, and which, through the solvent, especially the mucus
dissolving power of water, are brought- from the interior
parts-to the skin and excreted by the same. Concerning
those, to the first glance apparently inexplicable, processes,
by which foreign and poisonous matters can lie for years
in the body without destroying it, we will in the course of
this work give the detailed physiological proofs.
So much concerning the critical exanthems as instances
of the materiality of the causes of disease.  These exanthems, as above said, do not -make their appearance with
every patient in the water-cure, -not even with every one
that is radically cured by it, but this cure-is often effected
by other critical evacuations, in all of which, however, the
existence -of the materiality of the causes of disease1 comes
to the plain perception of the senses. Those other critical
evacuations consist in offensive smelling and viscous perspirations, in discharges of urine with unnatural smell and
strong sediment, in diarrheas, which cause a sensation of
burning in the rectum, in vomiting up of matters which
have a sharp medicinal poisonous taste, in acrid flow of
saliva, &c.
All these crises are proofs of the existence of matters in
the body, which are causing the disease.
Here the proof in relation to the offensive -smelling perspirations.  Firstly, there are but two substances  in all
nature which cause an offensive odor, namely: poisons,
and everything putrifying.  Secondly, the evaporations
and perspirations from  the skin of healthy and cleanly
persons are free from smell, at least by no means bad
smelling, because a- heaithy person exudes no poison, and
because the refuse matter will be discharged from the
skin of a healthy person- before it has passed into putridi



41
ty.  Thfrdly, it follows, that when the perspirations and
transpirations are offensive, they are abnormal,-and contain either poisonous or putrifying substance, and consequently carry matter of disease out of the body, that is,
substance which was foreign to the organism.
Some readers perhaps make exception to the second
position; that all perspiration even with a healthy person is
offensive smelling.  That, however, is not the case until it
is allowed to dry up. and putrify, instead of- being washed
off in bathing; in other words: it does not have an offensive odor in the exudation, but it gets it afterwards by its
change to putridity.  It is to be remembered, moreover,
that I speak only of healthy and cleanly persons, and that
no one can be called cleanly who does not daily wash his
whole body, and tiat healthy persons are not to be found
in the old r6gime or mode of living and eating.  Whoever
at a reasonable age has'taken'the water-cure until entirely
cured, and afterwards adheres to the water diet, his perspiration has no trace of a disagreeable odor.
Also the viscidity of the perspiration is a proof. of its
containing morbid matter.  This is caused by the mucous
secretion, so that by this help the morbific matters may be
enveloped and transported.
An- argument similar to that given concerning the offensivtre, perspirations may also be applied in respect to the
flow of offensive-smelling and corrosive'saliva, as also in
respect to urine containing an abnormal and large sediment.
Every one acquainted with the water-cure knows that
there is not a solitary instance of the cure -of any chronic
or acute disease without one or more, of those, critical
evacuations mentioned in this book, and consequently not




42
without a proof, perceptible to the senses, of the existence
of material morbific matters, which  cause,diseases.
Generally, however, there are several critical phenomena, and very often- with chronic patients, they' all,
without exception, appear in the course of the cure one
after the other.
Very often the various evacuations in the water-cure
have decidedly -the taste and smell of medicaments, which
the patients have long since taken more than ten- or
twenty years ago.  In vomiting crises this has- often occurred in regard to the taste; in regard to the smell,
these facts are realized most frequently during the critical
perspirations, sometimes also from exanthems, from critical flows of urine, saliva, and'-alvine'evacuations. It jis
here to be observed, that when the patients have. noticed
these. odoorsarising from  themlselves, they have also been
noticed by all others about them, so that' there can be -no
matter of imagination in the question.  Particularly'the
servants and attendants in water-cure establishments perceive this through their own observation, and make mention of it with astonishment.
This has occurred very frequently in' my establishment,
and in general, these observations have.so often been
made,:that every one can convince himself of the truth
of- the same, if he questions concerning them of persons
who have taken.the'water-cure under the care and direction of a competent water-doctor.  (Under incompetent,
this can-not, or at most but seldom, be the case, because
no crisis appears where the: water-treatment is badly
managed.)  If desired I can point out a great number of
such persons, and moreover, persons of the most unques.
tionable credibility,




43
Very often persons who have gone through a mercurial
treatment years before, have again, in the water-cure, been
salivated anew, which saliva tasted and smelled so decidedly of mercury, that not only the' patients themselves
have distinctly observed it; but also others coming in contact with them, have noticed distinctly the most. marked
mercurial smell.  This fact proves to an infallibility,
that the mercury had lain for long -years as foreign matter
in -the body, and that it was finally in the water-cure
driven out through salivation, i. e. partly, through perspirations and exanthems, partly through the -flow of
saliva, for it is well known that we' are made sensible of
every scent by the olfactory nerves coming in contact
with- the minute- but material particles of the substance
smelled.
It'has, farthermore occurred, that by evaporating the
discharges from critical boils in the water-cure, mercury
and other metallic poisons have'been in their chemical
nature brought to light and made visible. In the various
hydriatic-' writings are found recorded numbers of such
like facts.
Thus much then for the, proof philosophic and substantiated by experience'of the existence of material- diseasecausing matters within the body.'In the course of this
work I will show from a number of physiological grounds,
that' these- morbific matters not only can. exist, but also
must originate'and exist under the false diet and -false
mode'of cure of the old regime.
If it be conceded that morbific matters exist,.. and that
the water-cure, by means of various kinds of crises re.
moves them'from  the body, then the truth of the.watercure system and the falsity of'the medical method of cure




44
is thereby made manifest and proved.  Accordingly, the
mediciners dispute those facts with determination, and most
commonly with all kinds of ridicule and irony.  To this
I here reply, from the position of the physicians thenselves, firstly, that- before Haller the medical theories
rested upon: the basis of morbific disease-causing matters,
and-that: the most celebrated professors of medicine of
that time taught this doctrine; and secondly, that for a
long time after Haller, and even in the most recent times,
they have admitted not only the so-called mercurial and
other medicinal diseases, but also, that medicinal substances
remain in the body of the patient.  I refer you, among
others, to Dr. Kohn and Dr. Kranichstaedten, in their
writings on hydropathy, and to Dr. Herr, Professor in the
University at Freiburg.  The latter says in his "Theory
of the Operations and Effects of Medicine," page 8:"Certain medicines, after having been, in- any mannei
applied, are found deposited in the solid parts of the body.
Thus in such persons as have taken mercurial preparations, we find mercury in the brain, muscles, bones, &c.
Lead is found in the liver, in the muscles, and spinal
marrow.  Copper deposits itself likewise in the liver.
The. incorporation of madder into osseous substance, is
well known, and likewise that the nitrate of silver discolors the skin, and that various bitter remedies commu.
nicate their taste to the flesh."  (Page 39 instances of
these positions are given.)  "It needs surely no farther
demonstration, that, if medicines deposit themselves in
the solid parts, they can only attain to it through the
agency of the circulation of the blood."
Sufficiently, well-known and established facts in vast
number could here be cited as proofs of the deposition of




45
medicaments and poisons in the body; among others, that
workers in mercury are so interspersed with this poison,
that a gold- piece laid upon their -tongue becomes, white;
that in the skeletons of old syphilitic corpses after putrefaction mercury has been found, &c.  The physicians
have- treasured up all these facts for us in their writings.
Accordingly,, it appears certain that those physicians,
who in their' conversations with the lay of the profession,
deny the deposition''of medicaments and poisons in the
solid parts of the body, in order to dispute the critical
evacuations of such stuffs in the water-cure, make themselves not so much guilty of the sin of ignorance, as much
rather of the sin.of falsehood.
Since, now, we have proved the existence of foreign matters in the diseased body, it is still necessary toobserve,
that in the course of this work it will be shown, that the
foreign matters- in the body are not the'effects, but the
causes, of diseases.




I.
PROOFS FOR THE TRUTH OF
CLASSIFYING DISEASES INTO
HEALING AND DESTROYING DISEASES.
THE existence, of destroying diseases (chronic diseases)
needs not to be proved. Accordingly in this section we
have only to do with the healing diseases (primary-acute
diseases).
In the first place we borrow again a proof for the curative character of the primary diseases from the principle
of optimism in philosophy.
We have above shown, that the causes of diseases already for this reason must be material, because that man
with the help of his instinct can avoid material causes of
disease, dynamic causes, however, not at all. When, however, despite the warnings of instinct, man takes into his
body, through perverted diet and method-of cure, matters
of disease, then the human organism shows-itself more
perfect in its construction, if it at least has"the relative
capability of making the attempt to remove such like
matters through abnormal, energy and activity-(through
normal only it is not possible, of that see -farther on),




47
since without this endeavor and without this capability it
would -be immediately, destroyed by such like matters,
either speedily by the poisonings of. the Villain, or slowly
by medicinal.  Consequently;'the existence of healing
diseases may be denominated a postulate of reason, since
they do not contradict the laws of physiology, but agree with
them (particularly with the function of secretion).  Still l
lay tO great stiress upon this proof, for this:reason, thati:the
construction of man in regard to- diseasesrhas already the
impress of a — perfectly healthy one;' since the Creator
planted. in him  an instinct' against such -things as would
cause disease, and-for such as cure and radically heal.
If the-medical niethod'of cure were the true method,
then we have implanted in. man by -th'e Creator, an aver..
sion to" that which'. is necessary to his cure, namely,'to
medicine; then the creation of man is a creation entirely
contrary to sense,. and I, for mry part, should suppose, -that
not the omnipotent God, but some very learned medicinal
professo'r, or at least a Dr. Med., promotus, had prepared
the humanrace.
I-n the second place we will notice several-facts. as proofs
of' the existence -of -healing diseases, i. e. of the healing
character of the primary' or'acute diseases.
The most-proper form of a healing disease. is the -pure,
strong, decisive inflammation.
Experience teaches us, that none but robust persons
get the real and severe inflammatory' diseases,-and that
persons of very weak and shattered constitutions, particularly those with'weak nerves, get'no inflammatory diseases::also drunkards, when their health has "become
ruined and their nerves shattered, get no inflammatory
diseases; pregnant females are'less subject to -those dis



48
eases than those not pregnant, having otherwise like constitutions.  Well observe I speak here of-acute inflammation, i. e. inflammation coming on with violent symptoms,
promptly determining itself.
These statements are by no means disputed, and are
well known- to all physicians as well as to every observer
of diseases.
From these facts -alone it follows with great probability,
that the inflammatory diseases are healing diseases.  But
still more decisive proofs of the healing character of these
diseases.have been afforded. us by the results of the watercure..1) In_ the water-cure treatment the inflammatory diseases are of all others the most promptly. and surely' cured,
ahd in the shortest time give immense critical evacuations
of' morbific matters.
(2) The secondary (chronic) diseases in the water-cure
pass. through the following stadia:
(a) When a patient, with an active skin-system with
strong nerves and' digestive organs, consequently with
strong constitution, enters upon the water-cure, having a
short time previously (he can then still be strong) taken
inwardly much- disease-producing -matter, viz.;mediinal
poisons: such a: patient -gets very-soon some form of inflammatory disease, and by means thereof he -drives out
these morbific matters in exanthems, sweats, and other
evacuations, plainly-perceptible to the senses.
(b) When a patient, having already a very weakened
and'shattered constitution, pale, emaciated, or diseasedly
bloated, enters upon the water-cure, he requires first a
long time for the strengthening of the whole organism, for
the growth of firm flesh, and.healthy complexion, before




49
inflammatory symptoms appear, which thus take the same
course as capitulated under a; and end in the elimination
of perceptible rmorbific matters.
In a word; it is a truth established by many thousand
cases, thatchronic diseases are very seldom cured otherwise than by their conversion into acute, which thenj with
the help of the water, are followed by perceptible evacuations of the morbific matters in, boils, eruptions, perspirations, diarrhceas, &c.  (In water-cure establishments we
generally call not only the act of elimination a crisis, but
also denote thereby at the same time the abnormal excitation of the body, which precedes the discharge itself, and
which almost always is attended with fever, usually with
pains and inflammatory symptoms.)
From the facts, presented the conclusion is satisfactory,
that the primary or, acute diseases are radical curativ&
endeavors of the organism, and accordingly from their inmost nature deserve the name of healing diseases.
3




WHAT IS POISON?
WHAT IS MEDICINE?
OBSERVATIONS.-1. When in this work absoIutte poison
is. mentioned, such substance is thereby intended, as,:introduced into the stomach (not in the veins). in certain
quantity, is fatal to& li.fe
2.'When medicine is mentioned" in this work without
farther epithet, then; allopathic medicine is always intended.
THE SUBJECT.
The word poison may be used in a broad or limited
sense; in the first it means things in general, that are
deleterious. to man's health; in the second, those things
only which speedily produce death. The wocrd poison
may be employed in the figurative or in the strict literal
sense; in the first it signifies the pernicious and fatal influences of the external world upon man, whatever may he
their manner of operation, whether the chemical, the' physical, the mechanical, or the moral.  We take in our
treatise the word poison always in the strict literal sense,




51
which -regards purely the chemical, operation of a sub.
stance on the human body.  When we understand mechanical or dynamic poisons, we will always attach the
corresponding epithet to the word.
Poison, in the strict sense of the word, or strong poison,
is a substance, which,- taken'in the human stomach in a
suitable quantity, is fatal to the life of every person without
distinction, if this- substance be not again ejected by vomiting immediately: We must' set some limit to the term'g suitable quantity," which may be variously selected. -The
most natural measure for " suitable quantity " appears at
first sight to be such'a quantity as is equal to anordinary
meal. H6wever, with all stronger poisons it is an absolute
impossibility to take such a quantity into the stomach, and
consequently we will take the second natural measure,
namely,'the quantity of one ordinary mouthful, and say,
poison in the' strict sense of the word is a substance,
which taken into the stomach, to the quantity of- an ordinary -mouthful, causes death to every person without distinction, if'it is not removed again by vomiting.  It is
evident, ihat for'the attainment' of a more determinate
boundary between poison in the stricter and broader sense,
a fixed weight should be substituted for mouthful, which
we here omit,'because here the result of the demarcation
is'by no means of importance, but simply the demonstration
of the demarcation.
Poison, in the broader sense of' the word, or the class
of milderi poisons, is a substance, which, by its chemical
effect on any person, even the healthiest, produces'decided
marks of disease, if the substance be takenin the quantity of an -ordinary meal.
The above given explanations relate to the absolute




52
poisons, and in this work we- understand by-poison, with.
out farther epithet, always, that which isfor man absolutely poisonous.
What is called relative poison, i. e. substances which
are wholesome to the healthy, but partly through chemical effect, partly from  the, quantity thereof, or quantitative effect, are deleterious to -sick and' weak- persons, and
even.fatal, that belongs. not in the least here, and must be
entirely excluded from- the elucidation of absolute poison.
That, which to- man is absolutely- poisonous, is again
relatively, poisonous to other classes of' organisms.
In regard to the entire creation there is no absolute
poison, but in regard to every individual species, and e, g.
in regard to the human race, there'is a mass of absolute
poisons, and we treat here of'men only.
Whoever, in the definition of poisons, in the broader
sense of the word, or- the milder class of poisons, given
by me, will accuse.it of vacancy and falsity of illustration,
because there is no marked boundary given between poison
and non-poison, to him I reply two-fold, viz. in the first
place, I repeat, that a determined. absolute measure or
weight could be easily Substituted-for the relative measure
of an ordinary meal, that then the demarcation would be
stricter, that here we. are not in- the least concerned with
the results of the demarcation,-'but only with the demonstration of it.  In the second place, I reply to ~such an
one that important and. undisputed word often spoken by
me, that nowhere in nature land in objective truth are to
be -found marked limits between different- species and
different classes, and consequently in the reality, there
are no species and classes in the strict sense of these
words.




53
It is not possible between poison and non-poison to draw
a sharp and ever determinate boundary taken from natu re, but only a conventional boundary.- It is just as
little possible to- draw anywhere else in nature a sharp
and true. line of demarcation, e.-g. between trees and
shrubbery.  If,; therefore, any one says there is no poison,
because there is no sharp boundary line: between poison
and-non-poison, he.must necessarily also say, there are
no trees, because there'is no fixed boundary between a
tree- and -sapling; he must also say, there is no black and
no white race of men, because there is no sharply marked
boundary between both races; he must even say there is
nothing, because nowhere in nature are there sharply
marked limitations.
As between all species there are unobservable transitions and connecting, links, so also between poison and
non-poison there must be a copula, a point of indifference,
and this intermediate'substance must under certain circumstances, be pernicious,'under others, uninjurious and even
wholesome. In regard to man, table salt and spices constitute these transition- substances; namely, unmixed with
other things these spices are injurious, mixed with certain
articles of food, they are at least not so in all countries.
The mixture: of salt and of spices with articles of food
leads us to the'chapter upon the mixture of relative poisons with other articles, and to the question of their injuriousness in the mixture.  The answer to this can be
easily and definitely given, viz. that substance, which
taken -unmixed and -pure, produces symptoms of-disease, is
then uninjurious in its mixture with other articles of food,
if its taste in the mixture is plainly perceptible, and still
to a healthy man agreeable. (By healthy men, I under,




54
stand only such, from whose diet all artificial, all poison.
ous, and all imported stimulants from foreign zones, are
excluded.)  If we add this elucidation to the above-given
definition of poisons, we have found in it a demarcation,
which also allots to the transition- substances, salt and
spices, their appointed place.
The next question in-the determination of'the term
"poison" is, whether those substances, which in a specified quantity.-produce partly speedy death, partly speedily
ensuing: symptoms of disease, also Still. absolutely produce
pernicious effects, and consequently still then remain
absolute poison, when they are taken in smaller quantity.
Logic, as well as physiology, reply in the affirmative.
But before we proceed, we must observe. that this question
has led us imperceptibly into the territory of medicine,
and' that before replying to the same with logical and
physiological reasons, we must give the definition of the
term "medicine."
What is medicine?  The word medicine, or medicament, signifies, in its literal translation; a-means of cure
for,diseases. In this broad and'original sense we: do not
accept the word here, as- also in general" it is no more used
in-such a sense: e. g. no one calls the sympathetic method
of treatment a medical method, and one calls the sympathist a'mediciner. The word has only retained this broad
signification in figurative' language, which, however, is
excluded from our treatise.
The words "medicine" and " medicament," in the
limited and- modern sense, -are those articles, the trade in,
and preparation of, which, are the peculiar privilege of the
apothecaries, comprising all the various kind of~poisons,
or by far the greater part. - There is not a solitary poison




55
but what is administered by physicians as a means of
cure, for disease, and that with the per'iission of government.  Thus I am legally'in my good right when I call
medicine poison, and I will now show that in this expression I am also in physiological right.
Since I, in my hydriatic writings, have with determination upbraided) the physicians with the use of poison and
of poisoning their patients (I mean of course, a poisoning
through error not from, intention), they seek, through all
kinds of excuses and justifications, to convince the people
of- the untruth of the accusation; arej however, very unfortunate in'their'logic, and take good care not' to come
out publicly in print with such pretended rectifications of
m'y writings and views, to which' I:have invited the gentlemen as urgently as courteously.
The first excuse of the mediciners consists in the assertion thdat there is nowhere poison; anything might become
poisonous under certain circumstances,' to individual persons. This latter is perfectly true with the relative poisons in regard to the human race; but it-is perfectly false
with the absolute' poisons, of which I have just shown that
the definition and determination thereof may be settled in
like manner as with-all other terms.  In this proof I have
limited imyself'to the introduction solely of poisons into
the stomach; it needs'scarcely be said, that we could
just as-well and in like manner, with the introduction of
various stuffs through the skin, or a wound into the circulation, set a determined- measure or weight, which is
sufficient to destroy any humhan being, as a definitive mark
for the term poison.  Thus, therefore, is the excuse of the
physicians foiled, viz. that there is no decided poison,'and
that every- article may become a poison to the health of




56
individual persons, thus making the absolute poisons relative, and the, relative poisons absolute at their pleasure.
The second article of justification of the physicians consists in the assertion that the quantity only of any- substance makes it a poison, and that the same substance is
poison when used in great quantity, but by no means
poison, but a means of-health, i. e. a means of cure, when
taken in smaller quantities.
First, a word against the logical falsity and impossibility
of this assertion. - If a substance, which in a certain
quantity produces death, be given in a smaller quantity,
then every a priori conclusion, according to the laws of
logic, must come. to this determination, that this substance
in a less quantity exerts a less powerful effect, accordingly, causes slow death. All analogies from the sciences
of chemistry and physiology'speak in the most decided
terms for this, my conclusion, and against that of the mediciners.  In the kingdoms of chemistry and physiology the
law obtains that by reduction of the quantity of the matter,
first, the disposition thereof remains the same, and second,
the' chemical effect is, in like ratio, diminished; but this
chemical effect always continues to be a corresponding and
never a contrary-disposed effect.  We.may, therefore,
with a full right pronounce the assertion that the chemical
effect of smaller doses of poison is a contrary one to the
chemical effect of larger doses of the same, a physiologi,
cal and chemical  untruth, because this assertion contradicts all known laws of physiology and chemistry.  This
assertion lacks every foundation, even the shadow of a
foundation, -and is purely extracted from air.
Directly below we will take up and disprove this assertion
from specially physiological grounds, and first make the




57
observation that, prermiising the truth of this false principle, it ought necessarily -to be verified by the instinct ~of
man and beast; but experience teaches the- contrary,
namely, that the instinct of man as well as of beast exhibits
the most utter abhorrence to these -small doses of poison,
which do not cause instantaneous death,: and which are
administered by the physicians as intended means of cure,
which abhorrence deters them from taking such remedies.
(Hereafter I will. show that the admonitions of instinct of
a pure man of nature, not only are unerring, but are ab.
solutely necessary to the continuation and-propagation of
our race upon the earth.)
We a'rive at a physiological disproval of the above.
mentioned assertion of the physicians, when we show the
physiological laws and' processes through which poisons
exert their destroying power on the animal, and particularly on the human,- organism.
The human body is indeed no chemically simple body,
but it is, when in- a state of health, a physiologically simple
body, i. e, there: should be, when it is healthy, no matter in
it, which offers resistance to its power of appropriation, and
thence becqmes foreign matter, and throws hindrances in
the way,of the exercise -of the physiological functions of
the organism.  Everything, which'in proper fineness and
respective' fluidity is introduced into tlie stomach, or for a
length of time kept in contact with the'skin, or a wounded
part, is incorporated either partially or wholly into part
and parcel-of the body, and is carried, through the circulation of the blood, into all, even the deepest and remotest,
parts of the' human body.
There is no substance which, introduced into the body
through an incision,in a large or small vein, can be
3*




58
assimilated by the. organic power of that body. Every
substance, therefore, which in such manner gets into the
body is foreign to the same.  The, veins have no organs
of assimilation.
With the human skin -it is otherwise; that organ is capable of digesting two substances, viz. air and water,but all else that gets in the body through  absorption of the
skin, cannot be assimilated by the skin, and is consequently foreign and deleterious to the constitution.
The strongest and most comprehensive. digestive and
assimilating power resides in:the stomach - and intestines,
and for this reason these organs have been called exclusively the digestive organs.
From the specified construction of the- veins, it follows
that all whatsoever is directly introduced into them- through
an opening in them, is poison to the human body; at least
in the broader sense of the word.
From the constitution of the human skin- it follows that
with the exception of air and water, allfluid -or half fluid
substances, kept for a length of time in contact witl it,
are poison to the human body, either in the broader or
stricter sense of the word. I mention this particularly,
for this reason, to prevent- th9 objection, urged by the
doctors. against my exposition, inasmuch as they might
say that water also could become a poison, if it were introduced into a vein. In the elucidation of absolute poison, the argument can only/ concern those substances
which introduced into the stomach have a fatal and sick.
ening effect. Hence, the objection:taken from those substanices, which introduced immediately into the veins are
absolutely pernicious, is one& that of itself falls to pieces
and originates in a men,al confusion.




59
What substances can the healthy stomach digest?
The only infallible and all-comprising answer that can
here be given,-is taken from  the intimations of instinct,
and' purports thus i all- those things for which the healthy
unpoisoned palate has appetite.  This answer is absolutely
inifllible, and -proves the injuriousness of all medicaments.
Do we inquire as to the chemical nature of those substances,'which agree with or cause disgust to the human
palate, we can give no other answer so unerring and
exclusive.
However, there are three conditions,  that determine the
digestibility' of substances' as far as the animal man is,concerned.
First, These substances must not. be spoiled, -i. e. have
become putrid.'- When they are -so,ahnd are still eaten,
they pass as,putrid juices into the body, and are consequently foreign and injurious, matter.
Second, These substances must.be of such a nature
that they can be readily dissolved into infinitely minute
particles by thegastric juice diluted with water.' Consequently, all substances that resist this dissolution, as for
Instance stones,eariths, and metals, -are indigestible.
Third,: The digestible substances'must be less acid and
weaker than the gastric juice:of the consumer, because
an entire'nature the law prevails that the stronger vitality
oveirpower.s and appropriates the weaker.  This law is of
exceedi;ng great importance, and in consequence of this
law the-digestive: juice of man must possess a very high
degree of sharpness, if he is to have the 4apabllity of digesting a vast number of valio'us substances'This sharpness of the digestive juice is produced partly y bthe




60
secretions of the glands of the stomach itself, still more,
however, by the-,bile discharged into the duodenum.
Man should, therefore, eat nothing that is sharper than the
digestive juice, and instinct directs man in this respect
with perfect safety, since all- uncorrupted nerves of taste
experience from such sharper substances a very disagreeable burning and stinging sensations.
The first class of indigestible substances forms the
intermediate link between poison and non-poison, and
consists' consequently of relative poisons.
The second class consists of absolute poisons, and comprises partly those poisons which toxicology denominates
astringent poisons, partly somewhat of those that' are
called mechanical poisons,. and operate mostly: through
constipation of the small vessels,
The third, by far the most important and dangerous
class of- poisons,- consists of those by the toxicology classed
under the head of " corrosive " and. " narcotic"' poisons,
and they operate fatally through their corrosve.and narcotic power, against which the organism reacts with mucous secretions, and accumulations of blood (inflammation).
The most deadly poisons of the.corrosive-and narcotic
class are administered by the physicians as remedies for
all violent symptoms of disease, which  for the most part
are of primary, sometimes also -of secondary nature,- as
for instance, violent cramps belong to the severe secondary symptoms of diseases.The corrosive poisons are
not administered by physicians in cases of lingering
oatonic disease, but only narcotic poisons in dilutions and
weak preparations, in opposition to which the narcotic
poisons, when administered'for violent symptoms, are




61
given in an undiluted, mostly concentrated and sublimated
form.
The corrosive and narcotic poisons form the drastic
medicaments; all these poisons, when not in a manner
diluted, as indeed the homceopaths prepare them, but the
allopaths never, have a much sharper substance than the
gastric- jfiice; consequently, their digestion, even in the
smallest allopathi; doses, is an impossibility; consequently, absolute poison never ceases,_through smallness of the
dose, to be- poison, can never be a means of cure, because
it can never be diasted.
Absolute poison loses, through smallness of the allopathic doses, none of its disgusting and horrible taste to
the palate, it is thus marked as poison by the instinct as
much as by the laws of physiology, and by experimental
chemistry.
The physicians, who, for the vindication of -their profession and -to parry my attacks, would much too willingly
declare the ipoisons administered by themselves for non.
poisons, -and maintain that a substance is poison only
according'to its quantity, allege the inverted argument,
that wholesome substances taken to excess, may also.become poison. To this I reply: first, T~he unconditional
inversion of a position is well known to be logically unallowable, and is therefore a logic blunder, which'bears on
its face the stamp of falseness.
Second, -Substances in themselves wholesome, exert,
through their.excess, an injurious effect upon healthy persons: not chenaically but, nmechanically, through too violent
distension,.and consequently succeeding relaxation of the
over-burdened organs. Therefore, these-substances, taken
to excess, belong not to the chemical but to the mechanical




62
poisons, and thus this whole pretence of the physicians
rests upon a change of the signature of classification, and
arises from a mental confusion, and is entirely false.
Third, Substances of themselves wholesome and difficult of digestion, -may becomne injurious through their
chemical effect upon diseased digestive organs, because
the organs are not possessed of normal strength; therefore,: these substances may be to them relative poisons:- in
this chapter, however, we- are not speaking of relative
poisons, as oft observed, but of absolute poisons; thus
this objection rests also upon  a cenfusion of ideas.
Granted, however, that this is not- the case,.then- this objection still neither says nor proves anything in favor of
the false'position, namely, that poisonous substances, from
minuteness of the dose, lose their poisonous qualities,'and
assume a contrary quality, and become curative remedies
for mankind. It is very clearly evident,'that substances
difficult of digestion, for which'the whole strength of a
healthy stomach is requisite,'cannot be digested by a'weak
and diseased stomach, and, therefore;, may be relative poison to the possessor of the diseased stomach. -But the
inversion of this argument, namely, that -substances or
poisons, which the healthy person cannot digest, the sick
person' shall be able to digest, and that such substances
may become true remedies, is a logical and physiological
untruth.
From the foregoing results of this treatise on poison
the correctness of the definition giv6n.by me proves itself;
every substance thatpasses from the stomach and bowels
into the human body without being digested, is at least
relative poison; every substance, however,'that is by
man absolutely indigestible, is absolute poison.




68
In this -definition we have the rationale of the manner
in which poisons exert their evil effect upon the organisms
viz. in this wise, that they remain as foreign matter in the
organism.
Since that, in the foregoing, -I have proved the existence
of absolute poisons, and that substances do not lose their
poisonous effects. through diminution of the dose, I must
say a few words upon the mixture and the combination
of poisons,.(1   I Mixture of poisons.-In this question, whether, in
the strong mixture of poisonous substances with wholesome, the poisonous lose their deleterious effect,'and, consequently are divested of their poison, Homceopathy only
can come under consideration, since Allopathy never admixes its poisons to such a degree, that they lose their
poisonous effectj which can be proved by chemical tests,
as well as by the taste which they bear; also, it is.by
no means-the -purpose of allopat-hy to reduce their medi.
cinal poisons so considerably-by dilution, as to cause them
to'lose their natural and, chemical effect,; it aims rather
to increase these effects by sublimation and:concentration.
Homceopathy, on the contrary, dilutes -its medicines to
such a degree, that neither the art of chemistry, nor the
nerves of taste,'-can discover any of the original poisonous effects -of-the administered medicaments'.  For this
purpose it makes use of water, and that is,the only substance which, by its-very copious admixture, can perhaps
deprive poison of all its pernicious influences, and certainly removes these effects, in so. far that they-'are no
more perceptible, either.to the senses or the chemical art
For' my part, I- do- not venture to decide upon- it, whether
the absolute abstraction of the strength of the poisons is




64
effected by such dilution;. if such a. possibility exist, it is
thus rendered possible only by admixture -with, water, and
the least so, by admixture with.solid substances.  One
thing, however, is certain, viz. -that such an abstraction
of the poison, through the agency. of water, is possible
only when the uncorrupted palate can no more perceive
the most remote taste of the poison in the commixture.
In the. homaopathic doses after the decillionth dilution,
the slightest taste of the poison is no more perceptible,
and consequently, I believe that such doses are absolutely
divested of their poisonous influences on the human- body,
and for this reason have always had the most profound
respect for this -method of cure, in comparison with the
allopathic, and looked upon it- as a blessing to the human
race.
After having refuted all the arguments that have as yet
come to my hearing, adduced by physicians, against my
complaint, that they. treat. with poison and poison their
patients, I must, in. cqnclu;sion, say a word
(2) Concerning the-combination of poisons, because from
that source also, the physicians have endeavored a vindication of cure with poisonrs.
A poison, combined with a non-poisonous body or substance, is such an one. as can be obtained or -freed from
the combination only by. a-chemical transformation:of the
substance with which it is cambined.  The combined poisons are free from  all effective poisonous power or -influence, and hence receive their name, because their.powers are
bound up. Accordingly, poison combined or bound up, is
to the human organism  decidedly a non-poison,-since
neither the nerves of taste are capable of detecting it, nor
the other organs experience any evil effect therefrom. In




65
my opinion, the expression "combined poison" is one
very unhappily selected, and originated in chemical error.
Combined poison is not at all present as poison in, the
combination, but in the combination substances are present,
which, by means of chemical processes, can be converted into
poisons.  Thus, for- instance, Prussian blue can be unbound or fabricated from the human blood through chemical processes (however, in exceedingly small quantity),
from  most'fruits by fermentation and distillation, alcohol,
from the basis of water and air (viz. from hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen), several powerful poisons. In these
substances themselves there is not the least poison present,
but only constituents that can be converted into poison.
When, therefore, physicians adduce arguments in behalf of their method of cure with free poisons from this
subject of combined poisons, there lies, also, again at' the
bottom of it, a perversion of terms, which no one should
make himself guilty of, who has studied chemistry.
From the presence of combined poison in the blood, in
elements, &c., the physicians could only justify a treatment with combined poisons;, i. e. with substances without
any effect. But it is notorious that the physicians administer their poisons in a free uncombined state only.
As the' mechanical poisons, to which belong pieces of
glass, points of needles, and the like, are excluded from
this chapter on chemical poisons,! was obliged, in accordance with my pathology, to exclude the contagious poisons
also, because they, as will be shown hereafter, belong,
likewise, to the class of mechanical poisons.  These contagious poisons consist, as I shall show in the proper place,
of small invisible animalculke, mostly mites (as in the
itch), which increase by propagation -and engender the




66
symptoms of disease, the contagious boils and eruptions
by their eating and gnawing.
Now, I think all false arguments, by which physicians
endeavor to deny their use of poison, have been refuted and
exhibited in their entire falsity. Should such-arguments
of more recent invention come to my knowledge, I will
not fail to subject them to criticism.




L.
OF THE EFFECTS OF COLD WATER
UPON THE HUMAN ORGANISM IN GENERAL.
PRELIMINARY REMARKS.-The word cold, as -it appertainsl to water in its general relation to man, comprises a
scale of many various degrees.  It cannot be much colder
than 32~ Fah., because at that point it' becomes ice; ascending on the scale, it must, in regard to the human
body, be called cold in common' parlance, so long as it
does not reach the blood-warmth, i. e. 1000 Fah., in contradiction to- w.hich,'it becomes warm water as soon as it
exceeds 100~~Fah.
In the water-cure system, however, we stand in need
of designations for smaller divisions of the scale.  Water,
warmerJhan 70~ Fah. is never employed according to the
system  of Vincent' Priessnitz.  We will call all water
under 55~ Fah. cold; -all water between.:550 and 770
Fah. tepid, and all water above 1000 warm.
SUBJECT.
In investigations upon the. effects of water under 77~
Fah. there come consequently into ce cideration, first, the




68
degree of cold, and second, the chemical composition of
the water.
(7) At a very low temperature and by long continuance it has a fatal effect upon the human organism  by
the merely absolute abstraction of warmth. At a more
moderate temperature and, in shorter duration, it effects a
partial.abstraction of warmth, which? is again. restored to
a proper balance by the organism conducting blood to the
refrigerated part.  An abnormally strong determination
of blood to this part is'necessary to the restoration of this
balance.
The first effect of the cold is, therefore, repulsion of the
blood from the part of the body subjected thereto, the contra-operation of the organism  is- increase of heat in' the
refrigerated part; this contra-operation is often called the
after-effect of the cold.
If one subjects any one part much oftener than the rest
of the body to a short exposure to cold, the current
of the blood.must by degrees be directed to this part more
especially, and become accustomed to the direction.'  The
part or organ thus affected must be well nourished and
warmed by the thus increased to and fro current of the
blood.' For the law holds good, that the contra-effect' or
reaction always far'exceeds in duration the first effect of
a short application of cold, and exceeds it also in energy,
if the organism be vigorous.  Moreover, with persons of
strong nerves the reaction is so much the more energetic
the greater the difference of temperature between the
body and the cold, and the more sudden'the transition
from warm to cold.
Hence it follows, that in cold we have in our power a
means to the- voluntary regulation of the circulation of the




69
blood, and that where the cold is most'applied, thzther also
the energie's of the organism, blood and heat,'betake-themselves
the most.
But the reaction against the cold of the air is in proportion to the action thereof, much slighter -than the reaction
against the cold of the water, because water from its constituent parts exercises a much more decomposing action
upon the skin than the. air does, and -hence a higher reaction, and more. increased press of blood must be produced
in the., part-cooled with- water, than in the part cooled' by
the: air.
Delicate persons,'and those inclined to rheumatism, -cannot for this reason be hardened by the cold of the air alone,
but only' in conjunction with the cold of water.  Persons
with shattered nerves cannot endure any considerable degree of cold, and on this'. account water much less cold
must be used by-them,'than by healthy persons. Air,
water, and cold, are called in the favorite words of the
doctors stimulating remedies; here these words are indeed
used in a right- application, but in a measure drawn from
the surface, since in them the. process of stimulation is not
at the same time expressed-; the words: means of producing-reaction would be at.all events words of'clearer signification.'.But we will here let the expression stimulating
remedies. remain.
If the stimulating remedies are to answer the purpose
of strengthening permanently individual organs or parts
of' the. body, they must introduce nothing into the body,
that. is incapable of being ass'hnilated, and therefore always burden.the, organ upon which they are directed
more and more, instead of relieving'it, and.at length ruin
it completely.  Daily.'experience proves this to satisfac



70
tion, and physiology explains the phenomenon in the
clearest manner. For when the parts of the body, that
are to be strengthened, are gradually burdened more -and
more with such substances, as they cannot convert inta
their own kind, and which are settled in them as foreign,
and forsooth as acrid and therefore inimical matters, a
disturbance of the circ of the of the blood, and a still
greater disturbance of the secretions is thereby induced.
Alcohol is one of the chief stimulants of the physicians;
this acknowledged poison is absolutely indigestible, is absolutely foreign to the chemical nature of the human body,
and gradually ruins the organ into which it is introduced
entirely by its sharp poisonous energy.  By washing
weak parts of the body with spirits, by the application of
Frehch brandy, especially to the eyes; in short by the use
of all remedies containing alcohol, the organs treated
therewith become gradually' more- and more weakened.
The invigoration' of the general organismnis alone possi.
ble by the expulsion of morbific matter, and by wholesome
nutrition.
The invigoration of an individual organ,'i. e. the ele
vation of it above other organs, or an alteration of the
proportion which the- organs bear to one another, is only
possible through the use of remedies which produce re
action, and since all medicinal stimulants, as above shown,
event in time in the poisoning and depression of the organ
stimulated -by, them, an alteration in the -proportion-of the
strength of the functions and organs to one another is only
possible by means of the stimulants of nature, air, water,
and the more or less' cold combined therewith.
(2) The chemical constitution of water in-reference to
its poweroof operation u'on the human organism has al



71
ready, been considered, in the sections A. and B. in their
main points; of interest, and consefquently but few words
upon the subject will be here required.
Water is the only dissolvent in nature, as many physicians, to wit; Hufeland in his'Makrobiotique, have admitted.  Water is, moreover, the only liquid in-nature capable of flowing in drops-all such other liquids consist of
water and of more or less'minute solid _particles.  These
other liquids have therefore the general dissolvent power
in- less degree than water, because in the.first place.te
bestspart of this'solvent power is already exhausted upon
the solid particles tlherein dissolved,-and because in the
second place these solid particles are of themselves' obstacles to the solution of other substances, and obstacles. to
the penetration- of the fluid into the most- minute spaces
and interstices.
In-the foregoing we. have seen, that the: human body
unceasingly excretes the refuse matter of its own essence,
and requires to be supplied with. fresh substance for its
support by means of assimilation.  Both. functions can
proceed in a normal and perfe.ct manner only by inward
and' outward use-of water'.
The nutrition of the body is- aided in a double manner
by water, viz. first because the chyle is promptly and perfectly dissolved into its minutest particles by the water
taken into the stomach, which is necessary to its absorption in the ileum  and jejunum..  Second,- oxygen gas,
which is requisite to the: formation of solid matter from
the blood, the last act of nutrition, is offered to all, even
the smallest and most remote:parts of the body, by the
water taken into the stomach, which is always absorbed
by the above named intestines, and thus, before it passes




72
off, makes its way through the veins and through the
heart; oxygen gas is, indeed, taken in the blood in part
through the process of respiration,- but it must be also' in
part drawn from the water, which is drunk, as in the cause
of diseases, when frequently an abnormal quantity of oxygen is demanded in certain parts of the body for' the purpure of cure.
(b) Water is also justsas indispensable to the excretory
functions.  By virtue of its pure fluidity-it penetrates the
whole body, and by virtue of,the hydrogen it contains, it.
is the means by which the organism converts solid matter
into liquid, and thus makes it capable of excretion.
Therefore water, by virtue of its chemical constituent
parts, affords'the best means for the nutrition of the body,
and for replacing waste matter, and all substance which
may be wanting-in its individual organs, and it affords the
only medium  for the removal of matters burdensomre to
the body, whether theybe solid-or fluid.  When it is taken
into consideration, that cold water is the best means for the
correction of the circulation, and of the disturbed balance
among the individual'functions and organs,-we are compelled to draw thence the indubitable conclusion, that water- is the most important and most worthy of regard of all
curative means.  The other means of cure- are fresh air,
exercise, wholesome nourishment, and healthy occupation;
without being combined with these other assistant remedies;' water can effect nothing; but if the organic strength
of the person is insufficient, then all together-are useless.




me
THE PRIMARY OR HEALING DISEASES.
THE MANNER  IN WHICH  PRIMARY DISEASES IN
GENERAL ARISE.
THE human body exists under an unceasing labor of
excretion and fresh formation' of humor, flesh, and bony
substance. In the course of several years the- body-of a
healthy person is so completely renovated, that of its whole
substance, even to the minutest atom, nothing of the old
is any'more present. Physiologists differ very. widely as
to'the' length of time required for complete. renovation,
variously assuming it from two to seven years.
As'the body does not possess the capability of holding
itself at. est in one and the same state, but is under the
necessity of constant renewal and excretion of waste matter; —the conditions' for the appeasement -of these wants
must be, guaranteed to it. Adequate aliment is necessary
to the renovation of the body, and to the normal undisturbed healthy excretion of waste matter daily contact
with air and water -is indispensable, in order that these
elements may exercise their dissolvent power on the skin,
4




74
and absorb from the body through the pores, that which
must be removed from it, if it is not to become burdened
with stagnant matter and thus sicken.
When the conditions of health are for a length of time
vouchsafed only imperfectly and partially to the body, it
loses gradually the normal energy of all its functions. If,
then, while in such a state,-the general tone of the system
being thus depressed, an extraordinary attack from ay
side whatsoever be directed against the body or one of its
organs, it, cannot otherwise react and defend itself, than by
an extraordinary abnormally heightened exertion'of its
powers, that is, by sr6me primary disease.
TheTe are but two- kinds of diseases to which the healthy
person in,the air and water diet is' still exposed; first, the.
epidemic diseases,- and; those peculiar to certain climates,
produced by corruption of'the atmosphere; second, con.
tagious exanthematous diseases, small pox, &c.
All other diseases are the result of the ordinary per,
verted mode'of diet, and:false method of-cure.
II.
HYDRIATIC C-URE OF THE PRIMARY DISEASES.
THE. abnormal morbid exertions of an organism to expel
morbific matters are the signs'of'reaction or th/e symptoms
of acute disease...These, the. water-physician assists and
promotes, and attains thereby a certain and radical cure,
tleQ object' of. these.' symptoms —through'diarrhcea and
vomiting in stomach and digestive complaints, and in all
others through perspirations, rashes, boils, an-d critical




75
urinations. Farther on, the special processes will be
shown, with citation of instances.
A state of health far: superior to that. enjoyed before the
disease is the consequence of every primary disease cured
with. water.- General or local -weakness, or otherwise
after-pains of any kind, never ensue; after a few days,
he that is cured with water; can undergo labors and fatigue with increased energies, and enhanced vigor, far
surpassing what he enjoyed before the disease.
III.
MEDICINAL CURE OF THE SAME DISEASES.
WHiN poison is administered to a body which is making
that acute struggle to cure itself, it must divert a-part of
its powers of- reaction and turn them  against this poison,
in order to expel it' by, vomiting and evacuation, or surroutd it with mild mucous juices quickly formed for the
occasion, that it'may not corrode and injure the body.
The energies-and juices; which the organism calls forth
in'this manner to'surround the medicine with mucus,
must be withdrawn from the struggle which it is holding
with the original: enemy-viz. the disease.  From  this
cause.a moderation in the symptoms ensues, and when the
poison is, administered in suitable quantity, and with proper repetition, the organism. must call forth all its energies
to.cope this dangerous enemy, desist.entirely from its
original curative struggle, and thus the symptoms subside.
Then, according to the doctors  m'manner of speaking, the
disease -is cured.  If the body thus treated afterwards




endeavors anew to cure itself, and "calls -up. these -symptoms again, they consider it a relapse into the-disease, and
poison it anew, until either death. or disappearance of the
symptoms ensues.
In most primary cases the same effect may be attainedby copious blood-lettings as by, means of the poisons.
These draughts upon the vital, principle must be regulated
always according to the strength of the patient, to deprive
him of the strength and. abilitysrequired  for an acute
ardent struggle, whereupon the disease is' cured."
Instinct tells every unfortunate one, who has thus been
poisoned and leeched~ under -the old system of cure, that
his doctor grossly errs when he calls him  "cured;" instinct says, that in his body, something foreign, inimical,.
has taken up its -quarters, and every one of these deplorable beings requires a long timie for the re-collection of his
scattered energies, and must pursue an anxious -and pain.
f'uA regimen.  Instead of which, every:one treated- from
the commencement with water -may, in a few days after
any primary disease, undertake whatever he will, eat as
much and of what he likes, go out and in both at evening
and night, according to- his pleasure.  In -the hydriatic
treatment it very rarely, occurs that the patient even loses
his appetite for any number of days during the disease...
From the demonstrated -nature- of the effects of poisons
it appears, that in many cases it must be matter of. small
moment which kind of poison? is selected, that it depends
much- more upon the quantity of the dose, which is designed to cripple the organism'to a-sufficient degree,
without killing it -outright.  Experience confirms this to a
certainty.  Even the- apparently so peculiar effect -of the
so called specifics rests upon nothing else than their ge



77
neral' poisonous effect.  For instance, China cures the
intermitting. fever, and was for a long time supposed to be
the- only specific for that complaint; in later times it has
been discovered that belladonna and arsenic suppress the
fever much more effectually, because they are more injurious poisons.  In this manner many diseases can be
cured' allopathically by one and the same poison.
There are, however, many exceptions at hand, viz. in
all' those primary.disesees, which have their symptoms
exclusively in one organ or system of the body, the suppression of these symptoms and of the healing-struggle
must be effected most promptly, and with the.proportionately' smallest dose, if that poison be employed which
produces with healthy persons in that same organ contrary
symptoms of disease (contraria contrariis).
From these grounds i( becomes evident whence it is
that almost every physician has his favorite poison, with
which he cures almost all complaints, the one mercury,
the other opium, &c., viz. every physician, by various
experiments with his favorite medicine, arrives at the result, that it in most cases accomplishes the same as that
medicament prescribed by the - "science " for'every different case, and thus each one thinks he has found the universal medicine.
For the physician, mercury' is indisputably the most
advantageous poison that can- be used in most diseases, for
this reasor,. that. this poison developes its injurious effects
the most tardily,'and consequently, in the opinion of the
poisoned, releases the doctor from all blame for the com.
plaints' which afterwards appear.  Thus mercury has
recently become the -.most favorite medicine -of physicians,
and it may not be long ere we shall'behold children born




78
with salivation and caries of their bones! so mercurially
diseased to the very root even is this European race.
When, in future,' "medicine" is made mention of in
1his work, allopathy is always intended thereby
IV.
THE NORMAL STOMACH.
INf our stomach-poisoned European race we have scarcely
a correct idea of the constitution of a stomach possessing.normal strength and heal'th.
The stomach of everiy man of nature possesses the
following qualities: first, great power of dilation and
contraction; he can fast several days without injuryto
his health; and vice versa, he can take nourishment sufficient for several days at one meal without' indigestion."
Further, if poisons.or' absolutely indigestible substances
find their way into his stomach, he vomits them out again
with great energy and'ease; if. it is surfeited with food
beyond-its utmost power of digestion, it likewise relieves
itself by vomiting.  For this reason, indigestion,. or even
death, is quite impossible froin the most beastly surfeit.
In the temperate and frigid climates, the frequent use of
fat is wholesome to the healthy stomach,* and necessary
to the healthfulness of the general digestion.  These
qualities the, stomach, in'the' water-diet, retains until
death; without. the daily use of water no one can. retain
* The diseased and medicine-poisoned stomach must eschew fat,
even in the commencement of.the-water-cure, until it-has beeome much strengthened.




79
perfect healthfulness -f stomach and vigor of body to the
end of his life.
Cold water,y from the —reaction which it produces, gives
to the stomach that permanent high degree of warmth,
without which the perfect energy of this organ is impossible. The healthy stomach of the water-drinker craves
"frequent and copious draughts' of water, to cool and
refresh the elevated warmth of the stomach, and it is these
coolings also, which serve to reproduce and maintain it.
On the contrary, a stomach accustomed to warm and stimulating artificial drinks, craves afways at certain periods
this artificial warming, whereby its condition of normal
-warmth becomes more and more depressed.  Such a
stomach is faint-s in the morning until it -gets its coffee,
and, thereby. its "tone."'To. the stomach of the waterdrinker the feeling of languidness is quite unknown.
Water'only'is capable of keeping the stomach and.
bowels during' the whole course of life pure and free from
all sliming, i. e. from becoming coated-with mucus and
slimy matter.'tWater operates very stimulatingby means of its constituent parts, oxygen gas and hydrogen gas, which gases
are the true spirits: of'life'and fire.
Water is, directly and immediately through..its dissol-.
vent power, the most effective of all promoters of digestion.
Lay a piece of raw meat in wine, brandy,'beer, broth, or
other soup, or even in stomach bitters, and observe which
best macerates it, these fluids or- water.. One might
almost be ashamed of being compelled to speak of things
with which every cook.is acquainted, and from  which
every child's uiderstanding can make the conclusion and
application. But the stupidity of the old regime has so




80
filled the people with prejudices, that one must prove at
large the most simple truths.  If all my arguments do not
yet suffice you, then cast your eyes about you into the
kingdom of life-have you ever heard of a wild animal
afflicted with the stomach disease, unless it were a'lapdog,
which'takes its coffee and soup'at the table. with its mistress.? Does some one say to me, that man is not a beast?
to him I reply, that as far as concerns his bodv he is as
other animals.
The Graefenberg water-cure heals the most wretched
stomach, and elevates it to such a degree of energy as is
seldom to be found with even the persons so-called healthy
of the old regime.  I am acquainted with several who
have, from the depths of chronic stomach disease, attained
through the water-cure, such a strength of stomach that
the heartiest meal never troubles them, and they observe
no difference between light and heavy foods, that they
can eat even fat pastry, and moreover, fat -by the spoonful, without feeling the least uncomfortable sensations
thereafter.
The Graefenberg diet, whereby so great: results are
obtained, is in its details mostly, the contradiction of the
old regime. - Water and boiled milk the only drinks, the
foods- cooled or cold, excluding all artificial stimulants,
everything bitter, everything from  foreign zones, and
most especially- all medicina.ls.  We perceive that this
diet is the nearest possible approach to nature, to the diet
of a man of nature;
The wholesomeness of water for the stomach has just
before been shown. Here' still a word'upon the whole.
someness of the most possibly simple, and not piquant,
not exciting foods.




The digestion,.the assimilation of foreign matter into
the human body, is' possible only wheni the gastric juice
possesses more sharpness.and higher vital power than the
chyle, that'is, than the food taken into the stomach after
having undergone the process of mastication. Hence, it
follows that the simple aliments are easier of digestion
than the sharp, spicy, or piquant.  However, this simpleness must not be carried to that degree which'produces in
the uncorrupted instinct a feeling of-. unpleasant vacancy.
Man undoubtedly requires more piquant aliments ihan
most beasts;; he'resembles the fruit-eating: beasts, and
needs, therefore, especially aliments which contain much
saccharine matter.  Entirely foreign to the man of nature
are the sharp, burning spices, the' sharp bitternesses, and
most of all the foreign alcoholic drinks.
The uncorrupted instinct affords -a correct discrimination between- the wholesomeness and unwholesomeness of
foods, especially the instinct'- of a child which is born of
healthy parents, arnd has never been compelled to swallow
anything which is to him  disagreeable or loathsome, or
excites in him feelings of disgust and horror.
The apparent promotion of digestion by means-of stimu.
lants and piquant articfes:of,:food, much'salt and spice,
rests upon a misunderstanding easily detected.' These
articles-excite the salivary and stomach glands to a momentary increased. secretion of juices, and this abnormal
reaction to carry off and ove.rcome the stimulating remedies awake'ns a feeling of false hunger; but they do not
strengthen, they weaken.. The stimulating remedies are
to the stomach precisely what the spur is to the worn-out
horse.  Will. any one be so stupid as to believe, the spur
strengthens the horse?
4*



V.
PRIMARY STOMACH DISEASES IN GENERAL.
IT is extremely seldom that we.find chronic conditions of
disease of a. simple nature 3 the secondary complaints are
rather a compound affection frequently of many organs,
generally of several at a time.
Patients, in particular, afflicted with secondary diseases,
are rarely found with healthy digestion, because the
stomach and bowels are quite naturally those organs,
which are the first and most affected and injured by the
poisons' which may be taken.
Stomach diseases are not only so -numerous as physicians suppose, but still more so; for many diseases have
their roots in the digestive organs, and their symptoms in
other organs; consequently, the doctors exercise their art
on these other functions, because -they always strive. to
suppress the symptoms of disease.
For these reasons, that the stomach governs all other
organs more than- it is governed by them, I commence
with its diseases, and affections.
The old regime labors at the relaxation of the ganglionic
nerves and-digestive canals ifl man, from his birth upwards, with such consequence, that we are almost tempted
to hold it for -refinement, because it is difficult to'believe
in the honesty of such immoderate blunders.
Directly upon entrance into the world, the unlucky
sucklings are favored by their nurses with draughts fronm
the camomile tea-pot,- and- consequently,. all nurseries
ring with the cries of stomach-ache. At. the same time,
both before and after weaning, they are. fed with cows'




83
milk boited.  Will not the doctors and nurses soon fall
upon the bright idea" of first milking the mother, and boiling, her millk?- They are fed with warm, even hot soup,
and in'order to' crown *the work of stomach destruction,
they are dosed with medicine,. as soon as the organism
begins a remedial struggle against so many perversities,
as soon as a primary symptom of disease appears.
Take young lions into such a regime, and you will soon
see a race of lions with cramps and gripes in the bowels.
Not only human reason and human instinct, but the
most recent experience gives the incontestable certainty,
that children, in a diet of cool or cold food, without soups,
of unboiled milk, and cold water, as the only drinks,
never suffer fromn sickness of stomach, never have pains
or gripes in the bowels,'nlever:have wormhs.  If such children, through mistake, partake of unwholesome or poisonous things, they relieve themselves of them by energetic
vomiting and diarrhceas, well observed, if nature be allowed
to have its course, and its instinct lie aided with cold
water; but especially spared front swallowing medicines.
On the other hand, those unhappy martyrs of the old
poisoning and efflminating system, pass through a ehildhood replete with suffering, and have before them the
prospect of a life-, wkthout. health.  When, by- the said
triple alliance of stomach-destroyers, the  energy and
activity of this important organ are impaired; then any
slight inadvertence in diet, aniy overstepping of the bounds
prescribed by the delicateness of constitution, brings on
a disorder of the stomach, which cannot be removed otherwise than by abnormal exertion.  O nly eat somewhat
over the usual quantity, or something difficilt of digestion,
and the.stomach is not capable of doing its work of-diges



84
tion; but it remains there till it has. paised'into putridity,
and then the stomach must have recourse to-some'unusualhelp-to-primary disease.. Vomitings or diarrhceas come,to the assistance. Instead of promoting, this wholesome
process with water, it is suppressed by rnedicine,,and as
soon,as this has taken place, the organism must allow
those morbid matters, which it was endeavoring to expel,
to be-firmly settled in itself by enveloping -them in mucus and' allowing them  to_ indurate. - Thus, then, the
foundation is laid to the chronic misery that follows.
Children, in general, are remarkable for their.health
of stomach, which far exceeds' the -general average of
persons advanced in years-and very naturally, because
medicinal poisoning operates slowly and takes effect after
a considerable interval.  Most people think, however, that
it lies in their nature; that the child's stomach can endure
more than.the adult's. We o6ften- hear it said,'.' such a
youngster can eat anything "'  Much rather say,, "such
a man can," because every grown creature'has,'from
nature, stronger-organs than the young undeveloped.
V-I.
CURE OF THE  PRIMARY DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE
ORGANS IN GENERAL.
ALL these diseases are cured with the greatest certainty
and promptness by water. The aim of all these cures,
the inflammations in the bowels, also, not excepted,. is.the
dissolution, and then the expulsion of morbific matters
through vomiting and.evacuations.  The're is no possibility of a. real cure without these final results; if the




85
acute struggle ceases without these. results, it is certain
that the irritating'matters are fixed chronically in the
stomach and bowels.
It is very evident in what manner water cures all these
diseases.  It is the only.fluid capable of dissolving the
viscous, slimy, morbid matters; secondly, by means —of
its. coldness and decomposing power,-it. calls forth the.elevated activity of the organs in question; and thirdly,
it imparts to the stomach and bowels the fulness, which
is necessary to evacuation.
(Of the effect and operation of the medical purgative
remedies see farther on.)
The treatment in all these diseases consists in drinking,
bandages, clysters, and sitz baths.
The measure of the drinking, the.number of the clysters and sitz baths vary a'ccording to the. variety and degree of the diseases, as also according to the constitutions
of the patients.   Generally, the...instinct indicates the
measure of the drinking, and of the clystering; the
water-physician must determine the number and length
of. the sitz baths, if the patient does not possess the requi.
site hydriatic knowledge.
These diseases. are, all cured so surely and quickly by
water, that the one so treated' may soon go about his con.
cerns again free from all after-pains.
VII.'NAUSEA AND VOMITING, DIARRH(EA.
NAusEoUSNEss  may arise from ill-temper and -imagination,
from ossification and ulceration of the digestive organs,




86
and particularly of the -nerves of- the same; such kind
of nausea belongs to the secondary or destroying diseases.
Here we are speaking only of primary nausea, which
is caused by nauseating matters in the stomach.  These
nauseating  substances may be of various kinds, as
was explained in the chapter on'poisons.  If poison, in
the broader or stricter sense, be ta-ken into'a strong stomach, and water, or milk, or any mild and solvent fluid
be drunk, there will always ensue thereupon nausea and
vomiting, from the exertion of the organism  to free itself
of the nauseating substances.: To vomit, it is necessary
that the stomach possess a certain degree of muscular
power, and, therefore, the quite weak and medicine-ruined
stomach cannot, or only imperfectly, cleanse itself by
vomiting. Vomiting arises from a violent contraction of
the inferior parts of the stomach, thus-raising its contents,
and disgorging them upwardly.
The opinion often pronounced by the doctors, that difficult vomiting,; after emefics, is a sign- of strong stomach,
is thoroughly false; it is a mark of a powerless' stomach,
The stronger the- stomach, the- more easily and energetically does it cast out of itself all poison-matters by vomiting, if its healing struggles be aided by water and milk.
In the case of not violent poisons, of nauseating matters
not -properly of poisonous nature, water:drinking alone
is sufficient to their radical expulsion through vomiting;
with the stronger poisons, however, it is necessary to
drink much unboiled sweet milk, so that the poison be
enveloped and thereby retained in the milk, which then
immediately curdles, cheese-like, in the stomach, and is
prevented from- exerting' its corrosive power upon the
coats-of the same.'-This corroding power, if it is of a




87
iol61ent nature, so disables and cramps.the stomach, that
it cannot produce the curative voqmitifg at all, or at' least
not completely. ~Another sort of substances besides original poison, causes, likewise,~ primary vomiting, viz.
when a stomach not without strength, has been overloaded
with foods and drinks, especially with intoxicating drinks,
hard of digestion, or mixed with poisons, and is unable to
digest them, it endeavors, a few hours afterwards, to xelieve itself of the same through vomiting, which. is preceded by nauseousness.  With such nauseating articles,
water only, and not milk, must be drunk, for-the purpose
of exciting vomiting, because here nothing is necessa-ry
but-the mechanical operations of the liquid to cleanse the
stomach..
Every poisonous -medicament, and every poison will
produce vomiting with a strong and healthy stomach, if
water and milk be drunk immediately after, and if quantity and quality are riot of such degree that instantaneous
death ensues.
When, however, nauseating matter is taken into the.
stomach, and is not remoyed through vomiting, because,the necessary quantity of water and milk (or other mild
liquid, as decoctions of harmless herbs in water, which,
however, always operate less beneficially than water and
milk) has not been drunk, then a vigorous, healthy,
digestive organ unloads itself of these nauseous stuffs, at
least partially, by means of diarrhcea, through the bowels.
Thus,.when the nauseous substances havt arrived at the
ileumn'and jejunum (the absorbing intestines), the instinct
of these organs is made aware, through disagreeable or
corrosive affections, of the perniciousness of these substan.
ces, and absorbs, most probably, less.of them than if they




88
were wholesome and well-digested substances.  The said
bowels must, however, absorb much ofAthem, and thus
conduct- it into the blood and -entire body, because by
reason.of their construction and activity, they cannot
arbitrarily desist from the peristaltic motion, and still:less,
close entirely the absorbent vessels.  [The Constructor of
the human organism, in placing an instinct in the human
palate, has fully done his duty in regard to protection
against poisons,  If, despite his instinct, man still takes
poison, it is- an error which emanates from  mafi's lic'entiousness (as vices do, also), and can in no wise bedmade
a subject of complaint against the Creator.]  The'se nauseous and poisonous stuffs: that have now'come through
the small bowels into the evacuating bowels (large intestines), produce, in these latter intestines, tormenting and
painful sensations; the nauseous substances exercise their
destroying power, and for this reason, the intestines endeavor. to rid themselves as quickly as possible of them,
which can be effected only by the secretion of much
liquid.  By means of'the same, the intestines endeavor'to
wash themselves. clean of the unwvholesotne- matte'r, ih
which they are seldom completely successful without the
assistance of water administered. as injections.  It is of,
itself evident, that' the intestines are rendered uncommonly
dry by the abnormal secretion of liquid and mucus, which
is necessary to the production of the primary- diarrhcea,
and that the injection of. water into the rectum is consequently an essential aid, and a support to the symptoms of
reaction.
The primary diarrhcea following soon after eating unwholesome articles of food, lasts always but a short time.
The critical diarrhcea, which arises in the water-cure,




:89
when morbid matters; which almost always are acrid
medicaments. get released from  old indurated mucus in
the intestines, may continue for weeks and months, and
still it is purely curative, healthirestoring disease, and
consequently by virtue of this character belongs to the
acute diseases, to the chronic disease, however, by reason
of its exceeding four weeks in -duration.  We see from
this example, that the words acute and chronic are not
suitable to our'classification of diseases; it must, however, be observed, that the words "-primary" and "secondary" in their true interpretation are likewise not so closely expressive, as the words "healing" and- "destroying
disease," and' that we use them  arbitrarily in- a sense,
which corresponds with our classification.
There is a destroying- diarrhcea,' which is no curative
endeavor of the organism; which has its origin in the
deepest,ruin-of the'absorbent intestines, and carries with
itself consumption.  The chief distinctive mark between
this secondary and the just mentioned primary diarrheea
consists herein, that the primary diarrhcea is frequently
attended with a burning, and a feeling of great'dryness in
the anus (produced by the evacuated acrid matter), while
on the'contrary in the destroying diarrhcea this feeling is
entirely wan-ting.
Between the two kinds of diarrhcea, that have just been
considered, apparently holding the middle station, but in
reality'belonging to the primary class, is that diarrhaea,
which. is caused by a,sudden and entire change in the
food.'The digestive juice always assumes that quality,
which is most suited to the digestion of those foods gene.
rally eaten;.is another sort of food' suddenly eaten,
hic'h requires another-quality of gastric juice, the'unac.




'90
customed foods are not at first easily and perfectly digested, and the stomach only adapts itself gradually- to that
state, which produces the suitable kind of digestive matter.
During this period of transition the body clears itself by
means of diarrheas, of. that' portion of the unaccustomed
food, which is not digested, and has frequently -passed
into putridity.  Such a kind of diarrhcea needs the least
of all a positive treatment, but in general'requires simply
non-interference- and- the. guarantee of an. undisturbed
course of action, and quite especially no drugging.
Water drinking according to the'thirst, and one or two
clysters daily is all the treatment necessary.
Such diarrhceas,' arising from the,strangeness of new
aliments -occur, for instance, in the too sudden weanings
of sucking infants; more frequently in emigrations to a
foreign zone, and most particularly in emigrations from
cold climates to, warmer and hot, where all the products
have another -nature than in the North; which diversity
extends even to the productions of the same varieties.
VIII.
MUCOUS ENVELOPMENT OF MATTERS' OF DISEASE,
PARTICULARLY OF THE POISONOUS.
WHEN poisonous and indigestible substances- are not expelled by vomiting. or,diarrh'ea in the manner just described, they must either remain in the alimentary canals,
or be carried into the blood, and through the circulation
of the same into the remotest parts of the whole body.
The manner in which the organism -protects itself for a
length of time against poisonous substances, which it can



not expel and which' it is obliged to retain within -:itself, in
order-that'they may not by their.corroding power effect
immediate destruction of the parts to which they have
penetrated, appears at first view totally inexplicable.
The organism, which cannot through vomiting and diarrhcea rid itself of poisonous matter, which is- lodged in:t, conducts itover into the -blood., and removes it-in this
manner from the digestive canals, if the digestive organs
are possessed of the requisite, strength for so doing.  When
they have lost this power, the poisonous and morbiJic matters
remain in them, and fix themselves in'indurated micus on to
the walls of the stomach and of the bowels.
We will first take into consideration- the question, howthe organism manages with poisonous and'medicinal substances, when they are carried  by the circulation of the
blood' into the innermost parts of the body, and -it has not
the' strength and the means to enable it to free itself of
the same'through boils.and eruptions, of which we shall
speak farther on.
1How is it possible, that the body can harbor in itself
acrid poisons for a long time with apparent health?  How
is it, that. the-poisons,- while lying. in the flesh and bone,
do not corrode in like manner, as, when driven by watercure out upon the- surface, they do'the skin in boils, andeven eat through the linen compresses?
The'anatomical knife.gives us no: information on this
head, because the m:atters of disease-whether medicinal
poisons, or acrid humors, from' sharp high seasoned foods,
or stagnated and refuse' particles of the body —are divided
into, such minute atoms, that'the eye does not recognise
any' what of them.
Just'as little may we expect enlightenment from the




92
old pathology, which gives information of nothing ~else
than of its own incompetency and'inconsistency.  When
one cons over. the pages of- the allopathic pathologies, he
meets in the case of almost every disease with the-edifying information: " of the causes and manner of origination
of this disease, the greatest pathologists and physiologists
are of different'and,mostly contradictory, opinion." Very
edifying; for where error is, there always are:disagreements and contradictions, in truth is alone unity' and
agreement.
Still, despite the contradictions of the most renowned
pathologists, we can, with such decided certainty, find
the solution of this problem through, combination, that it
can be doubted by no one, except those- whom interest.
urges thereto.
What does the human body do when. large, visible,
inimical substances are driven into it through' external
force?  What, for instance, with the leaden bullet? -Its
first endeavor is to throw off the foreign mass by suppuration; when:this is impossible, or it is forced from -its purpose by plasters and medicine, it conducts to the' spot a
great quantity of mild- mucus-like humor, envelopes it therein, and forms around it a-net-work wherein it holds captive
the bullet and the poisonous effect-of the lead.  The organism endeavors this same procedure, with the minute poisonous and inimical'substances, which have been forced
upon it through the digestion —if it is obstructed in its
endeavors to expel them again by acute force..This theory is founded upon the incontrovertible principle of nature in the elementary and organic world, that
nature' operates similarly under similar circumstances.
-Hence, the theory produced loses none of its certainty,




93
because we are not able to recognise with the unaided
~eye, on account~ of their minuteness, the inimical atoms
and the minute net-work around them, and to exhibit them
by. section.
Many bodies exist without-our being able to see them.
The msites, which cause the itch, have but recently become perceptible to the eye by artificial optical assistance;
the minute animalculue, in infusions and iri water; have
long been unknown, and now magnified by the hydrooxygen microscope, these formerly invisible pigmies are
enlarged-to the- size of a crocodile or an elephant.  It:is
highly probable that at a future time some one- will succeed in laying open to the -eye the- matters of disease in
dissected bodies, as that the atoms of the same shall be
made apparent.  The whole of these matters collectively,
exert, even now, a general effect upon the observant eye,
through the abnormal color,, which they impart to the
flesh of the patient ~that has died.. of chronic disease.
When these foreign matters have a marked color, first,
the mucus, and second, the flesh, partakes somewhat of
it.  If, however, this color is not. very striking (as is
generally the case), then the flesh must have a pale nonnormal tincture, from  the whitish. color of the mucus.
The fact, has been actually ascertained from butchers,
that the flesh of such animals as, notwithstanding good
feeding,. will not fatten (which can only proceed from
chronic-  sickness), generally has an unnatural, pale,
whitish color.
The difference of the internal flesh color in healthy and
chronically-diseased persons, would show itself still more
characteristically distinct, if bodies. of both kinds slain on
the.:battle-field, should be examined.




94
The flesh of animals has always the same blood-color,
because in the green republics of the woods there rcan be
no chronic sickness,- since there are there no:'doctors, no
apothecaries, and no distilleries of intoxicating liquors.
Now, we will consider.'the second question of this chapter, namely, the fixture-of poisonous medicinal substances
in the digestive canals themselves.
A strong digestive organ will rid itself, as we have
seen, in sdmie manner, of' the medicinal substances forced
upon-it. When, however, the use of medicine is perse.
veringly adhered to. for a. length of time, the walls of the
stomach- and bowels-;become- gradually desiccated. by the
constant secretion of mucus, to which alternative -the
digestive canals are driven, in order to protect-themselv'es
against the sharp and corrosive medicaments, and thus,"in
places, the corrosive-power, of.the'medicaments-effects a
ruination —of the mucous glands and of the- nerves. Now,
on these most exhausted and ruined places, the mucous
accumulations with which the poisons are mixed, become,
fixed, and harden, by degrees, to -that stone-like concretion
which is commonly called tartar.  The tartar, which,
with persons of foul stomach, settles upon -the teeth, is
likewise nothing else tha-n indurated mucus. ~ The more
now, the use of medicine' is persevered in, the -nore the
mucus generated is mixed with the medicine, and adheres
along with it firmly to the walls of the stomach and bowels. In such a- way; many persons carry about-with them
in their digestive canals. a small apothecary shop. It is.evident; that the inedicamernts firmly encased' in mucus
and tartar, inasmuch as no dissolving power, neither air
nor water can reach them; must continue'to retain- their
peculiar strength and peculiai taste,- until. theyg are again




subjected -to the decomposing power of the elements,
which in the lifetime of the patient, is only practicable by
a water- cure.  If the water. does not dissolve this indurated mucus, then the solution and decomposition of the
medicaments therein contained, do: not take place until
after-the death and decomposition of the patient through
the decomposing power of the elements.
It is a circumstance well known to physicians, that in
very weak digestive- canals, -medicaments may lie undigested.; I remember, that long. before the water-cure
became known, my physician at.that time, Dr.. H., in'C.,
while I' had an intermitting fever, would give me no china
in substantial-form, because, in, my too weak stomach, "it
might remain undigested as a crudity in.my:stomach."
That appeared to me, at, the - time, impossible. -I questioned physicians as to the.p ossibility of it, and'received
affirmative answer; I searched in medical works, and
found it confirmed, - If, now, many physicians still -deny
these.facts and the possibility':f the same, I am in, no
manner surprised, because,. in. the present struggle between medicine and water-cure,- a mass of untruths is set
forth to the. people. by the physicians concerning both
systems, contrary to. their better knowledge, in. order to
dispute the results of the water-cure and'to vindicate medlicine'..
I have shown that the fixture of medicaments in indurated mucus finds its fullest-'explanation in the laws' of
physiology. <The contrary would be a contradiction.to..
physiology; it is an utter impossibility that weakened
bowels, which- have long been allopathically fed with
acrid and poisonous medicaments, can constantly retain
the power of -expelling-the poisons along with the mucus




-96
which they'generate.  Many persons may suppose that
the potions afterwards taken. must again dissolve the mucus, and that. it -cannot, therefore, continue.fixed for lifetime. To that I reply the follIowing:
First, Knowledge, establishe'd by experience, teaches
the -contrary: viz. in dissbctions it is not seldom that tartar is found in the digestive canals, which requires a long
time for its. formation;-over which, consequently, many
fluids have passed without dissolving it.
Second, Qf, all drinks.water alone possesses this dissol-'
vent power, and then only when somewhat more of it - is
drunk than the thirst requires.. For what the thirst demands is quickly absorbed,-and accordingly has no.time
to:dissolve a tough,. still less a stone-like, concretion.
Third, The digestive canals retain, for the purposes of
solution, that water drunk beyond the thirst, so long as it
is needed *for the solution, if they have. the strength to,expel the dissolved mucus, together with the poison contained: therein.  If they do not possess this strength, then the
solution would be a' misfortune, and consequently, the
digestive organs empty themselves quickly of the superfluous Water, and allow of no solution,. in consequence of
the instinct, which is placed not- only in the palate, -but
also. in all the organs.,Hence it follows, that the solution of the indurated and
stone-like mucus is only practicable through the agency
of water, and by water treatment; and that without this
the mucus must remain inr the body till death in the form
of tartar.
Not all medicaments have this effect of- hardening the
mucus, and coating the digestive canals with-tartar, but in
the same degree more or less, according as they are




97
stronger or-weaker poisons, and more or less administered
for a length of time. One may always reckon with certainty upon indurated mucus in patients that have taken
much of medicinal purgative remedies, and much of constipating remedies, because' they dry up the digestive canals in. an extraordinary manner.  Laudanum in particular is disposed to take up its abode and remain in the.
bowels.
It is of itself evident, that those parts of the stomach
and bowels, to which the tartar adheres, must soon organically perish, and pass into  induration and cartilage.
However,, we return again hereafter to this subject.
In the foregoing has been shown, that the medicaments
must retain their peculiar power and peculiar taste in the
mucous indurations, until the mucus is dissolved, and the
poisonous matters become exposed to the elements. Therefore, in the statement, that in the water cure patients have,
during a vomiting crisis, vomited out medicinal stuffs,
which they had takeu several years before; and in the
statement, that these substances had retained their own
peculiar taste,'and oftentimes perceptibly their own color,
there is contained nothing, which offers the slightest contradiction to the laws of physiology; and the laughter,
which some physicians make use of against such statemaents, springs either from gross. ignorance or from conscious untruth.
The-weaker the'stomach, the more unaltered remain
the taste and strength of the medicaments enveloped in
mucus.  If the stomach, however,'is somewhat stronger,
it attempts at leas.t through its ownpeculiar juice a relative
alteration of the administered poisonous drugs, before it
resigns -itself to the necessity of retaining in itself the poi5




98
sons together with the mucus.  When a patient in the
water cure gets a vomiting crisis, and in the ejected morbid matter can plainly taste a:medicine that was taken
some time ago, then he may rest' assured'that this- crisis
will continue some time, and will not cease until -the
ejected matter loses its marked medicinal taste.. That,
which in such a crisis is first discharged, is naturally the
poison that was last taWen, and the last discharged is that
first taken, and first settled in the stomach.  At first, however, the stomach has still strength to make a relative
change in the poisons, the very powerful ones excepted; 
which change indeed -never reaches actual digestion,
which however somewhat diminishes the strength of the
poison, and thus divests it of its peculiar taste, so that it
is converted into a more or less acrid, but always an, undigested and poisonous, -crudity,
-The theme of sliming-or mucous envelopment is pne of
the most important in the doctrine of disease.  The real
genuine' sliming by abnormal secretions- from the everywhere extended mucous glands can (never be produced but
by sharp poisons,- which very seldom  come from other
hands than those of the drug-physician, and the so-called
slime-dissolving remedies -of the doctors are -in reality
slime-generating remedies.
When it is said of'foods and drinks, that they cause a
flow of mucus, it is not the real true mucus, i. e. mucus
generated and secreted from the mucous glands,-but rather
a transition of the chyle into a mucus-like substance from
want of.strength, especially from'want of decomposing
power in the weak digestive organs, which aways has its
cause in poisons and insufficient use of water.




99
-Of, the so-called slime-dissolving and purging remedies
of. the doctors, we shall speak more at large hereafter.
I' cannot conclude this so exceedingly -important theme
of sliming, before I overthrow still an argument of the
doctors, wherein they deny the, permanent continuance of
the matters of disease in the body..
From thee nature of poisons we -have seen, that, when
they are introduced into the stomach and not expelled
again through vomiting, they either. adhere to the walls of
the digestive canals -in hardened mucus or slime, or are
taken up by the digestive organs and carried into. the'blood'.  These are carried by the blood and circulation
thereof into all the -various:and innermost parts of the
body and there deposited with the other constituents of the
blood to afford'nourishment to the same, and to renew the
constant wear and tear of the body.
When many physicians, for the purpose of disputing the
water-cure, deny this now, they.,contradict not only- the
very physiological laws which are prloclaimed from  their
lecturing desks, but they deny all efficaciousness to their
own medicaments.  If the medicaments did not pass into
the blood, and through it into the body, they could have no
efect farther than; at -most, upon the digestive organs, into
which always they miake their. way.
Supposing the medicinal and poisonous substances passed-into the -blood, but not in their medicinal quality, but
entirely divested -of' their poison, completely digested,
made like to the blood, which is prepared from the usual
aliments; then again they could possess no medicinal eficaciousness, and in general no other power than that which is
possessed by everyonatural, and, as pointed out by instinct,.
agreeable food.




100
Thus the physicians, when they pretend that their poisons
and -medicaments are' capable of being- assimilated, not only
contradict physiological laws but themselves also, in the most
direct manner, inasmuch as in all diseases which have their
seat otherwise than in the digestive canals, they thereby deny
that medicinal effect, which; however, at every other opportunity, they-avow, and upon which theirwhole doctrine of cure
is founded.
The more clever ones among the physicians have very
well comprehended this double contradiction, and  they
admit that the drugs retaining their:medicinal quality are
carried by the circulation of the blood into-all parts of the
body, but usually maintain that the medicinal and poisonous substances are again promptly thrown off by the evaporations from the skin.
This fundamentally false doctrine I must yet disprove,
before I can conclude this chapter.
The blood is impelled into all, e-ven into the innermost
solid parts, as, for instance, into the bones through the circulation, which  is driven by means of the immense
muscular power of the heart, so that the substance which,
being worn out, has passed off, is again replaced anew by
the blood. So long as poisonous and medicinal substances
are still to be found in the blood of the large veins, they
cannot exert any, or but slight injurious effects, because
they are not mixed with the healthy parts of the blood,
because in the blood itself there are no nerves, and because they are rapidly hurried through the veins.  As
soon, however, as the blood has arrived at the place of its
destination, through the innumerable small veins, it is decomposed more or less by the organic power into its collstituent parts, and out of the various constituent-parts are




101
formed the various juices.and substances which it stands
in need of for its nutrition: the hairy matter-muscular
matter, the nervous matter, the seminal matter, marrow,
&c., &c. Into all these solid, and also into all fluid substances, now the very minute and consequently very numerous particles of poison pass, which have entered into
the circulation, and are through the same carried into all
parts of the body. As soon as the particles of poison are
in this manner separated from the blood, and have settled
in the solid and organically vital parts of the body (the
blood is not as yet an organically developed body, but the
material for the organic formations of the human body),
they begin to exercise their annihilating power, which. is,
however, kept down by the organism for a length of time,
by secreting from the everywhere.existing mucous glands.
and glandules mild mucous humors, and therewith enveloping the particles of poison.. The labor of generation of,
and envelopment in mucus, is infinitely easier and requires infinitely less strength, than the work of elimination of-the poison through the organ oaf the skin.
When-the body is poisoned with drugs, this elimination
through the skin can never take place readily, and never
without the help of water. Their elimination cannot take
place readily,. because those parts of the body into which
the particles of poison arrive, together with the rest of the
particles of blood to nourish, to replace the worn out and
refuse substance, are not organically inclined to secrete
immediately again those newly arrived substances, because the secretions from organically vivified parts of the
body ensue, according to normal manner, not till a, long
tim'e afterwards; and not'till such time, as these substances
being worn out and exhausted have become refuse. Those




102
/substances, which have' to-day been deposited in orgariid
pafits of the body, will, in normal rmanner, be excreted
again the last of all s/ubstances which to-day are in the
body.  Thb older is always excreted before the fresher
and newer.  Thus the assertion, that -the medicinal poisons
are quickly discharged again out of the body, is a contradiction against the, lats' of physiology, and consequently a docided uintruth:
Without help of water the complete expulsion.of poisonous substances through' the organ of the skin is never possible', not even slowly, if this poisoning has been carried to'
such an  extefnt, as it usaally is with most of the allopathic:
treatments.To excrete poisonous matters from  the skin requires,
hobiever, still more strength of the skin, than to excrete
the rfefuse' matteirs of assimilation, and therefore the former
is still! less possible' without the help of water.  By far the
greatfir nunmbe' of poweriful' poisons, when conducted from
the- ifiternal, organis' to the skin, excite boils and eruptions,
which cause: a violent burning and stinging in the skin.
Eveini the first appearance of these critical poison-discha'riging' exanthems is- very seldom out of the wateir-cure,
and: -thien only Witht perssons of very stroag- constitutions.
Bht the rhaintenance of these exanthems unitil' the body is
thoroughly cleaftSed is' not possible with the strongest peri-.
sibis- withOut' Weater treatment, because the skin systeii
becomes gradually dried- out by' such' secretioni, and in
placesat~ least disbrganized, if the;acridities of the' secretions are ndt mildenedby dilutions with water, and if the
skin isi not bathed with and- allowed t6 abso6rb:much'water,
to-'repltacd thC:eelastic fluid, which it': rhtiut piduce iri ab;
nofihal quvttity to- carry- offthe poisobfiods:ma6ters.




103
The less violent poisons may in many persons, especially those of very fat and coarse system of skin, be discharged without any exanthems, but likewise not without
wyater..  The burning and. itching, which such critical
transpirations and. transudations irritate in the skin, must
likewise be cooled by water, if the acrid matters, which
cause these sensations, are not gradually to desiccate the
skin, and thus make it wholly incapable of the abnormal
activity required to throw off the poison.
Farthermore, the necessary cleansing of the pores and
keeping them open during such like critical-transudations
and exantherns.can only be attained by frequent moistening of the. skin with water.'Finally, the skin can receive from water only, the ab
normal supply of oxygen and hydrogen, which as before
shown must attend every abnormal activity of the body.
In all these demonstrations of the impossibility of the
excretion-of poison without help'of water, regard only
has been had to the cutaneous system, and it has been.
shown, that complete elimination is even then not' possible,
when the'poisonous substances have arrived at the skin.
Hereafter I will show, that it is not possible for these
poisonous drugs and spices to be expedited from the inner.
most parts -of the body to the skin without the help of
water.
IX.
THE NATURE AND PURPOSE OF FEVER.
INFINITE time and pains have been expended-in the investigation of the nature. and the causes of fever by thelthou._
sands, who have in this century devoted their whole lives




104
professionally to the curing of diseases. But alas thne rid.
dle remained unsolved, despite so many guessers -and
counsellors.
Hahnemann is of the opinion, that perhaps it will never
be granted to humanity to fathom, to determine the inward nature of fever and of the chronic diseases.  If,
however, some one should succeed; in so doing, the explanation would be so simple, so evident, so.- disrobed of
learned subtility, that it would captivate everiy human understanding, and fill it with a new flood of light.  This is
most certainly true!
Fever is-but) man, what art thou attempting?  What
science in two centuries has been unable to solve-whereon
Boerhave and his consorts of glory-have ground to dulness
their wisdom teeth-that secret wilt thou break open and
unriddle? Well, I draw the- curtains of modesty over Imy
face, with maiden bashfulness I cast down mine eyes, with
blushes on-my cheeks I beg consideration for my learned
stupidity, and stammer as follows: Fever is nothing more
and nothing less than the effect of any and every violentix e
ertion, which exceeds the normal and conservative powers of
the body.:
Run hard, or have a bad wound on your body to
heal, or beget a human being, or bear a child, and you
thence get- a fever just as perfect, but not of So long duration, as when the body reacts violently against a suppressed perspiration, or in general -is striving to- drive-morbific
matters from the internal parts to the skin.
There are only three characteristic marks of fever
Which are brought on by every violent exertion, viz. heat
of the body, rapid pulse, and'dry tongue, which by longer
duration of the exertion becomes a parching thirst.  All




105
other symptoms of a fever of disease, are not syMp.
toms of fever, but effects of those- matters of disease,
which are,to be expurged by means of the  fever;
For this reason these other symptoms are just as changing and various as- the nature of the morbific matters,
or'as the organs are different upon Which the matters
haye thrown themselves.  Are these matters, through
obstructed perspiration, settled particularly in the head,
thern arises an inflammation of -the -brain-; if upon the
lungs, then, an inflammation of the lungs; and a nervous,
or typhus fever, if upon the nerves.
The physicians, indeed, premise still more necessary
marks of fever, viz. the chill. before the heat, also depression of the general strength of the.organism, and finally,
destruction of the functions of digestion and evacuation.
But firstly, the chill is not the fever, but the preparation
to the fever; the start, as.it were, before the fever.
Secondly, the depression of the organism results lkss from
the fever than from' the disease, against which the fever
is a token:of reaction; and this depression is, in the watertreatment, far less sensible than in the medical; is, there- 
-fore, a partial effect of the medicaments.  Instances are
known to me wherein persons with fever have,~ under- the
water -pure, walked upwards of. three miles to get to the
bath in the open air, and, indeed, in raw weather with the
best consequences.  Thirdly, the destruction of digestive
energies takes place always in every -case under medical
treatment, but very frequently not at all'under the hydriatic, and always for a short time only.  It is nothing rare
in critical feverish conditions in the water-cure, -that
during the same the patient eats with better appetite,
digests and evacuates better than many persons in the old
5*




106
regime' during their healthy days.,Consequently, the
disturbance of the digestive energies is by no means
a necessary effect of the fever, but of the medical treatment of the same.
In all these violent-diseases it would scarcely require to
be proved that the causes of these -diseases are foreign
material substances in the body, if the- so-called science
had not so automatonized- the people, that they believe
more readily the puppet in the professorial chair,: than the
innermost infallible human perceptions.  Does it not, in
all these diseases, lie perceptibly in and upon the diseased
organ? does it not'sting, and burn, and press?  In in->
flammation of the chest,, what compressed anguish, and
what stitches, like with glowing daggers, as if an Etna lay
upon the lungs, and his fires were raging therein! -Here
it sits! oh! here it pierces, here it burns, here it cramps!
oh! oh! cries the poor patient.  "But, nay," says the
wooden science, "you err grossly,' it is not foreign matters
that afflict you, it is rather -."'  Yes, there the breath
of the discourse ceases, there it stagnates. The wisest
and most celebrated among physicians have honestly confessed'that they know nothing of the internal nature and
process of diseases.   But the narrow-minded content
themselves with high-sounding phrases, void of sense and
purport, as they twang from the lecturer's chair, and with
faithful devotion they learn the stupidity by heart, and
pay themselves and their like with the false coin, which
weighs nothing, but only jingles.
In common life, we are accustomed to call fever that
condition of body' which is produced by abnormal physiological-activity of the inner man without external and
arbitrary effort.  We will take the word fever here with



107
out farther argument, in the ordinary sense of fever of
disease, i. e. fever accompanied by symptoms of disease.
In all abnormal efforts of the organism, there is more
oxygen and hydrogen gas consumed than in the normal
condition. In order to d-raw more oxygen from the air
the lungs respire more. rapidly than ordinarily, which
produces an acceleration in the throb of the heart and
pulse; from. this, accelerated circulation of the blood
arises the fever heat.  The fever-thirst arises very naturally from' the: abnormally great consumption! of oxygen
and hydrogen.  These two- gases are, as was before.
shown, the fundamental conditions of all a[ssimilation and
secretion; since -the solid can be transformed into -fluid,only through the agency of hydrogen, and the fluid into
solid only through the agency of oxygen, gas.
In this manner the nature' of feverdis very simply and
clearly comprehended.  The causes and purpose of fever
will be gi0ven farther oR.  Let any one compare my explanation of fever with those before given, and he will
perceive that mine alone has claim  to the predicates of
simplicity and clearness.  I haye also had the satisfaction
to perceive that a number of authors havre borrowed from
me, anil consequently approved of the declaration of the
nature of feverv given -by mes betefe xme entirely unknown.
If, in so doing, they have not named myself as the oiginator of it, and have, in part, assumed to themselves the
title of authorship, it is only an occurrence that has in
similar cases been repeated.a thousand times, and must
necessarily proceed from the vanity of contracted souls.
In the majority of hydriatic works by mediciners and nn.
anediciners, that havee appeared since -the publication of




108
my miscellanies, my explanation  of fever has been
adopted.
X.
THE INTERNAL PROCESS OF TAKING COLD.
COLDS play a principal part in the pathology of the medicine
ers, as well as of the laymen., Concerning the internal processes of those diseases arising from colds, we have had
heretofore not so much incorrect'-ideas as much rather no
ideas at all; these processes have been developed first in
my doctrine of disease.
If a human body is quite free from. morbific humors
(foreign matters more or less poisonous), then taking cold
could have a morbid effect 0oniy; if the-nerves were- extremely weak and diseased, and this disease could consist
only in nervous irritations, depressions, and cramps.  But
in a body free from foreign humors, there are no diseased
nerves, and consequently, sickness can never arise in
such manner from colds, if there are no foreign humors
in the body.
The skin can perform its necessary business of excretion only when its pores are open and it is warm.  These
two conditions cannot be permanently maintained but by
means of cold water. Indeed, warmth can be maintained
around the body for-a length of time-by confining the immediate atmosphere of the skin with thick coverings of imperfect conductors of heat; but such a manner of maintaining
the warmth of the skin has tw6 decided disadvantages;
first, -that the skin, -which'not offly exhales the insensible
perspiration, but must also absorb from the atmosphere, can
then induct into the body only corrupt atmospheric nutri



109
tion (see under- air baths), and second, — by this artificial
retention of the transpired warmth, the poweir of the skin
to generate warmth "becorhes gradually weaker, and consequently, more and more covering becomes necessary.
Because in the old r6gime the skin -cannot generate of
itself the. warmth necessary to transpiration, it becomes
obstructed so soon as the accustomed artificial aids are notsatisfactorily guaranteed.  This obstruction- of transpiration is the so-called catarrh or cold which, however, as
before said, can only produce disease when morbific humors
(i. e. matters that are or have become foreign, and are not
exhaled in;time from the body).are present in the body.
When under such circumstances the transpiration stag.
nates for a length of time by reason of insufficient warmth
of skin, the matters to be, transpired take an abnormal
course towards the-inward' parts of the body, or at least
the fluid matter, that should have evaporated, remains
an abnormal length.of time within the body, and dissolves
by reason of -its fluidity many of those mucous particles in
which' the foreign, and especially the poisonous matters, lay
enveloped.  It must, then, necessarily result, that these
morbid humors which have been thus freed from their
mucous envelopment, produce by their acrid and corrosive
properties pains in those parts of the body with which they
come in contact.  The organism can operate in'two ways
with these free. humors, viz. -it can either endeavor to
conduct them to the. skin, and'there excrete them, or it
can envelope -them  again with newly-generated- mucus.
The first is a struggle for radical cure, and is undertaken
by the organism  the more decidedly and powerfully, according as it is stronger and healthier.  The second course
is a'shift, which the ruined organism adopts,.and to which'




110
even a sound organism  is forced, when its endeavor to
cure itself is suppressed through medicinal treatment, i. e.
either through blood-letting or poisoning.
A necessary consequence of the elucidatioin just given
by. me is the conclusion-that under preparatory treatment
of catarrhal complaints with water, the act of taking cold,
i. e. the setting free of the foreign humors from their mucous envelopment by means of the fluids that should have
been transpired, remaining. an abnormal length of time in
the body, can become a means of cure in the truest sense
of the word, a means of the radical expulsion of the morbid humors.  The conclusion is most substantially correct, when there is previous strength of the skin and of
the general organism  sufficient for going victoriously
through the struggle, and when there has been previous
W'ater-treatment.
The originator of the systematic water-cure, uses, for
the purpose of intentional catarrhs and colds, or the dissolving of the old mucus by obstructions of the exhalations, those half baths, which I have called "' fever-producing baths."
These half-baths are employed to' change atonic conditions of disease (i. e. conditions of disease without. pain,
and devoid of any symptoms of reaction) into.tonic.
They must not be employed if the nerves are considerably
affected,, or if the cutaneous system is inactive. In general none but the perfect master of the water-cure system
should meddle with them.
The stronger the organism is at- the time of its infection
with matters of disease, so much the sooner. ensues an
acute disease after taking cold; so much the purer and
more marked Balso does the disease resulting from cold




partake of the inflammatory'character, and so much the
fieer is it of nervoucs symptoms.
With very vigorous persons the inflammatory affection
ensues always within a- few days after the cold, and just
as soon,' and stilli sooner, follows the crisis in the watercure, sometimes immediately- after the fever-generating
half-bath.'But'the unfortunate beings who have a shattered nervous'system, never get inflammatory affections after a
cold, because it requires. good, or tolerably good, nerves to
produce them;'those unfortunates suffer the most after
colds from increased nervous' afflictions, less from rheumatic pains, and not at all from  the inflammatory.  An
organism with shattered nerves can do nothing but immediately re-envelope with: mucus those morbific humors,
which are set free.  This exertion, however, of itself so
trivial, produces, in combination'with'the constringent
prime effect of the cold upon the nerves, an increase ofthe'nervous -sufferings.  Htence it follows, that persons
with shattered nerves must; under-all circumstances, carefully guard against taking cold, and this also.while under
the water-treatment, until-such time that the herves have
gained strength and healthiness therefrom.
Firom the above-shown.difference in the effects of a cold
upon healthy and diseased neives it is argued, that that
method of-cure which- changes the~ rheumatic and inflammatory disposition of disease gradually into a nervous, is
by all means thoroughly false and ruinous; and that that
method' which produces the contrary change, must decidedly be- the true- method.  Thousands and' millions of
times has medicine effected that disastrous'change, and
never has it produced a single instance of the'last-named




112
change, which leads to a true cure. Only water, only
nature's-medical art has the piower to work'out such a
victorious change, which then is always the transition to
the most complete cure..
Every person, who does not pursue internal and external water diet, does not transpire readily enough the refuse-grown substance, has therefore diseased matters in
his body, and can, by taki g cold, bring upon himself a
disease. No wild beast, no wild man can be morbidly
affected from  the most violent cold, i. e. from transpirations for a long time entirely suppressed, because no old
foreign substances are present in the body.  If the external cold reaches spuch an unusual degree, that the organism cannot react against it, then it.is possible that such a
healthy being mnay, through withdrawal of all warmth,
grow numb and perish, but never can any sickness follow
from restoration of warmth.
To attain to such enviable ruggedness and incapability
of taking cold, it is not necessary that we become wild;
much rather, we may remain perfectly tame and comfort.
able,-and be just as healthy as the tiger or polar bear-if
we return to-first principles, to tie water-cure and waterdiet.  Such health will be guaranteed to the new-born
babe, if it is reared in the water-diet; with him, however,
who has grown up under the old regime, the diet is of
llittle avail before he has been born anew by a course of
water-treatment.
If any one is disposed to learn whether he is entirely'
free of foreign humors, is absolutely healthy, he can best
make thy test by intentionally contracting -a severe cold.
However, this may only be allowable when a water-physician is at hand to prevent any evil consequences, and




113
when the state of the experimenter approaches nearly to
that of health, which, illcommon life, is entitled extraordinarily healthy.
With a vigorous organism, which has for a considerable
length of time pursued the water-diet (without being perfectly pure, however), a strobg critical perspiration'Will
break out, probably the next night after the contraction of
the cold, and thus the matter is ended.  With a healthy
person under the usual diet, an- acute disease will ensu'e,
and, under water-treatment, disappear in a few days,
without leaving a vestige behind.'
The chronic patient should guard himself carefully
against contracting any cold, because he can no longer
produce any healing disease.'
There aie, certainly, very few persons in Europe that
can bid defiance to any cold. - These few would, in the
Graefenberg water-cure, get no'kind of crisis whatever.
All others would do well to take in hand the water-purification of their'bodies, which is attained so much the
sooner the healthier their organism  is.  Very vigorous
persons get, -in the. Graefenberg water-cure, eruptions
within the first few days, while the weak and enfeebled
require weeks and months.
XI.
DRINKING OF-COLD WATER WHEN HEATED.
THE cooling of the body internally through cold-water
drinking while, or after being heated, operates in like man-'
ner as the cooling of the skin by ablutions, always refreshing and agreeable, and never produces sickness nor malady
in a healthy person. Are we, indeed, to believe that'nature




114
hasaimplanted in her creatures this ardent desire after
cold water, if to appease it were injurious?  Oh, the- allloving, noble Nature has given to man, as also to the
beasts, no propensity the appeasing of which renders him
unhappy or unhealthy   But cultivation, i. e. those distortions and distractions of civilization of which Europe
is so proud, and which are continually approaching nearer
and nearer to the absurdities of the Chinese-that has
perverted most conditions and circumstances, and plunged
them into misery and error!
Every beast, when it,is heated, drinks with eagerness
great quantities of'cold water,_ and well it'agrees with
him.  Only civilized man and the civilized horse are the
sufferers thereby; for these'poor creatures have -a body
always so full of corrupt matters, that any interrupted
perspiration makes them sicken-thanks to the poisoning
science  On the contrary, the wild horse, because it
lives in the natural water-regime,; is as healthy and as
hardy. as any other animal-; even the horses of the'Indians
know of no trouble from  this source, and, after being
heated, drink with irnpunrity, cold water, without'being
afterwards set id motion or receiving any covering?
If cold-drinking, when heated, were injurious, hey!
Messrs. Doctors, what would have become of your ancestors in their wild hunting expeditions? From what medi.
cal bench was preached to the -wild, Germans, and to the
savages of the present'day, the precautions against cold
water?  And were and are these wild gentlemen of the
woods perhaps pulmonary wheezers  and  asthmatics?'
And have you ever found a savage or a man of nature
anywhere, who does not drink cold water when heated?
In the moon perhaps; but not on earth.




115
Every one who is perfectly free of foreign matters, may
drink cold water after the most intense over-heating of the
body, and then at pleasure either heat himself still more,
or allow  himself to cool.  Experience has already confirmed this.
But whoever has grown up in the regime of a false
diet, and still more, whoever has swallowed the poisons
of medicine, cannot drink in an over-heated state, if he
does not continue in' a state of activity, which will maintain the heat in him, unless he has previously purified
himself completely by the water-treatment.
XII.
DYSENTERY.
REMARK.-When, in this work, the distinguishing symp.
toms of the different diseases are given under the title,
"'symptoms ofthe disease," these symptoms are always
taken from  those marks which characterize. the disease,
never from the nature of the disease, or from the causes
of the disease, which two' last subjects are treated imnhediately after the specification of the symptoms.
(1) Symptoms of the Dysentery. —Violent pains in the
evacuating intestine (rectum), and sometimes in the other
intestines also,' attended with constant desire to' evacuate
and proportionately small stools. At first the evacuations
consist only -of the excrements in the bowels, but afterwards at a later and advanced- stadium' of the disease,
which is chiefly the consequence of medicinal treatment,
they consist mostly of greenish foul slime, which is passed'
only with gteat'difficulty and straining. -If blood is min



1.16
gled with the evacuation, or preponderates in the mixture,
it is called the bloody: flux. When the false- formations
of inflammation arise through wrong treatment of the
dysentery (of this see inflammatory diseases), cuticular
and polypus-like formations are also evacuated.   Farther, the dysentery, passes, under false treatment sometimes into ulceration of the bowels, more frequently into
mortification, which then speedily produces death.
(2) The Nature and Condition of Disease in Dysentery
is an inflammation in the large intestines, most frequentlyin the rectum, so that the excrements can with difficulty,
or.not at all, pass by the inflamed part, and hence arises
the pressing desire to stool without the ability of effecting
an evacuation.  The causes of' dysentery lie almost always in the corruption' of the air, of the water, or of the
food; colds and a previous predisposition to dysentery
are co-operating causes.  This latter consists chiefly in
this, that in the coatings of.the. large, intestines acrid. or
poisonous ~ubstances lie enveloped in mucus, which mucus is dissolved by the moisture repressedby the closing
of the pores by cold;.whereupon, then, in co-operation
with the above-mentioned corruption: of the' elements or
of the aliments, more mq'rbid matters are accumulated in
the bowels, against which the organism  reacts with an
inflammation, and thus endeavors to effect its cure.
Moreover, I must confess that.. I have not as yet succeeded in investigating the  processes -so clearly and
thoroughly of the epidemic diseases'as -I have the processes of the non-epidemic.
(3) The operation and effect of the water-treatment on the
Dysentery.
REMARK.-In representing the effects of water on the




117
various diseases, I have always in view.the true hydriatic
treatment, according to the method of Vincent Priessnitz.
The water which is drunk always passes with great
rapidity, and in inflammatory dise'ases, with uncommon
rapidity. through the whole circulation of the blood, and
arrives very soon through the small veins of the bowels
at the inflamed parts thereof; it dilutes and weakens the
acrid h-umors, and thus renders them  milder, and  by
means of its fluidity promotes their expulsion through the
various excretory functions. The water'taken as drink does
not reach. as such. the cavities of the large intestines, since
it is previously absorbed in the small ones; but, for the
speedy cure of the dysentery, as'of every inflammation,
the application of a great quantity of water in its original
substance is highly salutary; therefore, in the dysentery,
a great many water clysters must be given, which come
directly to the inflamed part of'the bowels, where the proper seat of the disease lies.. The water cools the- inflammation, dilutes and qualifies the acrid morbid matters,
which, through the reaction, are secreted partly from the
internal parts of walls of the bowels,. and discharged into
the hollow spaces of the intestines, and which, for the rest
part, have come into the canal of the large, intestines
through unwholesome foods and the corruption of the elements.  Farthermore, the water gives to the bowels the
necessary. fulness, which facilitates evacuation, and in
such manner washes them  clear of- all,morbific humors.
The~ water finally supplies the oxygen and hydrogen,
which, in all, inflammations, is consumed in abnormal
quantity, without which the false formations of inflammation arise.  Sitz-baths and wet compresses around the
abdomen, make -the work of 6ure complete.




118
VWhen the dysentery-patient is reduced by medical
treatment to that condition in which the transpirations of
the skin, together with the alvine evacuations, have become
obstructed and stagnated, then the water must first in wet
sheet envelopments be directed towards re-animating the
activity of the skin, which it arouses through its aforedescribed effect upon. the human organism.  Also, when
there is considerable fever preceding the inclination to
stool, a short envelopment is necessary.
The operation of water in the dysentery is therefore
the cleansing of the large bowels of the foreign matters,
i-gainst which the organism  struggles so violently, and
thus the wvater-cure is an assistant to, the reactive struggle.
(4) The effects.of the medical treatment upon the dysentery are according to the variousness of the remedies
applied, partly of moderate, partly of vast injury.  To the
moderately injurious belong' the-slimy and oily remedies,
which sometimes are. given alone, when the symptoms do
not rise to great violence; but these remedies can never
effect a cure.  The administered oil burdens the stomach
exceedingly; it does not pass directly through the bowels,
but is, for the most part, absorbed in the small intestines,
consequently but a small portion'reaches that part- of the
bowels, where the inflammation and proper seat of the
disease lies.. Even then it is of very inconsiderable bene:
fit, because no inflammtnation can -be cooled with oil, but
only with;water, because the oil possesses no' dissolving
power, because it can by no means penetrate into the very
delicate and minute spaces, and because it contains neither
oxygen nor hydrogen, which, in every inflammation, are
of the most cogent necessity if'they are to issue salutarily.
That that part of the oil, which is absorbed, in the small




119
intestines, and thus conducted into the blood, can likewise'exercise no salutary effect upon the disease, is evident
from analogous causes.
Frequently a vornitive is administered immediately at
the commencement of the dysentery, and this is still more
in accordance with the -characteristic spirit of medicine;
it is a poisonous coercive remedy, which withholds the
organism  from its curative endeavor, either obstructing
this endeavor or utterly rendering it impossible, just' according to the strength of the patient.
The opiate medicaments, which are so very frequently
administered in dysentery operate in like manner. Their
poisonous effects cripple the organism; hence the symptoms-of reaction must in consequence thereof grow weaker, and on suitable repetition of the poisonings must
finally cease, either because death, the grand colleague
of the mediciners, gradually steps' in,' or because the
organism  desists from  its struggle, and resorts to envelopment of the morbific- matter in mucus.  In this-manner
either death by mortification is incurred by the abovementioned and other poisons, or chronic intdurations and
disorgahnizations form  themselves in the inflamed parts,
which are followed by tedious life-long complaints.  This
last we find noticed in all. the medical pathologies, where
indeed it is not at the same time mentioned, that- the organic
transformations and ravages are the effect of the poisonous
suppression of the symptoms of reaction of the dysentery.
But physiology affords proof to this, and moreover it has
been confirmed a thousand tiines by experience. Never
afte'r hydriatic treatment has there arisen a chronic ailing
in the evacuating-bowel, and never has a patient under
such-treatment died of dysentery.  I make here the ex



120
plicit observation, that, when I speak of hydriatic treat:
ment, I mean a treatment conducted from beginning to
end with water, and exclude a. previous medicinal one.
In the dysentery, as in every primary disease, the
palate manifests a strong desire for' cold water,: and in
every primary disease there must to a hair just so much
be drunk as the thirst requires, and not a drop more.
XIII.
CHOLERA.,
THERE is no fixed boundary to be drawn between' the
sporadic and Asiatic cholera, as in general nowhere between:neighboring diseases can certain fixed boundaries
be drawn.
(1) Symptoms of the Cholera.-Sometimes it is-preceded
by fore-tokens, frequently not.
The fore-tokens are dejectedness of. mind and anxiety,
weariness of the limbs and dizziness, in connexion with
disturbances in the digestive functions, especially':with'diarrhaea.
The symptoms of cholera: are: painful burning, with
anxious sensations' and compression.in the region of the
stomach, and in the region of the abdomen bordering upon
it below; distension of the abdomen, with dreadful pains
and disturbances in the bowels; frequent vomiting and
diarrhcea, by which a yellowish, brownish, greenish fluid
is evacuated with great violence. With these symptoms
is combined a burning -thirst for cold water and a -rapid,
but very small thread-like pulse.




121These symptoms belong to the cholera, also when it is
correctly treated' with water.
In every medicinal, and in every false treatment, there
arise as signs of a second and worse stadium, generally
the following symptoms: Evacuations of a whey-pr ricewater like fluid, with flakes which resemble cheese-mites;
coldness of hands and feet, a changing of the color of the
skin to a dirty pale yellow, to a'bluish, and even to a
blackish color; viciousness, flaccidness of the skin, and
secretion of. a tough, anxious perspiration; blackish color
of the lips and nails; a death-like look, with deep sunken
eyes, around which blackish rings form themselves;- a
hoarse inarticulate voice, a cold and light grey lead colored tongue-; painful cramps in the limbs, especially in
the calves of the legs and muscles of the belly; difficult
groaning respiration, total cessation' of urinary secretions,
and of the vomiting. and diarrhnea'; a stupefied slumber,'but' without disturbance of the onsciousness; a tough,
pitch-like disposition of the blood, a continual -dwindling
of the puls.atons of the- heart, increasing coldness of the
-skin-death.:(2) The Nature of Disease in the Cholera is a reaction
of all the organs of digestion against matters of disease
more in the cavities' than in the walls of the organs, and
an effort to cast off these matters'through vomiting and
purging..
An elucidation on this subject, of what nature these
matters of disease may be, has not, as yet, been given in
regard to the epidemic and Asiatic cholera, certain it is,
however, that these matters are a consequence of a corruption of the elements, and thence also, of foods in, general,
and that they are the contsequence especially of the corrup



122
tion of the air.  Whether the atmospheric corruption consists in its putrefaction or other chemical transformation, or
whether in its impregnation with minute invisible animalcule, thereupon I venture no opinion.  The morbid matters which cause sporadic cholera, originate, partly, in a
less extensive corruption of the elements; partly, and for
the- most part, in the consumption of corrupted foods.
This corruption of the- foods is of two kinds, either as
having taken place before the foods were eaten, or, on, the
other hand, as originating in the digestive organs by reason of weakness, or chronic disease in those organs from
poisons previously taken.
That. to taise either kind.of cholera a predisposition is
necessary, is evident for this reason, that even where the
epidemic cholera is raging most violently, the great majority escape its attacks.  The nature and causes of this
predisposition are the same in general as those mentioned
in the foregoing chapter.
The dysentery, as well as the cholera, may become a
violent epidemic aid. apparently contagious; but they are,
properly speaking, not contagious; ill regard to contagiousness, these diseases may be denominated the transition diseases.
Whence is it, that sometimes the cholera does not
set in with the initial symptoms of efforts at evacuation,
but immediately with cramps and coldness of the extremities?.
It comes from the relaxation and chronic illness of the
digestive organs~ it only occurs with such persons as
have for a long time suffered in these organs.  Through
perverted diet, and especially from  much doctoring, the
stomach finally loses the power of free motion of the mus



123
cles, by which vomiting -is produced,  On the ether-hand,
it is a proof of excellent health and strength of stomach,
if it can immediately and without difficulty, rid itself, by
vomiting, of an inimical substance, and immediately have
a good appetite again — id like manner as a dog's stomach.
This same appearance manifests itself when cramps,
without vomiting, sometimes.-ensue after medicinal vomitives are administered, and the reason is precisely the same.
The stomach, too weak to eject the enemy,.torments itself
in endeavoring to do so, and this tormenting calls up the
nervous convulsions-of the cramp.  In this manner a person may die of a vomitive, if vomiting does not ensue, a
circumstance which has happened often'enough.
-This state of cramps-and death-fear occurs in cholera
as second stadium, also with those persons whose efforts
at purification are disturbed and suppressed by medical
interference.  For the old method of cure-with its usual
folly, combats-the diarrhaea and vomiting, the very curative efforts of the disease:' in.this manner it hassacrificed
far mfnore victims than the malady itself.
(3)'The efect of the water-treatment upon the cholera
need- not be specially shown, since it is similar to its
effect on the -dysentery.  The burning thirst for cold
wateri points out this drink in compliance with the infallibility of the human instinct, as the only and sovereign
remedy. -It cures by the dilution and reduction of the
matters of diseases as also- more especially by the elimination and ejection- thereof through vomiting and evacuations.
If-these two symptoms-are still remaining, the water is
applied as drink, as clyster, in sitz-baths, and wet compresses.  If, however, these symptoms lhave already been




124
suppressed through medical treatment, and if the- seconid
stadium, with the above-mentioned principal symptonms,
is. thus brought on, then the water must be directed,
by means of the wet envelopments, strong rubbing of the
feet, moderate drinking and bathing, towards exciting into
action the energy of the skin, until this object be attained,
whereupon, then, the water is applied again to the digestive organs.
(4) -The Efects of the Medical Treatment of Cholera.
— PAt` first in the commencement of' the disease oleaginous
remedies are administered, of which I have -Already spoken: -In the most direct contradiction to themselves the
mediciners give now  a remedy to stop the evacuation
(and this is generally the case),'now a remedy' to excite
vomiting.  That -the first manner of'proceeding causes
great injury. is evident from  former expositions.  The
second manner of proceeding is quite as injurious; -for
the medical -vomitives consist- of. poisons which neither
moderate nor diluite the matters of disease at hand, -but
have the contrary'effect; they consist of poisons which
do not dissolve the old mucous slime, but necessarily
cause a fresh flow of mucus, because.without this mucous
protection the walls of the -stomach and.:of the: bowels
would be corroded, and -more or less destroyed. through
the operation of the poison..'In the cholera' medicine has exhibited its injuriousness
on a large scale; according'to official accounts; of those
attacked with the cholera in'Russia, who, on account of.their remoteness from physician and drug shop, were not
medically, and, consequently, -not at all, treated, not half
so. many died: as of those treated medically.- A like -pro.
port-ion to the discountenance of allopathy exhibits itself




125between homceopathic and allopathic treatment.  It is also
to be added and taken into consideration, that those cholera
patients who survive the allopathic treatment, have always
a long, oftentimes a life-long chronic malady to labor
under, because the elimination of the cholera-humors is
not promoted' by medicine, but hindered and rendered
quite impossible, and because to these humors the medicinal poisons are superadded and remain in the body more
or less during life.
On the contrary, if a cholera-patient has not, as yet,
taken any medicine, and if the alvine evacuations are still
in operation, no chance of deathi is possible under correct
water-treatment, and still less possible are after-pains and
the origination of chronic illnesses.
XIV.
THE PRIMARY INFLAMMATORY DISEASES IN
GENERAL.
RIExmAx.:-BY  primary inflammation we understand -that
form of inflammation which the physicians call the acute,
and also the synochous.
(1) Symptoms of' Primary Inflammation.-In all inflammations of the internal parts, and in violent inflammations
of the external partsj fever is' present. In — the inflamed
part-there is an universal increase of warmth even to heat,
and an abnormal acpumulation -of blood, with which is
necessari.y combined a high red color. These'accumulations c r -blood produce an enhanced fulness of the pulse,
fill vessels with blood, which -are otherwise bloodless, and
cause: a'throbbing and palpitation in vessels' where other.




-1-26
wise no pulsation is to be perceived.  In the -inflamerd
part are pains frequently of a violent,. shooting nature.
Thus the primary or curative inflammation is distinguished
from the secondary or:destroying inflammation, by tlie
heightened degree and rapid course of the former, but
stilf in a greater degree and far more essential-y,-are the
two kinds distinguished from each other by the abnormally
increased structural disposition of all primary inflammations; while on the contrary, in the secondary inflammation this disposition never exceeds the normal energy, but
often sinks below it, as. this is especially the case in the
typhus inflammation.
The- only assistance whiqh' the hydriatic pathology can
receive and make use of from the medical pathology, and
indeed must make use of, is. that part which treats of the,
symptoms of diseases; this must, however, be, done with
extreme caution and the full understanding of the subject,
to prevent the transfer of many errors from the medical
to the hydriatic pathology.
The above-enumerated symptoms of primary inflammation are to be found in the writings of the physicians, and
they belong to this form of disease really'and originally.
But the symptoms of alteration'in the disposition of the
blood and the origination of false structures'which the
medical pathology ascribes also to the inJlammation, belong
solely to the medical treatment of this disease; they are an
effect of medicine and the nonsuse of water, they are so
foreign to the true form of inflammation in itself, tiat the
slightest trace of such symptoms'- never appears, wvhen the
disease istreated fronl-beginning to end with water.
(2) The Ntiture of Disease in the. Primary form of Inflammation consists in a combat of the organism against




127
foreign acrid poisonous substances afloat in the system, set
free from the mucous coatings of the stomach and bowels, or in heightened re-formative activity of the organism
in cases of partial destructions of the organic structure
from external violence, as in the case of wounds, burns,
&c., -&c.
The manner in which the body gets burdened- with foreign and acrid matters through unwholesome diet or false;rnethod of cure, and how these matters enveloped in mucus lie for a length of time inactive -and uninjurious, yet
how they- are released either by suppression of. the' insensible perspiration, by contraction'bf cold, or because the
part'of the body in which they lie'renews itself, and thus
loses the old, and endeavors to exude it —all this has been
already set forth by me- and demonstrated, and I can,
therefore, enter upon- the detail-account of the internal
processes of inflammation.
The inflammation arising from'external injuries remains
here unconsidered, since they belong to the chapter upon
surgical diseases.
Those substances which are at first introduced into the
body as foreign and'disease-causing, are commonly those
proceeding from unwholesome diet, not medicinal substances.
The substances'from  false diet incapable of assimila-tion, arise in the excessive use of salt; the consumption
of articles- in the incipient stages of putrefaction, as for
example, of strong cheese and rancid'butter; in the use
of sharp spices, as pepper; and in the use of alcoholic
and intoxicating drinks.  In consequence of the law, that
the digestive oigans can digest no substances which are
sharper than the gastric juice and gall together, therefore,




the above-mentioned sharp and acrid substances..which are
intermixed with the foods and drinks, pass unassimilated
in their' sharp acrid constitution, into the circulation, and
through it into the whole body, while the other ingredients
of the foods and drinks thus intermixed are digested and'transformed into organic essence.  When medicine is
administered in a diarrhcea, or common indisposition, or
in a contagious exanthematous disease, then:actual poisons are introduced into the body in addition to the acrid
sharp substances of the -false diet.  In such a manner a
person may accumulate in himself a considerable quiantity of sharp and poisonous matter, without ever having
had an inflammatory disease, in'-the cure of which he has
necessarily been medicinally poisoned.
As soon as these matters are, during a long and severe
cold, released from their mucous fetters, they produce
violent pains, by coming in contact with the nerves.' If the
organism is not vigorous enough,to undertake the effort of
radically eliminating the matters, these pains continue for
a long time, return frequently, and are called rheumatic
pains.  If, however, the organism has the strength necessary to undertake its radical cure, it carries on still more
extensively the work of releasing the peccant. matter by
dissolving the old mucus, and does!not again envelop. the
released foreign matters in fresh mucus, but forces greatquantities of blood into that organ, in which they are in
greatest qquantity present.-' Abnormal quantities of blood
are there necessary for several purposes, to wit, first, todissolve more and.more the old phlegmy mucus, to drive
the released poisonous matters towards the skin, to protect
the nerves and other organic structures, as much as possible against the destructive power of the poisons, which




129
are carried past them'towards the -skin; and second, to
-restore by new formations -the partial destructions which
still are':necessarily produced; in organic structures, for
which purpose much blood is requisite; for blood is the
material from which the vital energy creates all organic
structures.From  this necessity of re-formation of organic destructions, the' abnormally strong re-formative d sposition of the
primdry inflammatory disease. ecplains itself in the simplest
and CZearest manner, which indeed has hitherto been a riddle -to all pathologists.
The blood is the'material which forms all organic
structures, but these formations cannot proceed in a-normal
and: organically perfect manner without oxygen sufficient
to the transformation of the fluid blbod into solid organic
parts, and they cannot proceed without hydrogen to change
the refuse'solid parts:into transpirable fluid.  These two
materials are the constituent parts of -water.  In the inflammatory form.of disease the body needs for the above-'
mentioned purposes these two- materials in an abnormal
quantity.  Without stfficient. support from -these two materials, the abnormally heightened re-formative disposition of
the'system cannot' elaborate to organic perfectness the organic
new formations of destroyed parts, but it -must necessarily
produce mal-formations-and those are Zhe false formations
of the:'inflamzmatory frm of disease, which' physicians cannot explain to'themselves,. and which always arise' when
the skin' and stomach are, not supplied with as much water
as the instinct requires-Zunless directly in its commencement the inflammation is suppressed by repeated bloodlettings, of which I shall -speak more fully and particularly.
6*




130
-The fever, which attends- every violent inflammationi.
finds its explanation in the abnormally, and far above the
normal energies, elevated activity of the organism, and in
the abnormally increased consumption of oxygen.
(3) The efects of the hydriatic -treatment on the primary3
form of Inflammation, have been given already under section 2, in all the -points of chief momient.  For the complete dissolution of:all foreign. matters -in the inflamed
part.the blood requires copious' dilution, so that. it; may
penetrate into, the.minutest spaces, and possess the greatest.
possible dissolvent'power; to expedite the foreign matters
towards the skin-it requires an' uncommon quantity'of
transpirable matter, to.which the wateir furnishes partly
the-material, andpartly the means; finally, the pores of
the skin, in- order to eliminate the -offending matters, require frequent and-repeated cleansing, and the refreshing,
cooling, strengthening' influence, which water exercises
upon that organ..
So much upon -the requisiteness of water for t-he:. purpose of excreting foreign matters; the indispensableness
of water for the purpose of rebuilding organical destruction, has already been Considered under division 2.
(4)' The efects of,the;: mediccl treatment upon Inflammatory Disease, are diametrically contrary to the effects of
the hydriatic.
Under the water-treatment the instinct is appeased and'
satisfied,'under the "medical.treatment it is.maltreated;
for, in every primiary inflammation- the patient has mostparching thirst for water,' both in the skin and the tongue,
and has in every disease, and in every conditions the
greatest. disgust for. medicine. and', poison; under- the water-cure the symptoms of disease are moderated, but still




131
sustained, until the purpose of the inflammation has been
gained; under the medical treatment the symptoms, as
efforts of the organism to cure itself, are suppressed, and
thle re-construction of organic demolitions is rendered impossible..- Under the medical treatment an actual cure is
a physiological impossibility; still,- through medicinal
means and appliances, a-deliverance from death, with some
exceptions, -is most generally. possible in this disease.
Bleeding especially is' their most efficacious remedy.
Thus, if,. in that. stadium of the disease wherein the blood
has not as yet passed into corruption, recourse is had to
sufficient bleedings, the quantity of.blood necessary to an
inflammation is thus. withdrawn frorom the inflamed organ,
and the inflammation must for this reason cease.  Often
eiough the patient then dies of debilitation from  loss of
blood, but it is more frequently.the case, that he does.not die' while, on the contrary, he-almbst always dies, if
neither water nor medical'assistance- (under this head I
include blood-lettings) -is administered.
Such, however, is the -dreadful -effect of blood-letting
and poisons'upon the inflammatory form of.disease, that
where death does not ensue- they always leave a chronic
malady, which is, in most cases, far worse than death
itself.  As a rule, we find it mentioned in all medical
therapies, that the medically cured inflammations gene-:rally leaye a weakness in the inflamed part, which contin'ues through the, remainder of life.  This is not' by far
the most disastrous effect of- the. medical treatment; it
happens very frequently that it- is followed -sometimes
sooner,' sometimes later, by chronic ulcerations, indurations which- grow to cartilage, false -growths, schirrous
exanthem, which finally turns to cancer, the accumulation




132
of -an abnormal quantity of serous liquid,. and even mrortification.  These after-effects of medically treated inflammation, we find mentioned'in all medical instruction
books.  The manner in which -such destructive diseases
arise, finds a general explanation in my expositions already
given; further on, when the secondary diseases are treated
of, I will give the detail demonstrations.
The poisons are-less effectual in suppressing inflammatory symptoms than the abstractions of blood.  Still, the
former afford the latter great assistance.  More recently
mercury, in its various preparations, is almost always
employed as an antiphlogistic'medicament,;besides a mass
of other poisons.
When poison is introduced into the stomach, that organ
must either cast it out immediately, or envelope it' in mucus.  To accomplish fhe first of these purposes requires
much more energy than the second.  Sometimes the medicament heightens' the symptoms,'and produces new,
although other symptoms; sometimes it quiets them; the
first is the case when the organism  attempts to throw off
the poison of the medicine, the last when it envelopes it,
and tolerates it within itself.  On suitable repetition of thedoses of poison the organism is always driven to' the latter
expedient.
That the symptoms of disease, if they be curative, and
consequently voluntary symptoms, must abate, when an
uncommon exercise of power is demanded in another organ, is of itself evident;- the' power of inflammation in
another organ must abate exactly in accordance with the
proportion of strength employed to generate mucus in the
digestive organs.  Hence, it is evident, that the poisons
depress or-entirely suppress the inflammatory symptoms.




133
The effect of-medical treatment upon primary inflammations is accordingly either. death from. debilitation, or
the origination of chronic complaints; for this reason, that
in the first place neither the original peccant matter of the
disease is eliminated by the medical treatment, nor can
the organic destructions be restored through new formations; that, secondly, new  poisons are brought into.the
body, and firmly fixed there in mucous envelopment; and
that, thirdly, the general organism  is debilitated- by the
abstraction of blood, and most especially the nerves are
affected.  A nervous disorder is often enough brought onby repeated copious -bleedings, and then insanity follows
in the train of.consequences..
Sometimes the mere quenching of the thirst with water
suffice. to cure an inflammatory disease,; however death
frequently follows such a simple treatment, and it very
rarely cures the malady radically.' But the, appliances
of the methodic hydriatique cures radically under all circumstances every primary inflammation with uncommon
despatch, and a chance of death is absolutely impossible,
if the water be employed -In the very commencement of it.
The primary form  of inflammation is the purest and
most-energetic curative form of the human organism, it
has been growing more and more seldom for a number of
years, and the nervous -form of disease more and-more
frequent. -That is the effect of a method of cure, which
bQrrows -all its remedies from the armories of death, the
torture and the executioner's agents-poison, fire, steelthese three words comprehend the whole' "apparatus medi.
vaminum" of the art -of mischief; as reason calls it, which
is a devouring cancer on the marrow of the human race,
an(d which' by newly invented arts of a medical Jesuitism,




1-34
gives itself all imaginable trouble to induce the magistracy
or rulers of the country to suppress the true system of
cure.
XV.
INFLAMMATION  OF THE:EYES —INFLAMMATION:OF
THE. BRAIN —INFLAMM.AlTION OF THE THROATi OR
QUINSY-INFLAMMATION OF THE LUNGS.
(1) Inflammation of the - Eyes falls into many, subdivisions, according to the degree of violence (taraxisj chemosis, ophthalmia), and the different parts of the eye, which
are particularly the seat of the inflammation (inflammation of'the sockets of the eye,! of the eyelids, of -the eyeballs, of the cornea, of the iris, &c., &c).  All these, and'
a number of other subdivisions, are in the hydriatic practice not only superfluous, but -unnecessarily perplexing,
and productive of confusion, and may be entirely disregarded.  Therefore we will use here only the-general
term of Inflammation of the Eyes.
When the organism endeavors by acute efforts, to throw
off foreign, acrid, poisonous matter from  the eyes by
rieans of secretions of mucus from the glands and glandules, it can effect this only by an abnormally heightened
energy of action, which is here almost entirely local, and
consequently not without abnormal accumulation of blood
and increase -of warmth. If the heat be not cooled, and
the eyes not bathed with water, the quality of the blood
becomes altered, and false formations arise, which are of
various kinds; oftentimes a film grows over the eye-ball,
and producesblindness.




135
Inflammations of the- eyes particularly are sometimesepidemic, for instance'in Egypt, when the wind-, impregnated with fine'sand, drives it into the eyes, and in large
towns, when a dry heat prevails in the summer season;
and.consequently'the fine st6ne-dust, Which the wheels.of'
a thousand vehicles grind from the stone pavement, is not
kept down by rain or moisture, as, for instance, in Berlin.
Allopathy administers' its antiphlogistica, applies leeches
and Spanish. flies, and smears poisonous salves, wherein
mercury again' plays a principal part, into' that delicate
noble organ of the-sight.  Whoever has, in such a manner,. passed;through  the executioners' hands; has -before
him a threefold prospect;' first,. always and uncondition-.
ally chronic- decrease of the keenness of vision, which
usually.soon grows to such- weakness as. to- ineapaciate
the eyes for any in-door businessi second, in most -cases
a permanent life-long redness, periodical:. prickling or
pains in the-eyes, and nightly suppuration; third, in very'many instances after the expiration of a number of years,
blindness from decay of the visual nerve'.
It is evident, from  the  former dedutctions of this book,
-how the poison rubbed into'and through coercive means
imbibed by the eyes may for.a series of years be held in
confinement, and it can at'last still- destroy"the visual
nerve.  Blindness' may come on twenty years and more
after such a treatment, and yet the cause in material substance is- still-that same: poison -which so -long afterwards
destroys-'the nerve of sight..In' Berlin, as a chief seat of inflammation of eyes and
of -allopathy, many hundreds have in this-way been deprivbd of their sight by the most celebrated physicians,




136
and-even now.not a single year passes in which such victims are not sacrificed to the night of blindness.If-water be rightly applied in eye-baths and wet bandages directly in the commencement of the acute stadium,
the purification of the eyes will be sooneffected, and no
after-affections can in anywise possibly ensue.  If, after
the eyes have been injured by poisonous applications, in
addition to the above-name'd appliance-, the douche, backhead bath, and foot-bath'be employed, the acute crisis will
again return, and by perseverance the. former keenness
of sight, provided that the organism is still possessed of
good age and vital energy.
(2) Inflammation of the Brain comprises the inflammation both of the brain- and of the membrane covering the
brain, and a distinction between them is entirely unnecessary in the hydriatic system.
The symptoms of this disease are glaring red. eyes, a
fixed, staring, or wild rolling look; the blood-vessels of
the head are greatly dilated, and beat violently under the
influen'ce of a high general, fever; the skin is dry. Astupefying,' oppressive feeling in the head is followed by a
fixed violent pain, which is increased, by every strong-im,
pression, of the mind,. and which at times runs into torpid, at times into raging deliria.
We have here excluded external injuries as an originating cause.
The nature of this disease, consists in a violent reaction
of the organism against' foreign matter in the, brain,. which
is set free from its mucous envelopment by colds in the
head, by a systematic water-cure in chronic affections of
the brain, by abnormal determination of blood tQ the parts,




137
brought on by excessive exertion and -.application of the,
mind.
The effects of the hydriatic treatment upon.inflammations
of the brain are elimination of the matter of disease, partly
through perspiration and eruptions on the head, but more
through abnormal secretions from the alvearies or hollows
of the ears, and from  the nostrils (catarrh); oftentimes
these secretions have quite an abnormal color and acridness.
Under the. water-treatment, inflammation of the brain
cannot possibly event either in death or in the foundation
of any secondary affection of the head.
The effects of the medical treatment upon inflammation
of the brain, are either' death under. apoplectic and convulsive -circfimstances, and palsy of the brain, or a sensible enfeeblement of that organ, or secondary brain-disease,
as chronic inflammation, gradual ulceration of the brain,
accumulation of serous liquid,'softeiiing of the brain,
finally also insanity.
(3) Inflammation of the Throat, or Sore,Throat.-By
sore throat we intend sometimes all inflammations of the
various organs and parts of the throat, at other times only
the inflammations of the wind-pipe, and again also the
inflamm'ations -of the contiguous parts.
Besides the fore-mentioned general symptoms of inflammation, that of the wind-pipe is attended by a cough, of a
hoarse and barking tone, that of the esophagus with difficulties. in swallowing.
When death does not ensue under the medical treatment, still after-affections always do, which, -in favorable
cases, consist in a predisposition to fresh attacks of inflamination of the throat; in' unfavorable. cases, however, in




138
a chronic inflammation of the organs that were affected,
further in indurations and ossifications of the wind-pipe
and cesophagus, further' in. origination of schirrus and
cancer.
(4) The Infiammation of the Lungs, and Diaphragm,'have
like symptoms, and are treated alike in the water-cure.
Violent compression of the breast, and difficulties -in
breathing, with high fever, a' pain in the breast, which
now is dull, now piercing, hot breath and- expectoration
of phlegm, and frequently, also, of blood, are the- symptoms of inflammation of the lungs.
The results of the hydriatic as well as of the' medical
treatment correspond to the same results in the other' inflammations.   In the water-treatment actual' cure is
efected through the critical'discharges of the cough,,and in
general also of boils; in the medical. treatment the aforementioned after-evils arise, and, in'particular, in the last
instance of inflammation of the lungs and chest, ulceration'
of the lungs, commonly called consumption, sets in.
The inflammation-of the other parts of the body, as of
the liver, of the tongue, of the diaphragm, of the stomach,.
of the matrix, &c., are analogous to those just described,
as well in regard to the symptoms,  and'condition, and
nature of the disease, as in regard to the effects which
the water-cure and medicine exert upon them  respectively; still each is variously modified according to the''different construction and function of the different organs.
The very limited space which I can still allow to primary
inflammations I'must devote to the consideration of the
metastases.
When, as is generally.the case, matters of'dise'ase are
present in several organs of one and the same body, and




139
are set free from-their envelopment ofmucus by a severe
cold or-other cause, still, then,' a genuine and energetic
inflammation cannot take place but in a single'organ, because the organism in general does not possess vigor sufficient to a'victorious encounter of the inflammatory
struggle in'two.different organs; exceptions occur- very
rarely, and only in uncommonly strong organisms, well
observed, I speak only of primary, violent, and -genuine inflammations, not of rheumatic, still less of chronic
inflammations. It is no contradiction- of this position, that
the adjoining parts and organs-are also somewhat affected
by the inflammations; for these affections arise only from
a lateral influence of the spontaneously inflamed organ,
and must follow from  the consensuality of contiguous organs.
Another -circumstance not to be confounded with the
position just considered, is the transplantation of the inflammation from one organ to another, and always to a no-'bler organ, and one- more influential, and possessing more
power over life. -These transplantations of a disease, and
especially of an  inflammatory,' is called a metastasis
(genuine metastasis).
Metastasis is generally the effect of a false medical treatment.  Genuine metastasis is produced- only by freshly
contracted - cold; false metastasis'arises from medicinal
poisoning.
A true metastasis I call such ds is produced by a violently altered direction of the humors, and especially of
the transpiratory faculty; the violence which this produces
consists seldom in colds taken in the usual rnannerj but so
much the more frequently in -a false application of cold
water, and still more of ice'. -- Ifthe cooling water corn



140
presses, or local baths of cold water, are continued too
long, without in the meantime allowing the organism the
space and means for reaction by the application of warming cold-water-bandages, the fluid of the insensible perspiration is forced into other organs, and there sets free
matters of disease, and thus causes fresh inflammation.
The' original inflammation in the former organ must abate,
because the organism  has not powers sufficient to two
simultaneous inflammations; consequently, the.organism
must again envelope in mucus the peccant matter set
free in the first inflamed organ. In such a manner, by
the false application of water, an inflammation of the bowels may be transmitted to the chest, as also inflammation
of the chest to the brain.  When- physicians, according
to their method, make water-applications in inflammations,
they take it always too cold, and continue its influence too
long, so that they almost, always produce metastasis;
they'make use, also, of ice, which must be -wholly ex.
cluded from the true water-cure system.  Under correct
water-treatment, a metastasis is impossible, and the directions for such water-treatment can be given so simply, and
clearly, that even the most uninformed cannot err, when
he has read. them.
The' false metastasis I call that transposition of the inflammation which is produced by poisonous substances inanother organ recently introduc ed into the body. When,
for instance, mustard plasters are applied behind the ears
or upon the back for inflamed eyes, then this is a false
metastasis, which is intentionally produced by the physicians, as a so-called derivative.  Frequently they accomplish the same end unintentionally, but quite in the same
manner, by poisons administered internally. It is: clear




141
that the primary inflammation of an-organ must somewhat
abate. when' inflammation and impostumation is produced
elsewhere by corrosive drugs, and the powers of the body
are thereby divided; and it is just as clear that the peccant
matter of the primarily inflamed organ is not thereby
eliminated, but that fresh poisonous matters are introduced
into the artificially inflamed organ.
The real metastasis is distinguished by its greater energy and marked primary character from the false metastasis, which, in most cases, partakes somewhat of the
character of the chronic and lingering inflammation, and
-sometimes passes over into such.
XVCOUG AND COLDS
COUGHS AND COLDS.
THESE are diseases of the most general and simple kind,
and, in the commencement, are always curative endeavors
to eliminate peccant matter by means of secretions of
mucus.- In persons afflicted with -chronic diseases they
lose their- primary and curative character, and degenerate
into various secondary forms, as for instance, into obstructed catarrh, into. the'dry cough, which, with some,
produces chronic affection of the; throat, and is the forerunner of ulceration of the -lungs.  Here, we have only
to do with the primary forms, which -are not of long duration,,and cause copious secretion of' mucus.
-The excretions of the brain, that is, the refuse substance.of tire brain, as well as also foreign and poisonous matters,
which have found their way into th-e, brain through the
circl:ation of the blood, are' discharged mostly through




142
the nostrils in the mucus and phlegm  of the nose, less
from the ears,. in the form of earwax, -least of all, and
indeed only in sickness, from ~the. sockets of the -eyes.
Primary catarrh is thus a secretion of acrid foreign humor.from the brain, and the inflammation of the- mucous
membrane of the, nose is produced by the acrid and corrosive power of the foreign humors.coming in contact
with it.  Allopathy, which, in its usual superficial manner, confounds the symptoms and even'the effe9ts of the
disease, with the nature of the disease, endeavors to find
the nature of catarrh in an inflammation of the mucous
membrane of the nose, while the inflammation is only an
effect of the catarrh, and its nature consists in a-cleansing of -the brain. - Colds are usually the occasion of the
origination of this cleansing, -inasmuch as they release
~the foreign matters encased in mucus, whereupon,, then,
the purifying effort commences.  The feeling, alone, tells
every one that the cause and seat of the cold does not lie
in the mucous glands-of the nose only, but still more in
the brain also, since in the beginning'of the cold, confusedness in the- head, and after it has passed off, a pleasurable sensation and increased ease of the brain is experienced, which manifests itself also in the ease and perspicuity of thought which in the commencement of the
cold is very much,restricted,
All the circumstances and processes, together with the
causes of primary cough, are quite analogous' with those
of catarrh.  In a like superficial manner, allopathy declares its' nature to be an inflammation of the mucous
glands of the.throat, while its nature consists really in the
elimination of foreign matters from the lungs.
It. is a real pleasure to see how primary coughs and




143
colds, under-the watqr-treatment,. increase their secretions
of phlegm, mucus, and expectoration, and are.thus cured
so much the more quickly.
In the water-cure, obstructed catarrh becomes loose and
flowing, and -in the: same manner precisely, dry'cough,
pains and strictures. of the breast; are changed to critical
cough, by which the phlegm-envelo'ped matters are thrown
off, since otherwise, at a later period of life, they would
have caused ulceration or dropsy on the chest.
The acridness of the secretions.in catarrhs' and coughs,
which, in the case' of the former, is oftentimes so corroding
that they painfully affect the nostrils, and even the contiguous part of the upper lip, and give them a high inflamed red color, proves sufficiently, that the secreted
phlegm contains matters which are quite distinct from the
phlegm, itself, which,, as is well known, is a perfectly mild
substance, free from'all taste and smell.
In the wide field of disease the group of the inflammatory forms of disease borders upon the group of the'rheumatic forms, and, in individual cases of disease, one may
-be in doubt under which of these.groups they are to be
classed..' Alsoi primary coughs and catarrhs are oftentimes intermediate forms between those two groups.
XVII.
INTERMITTING FEVER.
FEVERS are usually classified under three main headscapillary fever,, intermitting fever, and nervous fever.
The capillary fevers are subdivided into primary and
secondary; to the former belong the inflammatory fevers;




144
to the latter belong the typhus and putrid.  The catarrhal
and rheumatic fevers form  a transition or intermediate
class, and, according as they partake more of the inflammatory or more of the nervous character, incline at one
time to the primary capillary form, at another time to the
nervous form.
Of all fevers only the primary capillary fevers and the
intermitting fevqr belong always to the primary diseases;
generally, the catarrhal fevers belong there also, to whose
more minute consideration room fails us in this edition;
they are among the most unimportant and best known diseases, and their nature is apparent from the chapters on
theinflammatory and rheumatic forms of disease.
The symptoms 6of a corrupt or diseased stomach in a
fever give it that character which is usually called gastric.
In the pure inflammatory form  of disease all gastric character is wanting; on the contrary, the gastric'character
accompanies the intermitting fever, and is the over-ruling
and most prominent. The intermitting fever is distinguished from the gastric catarrhal fever by the regular
cessation of the former for a space of time, after which it
returns again; there is an intermitting fever, which returns every day, one which returns every secon.& day,
and one which returns every third, day.  There are also
intermitting fevers, which for certain periods of time set
in twice a day.(1) Symptoms of the lnter mitting Fever. —The preceding oftentimes very severe chill, which in the inflammatory as well as intermitting fever, I do not include.among
the symptoms of recognition or distinction, because it is
no characteristicum, and moreover, because I do not col



145
sider it as belonging to the disease itself, but only as a
preparation for it.
The symptoms of intermitting fever are: blue color of
the lips and nails, scanty secretion of water-colored urine,
and a small rapid pulse during the period of the chill.
During the heat, which generally extends itself downwards, the pulse, beats full and quick, but still hard; the
urine takes a clear' light-red. coloring; the head is disturbed, and a -feeling of faintness arises-from the stomach.;
The dry heat is-followed by perspiration, and the pulse
becomes softer-; the perspiration has always an unpleasant, commonly a sour smell, and the urine precipitates
a considerable sediment if it is kept standing for some
time in a glass vessel.  During all the described stadia
the patient has a strong thirst for cold water, and in the
course of the perspiration period feels, also, a strong desire for-a water-bath.
(2) The Nature of Intermitting Fever consists in impurity of the stomach, in the energy of the: skin, being
partially destroyed by the presence of matters of disease
under it, and in a reaction of the organism against these
morbiEic matters.  The- fever is an effort to throw off, by
perspiration -from the skin, the morbific matters under it;
the great thirst during the periods of the chill, which does
not appear in the chill preceding inflammatory diseases,
does not arise from the want of an abnormal quantity of
oxygen for new formations, but merely from the want of
a dissolving fluid, and is a proof of the effort of the organism to dissolve slimy corrupted substances in the stomach,
and then, with the assistance of water, to discharge- them
by vomiting or diarrhema.
The cause of intermitting fevers lies in the corruption
7




146
of the stomach, which is produced sometimes by unwholesome diet, sometimes by the contamination of the atmosphere and,water by the presence'of malaria in the neigh.
borhood of swamps and low lands, and sometimes by the
conjoint effect of both these.pernicious causes.
(3) The Efects of Water-treatment on the intermittipg
fever is actual cure- of the disease; through diarrhcea,
vpmiting, and secretion of critical perspiration, and critical urine., The water taken through the stomach into the
circulation sets free from. mucous envelopment the matters
of disease deposited in-the flesh, and conducts them to the
skin in the fluid, which passes off in insensible perspiration.
The bath invigorates the skin, cleanses it, keeps the'pores
open, and, by means of the'. reaction after the bath, conducts -the' current of the juices from the internal parts
towards the skin.
Although the water-cure, when it is applied iri good
season, as first treatment, always cures the intermitting
fever radically, yet it is- not effected' so rapidly as with the
inflammatory fevers, because the intermitting fever is a
compound disease, and because there is no. curative form
of disease so pure and energetiq as the inflammatory
form.
(4) The Effect of Medical Treatment.-,Here, as ever,the medical treatment suppresses the symptoms of disease,
and thereby converts the primary disease into a-seconrdary,
i.: e. ends in the' Chronic fixture of the matters of disease.
The fever remedies of'the mediciners are China, Belladonna, Arsenic.  Since the curative efforts in this fever..
originate chiefly in the stomach, it must naturally desist
from these efforts, when substances, that' are very injurious to it, are thrown into it and paralyse its energies.




147
Then the curative symptoms of the fever naturally cease,
and the mediciners, When they have suppressed the curative symptoms of a primary disease, think or say, they
have cured the disease.  The patient's own feelings enlighten them always to the dontrary; the feeling and instinct of the patient never err in primary diseases, and
never deceive; physiology an'd true pathology speak likewise to the contrary, and the later after-effects of such
medicinal cures teach in a terrible. manner the contrary.:The medical remedies always dispel the intermitting
fever for a time; however, it frequently returns again, as
soon as the organism  has somewhat recovered from the
poisoning.  Then medicine is administered anew, which
often enough converts the curative fever into a destroying
disease, into mucous. fever, even into a putrid fever.
These changes produced by medical treatment take place
without any perceptible interval of health.  After such
intervals, and sometimes not till a number of years afterwards, in consequence of the medical treatment there set
in ossification of the.stomach, dropsy, enlargements of the
liver, besides contraction of the heart, and many other of
such like destroying diseases.
In intermitting fever the diet must be modified according to certain' rules; in all those primary diseases treated
of before the intermitting fever, the instinct is the only
and infallible regulator of the diet. The intermitting
fever forms inr this, as in many other respects, a transition
from the primary to the secondary diseases.




148
XVIII.
CONCLUDING REMARKS ON PRIMARY DISEASES.
ALTHOUGH the directions for all the practical forms of
application of water against diseases, together with the
rules for the diet, belong in a therapy, and consequently
must be excluded from this work, still the statement of the
practicalfundamental rules is in its proper' place in a pathology, because the establishment of the therapeutic foundation must be thence derived.
Th-e colder the water, the stronger is Jthe reaction of
that part of the body which is brought in contact with it;
the colder it is, so much the more does it accelerate the
circulation of the blood, and thereby aro'use all the energies of the excited organ to an abnormal height. Because
now in all fevers there -is already an abnormal excitation
of the circulation, therefore the application of cold water
in the form of full bath or entire ablution is injurious, and
water of a temperature of frormi 57O-to, at the highest, 7,70
Fah., must be used.  At least one should be azoare, that the
fever is increased by cold water, by tepid water however it
is reduced; the reduction is caused through the chemical
effect of the water; the excitation through the dynamic
effect of the cold.  Exceptions may occur, wherein the
experienced water-physician finds it expedient to elevate
still higher the degree of fever, and accordingly applies
cold water for a time, but an inexperienced person should
never venture on this, and, in general, to avoid many accidents, it is necessary that the above be considered fundamental rules.
With such absolute infallibility does the'instinct in all




149
pririary diseases indicate the proper mode of application,
that in fevers it manifests a disrelish to quite cold water,
even where the patient has been accustomed to it previous
to the fever, and his instinct was then fond of it.
When I now conclude the treatise on primary diseases,
I do not mean to infer that I have in anywise exhausted
the subject, but refer you to the title-page, which promises
only the outlines of a pathology.




N.
THE SECONDARY OR DESTROYING DISEASES.
GENERAL PRELIMINARY. OBSERVATIONS.
ALTHOUGH the revision which I have undertaken with the
division on primary diseases, has attained, neither in extent of material, nor in its order and arrangement, that
degree of perfection which I should have. achieved-with
more leisure for authorship; still, I am compelled by
many circumstances, in the revision of the division treating of secondary diseases, to hold myself still more to the
surface, and to publish again this section with less alterations in its original form, and in its original contents.
As there are everywhere individuals and groups of
transition between the classes of things created by human
ingenuity, so is this also the case with every conceivable
classification of disease. If more at leisure, I would have
devoted a particular section to the transition group; now
I must content myself with specifying as such the varieties of disease which compose this, group, without setting
apart a place for them in this work.




151
II.
THE MANNER  IN WHICH  THE, THREE STADIA  OF
SECONDARY DISEASES ARISE.
IN the division on- primary diseases, it' has already been
shown, how poisonous and medicinal substances convert
the primary diseases into secondary diseases.
False diet-is generally cooperative in the development
of secondary disease. By this I mean the use of sharp,
high-seasoned foods, and alcoholic drinks; furthermore,
the want of bodily. exercise, living' in unwholesome and
corrupted atmosphere, as is' too frequently found in the
habitations of the poor, and the consumption of proportionately too much food. Whoever has not a healthy
stomach, should never fully satisfy his appetite; furthermore, he also should not, who leads a sedentary life, even
if he has a strong stomach-one departure from nature's
laws necessitates another. It is contrary to nature not to
satisfy the appetite;;it is contrary to nature to lead a
sedentary life.
Only such an one as has a strong stomach, and -at the
same time takes much bodily exercise, may be allowed to
fuilly satiate his appetite, provided he pursues a waterdiet.
Other cooperating causes, which aid in laying the foundation of secondary diseases, are the over-exertion of individual organs, especially of the brain and the generative
organ, and also mental affections of a violent and melanchply nature.
A disturbance in the balance of the. circulation and in
other functions is produced by the long continued false
and partial use of cold water. - Whoever, for instance,




152
washes head and face daily in cold water, and the feet
never, or but very seldom, must sooner or later suffer of
cold feet, and generally, also, of repletion of blood, and
excess of heat in the head. In common life we are accustomed to call this, which arises from the false circulation of the blood,'" plethora, or excess of blood;" but the
opinion which gives rise to this is an entirely false one.
A disease of plethora, i. e. a disease arising from too much
blood, does not exist, but this apparent disease consists
always in false and unequal circulation of the blood. The
only remedy for this complaint lies in cold water; but for
this purpose it must be applied precisely in the contrary
manner to that which the doctors suppose and recommend.
Secondary disease has three several stadia, which, indeed, in the reality are not nicely demarcated, but flow
into each other by a gradual transition.
The first stadium is the period of oft-returning efforts of
the body to produce anew an acute disease wherewith to cure
itself; these efforts, however, never succeed in full without aid from the water-cure.  In this stadium acute pains
frequently arise, which. end either in a hot and red tumor,
for instance, with toothache and other rheumatic'affections, or find vent in abnormal secretions of mucus and
phlegm  from the nose, windpipe, eyes, throat, bowels;
or, with those who are more successful, in driving out boils
and eruptions.  All these various forms are decided signs
that the body is still possessed of inclination and strength
to cure itself; but it has no more the power to accomplish
this cure through a general and radical reaction, through
a properly acute disease, but attempts to gain it little by
little, by means of acute-like partial efforts frequently
repeated. If a fresh attack lays hold- of the organism,




153
generally from  contraction of cold, still, then, it always
reacts against it with acute pains.
When the painful curative struggles of the first stadium
are suppressed by medicine, then the organism enters into
The second chronic stadiumn of disease, which is an ap.
parent condition of tolerable health and is a state of quiet.
In this period the organism has no longer strength enough
to attempt its cure of its own accord, still enough, how.
ever, to hold the enveloped fettered mprbific matters in
statu quo. If, in this-stadium, inimical influences act upon
the body, it does not endeavor any more to react and eject
the enemy, but simply endeavors to envelope it and fix it
temporarily in mucus, that it may work no immediate
effect on the animal economy.  For this reason the former
acute pains, which,. indeed, are nothing else than the battle-music of the curative strife, die away, and, in lieu
thereof, succeed disagreeable, dull, oppressed, nervous
conditions, in w&hich the patient feels a longing desire
after acute pains.  Instead of the symptoms of pain,
which have now passed off, two others, much-worse, have
taken their place; first, diminished strength arid energy of
the whole machine, and second, the consciousness of the
patient, that tells him, things are not as they should be in
his body, an enemy is lurking there, the. germ of death is
forming, and bestirring itself apace.
In the second stadium there comes on not seldom a cor.
piulence of a very notorious kind, that embonpoint of
superfcetation with its peculiarly tumid and impotent -ex.
pression, accompanied, generally, with  baldness  and
decay of the fire of the eye.  If then a little French
rouge is added to the cheeks, the tout ensemble appears
7*




154
like a caricature on a healthy man; like a plump, well.
stuffed doll.
Still, the patient, in the second chronic stadium, can
attend to his business tolerably well, and he passes generally for healthy, because he is large and fat, and has no
acute symptoms.
The third stadium  is t1iat of annihilation, either of the
individual organs and senses, when the disease is only
local, or-of life itself, when it is general; or, indeed, of
~those.organs which condition life.  In the latter case the
stadium is a slow, horrid, chronic dying, whose struggles
and pains may be prolonged several years.
In this third period the organism is no longer possessed
of powers and juices enough continually to curb, by mucous envelopment, the indwelling inimical humors; therefore, getting released, they begin internally to corrode,
and ulcerate first in those organs and parts of the body
where they are the most accumulated. Thus, then, originate the chronic  ulcerations of -individual internal
organs, of the lungs, of the liver, of the'stomach,'&c.
In this manner caries originate, and the so-called fistulas
and cancers; in like manner- arises the dissolution of the
walls of the blood-vessels, which, in case of the larger
arteries, causes- death. Thus arises also the organic d'eformations and organic defects (of course the innate
deformities excepted), cartilaginous growths, ossifications,
polypi, and growths of all kinds solely through the effects
of poison.
Many diseases of the third period may set in directly
after a poisoning, without the foregoing first two stadia, if
the poisoning has been carried by bunglers beyond the
rules of the medical art.




155
In the:h.ird stadium belongs the chronic, pale, and cold
swelling called dropsy.  (See farther on the process of
origination of this disease.)
It is, indeed, possible that a chronic complaint may arise
through one or more of the afore-mentioned faults of diet;
but: it is an extremely seldom case in which this occurs
without the co-operation of a medicinal poisoning.
Whoever, in an acute disease, has taken an energetic,
powerful medicine, has been deprived of the possibility
of dying a natural death from old age; he must, sooner
or later, die a painful death from a secondary disease;
unless, through water-cure and water-diet, he heals himself of the poisoning, and bears a new body.
You who read this book, if ever the deep-colored cup
of poison is tendered you, cast it from you, mindful of
this warning —that what you drink to-day will, in after
years, bring upon you a miserable death by disease.
Are my deductions upon the after-deadly effedcts of poison not evident enough to carry conviction to the mind of
every ohe? Do they still require the corroboration of
instances and cases?  Alas! of them there is no lack.
The secret medicinal consultee Toffana, in Naples, knew
how to graduate her doses so as to cause the death of the
victims to her skill in any required space of time, just
according to the desire of her applicants, either immediately, or in one year, or in ten years.  This woman- was
a medical genius, and certainly she would have " cured"
any acute disease, according to the rules of art, with her
nice remedies, because- it was an easy matter for her to
mete out the requisite dose. Also, many of the victims
of Brinvilliers and Gesche Timm diedof oone of the above



156
mentioned secondary diseases -many years after having
been poisoned.
I should be sorry if, despite all that has been said, some
one should reply to me, "these secret murderesses gave
poison, the physicians, however, give medicine."
Abstractedly from the point, -that poison. is identical with
medicine, according to every definition affecting their nature and their essence (the only difference that exists does
not lie in the thing itself, but in the intention; if one gives
poison to cause mischief, then it is called poison; if one
gives it under the erroneous opinion of curing with it,
then it is called medicine), and also that the intention of
the agent makes no alteration in the nature of the matter,
then the physicians, in all energetic acute diseases, administer poisons, even according to, the most restricted
nomenclature, by which only the destroying poisons
receive the name of poisons: they give arsenic, mercury,
belladonna, prussic acid; in short, they exhaust the whole
arsenal of death.
III.
THE CURE OF THE SECONDARY DISEASES.
As the causes of the perfect diseases are foreign matters
in the suffering organism, which must be eliminated, therefore, a. true cure can only be effected through the activity
of the organism, aided by the, dissolvent power of water,
whereby skin and stomach are raised to the condition of.
greatest reaction and activity..
In acute diseases physic blinds the eye of a short-sighted
observer with the appearance of cure, which the poison.




157
ing, by suppression of symptoms, spreads over its mis.
chievous work;- but in chronic diseases it no longer comrn.
mands the ability to dazzle, and it confesses its weakness.
The water-cure cures all secondary diseases of the
first and second stadium with the most perfect certainty.
(Concerning the method of cure of Priessnitz, and the
internal process of healing in chronic complaints, see the
work entitled, "Spirit of the Graefenberg Water-Cure, by
J. H. Rausse.")
Whoever, in the first stadium, enters a water cure
establishment, may expect a cure as speedy as radical,
because his body still, of its own accord, presses-on to the
crisis and cure.
Whoever, in the second stadium, enters upon the watercure, must determine upon a long course of treatment,
because he requires a considerable length of time, to be
restored to the condition of the first stadium, whereupon,
then, the cure is certain.  By perseverance he will be
radically'cured of all his afflictions and diseased humors,
and regains not only his former healthfulness, but also his
strength of body.
Patients, in the third stadium, are only partially and
conditionally curable, and they must'always undergo such
a long and irksome couirse of treatment, that they may
well consider, beforehand, their capability and determination of perseverance.
The first condition of curableness is, that sufficient vital
energy'be still left; and the second, that ulceration of
the lungs has not yet commenced.  Subject, then, to these
two provisions the hydriatic system cures, of the far.
advanced ulcerations of internal organs, only those of the
mouth, of the cesophagus, of the stomach, and oTf the bow



158
els, because here the water can. be directly applied to the'diseased part through drinking and clysters. -Of cancerous ulcers, those which are external and in the stomach
and bowels are curable; fistulas are cured; farthermore,
all external chronic suppurations, which are a sign of
good' constitution, because the organism has strength to
drive the poisoned humors to the external surface. Farther, caries are curable, and also the dissolution of the
walls' of the blood-vessels in its commencement, the diseased affections of all the senses, if their nerves are not
yet entirely destroyed. Deaf and' blind persons have, in
Graefenberg, regained an acute hearing. and keen sight.
Finally, dropsy is curable in its commencement.
All these patients must determine to persist in a course
of treatment for one year and upwards. The cure requires so much more time, the deeper the roots of the disease have penetrated, and extended throughout the organism; and especially according to the number of complaints
combined in one body.
It is not advisable to force the cure with such patients,
and endeavor to extort an early crisis.  Before this is
possible, a considerable time must be spent in invigorating
and regaining vital energy, except where the organism  is
still unimpaired, and the: complaint only local.  Generally,
it is not expedient to sweat such a patient every day until
the crisis comes; rather it will be most advisable to alternate frequently the water-diet with the proper Water-cure
in suitable periods.
Many such patients have left Graefenberg without being
radically cured, satisfied with the progress they hadmiade,
and the great alleviation and invigoration they had obtained, forced away from the water-cure establishment




159
through impatience and lack of perseverance, or on
account of uncontrollable circumstances.
IV.
LOSS OF APPETITE. HEARTBURN AND ERUCTATIONS.
HARD AND SLUGGISH STOOL. THE FALSE OR UNREAL MUCUS. WORMS.
Constant loss of Appetite may have its cause in two different organs, namely, in the stomach together with the
bowels, and, in the system of the skin.  When'the first
organ is-diseased and weak, itf lacks the ability to convert
the consumed aliments, promptly and normally, into, chyle
and blood; when the second organ is weak and inactive,
there is a deficiency in the requisite quantity of blood,
because the sluggish skin does not transpire readily enough
the refuse of the body. When this excretion stagnates;
then there is no room and desire for the freshly prepared
substance, consequently, no sufficient appetite.
The morbid condition of sluggish digestion is removed
by internal use of water; the second one, viz. that of stagnating transpirations, by external use of water. There it
is then that the secret lies, why the cold bath increases
the appetite so decidedly. If water is not taken internally
at the same time, the digestive organs cannot supply as
much as.the skin excretes, and, consequently, as much as
the body requires, without decreasing in weight.
Experience has afforded the average result that, in
pursuance, of the water-diet, from once and a half to twice
as much is eaten, as in pursuance of the old coffee and
tea, wine and beer diet; whence the conclusion unques.




160
tionably follows, that, under the water regime, the body
renews itself from one and. a half times to twice as soon
as under the old regime.  If the natural -rotation of the
entire renewal of the body embraces four years, it arises
to six or eight years with the so-called healthy persons of
the old r6gime; with chronically diseased persons a still
longer time, or rather with them there is no radical renovation at all.
The flesh of the body possesses the normal firmness,
hardness, and strength only when, according to the appointment of nature, it renews itself rapidly; and, con.
sequently, when the refuse flesh, &c., is rapidly dissolved
and transpired; the slower the process proceeds, the more
tender, soft,'and flabby becomes the flesh, and the organism inclines then,.in particular, to the generation of fat,
provided that it has. no wasting chronic disease. It exceeds the expectation of every one, how a thorough watercure converts the soft miserable flesh of-the coffee, and
brandy, and medicine diet intoiron-like'muscularity,
Heartburn and Eructations, as habitual symptoms, arise
from the acidification of the food and drink taken into
weak and diseased stomachs, and the endeavor of'the
stomach to.throw them off. The heartburn and eructations
are to be viewed as an imperfect effort at vomiting, and
it passes over into actual vomiting by the right application of water, whereby the stomach is then cleansed.  In
most cases this is quickly. effected by water, but.it requires
a much longer time so to heal and strengthen the stomach
as to enable it to digest normally, and thus generate no
acidity.
Hard and Obstructed Evacuations arise -from weakness,
inactivity, and from the insufficient secretion of fluid mat



161
tee in the large intestines, and particularly in the rectum.
When the digested chyle is imbibed by the ileum and jejunum, the coarser, and, therefore, not absorbable constituent, parts of it remain behind, and pass, drained and desiccated, into the large intestines, into which a considerable
quantity of mucous fluid ought to be secreted for the purpose of discharging the excrements.   But when the
vessels of the bowels are dried up by medicaments and
drugging, and partially destroyed; farther, when an inactivity of the rectum is brought on by close sedentary
habits, that -mucous fluidity is not secreted in sufficient
quantity, and thus the evacuations are hard and sluggish.
The Sliming of False Mucus I call that state of disease
of the stomach in which the food is not properly decomposed and digested, but turns to a mucus-like mass.
This arises in weakness of the stomach, insufficient sharpness and energy of the gastric juice. The usual cause
is long-continued use of medicines, whereby the nerves
and glands of the stomach have become weakened and
partially destroyed.
The Worms of the intestines appear only when disease
and slime (false mucus) are present in these organs; they
are parasitical animals, which do not exist out of the bowels, and, consequently, never get into the body from without.
The worst variety of these worms is -the tape-worm.
Many persons take care not to drink water because they
are apprehensive of imbibing a young tape-worm; or, at
least, one of their eggs. If these persons would only
incommode themselves with a little reflection they might
easily relieve themselves of such fears. Has any one
ever found' an old tape-worm in water?  No. Whence,




162
then, shall a young tape-worm or an egg of these animals
find its way into the water?
A tape-worm may, however, very easily originate in
the bowels by total abstinence from water-drinking; for.the tape-worm is a parasifical animal, which is generated
in weak bowels, and the bowels can only preserve their
full energy through the use of cold water.
Whoever uises water with their children internally and
externally may rest assured that they will never be tormecrted with worms and: worm-doctors. The expulsion
of the small worm by medicine can only have, as a consequence, the generation always of more, because the
intestines become weaker and weaker by means of the
medicine; strengthen them; and they will cleanse themselves.
The medical mode of expelling the tape-worm is truly
horrid.. The worm is to be poisoned, -or rather, so much
poison is to be sent after it that it betakes itself to -flight
out of sheer fright. A fearful, mad experiment, that has
already cost many an one his life, and is quite worthy of
allopathy. Must not the poison pass through the stomach,
and, consequently, poison the unwilling possessor of the
tape-worm  either to death or chronic disease?.Even
when the expulsion of the animal is effected, and the subject escapes with his life, still, the injury which the medicine inflicts upon the bowels is generally much worse
than was the burden of the lodgment.
All those causes which produce sliminess and disease
of the bowels, may also be the immediate or remote causes
of worm  disease: medicine, false diet, hot foods and
drinks, want of water-drinking, &c.
I remember a tragico-comic occurrence which happened




163
in' my native town; two women, an aunt and her niece,
who, drank boiled water through fear of drinking in a
young tape-worm, and at the same time partook amply
of medicine, coffee, and tea; both fell a prey to the object
of their apprehension.
V.
CONSUMPTIVE DIARRHCEA. THE SLIMING WITH REAL
MUCUS. HARDENING OF THE MUCOUS SLIMING, AND
INDURATIONS IN THE WALLS OF'THE DIGESTIVE
CANALS.'CHRONIC INFLAMMATION, OR, ULCERATION IN THE D*IGESTIVE CANALS; CANCER IN THE
STOMACH.
THE consumptive diarrhcea results from the total ruin of
the absorbing intestines (of the ileum  and jejunum).
When these intestines do not at all, or very imperfectly,
absorb the'digested chyle, it passes, with the greater part
of its fluid substance, into the large intestines, and is
evacuated by them in its liquid state.
Consequently, the secondary or consumptive diarrhcea
is the result of processes quite different from. those of. the
primary. While the latter is produced by abnormal secretions of fluid from the large intestines, the former is
the result of' non-absorption in the small intestines.
It is certain that the consumptive diarrhcea very rarely
arises from other causes than continued dosing with strong
medicinal poisons; I even believe that it has never arisen
from any other cause than poisonings.
The manner in'which the coating of the alimentary
canal with real mucus is effected, has already been shown
in the foregoing. The nature of this disease consists in an




164
abnormally copious secretion of true mucus- from  the
mucous glands.  The cause of abnormal secretions of
mucus is twofold, as also is the nature of the true mucous
slimings.
The first cause is a diseased affection of the mucusglands, especially a weakness thereof, which is comm6nly
produced by the medical treatment of a primary inflammation of the glands, much more frequently by excessive
exertion of individual organs (e. g. the flow of semen,
brought on by strong sexual debauches), sometimes, also,
by a perverted diet and uncleanliness.
The medicinal poisoning is here, as in every secondary
disease, the great chief cause. Under the hands of the
physicians, inflammatory, catarrhal, and even intermitting
fevers, often enough degenerate into mucous fever. Such
a change is possible only through poisoning.
This kind of sliming with real mucus, i. e. of abnormal secretions of mucus from disease of the glands, occurs more rarely in the digestive canals.
The second state of true mucous sliming consists int
an abnormal secretion of mucus for the purpose of envelopment and dilution of poisonous matters forced upon
the organism. This sort of sliming, therefore, does not
arise from a disease of the mucus-glands, but from a defensive operation of the organism against inimical substances pressed upon it.
When the digestive organs have become coated with
slime, then the old curing art applies medical purgatives
to subdue the symptoms.
With a stomach not totally ruined, not uncommonly
weak, a vomitive causes the ejection of the food remaining
in it, of a part of the vomitive itself, sometimes; also, of




165
the whole of it, also, of the fluids taken into the stomach,
and especially of that mucus which has. been produced
afresh by the poison of the vomitive; in a word, the ejection of all matters free and loose in the stomach. But the
original mucous conglomerations of longer standing in
the stomach, for the removal of which the emetic was
given, and which, by reason of their tenacious viscousness, adhere to the desiccated surface of the walls of the
stomach, can never be ejected without.being first dissolved
and set at liberty.  For this purpose the old healing art
first administers the so-called resolutive medicines of a
decomposing nature.  The physicians must have strange
notions of the processes going on in the stomach if they
suppose these resolutive poisons shall,-at command, address
themselves to the mucous conglomerations and decompose.them. On the contrary, as soon' as the new medicine. enters the stomach, the stomach must react against it,
must prepare fresh mucus in order to envelope it.  Instead.of dissolving the old phlegm and slime, it always fixes it
more firmly than ever, because the stomach is farther
exhausted and weakened by every:additional poisoning.
If an emetic follows the resolutive medicine, there certainly ensues great discharge of -slime and bile; but it is
always the mucus and effusion of bile only which have been
produced by the medicine just administered, and, accordingly, are floating loosely in the stomach.'The old glime
which has been adhering to the walls of the stomach, can
be dissolved and removed by nothing else than, water.
The case is precisely the same in regard to the purgative: medicines, with the difference only, that they cause,
particularly in the bowels, fresh productions of mucus,
and its partial evacuation.




166
The oftener such medicinal "' purifications" are undertaken, so much the more does the slime accumulate, and
if such a course be pursued for a length of time, these
medicines finally lose their purgative effect, they accumul'ate together'with the slime in the internal canalsbecause the reactive power of the organs has been destroyed. At length, the bowels'may get completely choked
up, and a slow death ensues, which, in excruciating nervous sufferings, cannot be equalled.
If some among my readers are not convinced by what
I'have' already set forth concerning the operation of the
medical "means of purification," I can adduce the proof
of facts and experience, of such overwhelming force: that
no resistance is possible; viz. those persons who, having
undergone a medical course for the purpose of purifying
the stomach, especially for intermitting fever,'have come
to Graefenberg, have, under the influence of water, obtained a purifying crisis, in which not only great masses
of slime have been vomited out, but-' also the medicine
which they had taken, oftentimes plainly recognised by
their taste.  Those who have been.long under medical
treatment for stomach domplaints, may rest assured that
they harbor a great plenty of slime and drug-stuffs in
their digestive canals, —may rest assured that, by -the
water-cure, they will attain a radical purification, if, to
wit, they possess sufficieept perseverance and the disposition not to break off the cure before or during the crisis.
Perhaps some one, who is not, from his own experience,
acquainted with the water-cure, raises the plea here, that
the excess -of water drinking may excite vomiting and,
diarrhcea, even when the digestive canals are perfectly
clean and sound. Possibly vomiting, but never diarrhcea;




167
and, moreover, that which is thus vomited is nothing but
pure water, free from all nauseous and medicinal taste.
This vomiting is only possible when more water is forced
into the stomach than it is able to contain by its greatest
distension, and the instinct so defends itself against such
an-act of violence that it never occurs.  Circumstances
of two kinds prove that old impurities and slime-enveloped
medicinal stuffs lie at the foundation of the Graefenberg
purification-crises; in vomiting-crises, it is proved by the
quantities of slime, and the disgusting taste, which is
oftentimes plainly medicinal; in diarrhcea-crises, it is
confirmed by the evacuated slime-masses, and an unquestionable proof is the fact that, when the crisis is over, the
most energetic water-cure is unable to produce those
vomitings and diarrhceas.
The more inconsiderable the coating and sliming of
stomach and bowels, the more promptly and easily will the
crisis ensue; the more inveterate and accumulated, so
much the longer will the crisis be delayed; because, in
this case, it reqrires longer time so to reinvigorate the
stomach, &c., that it shall have strength snfficient to pro.
duce and carry through the crisis. So soon as the patient
feels himself pretty well-, and has gained much strength,
then the purification-crises commence.   Certain it is,
that many persons have left Graefenberg without getting
the crisis, because they went away too soon, and without
misgiving how affairs stood in their bowels.
The circumstanc6s and appearances in persons legitinately poisoned by medicine, have been ascertained to be
similar to those in persons illegitimately intentionally
poisoned; for instance, in  many  victims of- Gesche
Timm.   Persons who, according  to the confessions




168
made by this insidious murderess before her judges, had
received poison from her long before, and died several
years after the date. of her confessions, had in their
stomachs a coating of mucus, which, by chemical examination, was found to contain arsenic.  These miserable victims could certainly have been saved by the watercure timely applied.
In. the foregoing we have considered the operation of
medicinal emetics upon a stomach not entirely depressed
to the lowest degree of weakness.  When, however, the
stomach is so weak that it is not equal to the strong exertion of the muscles necessary to medical vomiting, and
when, consequently, no discharge follows, then it is always
certain that the entire medicament -remains,-during the
life-time of the patient, in his body, inasmuch as a small
portion of it is received into the digestion; the greater
portion of it, however, adheres in mucous slime firmly to
the walls of the stomach, after that the stomach has separated the liquid part of the medicament, the original water,
f6bm the solid and properly medicinal part.  This process
it undertakes with every liquid medicament in general; one
must not suppose there is any other dripping fluid on our
planet excepting water; all other apparently fluids are
nothing else than a mixture of infinitely- minute solid
substances with water. If the chemical arts shall perhaps never be able to resolve completely the intermixed
liquids into their original water and original solid atoms,
still the stomach canl, at least partially, and it effects this
partly by its decomposing juice, partly in the case of
liquids containing poison by fresh infusions of rhucus,
which is an excellent filterer, inasmuch as the solid parts
remain in it, and the fluid ooze through. The stomach




169
is the best chemist; and the stomach proceeds thus with
all mixed liquids which come into it, especially with medicaments always, if it does not discharge them immediately- by. vomiting or diarrhoea.  When, therefore, we
speak of medicaments being firmly fixed in the weak
stomach, it means only the solid medicinal parts; by no
means, h6ivevjer, is it to be presumed that the medicine
remains as liquid mixture in the stomach, which, indeed,
were manifest nonsense.  As soon as the solid parts, the
proper quintessence of the medicament, are separated from
the watery parts and enveloped in slime in the stomach,
then they adhere'thereto, and harden to a firm mass, in
like manner as the mucus, which, in persons of unhealthy
stomach, is generated in the mouth and settles on the
teeth, hardens to tartar.
If any one disputes and doubts the correctness of my
reasoning concerning the inefficaciousness of medicinal
vomitives, viz. that the mucus ejected through such means
is only that which is at the time called forth by the same:
he may convince himself by administering an emetic to
a clean, healthy stomach.  So soon as the stomach decomposes it, it feels that it is poison, and- that, for a double
reason, it must quickly prepare a fresh quantity of mucus; first, to protect itself and its glands, nerves and capillaries, &c., against the poison; second, wherewith to eJect
it, which cannot be effected otherwise than by the help of
this transporting medium; unless great quantities of cold
water and milk be drunk immediately upon the emetic,
whereby the ability to vomit is guaranteed to the stomach,.and the necessity of generating mucus is obviated. If
any person, for the sake of gaining a knowledge of the
truth in this matter, wishes the experiment made, I would
8




1.70
advise him to undertake it under his own supervision, and
not commit it.to the, faith of mediciners, the most of whom
disbelieve, entirely, in the efficacy of water as an antidote
for.poison, and must, from the nature of circumstances,
narmely, in a struggle on the issue of which depends their
own: subsistence, and -in a time when, alas! truth is not
as highly prized as bread..
One might convince himself still more decidedly that
emetics call forth mucus in the purest, healthiest stomachs,
if he would take, before the emetic, one of those so-called
resolutive medicamnents, and first allow that to operate an
hour.
In a manner quite similar, the medical purgatives
cause evacuations of mucus even from the healthiest and
cleanest bowels; and in like manner, the evacuations
from slime-coated bowels, caused by purgative medicines,
never consist of the old morbid matters, but only of freshformed mucous-masses.
The course of water-treatment to be pursued in hardened mucous-coatings of the digestive canals, consists in
plenteous drinking, in sitz.baths, wet compresses about
the body, and clysters; here, as in every other ecase, we
premise, as first postulate of every water-treatme-nt and
water-diet, a full cold bath every day.
In cases of old mucous-coatings more water must at first
be drunk than the thirst calls for, because the quantum
which the thirst requires is soon digested, and, therefore,
has no' time.to dissolve the indurated mucus.  Drinking
beyond the thirst must never be carried to excess, or it
may do injury.  A few glasses beyond the thirst suffice
to furnish the stomach with the means of solution.  As
soon, however, as the solution, and in consequence theres




171
of, vomiting or diarrhcea have begun, not a glass must
be drunk beyond the thirst.
The sitz-bath, through the coincidence of several effects,
is the greatest among the great benefactions wherewith
the-genius of Priessnitz has favored suffering humanity.
The results, of this bath, in regard to the re-invigoration
of the digestive organs, would appear truly wonderful
if they could not be explained on such evidently natural
principles.
Firstly, The bath draws long-lodged morbific and medicinal matters out of the external membranes and muscles
of the abdomen, inasmuch as it produces there eruptions
and boils, and it is particularly efficacious in this respect,
on account of the long duration of the bath.
Secondly, It fortifies: the nerves of the ganglionic system in a -decided manner.
Thirdly, The sitz-bath strengthens as well by the general effect of cold water as, especially, by the wet rubbing
and excitation of the abdo.minal muscles, and promotes
the worm-like (peristaltic) motion of the bowels, without
which all digestion is impossible.
Fourthly, By its mechanical pressure it promotes vomiting, as soon as it becomes necessary.  Other healing
effects of the sitz,bath upon other- organs belong not here.
The bandages assist the sitz-bath in all its operations.
The clysters serve to cleanse and strengthen the rectum, and are a-necessary part of the water-cure with all
of weak digestion. For wherever there are secretions of
slime and weakness of the stomach, there are also sluggishness and accumulation of excrements'in the rectum.
Constipation attends not only chronic stomach disease.,
but, also, almost every acute disease for a time, if it is




172
treated according to the old medicine-r6gime.  This con.
stipation and the medicine quite naturally destroy the
appetite, and, indeed, so universally that we are accustomed to view the loss of appetite as a natural and necessary effect of the diseases themselves. Lay hold upon
water,P ye sick, and you will retain a good appetite and
free evacuations, and will perceive that, these most'important functions are disordered, not by the diseases, but by
the medicine alone. In violent fevers under water-treatment the appetite sometimes fails one day, rarely two,
and never more.
When a disordered, constipated state of the evacuations
has been brought on by medicine during an acute disease,
and this function afterwards proceeds again in a normal
manner; then, still, the excrementitious matters, whose
discharge was delayed days and weeks, remain oftentimes
in the rectum, since, by means of slime, they adhere
thereto and- indurate. The releasement and evacuation
of these can be effected only by frequent cold-water clysters; at the same time, the rectum thus regains its former
energy. With persons already sunk deep in the miseries
of impaired digestion and constipation, the clysters are at
first discharged again, before they grow warm  in the
bowels, and without being followed by the evacuation of
much excrementitious matter.  One must not allow that
to lead him astray, but must continue, and soon the water
will be taken up, and whole clysters be'entirely absorbed
throughout, in proof of the need such bowels have of the
healing element.  Then normal evacuation ensues, and,
after a length of time, perhaps several months, begins the
liberation and evacuation of the old, filth of the bowels,
which has become like unto hard bullets.




173
As the excrements become very hard and compressed,
it is thus-possible that the rectum  stores away incredibly
great quantities in a small space, before. it gets so far
constipated that atrophy or some other fatal disease ensues.
There have been instances at sea where -passengers have
had no evacuation of the bowels for a long time, even for
several weeks, without- altogether losing their appetite
and health. Of course the abdomen is distended by such
accumulations; but still it is astonishing that it can contain the refuse of so many'meals. Afterwards,' when the
usual softer evacuations are again restored without any
discharge of the old, hard, dry excrement, then the compass of the abdomen is reduced by their firmer and more
compact consolidation, but it never regains its normal
symmetry. Despite this internal accumulation, a tolerable state of health may be enjoyed for years; still, if some
other disease does not sooner terminate life, it renders a
natural death impossible in all cases where chronic dis.
ease is harbored in the body.
Those parts of the stomach and bowels -which are
covered with indurated slime, perish organically, and pass
into induration, because these parts are prevented by the
slime adhering to them  from  organic action; they are
prevented from secreting digestive juices, and from absorbing chyle; they are' prevented from excreting their own
refuse, and, therefore, renewal is impossible.
The symptoms of indurated slime in the digestive canals
do not manifest themselves unequivocally until the commencement of the water-cure crises, or, after death, in
dissections of corpses.  The symptoms of disease in all
internal indurations and ossifications do not appear well
marked in living patients that are not under wate'r-treat



174
ment.  They are attended with no sensible pains.  If -the
sliming covers only small spaces in the large bowels, no
effects are perceptible for a long time, and proper symptoms of the disease sometimes never appear.; An internal
imperceptible -effect is, indeed, always present, and that
consists in a somewhat insufficient sustenance of the body.
When, however) such like coatings and indurations are
present in the stomach, then there are always considerable
indurations in -the bowels, because, in the latter, especially
in the folds of the large bowels, the slime always settles
and adheres first.  A person is paler and more emaciated
in the same ratio that his digestive canals are the more
extensively covered with slime and indurations.  Ac.
cordingly, loss of flesh and paleness of the skin are
the chief symptoms of indurated slime, which, when present in a high degree, results in hypochondriasis and
painful affections of the nervous system. When a person
labors under all these symptoms of disease without having
any decidedly marked diseases, then the digestive organs
are always the seat of the complaint, and generally indurated slime is present in these organs. Persons of solid
flesh and ruddy complexion are seldom thus affected, and
never to any considerable extent.
It is an easy matter to show in what manner the induiated mucous coatings of the stomach and bowels produce
emaciation and paleness. According as a greater extent
of the surface of these organs is slimed and indurated, so
much less surface is in activity in the digestion of food
and the absorption of chyle. In this manner a considerable portion of the aliment of the food consumed passes off
in. excrement, unelaborated and unemployed. For this
reason all persons with slime-coated bowels and stomach,




175
are inclined to over-eating, because the body requires more
aliment than the digestive organs can elaborate; therefore, despite the- large quantity of their daily food, which,
with healthy digestion, would be sufficient to the permanent nutrition of a full rugged body, their body continues
to emaciate more and more.
Since the great majority of people have not healthy
digestive organs, they experience a feeling of great discomfort if they frilly satiate their appetite. Hence, then,
has arisen the oft-repeated rule, that it is more healthy to
cease eating before the' appetite is fully satisfied. This
precaution is quite' necessary for medicine-poisoned stornachs, but. for healthy stomachs -it is a great folly, if; to
wit, an active life be combined with healthiness of stomach. Whoever has his digestion restored by a course
of water-cure, and afterwards- continues in the diet of
Priessnitz, feels himself in the highest degree comfortable
and healthy, if he always fully satisfies his appetite; and,
indeed, in our temperately cold climate, fat foods are particularly wholesome to the healthy, as well to impart
pliancy to the bowels as to maintain a comfortable warmth
of body.  However, those who have stomachs after the
fashion of the old regime, suffer of sour stomach after
partaking of fat, and cannot eat it, and dare not, generally
speaking, satisfy their -appetite; and they also, who lead
a sedentary life, should never fully satiate their appetite.
Do you. suppose Nature would have given man appetite
for more than he dare eat?  Do you suppose that Nature
would have imposed penances and denials on mankind?
No, mankind itself has done it.
When the appetite of the healthy hydropathic stomach
is satiated to its utmost re4uisition with very fat foods,




176
there- follows no penance as a consequence-thereof, but
that satisfactory, in-the highest degree pleasurable, condition of digestion which the healthy only know.
Hard and scanty stool is usually connected with sliming
of the bowels, and determination of.blood -to the head, and
eyes, and breast. All these consequential disorders and
discomforts disappear of themselves as soon as the purification by water is completed. If, instead of which, medicine is still continued in, a sort of consumption sets in
also, an iliac passion, a hardening of the intestines, or
such like scientifically produced affliction.
The coating and partial induration of the digestive
organs is very rarely observed among the lower classes,
since there medicinal dosing is not carried to any considerable extent.,  Nearly all the patients that enter the
water-cure establishments have taken a great deal of
medicine; according to my experience in establishments
well- directed, and provided with good water, about onehalf of the patients get critical diarxhceas, and one-eighth
part get critical vomiting; consequently, of the cureguests in water-cure establishments, about one-half bring
with them indurated sliming of. the bowels, and only an
eighth part such sliming of the'stomach.
From the well-discussed operation of mucous sliming,
to which the stomach resorts to protect'itself against the
poisons forced upon it, we obtain the explanation. of the
causes why certain doses and kinds of poison introduced
into the stomach do not cause immediate symptoms of
disease to arise, although, when introduced through a
wound into the direct circulation -of the blood, they produce speedy death.  This is the case with the poison of
serpents, of which one may swallow, without perceptible




177
injury, the same quantity which, introduced into a wound,
would soon produce either death, or, at least, violent morbid symptoms.
When, however, the doses of poison are toQ large, and,
at the same time, too violent, for the stomach to envelope
them through the sliming process, they eat through the
slime, and cause, not unfrequently, -a chronic ulceration
of those places in the stomach and bowels on which they
more particularly settle.
Generally speaking, it. must be observed under the
theme of mixture of poisons with mucus, that an absolute envelopment of the' poison in mucus is never effected,
but only a relative, and that always more or less of the
administered poison is absorbed and, taken into the circulation; more when the poison imixed with mucus courses
through the bowels; less when the greater part thereof
remains in the stomach. But yet this latter case is the
more pernicious, because the hearth of life, the workshop
of the alimrent of-the body is thus more ruined than when
the poison is carried off out of the stomach and partially
mixed with the blood.
In a chronic ulceration, the organism, under the usual
diet, without assistance from the water-cure, reacts only
against the rapid extension of the evil, by constantly conducting its best juices thither to keep in subjection the
corroding poison. This imperfect reaction produces that
sort of inflammation which the physicians denominate
chronic, and which has not an energetic but a sly character. Such reaction allows the ulceration to proceed only
very slowly, sometimes retards its progress several years.
But as soon as a new debilitating cause, any other dis.
ease, or old age aiises, the annihilation proceeds more
8*




178
rapidly, and causes death-oftentimes many years after
the poisoning has been effected.
The symptomps of this disease are, besides an inadequate
digestion' and nourishnient, a sensation of burning or
pricking in the stomach or bowels, which often alternates
with a sensation of oppression.  In a more advanced state
of the disease there ensues, also, vomiting of coagulated
blood, which escapes from one ofthe blood-vessels corroded
and eaten through by the ulceration or alvine evacuations
of blood, which now is coagulated, now not.  Generally,
periodical vomiting also attends the chronic ulceration of
the stomach, still not always.
This disease is cured by water, when sufficient organic
strength is still present, and the disease has not yet
reached the last stadium.   The processes by which
water effects cure are easily. explained. The water that
is drunk makes, as already before observed, its course
through the whole circulation of the blood, before it is in
pprt excreted through the urinary organs. It thus' releases stagnating and slimy matter, it qualifies'acrid
and poisonous humors by thinning and diluting them,
and conducts them out of the body through transpirations
of the skin, and evacuations, and urine, if water be
also rightly and proportionably applied externally.  In
such a manner the water-cure purifies all the juices and
the whole mass of the body.  Moreover, the water comes
in direct contact with the inflamed and festering parts
of the digestive canals, and before it enters into the circulation is partially absorbed by these parts in the state of
pure water, and mixes itself with the acrid poisonous humors, which are the cause of the inflammation, and thus
qualifies and dilutes-them, and becomes, at the same time,




179
the medium  of their transportation to the place of exere.
tion.  In this way it operates from  within through the
capillaries of the walls of the stomach, and, at the same
time, from without the stomach, dissolving, diluting, and
extracting.  It exiercises another healing effect, through
its constituent parts, oxygen and hydrogen, in the neces-'sary new formation or reconstruction of nerves, glands,
&c., destroyed by the inflammation.
The cancer in the stomach arises from causes similar
to those of the chronic inflammation. It is a more obstinate and fatal disease, and is -brought on when those
causes.just mentioned are present in a high degree, particularly when a general and extensive corruption of the
humors is combined therewith, and when corrosive and
poisonous substances deposit themselves on the glands of
the stomach.
The symptoms of cancer in the stomach are the following: first, the concealed symptoms in the stomach, which
are only detected by dissection, are, in the beginning, a
rough, hard tumor, which is painful, has a red hue, afterwardspassing to dark red, to a lead color, and blue-black,
which grows into the adjacent parts; finally, bursts and
discharges an acrid, oftentimes bloody fluid pus of various
colors and offensive odor.
The symptoms of cancer sensible to the patient during
life, are, burning and stitching pains in the stomach, vo~miting of an offensive watery substance frequently mixed
with blood, exceedingly bad digestion, and meagre nourishment of body, sleeplessness, and constipation.
From  this, one may perceive that the symptoms of
chronic inflammation nearly resemble those of cancer in
the stomach.




180
The cancer is more difficult of cure than the chronic
inflammation, but in its commencement, and especially
with strong constitutions, it is curable by Water. The
curative processes are, in every respect, similar to those
described in ulceration of the stomach. When, however,
the cancer has been open a long time, and the organism
extremely emaciated and debilitated in the strife against
it, then a cure is no longer possible. I have cured, with
water, not a small number of cancer patients; but I have
also denied many a reception into my establishment who
were already in an advanced stage of this disease, because
the hydropath must guard against a case of death in his
establishment at almost any price. For this reason he
must frequently deny a reception to patients, who are not
absolutely incurable, with whom, however, it. is doubtful
whether they may not die before long.
A goodly number of persons bear within them the germ
of cancer.  These unfortunates in the hands of the drugdoctors journey onward to a horribly painful death. - Had
they knowledge of their disease, and of the various
methods of cure, they would hasten to enter a water-cure
establishment before it might be too late.  Whoever has a
periodical feeling of burning or pricking in the stomach,
oftentimes comrnbined with an alternating oppression there,
with him  the germ  of'stomach cancer, or, at least, a
chronic ulceration, is developing itself.




181
VI.
MUCUS FEVER. NERVOUS FEVER. P'UTRID FEVER.
THE mucus fever arises generally from  falsely treated
catarrhal and'inflammatory fevers, and the false treatment
of the latter fevers consists in the employment and administration of medical poisons, and a false diet.  To the lat.
ter belongs the prohibition of all use of cold water, and
using instead thereof warm emollient soups, which are particularly injurious, when the patient manifests an aversion
for-them, and then still is compelled to take them by order
of his physician. It is very -rare that a fever sets in imn
mediately with the character of mucus fever.
The symptoms.of mucus fever are the following: Quick,
but weak pulse, loss of appetite,. usually constipation, which
sometimes alternates with diarrhaea, pale, also dirty grey.
color of complexion, tendency to thrush, and the symptoms
of foul-stomach; eructations from the stomach, coated
tongue, a slimy nauseous taste, puffed up abdomen. With
these symptoms are combined, oftentimes, catarrhal affections, which in general-do not belong to the mucus fever
character, but are transferred from their original catarrhal
character to the mucus fever.
The cure of the mucus fever is effected through mucous
discharges, both of vomiting.and. alvine evacuations;
farther, through critical perspirations, and eruptions. It is
evident, from the above given explanations, that all these
said curative processes are not only promoted by, water,
but are brought about by it alone; it is farther evident,
that medicinal remedies are decided hindrances to these
processes.  Under the hands of the doctors, very often a
catarrhal fever is converted into mucus fever, and mucus




182
fever into nervous fever; daily experience teaches it. In
the hydriatic treatment, such a change for the worse is
an impossibility.
(2.) The nervous fever likewise sets in very seldom as the
origihal form of disease, and is as generally as tlie mucus
fever a fabrication of the doctors; nervous fever developes
itself under the doctor's hands from gastric, catarrhal,
inflammatory, and even fromr intermitting fevers.  The
nervous fever is not a healing disease; what I have said in
my first hydriatic work, entitled, " The Spirit of the Graefenberg Water-Cure," upon this fever, proceeded from  a
wrong view of this disease, and requires the rectification
here given. That pamphlet was written by me-during the
first period of my own water-cure, and wants the eight
years' experience and investigations, which since that time
I have collected and prepared.
The nervous fever arises, when an organism, afflicted
with morbific matters, receives an impulse to the produc*tion of a healing fever; at the same time, however, the weakness of the nerves, and also usually the relaxation of the
system of the skin, steps in the way, hindering the accomplishment of a healing form  of disease.  Under healing
fevers, I include the inflammatory, catarrhal, gastric, and
intermitting fevers.
From this explanation concerning the nature of nervous
fever, we get also an explanation of the causes, why the
said healing fevers, under the hands of the doctors, so
often degenerate' into nervous fevers, to wit, because by
blood-letting and poisonings the organism is robbed of the,
power necessary to' maintain and perfect the healing fever;
because the nervous system is depressed by. these disturbing inroads, and thereby disqualified for any healing fever,




183
and, finally, because from non-application of -water to the
skin, that,.system  in all fevers and sweatings is so depressed, that critical discharges therefrom cannot possibly
ensue in a- satisfactory manner. Under all these hindrances the excitation then- passes over to the nervous
system in particular; nervous afilictions and violent fever
combine to form:a compound disease, which is denominated
nervous fever.
It has already been - shown in- the. foregoing, that the
gastric fevers frequently have an epidemic cause, i. e.
they originate in a corruption of the air in certain districts.
These gastric fevers of the epidemic nature are, under the
hands of mediciners, very frequently converted into nervous fevers; indeed, in certain districts, and at certain
times, they always assume, without delay, the nervous form
under drug treatment. Therefore it is quite an error to
speak of epidemic or contagious nervous fevers; for, in the
water-treatment, the gastric fevers never assume the
marked nervous form, and they soon lose those symptoms
which prognosticate a degeneration of the fever into the
nervous form.
In consideration of the causes of nervous fever it should
not remain unmentioned, that, when a disposition of the
body to arouse a healing fever -is present, mental over-exertion may likewise become a cause of degeneration into
nervous fever.  Farther, this disease may develope itself
from a healing fever, by means of repeated deleterious
mental excitements, through fright, great fear, grief, and
repeated vexations.  But all these causes occur very seldorh, in comparison with the causes of bloodletting and
medicinal poisoning; for those mental and moral causes




184
must rise to an. unusually fearful degree, if they are to
produce an effect equal to the medical treatment.
The symptoms of nervous fever are the following: Every
kind of nervous fever is ushered in by disturbances in the
head, nervous -pains, feverish pulse, loss of appetite, and
sleep, or at least the sleep is unrefreshing, and beset with
fantasies.  Nervous fever is divided into two general
kinds.
(1) The inflammatory nervous fever approaches more
nearly the curative formrof disease than the torpid nervous
fever, and the former is more easily and certainly curable
by water than the latter.  In the inflammatory nervous
fever we perceive a greater energy in all the functions of
the organism, and in all manifestations of disease. Dry, and
burning hot skin, rapid and irregular pulse, state of high
excitement and deliriousness, parching thirst, nervous, and
sometimes half rheumatic pains, dry, brown, cracked
tongue; these constitute the most prominent symptoms of
inflammatory nervous fever.
(2) The torpid nervous fever has on the other.hand the
following symptoms; pale and sunken expression of countenance, lack-lustre, dying expression of the eye, total
prostration of the'strength, dulness of the senses, in contradistinction to the diseased sensitiveness of, the senses in
the inflammatory nervous fever, torpid slumbering, entire
want-of appetite and of evacuations from the bowels, dark
brown furrowed tongue, gloomy unconscious fantasies.
The inflammatory nervous fever is very often converted into the torpid by medical treatment. The further
effects of that treatment are either death, through palsy,
apoplexy, exhaustion of the vital energies, resolution of
the juices of the body, consumption of the nerves (sup.




185
pressed nervous fever),. or a very slow and relative recovery, without any or at least any considerable struggles and
discharges.  How tardily convalescence follows, under
medical hands,tand how very'seldom the former state of
health is afterwards regained, are circumstances sufficiently well known, and find their most satisfactory explanation herein,, viz. that the critical discharges-of the morbific matter are rendered impossible by medical treatment.
In the hydriatic treatment, nervous fever assumes, gradually, the character of rheumatic or catarrhal fever;
also, marked rheumatic pains usually arise, and the matters-of disease, which have occasioned the nervous fever,
are eliminated through critical secretions.  If the disease
be treated from the very commencement with water, its radical cure is effected very soon, comparatively, and afterpains, relapses, or, indeed, the origination of new chronic
affections, are never consequent upon such treatment.
Although the hydriatic treatment-of nervous fever must
be more carefully undertaken than that of inflammatory
fevers, and although the nervous fever is a secondary disease, and caused by hindrance being offered to the healing propensity of nature; still, my experience and knowledge have justified me in:the belief that no person can
die of'nervous fever-.if, in the beginning, it be'treated
rightly (not after the manner-of the physicians), with
water.  During the prevailing disposition in Mecklenburg
for many years past to' nervous fevers, I have had occasion to treat this'disease in all its stadia and in all -its
varieties.  Although I have never lost a patient by it,,not even in cases where a medical treatment had preceded
mine, still-, I consider the issue of the water-treatment
very doubtful when a mediciner' has already been pre



186
viously practising upon the fever.  For in so dangerous a
disease one does not change from one method of cure to
another out of mere pastime,; one does not discharge his
medicine-doctor before that he has, abandoned all hope of
a fortunate issue of the disease under the medical treat.
ment, and then the patients are already to the last degree
emaciated and debilitated.  Al those that have been
handed over to me from  the medical treatment, were
already reduced to the appearance of skeletons, and I
consider it to be, therefore, only a fortunate circumstance
that I have also cured all these. - Yet, abstractly of the
uncertain issue of the water-cure after preceding medicinal treatment, the recovery after such' a preceding treatment is-always tedious.
(3) The Putrid Fever is still more decidedly than the
nervous fever, a fabrication from. primary fevers, and,
consequently, seldom comes -on immediately in its terrible
form. Medical treatment, and a hot, damp,'and corrupted
atmosphere; are the usual causes, which convert a primary
or a nervous fever into a putrid fever.
The Symptoms of Putrid Fever are a pricking heat,
which, on being touched with the hand, leaves behind a
disagreeable sensation, great debilitation, and disfigured
look, a small fever-pulse, offensive. evacuations, and discharges of blood, an inclination towards resolution of the
humors, and dissolution of'the solid parts.
Although I cannot -assert that water, rightly applied,
will, in every case, cure the putrid fever, yet it is -proved,
by experience,- that water'is the best relnedy for this disease also, and that one may presume upon a happy issue
with great probability, if it be applied immediately in the
commencement of this terrible disease.




187
VII.
NERVOUS AFFLICTIONS. CRAMPS.
ALL nervous afflictions'are' secondary- manifestations of
disease, and'for this reason their symptoms are not to be
considered as healing endeavors of the organism, but are
tormenting sensations which the body suffers in its gradual annihilation by chronic disease.
Protracted and lingering nervous afflictions are, in most
casIes, an effect of secondary disease of the digestive or.
gans, whose disease may be so latent that one detects no
symptoms of'disease in those parts of the body which are
influenced'by these organs. Ifor instance, the indurated
mucous sliming of -the digestive canals has no symptoms
particularly sensible in the stomach and bowels, not even
when it is present in'a. very. high degree: the signs of the
disease are emaciation, paleness, hypochondria, disgust of
life: in a word, dull niervous distress, respecting whose
true seat the feelings give no proper direction.
The nerves are mostly governed and influenced by the
brain; but the brain itself is a complication of nerves,
and if we do not separate it from the nerves -of the rest
of the body, but place it under the nervous system collectively, then the digestive organ is,'of all other organs,
that one which exercises the most influence upon the
whole -nervous system; the stomach, by means of its
-ganglionic nerves, stands in reciprocal action with the
whole nervous system; still, however, it-influences the
nervous system in- a higher degree than it-is influenced
by it.'Since the administered poisons arrive first in the stomach and bowels, before they pass into the blood,' and




188
since they are often partially withheld from passing into
the blood and the rest part of the body, they being enveloped in mucus, and thus remain in the digestive canals:
therefore, among such nations as have, for a long course
of time, made use of a method of curing diseases by poisons, the great body of diseases of the digestive organs
must hot only be widely extended, but, also, preponderate
over the diseases of the other organs.  Since, farthermore, the digestive organs exercise so decided an influence
on the nerves, therefore, nervous afflictions must, next in
order, be the most widely extended.
Thus it is in present Europe-everywhere stomach disease, partly in forms of diseases which, by sensual per
ceptions, denote the stomach as' the seat of affliction, partly
in latent,forms, which manifest themselves to the perception in the form of nervous afflictions.
As the use of medicine among the -higher classes is
more frequent' than among the lower, therefore, with the
former, stomach and'nervous diseases must be more frequent than among the latter. Experience also confirms
this conclusion.
Every poisoning, which causes slow- death, not only the
medical, but also that of the insidious villain, is followed
by a train of dreadful nervous torments.
When the stomach,. and especially the ganglionic nerves,
are strongly poisoned and shattered by powerful medicinal
poisons administered in an energetic acute disease, or
when some other organ is similarly affected by absorption
of the poison from the blood, and when nervous complaints
are in such wise produced, then the physicians prescribe
milder poisons for the cure of these complaints, and thereby complete, slowly but surely, the ruin of the nerves.




189
These milder poisons are called  nerve strengthening
(" neurotic"), or also, in general, " restoratives."'
An organism can only be truly restored and strengthened
by expelling all foreign matters, especially from the digestive canals, and enabling it to digest and assimilate -to it.
self a sufficient quantity of aliment.  This true invigoration is always (the water-cure has proved it a thousand
times), with very emaciated persons, accompanied by a
very sensible, oftentimes astonishing, increase in flesh and
muscle, and with persons of sufficient, but soft, weak
flesh, it hardens itself to an iron-like solidity.  Wherever
both of these very visible effects, and, moreover, a blooming ruddy complexion, fail, their true invigoration has
never been effected, but at most a false show-of it, caused
by stimulants. Alcohol- is the real main principle of most
allopathic " restoratives " or " tonics," which at first spur
up the nerves temporarily, in order afterwards to ruin
them and the whole organism  more surely.  The alcohol
is then administered, sometimes alone in sublimated form,
in ethers; essences, drops, sometimes together with other
stimulants; for instance, old wine, cognac, with china,
&c.  All these articles correspond, in their substance and
effects, with brandy.  When the period of their first
stimulation is past, then bluntness and insensibility follow,
and that dreadful condition in which the. brandy and stimulants have become a necessity, without being longer
able to exercise any effect.But the etherial lady abstains from  brandy as little as
the day laborer, when, in her delicacy, she entitles itether, eau-and who knows with' what other names?
The - completion -of the ruin of the nerves by nerve.
strengthening and narcotic medicaments, rests upon a




190
direct pernicious.' effect of these stuffs on the nerves.
Every other, poisoning, which produces long-continuing
and oft-returning- pains, operates, also, indirectly, with destructive effect upon the nerves.  Pain is a thing which
is unnatural, and. the nervous system  of all animals is
constituted for their pleasure, and. not for their pain; for
this reason it cannot endure king-continuing pain without
becoming diseased.  Also,. rheumatic pains, viz. those of
the teeth and of the face, ruin the nerves -in the course
of time; even the pains produced by external artificial
means, e. g. by the tortures of the rack,' effect. the same,
if they are frequently'repeated.
When powerful medicinal poisons penetrate directly
into the body of the nerves, by means of the circulation:
they effect not only a chemical transformation of the sub,
stance of the nerves, but also an organic deformation,.and
respective destruction of the form of the nerves. When,
however, medicinal poisons ruin  the nervous system
through. indirect effect, then the transformations usually
extend' more to the form, than to the'material, of the
nerves.
The artificial stimulants, which are such dangerous
enemies to the nerves,, come- not alone from.the' hands of
the mediciners, but at the present day, also, out of the lay
of the false conditions of culture, particularly from the cor
ruption of social culture. This deep corruption has advanced, indeed, to that degree that the use of narcotic
poisons passes for an attribute of manhood, with'boys
even, as the dub of knighthood, which elevates them to
men.  Tobacco and the intoxicating drinks belong most
particularly to the narcotic poisons.  On this point I will
rhere only state, in general, that these pernicious sub.




191
stances are, indeed, -much less injurious than the most
nerve-poisoning medicaments, but still they are, by all
means, injurious to the' stomach- and nerves, and if they,,
of'themselves-'alone, do not possess the power, when used
moderately, to cause speedy and marked injury to a healthy
person, still they are faithful allies to the medicinal poisons in the work of destruction of the nerves.  In the
second part I will speak at large respecting tobacco and
alcohol.
Also, coffee, tea, and' the stimulating spices, are prejudicial to the health of the nerves, although they, of themselves alone, are still less capable than tobacco and alcohol, of destroying a healthy nervous system.  But they
are co-operative with'the destroying power of medicinal
poisons, and-they must be unconditionrally prohibited in
all cases where the nerves are already the prey to disease, or a cure will be rendered impossible.
We will now turn to the immaterial causes of nervous
affliction. If such causes, without the introduction of
foreign matter'into the. body, can produce disease and
gradual ruination to a system of the body, it is unquestionably'the nervous system.  Still, I do not believe that
a'case has ever yet occurred in which this'system  has
become diseased through immaterial causes alone; but
unquestionably these causes are sometimes the predominating, and very often the co-operating causes of disease
of the nerves.
First in order, among the' immaterial causes as destroyers of the nerves,, stand the over-exercise and too close
application of the mental faculties.  In my opinion there
is only one kind of exercise of-mind, which is no detriment to the health, and that is the exercise of the inge.




192
nuity in enabling us to escape dangers, to pursue enemies
and beasts of prey, as this so often occurs in the life of,the savages. But abstract and scientific thinking I hold
to be relatively unhealthy, and am of the opinion, that at
this moment while I am thinking and writing for the interests of the general health, I am acting'against the interests of my own health.  I say "relatively"' unhealthy,
and intend by this word to note especially the,consideration that it is unnatural and unhealthy to practise abstract
thinking as a business and means of livelihood; according to my opinion, every person in a truly human, refined,
and cultivated state of society, should busy himself with
some bodily labor, and thea mentally endowed should,
only ini their hours of recreation, yield themselves up to
abstract and scientific thinking as a means of pleasure.
That would be not only better for health, but unspeakably
much better for science also. Sciences constructed by
persons that are recluses by profession, can be'as little
healthy, as are the recluses themselves.  But that belongs
not here; that digresses widely into strange fields; that
draws down much-affliction upon humanity, and the poor
wan journeyman, of science; that gives testimony to the
falseness of our refined conditions, and causes me bitter
sorrow whenever I reflect upon it; therefore, for four
important reasons I must abandon thesethoughts.
I said "relatively," and intend thereby to denote the
disproportionately constant thinking to the neglect of the
corporal elaboration of one's organic powers and his stagnating juices.  Every mental occupation that is not pursued from inclination, or choice, or with aversion even,
operates either in blunting or morbidly exciting the nerves




193
of the brain, -and in every case causes decided injury not
to the body only, but also to the mind.
To the over-exertion of the mind belong also the labors
of those unhappy writers and poets, whose imagination is'
not a fountain gushing spontaneously from the lap of the
soul, profuse and unceasing, but a pump, which is wrought
in the bitter sweat of hard laboriousness.
The second class of immaterial causes of nervous diseases consists of mental affections of an uninjurious kind.
To these belong grief, care, fright, and long-continued
fear, anger, envy, and jealousy; also, humbled pride and
inordinate thirst after honor and power.  All these influences are co-operative. with the causes of nervous diseases; it may be easily supposed that some of these- may
become causes of nervous afflictions,. although this has, by
no. means,, been demonstrated, and experience seems to
speak to the contrary.  For experience- teaches that,'of
all the above-mentioned mental affections, there is no. one
which,.in eve'rycase, will ruin the nervous system of the
person therewith affected; but experience teaches that
every lingering:poisoning, that of the insidious murderer,
as well as'of the mediciner, brings wretched disease upon
the nervous system; experience teaches- that those persons who have taken the most medicine.always have the
most diseased nerves.
Sexual excesses also operate injuriously upon the nervous' system, but only then, when at the same.time a diet
of narcotic artificial stimulants is.employed, or when'medicinal poisoning is present.  If a natural diet is used,
and the water-cure employed when the disease occurs,
then with healthy persons of mature -age, there can be no
excesses, in as far.as health is conerned, i. e. the inclina.
9




194
tion to physical love does not then exceed the capability
thereto.
But quite otherwise is it with sexual pleasures in uhnripe
age, and with.all unnatural modes of quieting the sexual,
desire.  They all. exhaust the vital energy-prematurely;
and depress all the mental and corporal functions; therefore, they depress, also, the nervous system, and rob it of
its fresh susceptibility for enjoyment;- but if neither medicinal poisoning, nor mental and moral affections of an
injurious nature, nor as yet the pernicious effects of a
narcotic diet, co-operate, at'the same. time, to enhance the
evil, then they destroy the whole machine gradually,
without producing either symptoms of disease or a strongly
prominent disorder in the balance of the functions.  Still
it is very rare that the said. excesses are left to operate
alone, as in the supposed case; when, however, they are
attended by a narcotic diet, it assists' in annihilating the
nervous system.
Cramps are forms of diseasei which only appear when
the nerves are secondarily and deeply diseased. Cramps
are involuntary movements and convulsions of the nerves,
which impart themselves, mnore or less, to the adjacent
muscles, and through them  produce the most various, in-.
vdluntary, and ungovernable actions of the- organism, tossing of the arms and legs, utterance. of tones which are
now lower, now louder,. but always of a fearful kind., and
which sometimes swell to a heart-rending shriek.
The allopathic classifications of.cramps'in clonic, atonic,. convulsive, cataleptic, epileptic, &c., are a'confused
mixture of several modes of classification, because some
are only different grades in'the.effects of similar causes;
others; however, the effects of dissimilar causes.




195
Next to the organic devastations and deformations, the
ehronic nervous afflictions are those diseases for which
water affords' the.slowest'and most imperfect aid; still,
water is, of all remedies, that one which decidedly is capable of affording the greatest relative assistance, and,
indeed, the only assistance.  This most physicians themselvbs admit; many of these physicians tell their patients
that water is a suitable remedy'for nervous affections only,
well knowing that it cures them  the most slowly and
imperfectly;' often these sly foxes find,'among the public,
persons who are simple enough to receive such like untruths in good faith.
In regard to the water-cure practically, the chief findamental rule to be observed in the* treatment of severe
nervous complaints is, that cold water must never be
used until considerable improvement has taken place, but
until.such time, tepid water of a temperature between 570
and 750 Fahrenheit.:This fundamental rule, I am sorry
to say, is daily disregarded in many water-cure establishments.  By the use'of too cold water and too'stimulating
baths, the condition of the nervous patient is in every case
much aggravated,- and he may, by such treatment, even
be brought into a state of insanity.
-During the several past generations of man the acute
diseases have become more seldom, and the chronic conditions.of diaease more frequent (a necessary effect of the
medicinal art), and, therefore, the stimulating medicines
have grown more and more in general use, and the ruin
of the nerves and cramps more aggravated.'Nervous
complaint, over-stimulation of the nerves, cramps, and
convulsions,:we now find everywhere: in men's bodies, in
society, in literature, politics,'and morals, and the prime




196
cause of all this evil is nothing else than medicinal poi.
soning.
Thus allopathy has penetrated with —her -infernal influences even into the profound depths of.the mind. Do
you smile?  Do you believe, then, that the over-stimulated, nervous weakling can produce thoughts, ideas, deeds,
upon which the stamp of disease and nervous over-stimulation is not fixed? Youth is inexhaustible in the talent
of hope; it holds the cramps and twinges of our time,
for pains of that time, which will give birth to a new
grand epoch.  Poor deluded youth, the cramps- of an
over-stimulated poisoned dame are no pains of travail;
they'are the slow pains of death 
VIII.
HYPOCHONDRIACISM  AND  HYSTERIA.  DISGUST OF
LIFE AND SUICIDAL PROPENSITY.
Ilypochondriacism-and Hysteria are forms of disease similar
to one another, and whatsoever is dissimilar in them arises
from the dissimilarity of the two sexes; hypochondriacism appertains to the -male, and hysteria to the female
sex. The seat of both diseases is in the stomach and
bowels, and particularly in the nerves. - In hysteria, disease-of the sexual nerves is always. combined with disease -of the nerves of the digestive organs;. in hypochondria, however, there is usually disease only of -the. latter
nerves present.
The symptoms of the two forms of disease, which they
have:in common with each other,.-are, at first, frequent
and sudden' changes of humor, and, accordingly, apparent




197
changeableness of character. Now unrestrained joy from
trifling'causes, and again, and still oftener'the deepest
concern'and disquietude, ill temper, vexation, sudden
bursts' of passion over the most unimportant matters.  In
the first disposition of temperament, the character appears
pleasing, sympathizing; and forbearing; in the second, on
-the contrary, it appears rough, harsh, unjust, even mali.
cious.'A second symptom,of these two diseases is selfishness, accompanied, also, with the passion of speaking
much of one's own self, and one's own disease, and of
reading, meditating, and speculating much upon it, of
daily changing one's' view with respect to it, and, in imagination, living to experience'all possible diseases.  With
the described -eccentricity in each of the most diverse
temperaments, they are, of course, also connected, with a
want of perseverance in any one undertaking, and a
seizing after new projects.
In hysteria there is often an unmistakable effort to excite attention by actions, by talking, looks, and in particu.
lar, also, by dress, and this propensity appears'to arise
from disease of'the sexual nerves.
The purely corporal symptoms of diseases are pains
and cramps in the stomach and bowels, hard and scanty
evacuations, flatulency, changeableness in appetite, and a
feeling of bodily'anxiety and fear.  In the hysteria the
cramps increase sometimes to convulsions, and to a cramplike action from abdomen to stomach and throat.  It inust,
however, be observed that the corporal symptoms of disease
here enumerated do not always arise, at least, it frequently is the case, that for a long time the above-mentioned conditions of the temperament only show'them.
selves.




198
The causes which produce hypochondria and hysteria
are over-excitement, disorganization; material and formal
alteration of the abdominal nerves, effected particularly
by oft-repeated purgatives; farther, want of bodily exercise,. much sitting, connected with over-exercise of mind,
a diet weakening to the digestive, organs through overstimulation, sometimes, also, sexual excesses, particularly
unnatural sexual indulgences.
IIn all secondary stomach diseases, therefore, also, in
hysteria and hypochondria, the feelings of the- patient
afford him  no sure key to the seat of the disease.  The
cause of this circumstance lies in the following construction of the human body: the nerves of the abdominal
viscera form a separate system, whose centre is called the
abdominal brain (cerebrum abdominale).  These; bowels,
as also the heart, receive their nerves from the ganglions, by which the conduct upwards to the head is arrested.'Through this isolation from the brain, follows, necessarily,
that the said bowels can only transmit their sensations
very imperfectly to the brain; moreover, their sense of
feeling is, of itself, very weak, because these nerves contain but little marrow.
Most.physicians attribute these diseases to dynamic
causes; still, many acknowledge, that organic defects and
deformations are present in the abdominal organs in these
forms of disease, but -indeed without comprehending that
these. disorganizations are rarely produced otherwise than
by medicinal poisonings.
They consist in transformation of the material of the
nerves, in destruction and induration of the nerves in
places, by adhesions of indurated slime, in accumulations
of serous fluid (abdominal dropsy), in causing abnormal




199
growths of mucous membrane (polypi), and in chronic
ulcerations.
The hypochondria and hysteria are alwaysreal- dise.ases of the body; the supposition that these complaints
sometimes originate in fhe imagination merely, is utterly
false  - Of the seat and nature of his disease, the hypochondriac has frequently very erroneous notions; but in
regard to the presence of disease he is never deceived.
Universally, every one who feels himself unwell, is, in
reality,.:unwell,t although the medical advisers often try
to reason their patients out of this idea, and persuade them
that the disease has'been destroyed by their medicines.
On the other hand, many consider themselves at tirmes
healthy, who are not so, if we assume organic simplicity
of body as a condition of true and perfect healthiness.,
Hypochondria and hysteria are attended always with
periods of despair and disgust of life; still, habitual disgust of life is no. symptom of genuine hypobhondria,
but it. springs from a form of -disease which is compounded of hypochondria, of sensual surfeiting, and a
tough and thick quality of the blood and of the humors.
This diseased quality of blood arises from insufficient use
of.water, and instead thereof the use of fermented and
distilled drinks. Under such diet: the fluids of the body
lack the normal quantity of oxygen and hydrogen, and
this want causes an uncomfortable, pleasure-killing feeling in the whole sensorium  of the organism; moreover,
this want causes a predisposition to apoplexy and such,like diseases.
The hypochondriacal, periodical, and habitual disgust
of life is, at the present day, so widely extended, and, in
itself, brought to such a. perfect form, that it may almost




200
be considered as a-new temperament.  Its chief, or at
least, a co-operating cause, lies in the ruin of the digestive organs, as in general all different temperaments are,
principally, the results of a healthy or diseased digestion.
This has been proved, very conclusively, by the watercure, which, by restoring to health- this important organ,
has already metamorphosed many a melancholic malcontent temperament into a joyous, happy, sanguine temperament.
Against these said evils the water-cure is the only
remedy capable of effecting'anything.; it effects, in most.
cases, where the patient has sufficient -perseverance,'a
radical cure,,which, however, for its permanency, requires
a reasonable corresponding diet, and- particularly that
bodily exercise be not neglected.  But the water can, of
course,, not cure when the vital energy is - alreadyi much
exhausted, and those- above-mentioned organic defects and
ravages in stomach and bowels are, in high degree, advanced.'The highest degree of hypochondria and disgust of life
is the suicidal propensity.  It is very difficult, it is almost
impossible, that a perfectly healthy man raise the armed
hanid against his, own life, although the severest outward
disappointments of life almost overcome him.  All this
outward unhappiness is nothing in comparison to the in-.
ward chronic misery of' disease.
It" is said the passions drive men to commit suicide.
Most assuredly; well observed, however,.the passions
are, in most cases, and with most men, the offspring of
disease of body.  The perfectly healthy person has rarely
and but few passions, because his claims upon the enjoyment of life are satisfied through the- pleasures of good




201
digestion and procreative powers.  Does some one accuse
me of making man, half a beast?  Not I, but Nature has
done it, when she' clothed- the soul in tne garb of an ani-mal body, and —let- him also'declaim  against it who will
-still, it'is certain that no human soul can be healthy
when the shackles of -the outward animal, into which it is
exiled, are afflicted; with pains and wretchedness.
The thirst after h'appiness speeds through the heart of
~man powerfully and ardently as the gulf-stream through
the ocean.  The honey of joy flows in upon the healthy
person from all sides; when he awakes in the morning
he is full of-joy tt'the -prospect of a'new day, and with
him  his limbs, Which, refreshed, unfold themselves from
the embraces of sleep; he finds. joy and refreshment in
his- very breath,' which, with expanded lungs, he' inhales
from the grand bowl of ether; he reaps,delight in viewing the golden sunshine and,the -streams of the mountains.
But with the loss of health flies also the capability of
enjoyment and rejoicing, and-still the ardent desire for:happiness remains.  It is a findamental trait in the perverted condition of the diseased, that they'suppose they
lack the external conditions of joy., while, indeed, they
lack only the internal.   Permanent' happiness dwells
only in the natural enjoyments of a healthy body and
mind; when disease dispels these, the wretch longs
after strange artificial enjoyments, and the more these
escape his grasping hands, the more ardently glows the
passion.  When the power to love is poisoned by disease,
then comes the passion for wealth, and power, and honor,
orders and titles, and other insignificancies.
Since most' passions, are the offspring of disease, the
9*8




20o
apparent wonder that water cures them, easily explains
itself —-because it cures the cause of them.
I am aware that this view sounds quite matter-of-factlike, is not- poetical; the water-cure is not at all so;'also,
that is not at all requisite to poesy, least of all, to'this
modern poesy,. which puts out its blossoms from a diseased
stock.  Laugh, laugh, still I' fear not to say, make the
human'race healthy, and you will behold a new poesy
arise, the rents and chasms will disappear, the accords of
melancholy and shril4lsof despair cease to resound.
Never has a man in. acute disease, during the severest
pains and extremities, taken his own life, because instinct
feels that they are nothing else than the curative processes of nature.  On the-contrary, in chronic disease,
the fieeling of despair awakes, and whispers despondency.
Thus the most suicides are the after-consequences -of
medicinal poisoning, are explosions of the dull feeling of
an internal misery, that can be cured by no other pills
except the leaden.
Despite the external wretchedness that weighs upon
the lower-orders, still suicides among them  are more seldom, -in proportion, than among the higher. of society.
Their poverty, which allows them to buy but little medicine, protects them against suicide and nervous. misery.*
Behold the different men, and observe what different
courses they pursue when overtaken by equal strokes of
outward misfortune.  A bankruptcy drives one to. commit
* In more recent times most afflictions among the lower classes
are the effect of the poison. contained in brandy, viz. alcohol,
which corresponding afflictions in the higher classes are. produced
by medicinal poisoning. Namely, the suicides and shatterings of
understanding are among the consequences of the brandy-plague.




203
suicide, the other, to increased industry,- to contentment
and true happiness.  The faithlessness of a sweetheart
breaks the heart of one and sends a bullet through his
brain; the other finds another, and becoraes the happy
head of a family.  Whence the different. effects of the
same causesI. From the different temperaments of men,
i. e. from the different states of health of their digestive
organs.
Ix.
RHEUMATISM..RHEUXrTISm  falls into several subdivisions, of which the
acute "or inflammatory rheumatism is properly the only
purely rheumatic original form; the cold chronic and= the
atonie are' secondary forms, which -are only produced by
false treatment of the acute rhe-umatism.  The nervous
rheumatism is a Compound form of nervous and rheumatic affection.
The Sympton.s of Inflammatory Rheumatism are a violent
pain,. attended with abnorrmal acuLrmulations of blood, and
thereby produced abnormal heat in the affected part.  It
will be.seen that these symptoms are neardy related to the
symptoms of the proper inflammatory diseases, and, also,
the nature of the two'kinds of diseases is similar.
The difference lies herein, that in the inflammatory dis.
-eases, the heat:and accumulation of -blood in the diseased
part are greater than- in the ~rheumatic form of disease;
also, that- the purely inflammatory form runs its course
and comes to some decision sooner than the rheumatic;
on the other hand, in the rheumatic form the pains are
more sensible -than in the inflammatory; and.finally, this




204
inflammatory form is attended with stronger -fevers than
the rheumatic.  These differences arise partly from the
higher energy of the inflammatory fbrm, of disease, partly
from  the essential difference -in the organs, which are
most frequently attacked by both of the said forms. Thus
the internal fleshy organs, and those-most abundantly provided.with veins, are most subjected' to inflammations,
while on the other hand, the seat of rheumatism is more
in the muscles, membianes, and sinews of the flesh surrounding the bones.  Hence, the more sensible pain of
the rheumatic, as, also, the more violent accumulation of
blood and heat of the inflammatory form explains itself.
From the foregoing it is apparent that the rheumatism
is a transition form between the healing and destroying
diseases.
The. rheumatic pain is -caused thereby'that the nerves- in
the affected parts ofthe. body come in- contact with foreign
acrid, substances, particularly with poisonous medicinal
substances.  Every considerable poisoning with mercury
produces rheumatic -or gouty pains, which are frequently'of exceeding violence.
If one applies acrid corrosive substances externally to
the -nerves of a wounded part, there arise, quite in the
same manner as with the internal rheumatic, inflammatory, and gouty processes, pains, which are the more:vio.
lent the' more corrosive the poisonous substance.
The effect of the water-treatment of inflaimmatory rheumatism is the expulsion of the matters producing them,
through critical sweats and critical exanthems (boils and
eruptions).
The. efect of the medical treatment is, on the contrary,
the, conversion of inflammatory rheumatism to cold-chro



205
nic, atonic, and nervous rheumatism.  This change is
thus brought about slowly but surely, that the organism
is weakened by medicinal sudorifics, by purgatives, vesicatories,- and the like, and prevented from -the formation
of healing exanthems; fa;rthermore, thus, that the skin
of the affecqted parts is long covered with flannel and
oiled silk, and thereby totally weakened and rendered
absoIutely incapable of excreting the morbific matters.'
The -medicinal sudorifics produce like process with the
medicinal purgatives only in other organs. ~ An elimination of morbific matters by the introduction of fresh evil
substances is not possible; in the most fortunate, but
very rare, cases, the organism succeeds in excreting the
newly introduced medicinal evil matters. The sweating
caused. by medicinal remedies  is not a critical perspiration but the sweat of agony; moreover, the stomach is
debilitated, and, in. the long run, entirely ruined by these
remedies usually administered, very hot.  People say, in
common life, the causes of rheumatic affections lie mostly
in:colds. I have already before shown- that no disease
and no pains can be produced by the severest cold, if no
morbific matters are present in the body. Consequently,
a cold, when. morbific matters are present in. the body,
may very well be the incidental cause of exciting rheumatism, and hastening. the- period -.of its outbreak, but
never- 6an it be the prime cause of it, never produce it.
The chronic cold rheumatism manifests itself only through
inward pain, without the skin becoming reddened or
heated, -because the skin-system  and the. whole organism
is too much weakened to drive the'.healing' signs of heat
and accumulation of blood to the periphery.;
The atonic rheumatism shows itself in weakness, lame.




-.206
-ness, and stiffness. of the.affected parts, without pain and
without. inflammation:
The nervous rheumatism is that form which, the rheumatism'assumes with -persons of shattered nerves;- then
convulsive sensations are combined with the rheumatic
pains.
The- chronic, atonic, and nervous rheumatism  cannot,
even-with the best diet, be cured by the organic strength
without the aid-of water; still less-is this possible by
medicinal means. When the water.cure is. used properly
and withl perseverance, and vital energy is still present,
then these rheumatic secondary forms are. transformed
into the primary or inflammatory,- which then discharge
their morbific humors. in critical sweatings and exan-.thems.
Sometimes the rheumatism remains for.a long time- settied in one spot, and is then.- cal-led the fixed; sometimes.
the rheumatic pain flies from  one place to- another, and is
th-en called- the vagrant or unfixed.  The vagrant -rheumatisrr is not so to be understood, -as if the, acrid matters,
which generate the - pains, changed quickly their position
from one place to another, which is a physiological impossibility, but rather in this manner; that the foreign matters
are present in different parts of the' body, and are set -free
out of the mucous envelopment in one part of the body bythe
afore-described processes, and by their acridness produce'the pains;: these, however, on not being discharged by the
excretory functions, are- again enveloped in newly infused
lucus,, whereupon they are- set free in other parts of -the
body and thus generate fresh pains.
When the rheumatism attacks the organs of sense and
is medically treated, they are frequentl-y.rendered incapa.




207
ble -of performing their offices; in such a manner has
many a person lost his hearing, his sight, his sense-of
smell, and not unfrequently even his organ of taste. On
the other hand, these diseases of lost senses have been
often cured again by water-treatment.
The worst kinds of the fixed rheumatism are lumbago
and pains in the face; still these complaints are generally
of-a complex nature, and have gouty arnd nervous admixtures.  Also, these complaints, the vital energy being
sufficient, are cured by water.
One-of the most widelyextended and painful rheumatic
complaints is the toothache.
Of:all those who incessantly feed from the drug-shop,
there are very few, perhaps none- at all, who are not at
times subject to- the'torments of toothache. -Still, the
high-seasoned foods and.those prepared with sharp acids,
bring into the body substances which, by their contact,
cause pain in the nerves, and particularly in the nerves
of the teeth.
Most medicaments -commence their destructions first in
the mouth, throat, and the digestive canals, because they
are taken most directly in these parts, and, therefore, they
penetrate, them, the most.  Before the medicine reaches the
stomach, a part of it is absorbed in- the tongue, in the gums,
in the glands; to be sure the organism  reacts'against it
and endeavors to secrete it in an increased flow of-saliva;
however, when the use of it is bravely followed up, the
power -of'reaction becomes less and less, -and chronic accumulations are deposited.  When now  a cold is contracted, these minute atoms of poison are loosed from
their envelopment, and- by reason of their corrosive.nature
excite pains in the teeth and glands, &c.




208
As long as the organism is still vigorous, it endeavors
to expel ihe excited mattersi:through salivation and smaller
and larger gum-boils.
The acrid salivation is never any-thing else'than the
effect of a new or old poisoning, most frequently caused
by mercury; as that same abominable poison, which is
now administered for almost every disease, is also. the
most frequent cause of toothache.  Through the saliva —
tion somewhat of the penetrating poison is again eliminated; it is unquestionably certain'that particles of poison are contained in the -acrid- saliva; for it could not,
possibly, for instance, smell of -mercury if there was' no
mercury in it. - Although the physicians must know this,
for they know that the sensation of smell is awakened
only by material particles coming in contact with the olfactory nerves; they know, alsd, that the' salivation or flow
of saliva, though its acridity, corrodes to soreness the lips
and mouth —still, these gentlemen seem  not -to'comprehend that the salivation is, therefore, a healing effect of
the body, and, consequently, must be supported, which,
indeed, is possible only by water.. Aye, most physicians
give even' medicinies to suppress the salivation, and for
this purpose order piquant, biting substances and spices to
be chewed, or give sulphur and iodine, especially in- mercurial salivation.' Take water in the mouth, and hold it
therein until it becomes warm, lay about the throat and
saliva glands warming cold-water compresses, bathe daily,
and you will see how the secretion -of the poison is promoted through increased flow of saliva, and how, in this
manner, also, wholesomne boils will be developed.
Generally, flow of saliva attends toothaches, and must,
likewise, be maintained in the manner -described, only




that warm water must be taken in the mouth when the
pains are violent, and meanwhile rub with cold water externally, arid'then lay the compress there again.
A radical cure from the susceptibility of toothache or
from matters causing toothache, can only be effected by
a radical water-cure, as also, generally speaking,'it is not
possible to' cure an individual chronic complaint without
at the same time stirring,up all the other hidden morbific
causes, and ridding'the system- of them. -Thus it is that
c~hronic -cures are so tedious.
People who before have sufibred of the toothache, get,
in the: water-cure; critical toothaches again, which -differ
from the usual ones in this respect, that they commence
immediately~ with those symptoms with which- the usual
aches depart,'namely, with secretion of an acrid, corrosive saliva, with swelling of. the jaws or cheeks, and with
the uncomfortable feeling, as if the teeth had become
longer; then come -gum-boils- also, boils upon the external
skin, and frequently such a soreness of the mouth that
mnastication becomes very painful.  In such manner the
organism rids itself, with the help of water, of the' causes
of past, and, also, of future possible pains, and the said
critical symptoms- are sufficient proofs that substantial
foreign -matters. are the cause of all toothaches.  After
removal of these causes, no cold can piroduce toothache,
and. this is also" confirmed both by reason- and experience.
I am acquainted with several persons who.former-ly suf"fered terribly of this misery, but after having taken the
water-cure'have never again experienced the slightest
inconvenience on that score, and laugh at the idea of
taking cold.
Thus itis certain, that every one, who still possesses




210
good vital power, can, by,.the water-cure, rid-himself for
ever -radically of this evil; just so ceritainly is it impossible
to remove the pains immediately, because no true cure can
be effected without pains..  This last principle obtains not
only in the physical, but also in the moral world.
The allopathic remedies'for toothache consist chiefly in
abstraction'of blood and humor by leeches and drawing
plaster. Concerning the first tappings, enough has already
been said; those caused by the plaster are not less ineffectual and injurious.  When corrosive and poisonous substances of a certain kind are applied- in plasters to the skin,
it absorbs from  them, and, because they are poisons, it
reacts against them  by means of healthy juices; the
juices are poisoned, and for that-reason the organism
expels them  from  itself.  This executional procedure
proves firstly, that in the "rational method of cure" anything is more easily found than rationality. Is there sense
or reason therein, when it is.the aim to cleanse the body
of all impure matters,, to force new impurities.upon it, to
compel it to turn its power of reaction away: from the old
against the new, or at least to divide it between both of
them?'When, therefore, a temporary mitigation ensues
from these means, -it is not because' the original peccant
matters have been thereby removed, but because the body
has been deprived of-the necessary energy.  By reducing
the strength of the body we can drive away all pains,' and
even life itself; and reduction of the strength is the universal remedy of allopathy for all acute pains and cramps.
Another kind of allopathic suppression of pain is to be
reached by-applying smarting substances to the hollow
tooth, or to the gum.  It is sufficiently well known, that
these shameful remedies have not in all cases even a pal



liative effect, not to speak of their- ever actually curing.
Some'times, for the first moment,,the inward pain.is deadened by the outward; but as soon as this painful reaction
against. the fresh poison -is at an end, the strife with -the
old.-awakens again, which with the greater difficulty attains
a result, the oftener it is disturbed.
When any person has been in the habit of using the
above mentioned medicinal remedies for toothache, he has
the best prospect of getting, sooner or later, a fistula in
the, gum, and accordingly the chance of losing a piece of
his jaw-bone.  When the endeavors to drive fo the surface
the matters causing toothache, by. means of salivation and
boils, are disturbed and suppressed by fresh poisons, the
peccant matters at last gnaw. internally, and generate internal festerings-on the bones, which are called' fistulas.
How can one best preserve his teeth, especially.their
whiteness and gloss? by what sort of powder? by which
dentist?
This half toothless European race cannot any more
without impertinence speak of their teethe at the most of
the ruins of their teeth, venerably moss-grown and crumbling. ruins.
The teeth have three mortal enemies; first, everything
that is poison, and medicine; second, everything that is
hot; and third, all impurities of the stomach.' The first
two enemies corrode and break the enamel, and- thus the
teeth'themselves; the-third enemy covers the teeth with
dirt and tartar, and this raises and presses them out of their
sockets, so:that they become loose and can fall out.  Most
powders are also injurious, which are used to cleanse and
preserve the teeth, all so called tooth powders, because by
their acidity they slowly destroy the enamel. Experience




212
proves it; who has better teeth, the peasant girl, or the
lady, that is; wh-en you' divest -the latter of- her ivory and
porcelain.2  Instinct proves it equally as well, for these
powders are unpleasant to the teeth, and sometimes even
painful.  Every substance, which occasion's the body,-or
any -part thereof, disagreeable or painful -sensations; is
unwholesome.
Whoever has cleansed' -his stomach by a course of
water-treatment. (en passant, I would advise every lady,
whose. mouth has not the fragrant odor of ambergris, to
procure by help of water a rosy breath), and whoever
adheres afterwards to a —diet of cool, foods.(particularly
smokes no tobacco), - he will never resort again to- the artificial means above spoken-of; much rather he will live to
see his teeth' cleanse themselves- entirely, and the tartar
will be dissolved'and passed off.
The only cleansing, which the teeth, require, is'done by
the water, which occasionally passes about them in the
course of drinking. whoever wishes to'do it, more radically may, after each meal,, rinse and gargle his mouth
with this delicious'fluid.
Do you not believe it?  Do' you suppose the powders of
the'tooth. breakers are sine qua non's?  Then go hence
and-a'sk'the tiger madam, what lotion she has to thank for
her agreeably coquettish enamel; demand of the elephant
what tooth doctor he employs, -since a constant exchange
is going on. from  his mouth'into those of the beautiful
Ladies?




213
X.
GOUT.
As. the rheumatism in its inflammatory form is with difficulty distinguished from real inflammation, so also in its
chronic and atonic form the. same difficulty in distinguishing-it from the chronic and atonic gout.  It is oftentimes
difficult to determine, whether the face-ache is to be set
down under fixed rheumatism or gout.
In'these two diseases it is seen more clearly than anywllhere else, that the classification of diseases in species
and varieties is only an invention of the human mind,
without possessing a corresponding reality in the external
world.
Another'question to be t'akenw into consideration here is
the.hereditary nature of the gout, which is frequently
asserted..
~Besides the contagious chronic exanthematous diseases,
ther'e occur rarely; or not all, inherited perfect, diseases,
because. by.virtue of an admirably wise -arrangement. of
nature., not the worst, but only the best juices of the mother,
even when her body is deeply affected- with disease, are
conducted to the fcetus, and because the presence of mate.
rial foreign. causes is necessary to- every' complete and
perfect'disease.
But there are innate abnormities'in- the organism, and
there are innate dispositions to diseases.
All substances impossible of -assimilation (poisons), and
all refuse portions of the body,'are repelled, by'all the
internal organs and parts, and in this manner are'trans..mitted from hand to hand towards the skin -and transpired;at least the organism -endeavors to do this.  But when by




214
reason of insufficient activity of the skin it does not succeed in accomplishing this, these substances settle particularly in those organs, which are hereditarily the weakest,
and in time bring on- in that organ the disease which the
father had, and which the son perhaps will have again.
The correcthess of the view here presented is confirmed
by the fact, that the " hereditary.diseases" develope themselves usually in an advanced stage of life, oftentimes not
till in advanced old age.  Whoever follows the water diet,
will certainly prevent any hereditairy disease-in himself,
even if he has a decided predisposition thereto.  Farthermore, it is evident, from  this view  of the subject, that'hereditary diseases" are curable by water, as this has
also been already confirmed by experience.
We see certain families visited'with lung complaints;
all that is hereditary with them is weakness of the lungs;
in consequence of which there arise'at first in the lungs,
from bad diet, obstructions (of refuse matters); in consequence of which'acute efforts to rid themselves of these
matters through cough or" inflammation;" in consequence
of which medicine is administered; in consequence of
which poison is deposited in the -lungs, which, sooner or
later, as a last consequence, causes ulceration and death.
it is precisely the. same with hereditary gout.  The gout
is a disease of the bones and -membranes which immediately surround the bones (periosteum).  When these parts
of the body arle the weakest of all, the peccant- matter
deposits itself in'them'first of all, and generates the gout.
The pains iof the gout are produced by the foreign and
poisonous matters exercising their destroying corrosive
power on the membrane or skin of the bones-. On account
of this disturbance, the particles of the body intended to




215
form new'bony substance are in part not transformed in a
normal manner into'-bone,'and in part the waste matter of
the bones is either not properly, or not -at all, transmitted
to the skin'and transpired.  Hence the cause of the gouty
protuberances or knots explains itself, which are nothing
else.than.the refuise of the "affected bone.
The doctors' have' already made notice of this'circumstance, that sometimes, when with gouty persons, after
severe pains, a critical perspiration breaks out and becomes
dry, the whole skin is visibly covered with white, earthy
dust, as if with bone dust.,Hence it follows without doubt,
that'material morbific causes, which the perspiration -removes, are present in the gout. It is strange that the
allopaths, who -have, in their books made mention of this
circu'mstance,. did not: thence draw the very pertinent conclusion, that the.gout could only be-cured through activity
of the skin, through sweating and boils.
Alt the present time the gout is called one of those
diseases, which,particularly, is-cured by the water treatment.  It is universally: a settled fact, that water cures
with -mbst certainty of the' rude yery material causes of
disease, e. g. with much. more'certainty'it cures of a mineral poisoning-meM cury, steel, lead, copper. —than a
vegetable -poisoning.  The poison of belladonna' is very
particularly difficult to overcome.
The treatment of gout, consists chiefly in sweat and
douche-baths; that drives to the' skin the' accumnulated
morbid gouty matters, in critical sweatings, eruptions, and
boils; still the cure is tedious, when the disease is old and
deeply rooted.  When it is happily ended, the recovered
person, to remain healthy for the residue of his life, must
adhere to the water diet; if he returns again to wine, cof



2.16
fee, &c., and particularly if he neglects a daily bath and
washing, the old- complaint will return again.
With gout the Allopaths even concede to the water-cure
the possession of a certain. curative power, and have already.-sent many of these patients to Graefenberg..
-In the water-cure the critical sweats-occur much'more
freq.uently and powerfully than in the old dry and medicinal regime, where such, like -critical perspirations appear
but seldom,- and only with strong constitutions.  In the
water-cure the critical perspiration covers the skin of the
gout-patient sometimes for a length of time so considerably with a chalk-like substance, that any unaided eye
may perceive -it
In gout thedoctors assume a dyscrasy of the juices as
cause of the disease, and derive this dyscrasy of the
juices from  false processes of preparation- of blood and
juice, so that consequently the digestive organs, by a false
act of digestion, would make, acrid and pain-generating
humors from wholesome. foods.  Munde; in his so-called
hydrotherapy, blindly follows-this view. We can pardon
the doctors for such- an opinion, as'they are placed by
their instructors on a -false basis directly in the commencement of their study; when -one starts from false premises,
he arrives necessarily at- false conclusions.  But when
Mr. Munde, who, without having been filled and- biassed
with prejudices by a laborious course of study in a false
science, had the opportunity of observing so many watercures, still copies -and repeats erroneous doctrines, whose
falseness has been proved directly- and practically-by the
results of the water-cure:: he justifies his readers in the
conclusion,- that he -lacks the mental ahility, to deduct
from  the results -of the water-cure the causal connexion




217
of the processes of disease. In another place I will devote a few critical remarks to the last writings, and especially the hydrotherapie, of Dr. Munde.
The opinion, that the causes of diseases are of dynamic
nature, and that the body can elaborate acrid matters and
juices productive of severe pains.from  wholesome aliments, contradicts in the second place the laws of physiology, and in the third place the results of experience
made by the water-cure.
(1), The position of philosophic view in regard to, the
doctrine of disease has already been given in the foregoing.  If the causes of disease were immaterial and dynamic, they could not be recognised by any of the human
senses, not even by any mental sense, and it, would be an
impossibility to avoid these causes.  The human organism
were'then such an unfortunate abortive piece of workmanship, that it would not be a proof of the infinite wisdom,
but of the surpassing stupidity of its creator; in the acceptation of the.. truth of the dynamic pathology, and of
the, medical therapie, the instinct of man were not only in
vain, but would be a cause of his greatest unhappiness,
and the production of unceasing confusion; that same instinct, which dictates so unerringlyvto the most imperfect
orders of creation the way to the maintenance of their
life and health, which speaks just as loudly and distinctly
in man as in beast! Or has man perhaps less horror and
disgust of poison than the beast has?'Has man less desire for food and drink than the'beast?
If, farther, the causes of diseases were dynamic, then
every possibility of an investigation of the processes of
disease as regards man is thereby rendered impossible,
because as regards man the dynamic is inexplorable and
10




218
incomprehensible. A pathology on dynamic bases is- for
the- human mind a contradictio in adjecto, i. e. if it be
required of such a pathology, that it shall contain truth.
The homceopaths,'who are,miuch wiser, have comprehended all this very well, -and accordingly never allow of
any investigations -and systematic. expositlons-.concerning
the nature of diseases, and the causation of their processes.
(2) The. physiological grounds against the acceptation,
that the. organism by an improper act of digestion can from
wholesome, foods and drinks generate such acridities, as
brought.by the circulation in contact with the-nerves
cause violent pains by reason of their corrosive power., are
the following.
The transformation of the whole of a mild substance to
an acrid and corrosive is not possible by-any.known
chemical process - but substances, which. are mixed with
acridities, may be made corrosively acrid, by- separating
the mild qualifying parts, and thus.leaving behind the
corrosive.  This last process indeed takes place during
digestion, when foods and drinks are taken that are mixed
with very sharp, pungent, or with poisonous substances.
By'the digestion, namely, the mild constituent parts are
assimilated, the sharp pungent ingredients, on the contrary,
pass separated from  the milder unassimilated into the
-whole body at large, and produce pains by their contact
with the nerves., It is. precisely'this process which produces by far the most cases of'disease fromn taking poisons,
with what constitutions we will see farther on.  In this
process, however,. no acridities are.generated by an improper digestion, but by an act of the most normal digestion
they are separated from'their.mixture'with mild substances.




219
Farther, combined poisons can, by chemical proeesse s, be
set free, or, more correctly speaking, there are mild substances, which, through chemical processes, can be trans.
formed partly into corrosive and narcotic poisons; but the
processes of digestion are so entirely different from them,
that a change of mild substances in-to poisonous by false
digestion must be called an impossibility, according- to all
known physiological and chemical laws. The most acrid
substance, that the stomach can generate through disease
from wholesome food, is the acid of the heartburn, but
-this is always very'far from being a corrosive or narcotic
substance; it does not contain, even in, mixture, any of
such like:-ingredients.  Moreover, this acid manifests its
presence to every one, who is affected with it, by its rising
on the stomach.  The great mass of-gouty pafients, however, are not affected with acidity of stomach, and the
great mass of those thus affe'cted, do not suffer of the gout.
The acid of the stomach never contains by far such sharp
substances as brandy, wine, and even beer; for all these
drinks contain more or less alcoholic poisons; the stomach
acid is, farthermore, by far not so sharp as the spices.  It
is therefore very strange to assume with persons, who eat
all those sharp, pungent, and poison-containing substances,
that the gouty and other pains are produced by contact of
the nerves'with acrimonious matters, which the stomach
ha's made out of mild substances by false digestion.  This
assumption is still much more strange and irrationali-in
the case of such persons as have taken, and still continue
to take, unmixed poison under the name of medicine.
W-herever poison is taken, there is sufficient material present for all coficeivable sufferings and organic devasta.
t;ons, without being compelled to have iecourse to, or




220
being justified in the above considered hypothesis, which
is wholly unfounded, and stands in contradiction with' the
known laws of physiology.
Farther ton we. will return to this subject again, that
there is a disease of dyscrasy, or, more properly speaking, of false preparation of humors from wholesome foods;
but we snlall see, that also that- disease is engendered
through material causes, and that it does not produce. any
corrosive and poisonous substances, but only faults in the
chemical preparation of the blood, consequently that its
false preparation of humors is not of a positive but of a
negative nature.
Here only the very sharp and corrosive substances
come into consideration; for only by their contact with
the nerves can internal pains of any kind be produced.
Even the so-called nervous pains, the nervous toothache,
headache, &c., are always of,nervous-rheumatic or nervous-gouty disposition; the-pain there is produced by contact of acrid substances with the nerves, and the nervous
character of these pains arises from chronic disease and
partial disorganization of the nerves. There are convulsions, cramps, torments of the nerves, which usually. have
arisen in some cases indirectly from poisoning, which,
however, do not arise from direct and simultaneous contact with acrimonious foreign matters, when the secondary
diseased.state of the nerves is already perfectly formed.
But every actual pain within the human body can he produced only by direct and simultaneous operation of foreign
matters.  These are mostly of a corrosive and poisonous
nature; still there are pains within the body, that are not
caused by chemical but by mechanical operation of the




221
matters, for instance, the gravel pains by obstruction of
various canals by means of -stony concrements.
(3) The ground, which, from the results of the watercure, opposes the assumption that the digestive organs of
the gout-patient prepare the acrimonious pain-exciting
humors, consists therein, that the said patients do not immediately in the beginning of the water-cure get critical
vomiting or diarrhcea. When free* acrimonious matters
are contained in the digestive canals, they are by copious
use of water forthwith expelled through diarrhcea or
vomiting, and vice vers&, where such evacuations do not
ensue from the free'use of water there are'either no acridities at all, or, at least, no free acridities present.  Such
evacuations ensue immediately in the very commencement of the water-cure with those patients only who suffer of sour stomach, but by no means with the gout-patients.' All what Mr. Munde says of temperance in his
chapter on gout and otherwheres, borders much nearer
upon the extreme of hunger, than the, method of cure of
V. Priessnitz on the extreme of Over-eating.  The truth
does not lie half way between the two, but much nearer
Priessnitz than Mtinde.  I will not dispute that Priessnitz
in most diseases allows his patients to eat too much'and
of too indigestible food; but Priessnitz deserves consideration on this account, because it is almost impossible for
one who has never suffered from disease of the stomach
or nerves, so to conform himself to these diseases that he
can sympathize in all the different tones of these complaints. When Mr. Munde again warms up for our edifi* Free acrimonious matters mean here those old acridities that
are not enveloped in slime, and adhere together with the slime to
the walls of the digestive canals.




222cation the story of Cornaro, and.will show from his man,
ner of life how little food a man' requires, he overlooks
the point that a man in Italy requires only half so much
food as a man in Germany, and again in Italy much more
than in India. According to my experience, only those
patients in the water-cure when taking suitable exercise
must not be allowed to satiate their appetites, who suffer
of stomach or severe nervous complaints.  My arthritical
patients, who are not afflicted -with either of- these two
complaints, I have always allowed, when taking proper
exercise, to satisfy their appetite perfectly, and this is precisely the class of patients which I have as yet always
radically cured;'The gout arises from sharp, pungent substances taken
into the body from without; if these sharp substances be
taken in any considerable quantity, and if the bones — and
periostea.especially in the joints are the weakest part of the
body. In that case the acrimonious matters and poisons
of diet and medicine are more thrown off from the other
organs, and, deposited on the. bones and their investing
membranes, impede the normal secretions and renovation
of the bones, and cause thereby concrements of osseous
matter.  Still all this cannot occur until the organ of the
skin becomes weakened, and this usually does not occur
-much before middle age.
It is my opinion, that with most gout-patients medicinal
poisoning is indeed a co-operating cause of disease, but
that-a diet of sharp, high-seasoned foods, or of intoxicating
drinks, is, however, the grand cause of gout, viz. under
-the pre-supposition, that the other internal organs are
strong, and the bones, with their membranes, are heredi..
tarily the weakest parts of the body.




223
The fully perfected gout returns mostly at fixed periods,
generally in spring and autumn, when the body undertakes its chief renovation, and- when therefore the deposited morbific matters are Lthe'most set free from their
mucous envelopments, generate pains and disease, and
cannot.be excreted without pains.
The' symptoms of the gout are well known, in as far as
they can: be generally determined; they vary sometimes
into.the symptoms of other diseases, when the condition
is a.cpmpound one. The symptoms of the pure and most
usual. gout are: a violent pain in the ligaments of the
joints and the contiguous parts of the bones, accompanied
by an inflammatory swelling and inflexibility of the joints.
The gout has different names, according to the different
joints that are befallen therewith, as chiragra, podagra,
gonagra (gout in the hands, feet, knees).  Moreover, the
gout has taken various denotations according to its various
character  flying gout, settled gout, acute, chronic, atonic
gout.  Of these various characters of the gout, pretty
much the same holds good as was said of the corresponding characters of the rheumatism.
Tile operation and effect of mnedical treatment of the gout
are essentially as follows: The antiphlogistic remedies in
arthritical fever produce the deleterious effects which are
treated of under the chapter upon inflammatory fevers;
the vornmitives and purgatives ruin' gradually the digestive
canals.;'the narcotic poisons, as particularly opium,(given
to mitigate the pains), operate in the highest degree injuriously upon the nervous systermi and, fill the organism
with powerful poisonous substances; the so-called antiarthritic medicines, as mercury, aconite, colchicum, cam.
phor, cod-oil, &c., operate likewise decidedly prejudicially




-224
on the'nerves and digestive organs, and impregnate the
body with foreign- matter; -they do very great injury to
the body, but the gout'does very little; the gout triumphs
over all these quackeries. Moreover, among the relatively
enlightened portion of the doctors, the opinion prevails that
the medical science is not capable of effecting anything
against the gout.
The curability of the gout by the water-cure is already
generally admitted, and.. therefore requires, no farther
demonstration.
I would classify gout' into the true and false. The
false gout, then, would be the pain in the bones, which is
produced by powerful medicinal poisoning, particularly
by a course of mercurial treiatment; the true gout, on the'
contrary, would be the pain seated mostly in the articulations which is engendered by a faulty diet as the preponderating cause, when there is a predisposition to it that is
a predominant weakness in the joints. According to my
experience the true gout is cured,in the water-cure chiefly
through critical perspirations, the false on the-other hand
mostly through critical exanthems.
XI.
CHLORQSIS. SCROFULA. RACHITIS.
I HAVE already mentioned that there is- in diseased digestive organs an act of false digestion, whereby the blood,
and,' indirectly, the- other humors also are deteriorated.
But, in the first place, the prime cause is always material
disease-bringing substances, which are introduced from
without into the body: with scrofulous, venereally diseased, consumptive, and' arthritical'mothers, this mav




225
occur to the Ifeatus even in their bodies;' still, however,
this comes into the world usually with predisposition only
to scrofulous diseases, rarely or never with the disease
perfectly formed.  Secondly, such an elaboration of sickly
fluids from the wholesome aliment never consists in this,
that foreign substances of a corrosive or very acrid nature
are engendered by a false act of digestion, but always
herein;, that either disproportions.in the compounding of the
chemical elements of the blood, &c.j are present, or that
one of these elements is entirely wanting.  Thus, by this
false act of digestion, no pain-producing substances are
engendered.
The chlorosis, the scrofula, the rachitis, belong to the
cachectic and dyscratic diseases; the mediciners also include pulmonary consumption, dropsy, venereal diseases,
leprosy, and scurvy, erroneously under the same head.,(1),Chlorosis.-Green Sickness.-Symptoms of the dis-'ease are  pale skin, which sometimes darkens into a yellowish-green, and which is lax and of cool temperature;
paleness and inflatedness of the lips; bluish rings about
the eyes; depressed and irritable temperament; derangements in the digestion, and frequently palpitation of the
heart with shortness of breath.
The nature of this disease- consists in a diseased chemical
constitution of the blood, connected with disease of the
sexual organs, and frequently arising out of' it.
The causes of this disease are usually several cooperating, as false diet, too much sitting, excessive exertion of the mind or of the imagination, medicinal disease,
remains' of diseasa'fromi former scrofulous complaints,
oftentimes also onanism.
The medical treatment consists mainly in the adminis.
10o




226
tration of bitter and aromatic remedies, rhubarb, muriate
of ammonia, myrrh, but particularly iron and ferruginous
mineral waters., The organism heals this disease sometimes despite medicinal treatment.; frequently; however,
such treatment causes it to run into hysteria, consumption,
and, dropsy.:
The water-cure has already been proved in chlorosis;
and, from many cases of experience, we can say that this
disease is in every case.radically cured by water, rightly
applied, if no organic defects, particularly in the heart or
abdomen, are present.
Chlorosis occurs only with the female sex, and usually
in the years'of sexual maturity.
(2) Scrofula.-The symptoms of this disease are a lax
and transparent white skin, large and swollen abdomen,
diseased and false, appetite, feebleness ~and emaciation of
the limbs, softness and flexibility of the bones, disproportionately large head, -broad, almost square face, sunken
eyes with dilated pupils and inclination to inflammation in
them.
The hearth of this disease is to be found in the glands
and the lymphatic system.
The medicinal treatment of scrofula operates, in general,.
much more injuriously upon the organism  than medicaments employed in chiorosis. In scrofula more powerful- poisons are given; as mercury, iodine, belladonna,
hemlock; also, cod-oil, gold, lime-water, and the most
various mineral and artificial baths. The organism -can
never attain to perfect cure under medical treatment;
oftentimes scrofula is thus converted into tuberculous consumption, into hectic fever, consumption, and: dropsy.
Under the water-cure scrofullousdisease is always cured,




.227
wbei it has not as yet been preceded by a medicinal
course of treatment; and even after this, it is cured by
water when the medicinal disease has not laid too deep a
hold upon the organs of life, and has not as yet exhausted
the-vital:energy too. much.
(3) The Bachitis.-This'disease is nearly akin- to scrofula, and likewise peculiar only to the age of childhood.
The. symptoms of the disease are, large head, particularly'the sutures of the head-bones being defectively
united, enlarged abdomen,- sniall limbs,.swelling, and distortion of the bones..'Under medicinal treatment death mnost generally ensues
through. atrophy, or dropsy.
The. correct hydriatic treatment cures the disease, when,
as yet, no considerable nedicinal -disease is;combined with
it, and the organism not too much exhausted..This frightful disease was, as very many others, quite
unknown among mankind before the introduction of powerful poisons into medicine; consequently, not before the
middle,of the sixteenth century. In my opinion it can
appear in. no other -children than those born of poisoned
parents, especially of parents'that have labored under
vrenereal disease, itch, or scurvy medicinally treated,
XII.
HEMORRHOIDS,  OR PILES.
The symptoms of this. disease are, itching and' burning in
the anus, secretion of blood from the rectum, swellings
and knots in the anus, discharges of slime from the rectum.
The piles accompanied by discharges of:blood are




228
called bleeding, those discharging slime, the slimy —hemorrhoids; the knots, which.discharge nothing, are called
blind hemorrhoids.
The nature of this. disease consists inc a discharge of
acrid matters, by transporting and eliminating them in
blood; -and, accordingly, the hemorrhoids, i.- e. the bleeding, belong to the transition disease between the primary
and secondary form.- In th6 discharges, however, no
general relief from  old and new  matters of disease is
effected, but only partial from those acrimonious matters,
which flow always anew into the body through drugging
and false diet.  The bleeding hemorrhoids are, by continuing in the use of medicine" and false diet, converted;
in the course of time, into blind, or slimy, or' a metathesis
of the- disease occurs. Under the said deleterious influences the hemorrhoidal acrimonious humors are thrown
upon the other parts of the body, and either find no discharge at- all (latent hemorrhoids), or a discharge from the
veins of the other organs, as, for instance, from the vagina
and bladder.
Thus the efect of medicinal treatment upon this disease
is a gradual conversion of the bleeding hemorrhoids into
blind, slimy, and. latent.
The effect of the water-cure is a change directly contrary, and, consequently, a cure of the bloody hemorrhoids by introducing no new acridities into the body, and
removing the old in discharges of blood, critical transudations, abnormal secretions of urine, and exanthems.
Of course, without corresponding- diet no cure can be accomplished.  Much exercise and adherence in -the use of
mild foods and drinks are the.-main requisitions-of this
diet.




229
The suppression of the -bleeding hemorrhoids by medi.
cinal remedies has always, sooner or later, the most disastrous consequences.
XIII.
SLEEPLESSNESS.
SLEEP i~s that condition of animals wherein the physical
powers, together with the arbitrary voluntary motions, are
in a state of perfect inactivity, and the susceptibility to
perceptions of the senses is, to a certain degree, extinguished; wherein, on the other hand, the processes of
circulation of the blood, of-assimilationi, of insensible
perspiration, and of'respiration, proceed regularly and
undisturbed.
As'the nature of vitality is unexplored, so also is the
inward natuire of sleep, of the suspension of several processes of vitality.
Sleeplessness, i. e. relative, can occur in healthy persons from want of exercise and satisfaction of the natural
desires, which hinders the elaboration of th6 humors and
the secretion of the surplus in seminal humors, and from
these inducing in the organism a disturbance of its harmony, which is, in'a certain sense,' a state of disease.
Most conditions of disease disturb the sleep more or
less, because in them  abnormal processes are going on,
which exceed the powers of the sleeping organism,' or in
other words,'-hich are incompatible with the cessation of
those functions, which are suspended during sleep.  For
this reason the processes of disease combat and resist
sleep; when the former are in activity, the latter must




230
yield, or be changed-to a sort of half-slumbering; when
the latter occurs, the former are co mpelled, for the time,
to'a full or relative cessation.
From  the above it appears that -sleeplessness is no
proper kind of disease, but that it may be an effect of all,
and the most different processes of disease.
Whoever suffers from  sleeplessness without the abovementioned cause of want of exercise, &c., in persons of
full habit, and without painful or acute, or in general,
marked-symptoms of disease being perceptible, with him
there are, in the internal organism, latent organic deformations or ravages at work, and the sleeplessness proceeds
from a reaction of the organism against the rapid extension
of the disorganization.  The relative_ and imperfect reaction in secondary diseases is usually unaccompanied by
symptoms, which come to the perception  through the
feeling of the patient, or are manifest, to the physician;
the absolute reaction in primary diseases is, on the contrary, always accompanied by' such symptoms.
As fever is the efect of every exertion of the body which
exceeds the conservative powuers of the WAKING organism,
-so sleeplessness'is, in like manner, the efect of processes
which exceed the powers of the SLEEVING organism.
Hence, it follows that medicinal soporifics are, in a
double sense, destructive in the -highest degree; first, because they consist of stupefying poisons, and thus introduce poison into the body; and secondly,- because they
disturb-the organism in its reaction against the rapid extension of an internal destruction or deformation already
in progress.
Perhaps some one raises as an objection against the
whole of my reasoning, that sleeplessness, at the present




231
day, is. a very wide-spread, complaint, and that.organic
defects are, not so.widely. extended.
To this I reply, that organic defects are just as widely
extended as the secondary diseases are; in every chronically diseased person organic defects take place in the
organs which are the. seat of the chronic disease..
The dissections of corpses of those that have died' of
chronic disease, have also proved- this equally as well as
it has-been proved already.a priori, by true pathology.
-It is in the highest degree ridiculous, w.hen the doctors,
by a post-mortem  discovery of organic' destructions and
deformations, consider themselves justified in the event of
thle incurableness of the patient.  The presence of organic
ravages in persons that have been medicinally treated in all
the sicknesses which they have been subject to, -is the most
severe accusation imaginable against -the medicinal method
of cure,
It is, in the highest degree, absurd to suppose the causes
of organic ravages in man otherwise than in the poisons
which they -have taken.  Wherever such poisons as the mediciners administer in the energetic diseases have been taken
by the patients, there, evident causes. are present for al7 conceivabe' organic ravages and deformations.
XV.
CHRONIC FEVER. CHRONIC NIGHT-SWEATS. DROPSY.
-(1) Chronic Fever.-As the acute fever proceeds from
the abnormal exertion which the organism makes to cast
off accumulated matters of disease, an exertion which
exceeds the normal -powers, so the chronic slow fever pro.




232
ceeds therefrom, that the performance of the daily'functions exceeds the strength of the machine, because one or
more organs are being gradually destroyed by -poison.
Hence, we see that this fever is not the effect of a curative
struggle, but of gradual subjugation, of the annihilation
of the general system; hence, the-fever is pitifully weak,
as the thin pulse of such a patient evinces.' With all
yearlong medicine-eaters, the digestive organs are irritated
and poisoned, and, consequently, such persons get a slight
fever after every full meal, as proof that only by abnormal -elevation of strength the operation of digestion'can
be accomplished.
(2) Chronic Night Sweats.-The chronic night-sweats
bear the same relation to the critical transudations as the
chronic fever does to the acute fever.'The critical perspirations in and after acute fevers, discharge the whole
mass of accumulated matters of disease; on the contrary, the chronic eliminate nothing more- than the daily
refuse of the body, which naturally should be removed
through insensible perspiration< and respiration of the
skin. Chronic perspirations are consequences of depressed
deeply-ruined energy of skin, which is obliged to-have
recourse to the extraordinary assistance of sweating, to
accomplish the business of excretion..
The issue of these diseased perspirations is oftentimes
consumption, oftentimes dropsy.
In the case of chronic fevers, as well as of chronic
perspiration, a slight chill follows every fever and perspiration; it rises to such a height at last that the body is
constantly changing from' one extreme' to the other, because a relaxation must quite naturally ensue after the
diseased over-strained exertion of the corporal powers.




233
The- cure, of these. sad states'of disease can only be
effected by:a tedious, troublesome course- of water-cure;
still, it is, in every case, attained with certainty when, as
yet, youth, or sufficient vital energy is: present.
(3)  Dropsy.-This fearful disease - claims imore and
more victims every year. What?re its causes?
-It' can only be engetidered through a, double cause, viz.
through poisoning and dry-skin regime -(want of cold
washing and bathing).
* When the skin is so relaxed that it caln no longer throw
off the refuse humors which are daily deposited there
fiom the internal parts, these fluids, which should have
been-transuded, accumulate under the, skin, and produce
bloatedness, paleness, and coldness, —the so-called dropsy
of the skin.
The more a. body is poisoned, the more need has it of
abnormally free and copious transpiration, because it.seeks
thus to rid itself of its matters of disease and poison.
Hence, it follows that'in the case of poisoned subjects, a
more than ordinary activity of skin is requisite,- and that
this important- organ is, therefore, the first to become
relaxed, if it is not sustained-by the daily refreshment, of
cold water intended by nature. For this reason alone it
follows that no one has more urgent need of cold-watercure and' water-diet than he who has taken much medicine.  Hen6ce  the well-known fact explains itself, that
strong poisonings i(be they either medicinal, and particularly those by mercury and china, or-be they dietetic, from
extravagant use of -spirits, i. e. spirits of wine and alcohol
in intoxicating drinks) very frequently cause death by
dropsy.
When poisoning anrid relaxation of skin, and, conse.




234
quiently, disposition to dropsy, are present, contraction of
a severe cold very often accelerates the outbreak of the
disease, which otherwise.might have lain dormant still a
long time in the -system; yet it is an error when some
suppose that a cold -might be the prime, or only, cause of
dropsy.
When this disease i8 -submitted to the operations -of the
hydriatic systerh in its'commencement, it is always cured,
if sufficient vital energy is still left in the body.  The
task of the cure is, so to animate the skin, re-invigorate
it, that it again sets'about its business of transudation.
The critical removal of the already-accumulated fluids is
generally effected by transudation or abnormal secretions
of urine.
If the poisons that have been swallowed deposit them.
selves, particularly on an internal organ-perhaps because there was, during the acute disease in which the
medicine was given, an elevated feverish excitement in
that organ, and, consequently, determination of humors
thither-'then the last effect. of the poisoning is either uIceration of this organ,. or accumulation of stagnating fluid
therein-local dropsy.  The process by which this is
effected is this: as protection against the penetrating poisonous matters, the organism  sends, without intermission,
its best humors and energies to the affected organ, partly
to dilute the poisons, partly -with and in these humors to
transmit them to the skin and thence expel them. from the
body.  In such manner their radical elimination can be
gradually accomplished if water-diet, from'within ahd
without, be adhered in.  If this, however, does not take
place, and if the organ particularly burqened with. poison
loses its power to again throw off, the humors pressing




23'5
upon it, which become saturated with poisonous matter;
so that they may be transmitted to the skin and removed
by transpiration, then you have dropsy, whether it be on
the brain, or the chest, -or abdomen, &c.
Whoever casts aside medicine and intoxicating drinks
and adheres to water-diet, is absolutely insured against
the possibility of any kind of dropsy.
These local stagnations of serous fluid can be removed
by the water-cure, when suitable vital energy still is.
present, and the disease has not, as yet, reached too high
a degree of perfection.
The inadequateness of medicine to affect any of these
diseases is well known, and the old curing art scarcely
attempts to dissimulate here any longer; it confesses its
weakness.
XVI.
CONCLUDING REMARKS UPON THE SECONDARY
DISEASES.
WHEN the medicinal poisons are taken into the stomach,
they operate most injurioysly upon the digestive organs,
and engender secondary symptoms there in particular;
when taken upon a'full stomach, they pass, mixed with
the food, into the chyme,.into the chyle, into the blood,
and through the circulation of the blood, into the. whole
organism, still unassimilated and remaining a foreign
substance.   -By their admixture with chyle they operate
less injuriously on the, digestive organs; by this intermixture they are somewhat diluted. and reduced, but more
effectually cor.ducted into. the bloody than when they are
taken into the empty stomach, in.which a portion of the




236
poison is retained and prevented passing into:the blood by
being enveloped in mucus.
The more powerful poisons are not given so frequently
as the weaker, and'the former cause pre-eminently organic.destructions through ulcerations, through cancerous
abscesses, and caries of the bones. The weaker poisons,
which are administered in greater quantities, cause particularly dropsy.  The poisons of common diet, especially
the alcohol in intoxicating drinks, for this reason frequently
produce dropsies of every kind, but never, of themselves
alone, ulcerations of internal organs.
The. medicaments of'the class of corrosive poisons, as
arsenic, mercury,- concentrated acids, iodine, also, the
many corrosive vegetables, cause particularly excessive
stimulation, bluntness of the senses, deformation of.the
nerves, and dropsy.
The astringent poisons, as' medicaments, cause particularly consumption, by obstruction of the finer canals, and
by permanent contraction of the animal fibres.
The organic indurations, cartilaginous growths, ossifications, the disappearance'and abnormal increase of individual organs, polypous growths, and strong concrements
(in the gout and gravel-disease), all these painful and distressing organic defects and ravages, can be produced by
poisoning only, which is, in.'most cases, the result of
medicine, more seldom of diet, and most seldom the result
of intentional poisoning.
All these organic deformations and ravages arise in the
course of after-life, and' generally, not before thee years
of middle or -advanced age; the method of cure, under
whose protection and influence such misery can arise, is
already, for these reasons, in the eyes.-of every thinking




237
man, marked and branded as a method- of mischief of the
most fearful kind.
All these disorganizations can be cured by water, and
only in the -first stadium, provided at the same time sufficient vital energy is -present. Afterwards the water can
only strengthen the organism and mitigate the organic
disease.  Therefore, let every one hasten to the watercure as soon as he perceives the first symptoms of such
disorganization.  Every chronic affliction, and chronic
sleeplessness, are symptoms of disorganizing processes
within the body.




0.
THI-E CONTAGIOUS DISEASES.
TnE epidemic diseasesi are oftentimes confounded with the
contagious.  The cholera, colic, yellow fever, are epidemic diseases; also, the intermitting and gastric fevers
become, so frequently.
All diseases that-have a pure contagious character are,
with the single exception of hydrophobia, attended with
exanthems of the most various kinds.
In many of these exanthems, small worms or mites
haVre been discovered through optical artificial assistance,
which, in each different disease, have a different form.
It is highly probable, that these mites are not the effect
of the exanthems, but the causes of them, and consequently also of the whole disease.
If any one introduces'into his body any mineral,:vege.
table, or animal poison (with the exception of the poison
of hydrophobia), it infuses itself into and extends itself
throughout the whole circulation, and poisons thus the
body; but in the same degree that the poison extends itself, and becomes diluted by admixture, in like ratio it loses
its strength; it is also the same with the poison of serpents.
In the contagious exanthematous diseases, however, the




239
ratio is' inverted; the smallest particle suffices to infect
the whole'organism, and then it generates the poison in
much greater quantities than- it has received it, and this
latter loses by its immense extension none of its strength;
A production of acrid. and corroding poison through
physiological processes from the humors of the body is not
only totally-inexplicable, but it contradicts every philosophical conception of physiology and pathology.
But when we accept that the contagious exanthematous
diseases are produced by animalcules,- which are propagated according to the laws of animal procreation in the
body of the infected person, then we arrive at not only an
elucidation of that class of diseases now under consideration; but also. preserve the philosophical -basis in pathology
and'physiology. To' this acceptation, therefore, we are
mentally constrained, and that the more, since the perceptive power of the senses- has already convinced itself of
the existence of'mites in the- boils of the psora and venereal diseases.,
Also, hydrophobia'cannot be'otherwise explained than
by the hypothesis of animalic- production- of foreign being.
The Contagious exanthematous diseases resolve themselves into two'classes, into acute and chronic.
To the'acute belong the'measles, small-pox, &c.' In
these' diseases we must suppose a species, of animalculIe
which,'indeed, propagate themselves in the human - body,
but only for several generations, and which soon die. off,
where-they- do not quickly cause the death of the infected.
To the chronic'contagious diseases belong the itch
(psora), the'scurvy, and the venereal diseases, &c. Here
-an animalcule (the magnifying glass'has already detected
it) must be -assumed, which, under false diet and false




240
method of-.cure, continues to propagate itself, till it causes
the. death of the infected by eating and gnawing continually deeper.
I must reserve for a later period entering into the detail of the contagious diseases, and here I must confine
myself'to what is said in the second edition of this work
on venereal diseases.
In all diseases that are caused by inorganic matter,
every medicinal poisoning can only result in injury without the possibility of any profit, without the possibility of
destroying the matter of, disease, because -first, the medicament does not so penetrate the whole body as to reach
all the secreted foreign atoms; and because, secondly,
even. if this were the case, still the solution of.the inimical
matter in nothing can never be effected.  It is sufficiently
well known that the annihilation of the smallest material
atomin is by' no means' possible, neither by fire nor by any
chemical process.  The apparent annihilation is nothing
else than a reduction to its elements, or an entrance into
other combinations. Hence, it follows with evident -certainty, that the organism can never be freed of its causes
of disease and foreign inimical substances otherwise than
by -their expulsion, that it is impossible to effect their anni,
hilation in'the body through medicinal means —it follows
that every idea of cure by poison or medicine belongs, to
the'most irrational and fearful of errors under which the
human race has evei labored.
If, however, the causes of-disease were really of immaterial and'dynamic nature, as the mediciners of more recent date assume, then, the idea of healing by poison,
universally by the material, is still more absurd.  In that 
case the cure would be possible only throughi- dynamic




241
influences and means, in some wise througkh Magnetism,
Electricity, and such like.
Thus, in every case, whether corporeal matters or.
dynamic. faults be the, causes of disease, the medicinal
science is as absurd and contradictory.in.its theory,..as
destroying and mischief-spreading in. its -practice.
It is- otherwise with the chronic infectious exanthematous diseases, wherein the poisoning of the animalcula  of
the boils, their acceleration'- from  life to death, can most
certainly be accomplished through poisoning the humors
of the body.  As soon as this has taken place the organism'frees itself of the minute invisible corpses. through
transpiration and suppurationl;. This it endeavors to effect
during the time of their life; but in this it could not succeed for two reasons;. first, because they propagate themselves,. and second, because they exert themselves unceasingly to work from the skin to the internal parts.
But the most fearful in this cure by medicine -is, that
the poison-' which is given for that purpose, remains for
the most part in the body of the poisoned person until hisdeath, -and gradually effects the annihilation, or, at least,
the great injury of the internal organs, and thereby a distiessing death by disease long before the natural age of
man-unless this poison is eliminated'by the water-cure.
This elimination proceeds slowly,-is attended with many
pains, and, farthermore, few people are situated in circumstances which. allow.of a tedious treatment, dear in
time and money.  Hence this curing by medicine is one
of the most direful calamities which can, befall the human
race.
In the -acute exanthematous diseases-measles, smallpox, &c.-the medicinal poisoning, is wholly useless (but
11




not harmless), for' this reasons that it cannot be discharged
equally as soon as the disease decides itself; it- requires
many days be-fore that poison, which is swallowed or' rubbed into the skin, extends itself through the humors of
the whole body.
The hydriatic treatment in infectious exanthematous
diseases consists in- sweat-baths, in compresses.uupon the
parts touched by the'exanthems, and in drinking.
Some- have said, that the water-cure in itch and venereal diseases is exceedingly tedious;'some authors have
even' asserted, that here water had proved itself insufficient, and ihat'it is always necessary' to have recourse to
the specific medicaments,.  The first opinion is perfectly
correct, if the infeeted persons have already been freely
treated, or rather mistreated, wth' medicine before comnmencing the.hydriatic treatment; for then cure does not
depend alone upon destroyiig the infection, but also upon
the cliniination-of the medicine administered, which must
be retarded the more in, proportion as the body through
doctors' assistance has been robbed- of its flesh and
strength,; the cure must also be retarded, if, besides the
infection, there is present in the diseased body still an array
of chronic affections, hemorrhoidal, arthlritical, and others;
for, as already said,'the water cures no-disease without'at
the same time setting in commotion all other'hidden matters of disease.
The second optiiion, in regard-to the, absolute insufficiency.of water,-ean only be pronounced by such as are
totally unacquainted with the hydriatic system, and'whose
stupid brain has as yet never been illumed by the faintest
gleam of light on. the nature- of-'diseases and -.the, opera.:tions of water upon the animal organism.'




243
Numbers of persons, in. the deepest miseries of secondary
syphilis, have been  radically cured at'Graefenberg;
among others, I am acquainted with a man, who, by the
most horrible mistreatment of allopathic physicians, was
plunged into'the state of the last dreadful lues, who cast
such an odor from' his putrefying' body, that the bathattendants would serve him only in consideration of high
extra-wages, who had scarcely a spot on his whole body
on which-there was not caries, or syphilitic sores, or mercurial disturbances, who, on his arrival, was carried from
the wagon, for he could not stir a limb-and who still,
under the hands of Priessnitz, acquired such health, and
such a fulness of sound and solid flesh, as at the- present
day is seldom found among men.- I would mention- his
name,; were I not constrained to suppress it in consideration' o.f the notorious character of the disease.  He was a
man known and respected by all his comrades, as one of
the most substantial officers of the -garrison of a large
town';- a solitary'misstep had'delivered him into the hands
of'his medical executioners, and they had so treated him,
that they themselves, in the' conviction of the-absolute im'possibility of his recovery,' had sent him  to Priessnitz.
Several years after;'when he was cured, meeting in a
remote town with -one of his executioners, who supposed
him'long since defunct and mouldered, and there presenting him' reproachfully with his healthy figure, the doctor
stared with horror upon this apparition, for he  believed
Beelzebub had sent thither'the ghost of one of his murdered victims, and had with infernal irony given it the
figure- of. a healthy man.
Yet, a word upon mercurial poisoning.  Whether the
mercury be swallowed or rubbed, in the skin, it always




244
penetrates into the substance and humors of the body.
That it can never be assimilated to -human flesh is ttlerably well-known; consequently, it must either be drivenoff through the skin, little by little, or it remains as foreign
gradually destroying essence-as poison.. The, allopaths
presume to attract the mercury out of the body by warm
sulphur-baths. It is seen,- that. allopathy is manifestly of
the opinion, that a foreign matter is present in.the organism; but the manner in which they will remove it, testifies to the grossest ignorance of nature's manner of cure.
The sulphur, which has an affinity for mercury, will, they
think, attract -the mercury and neutralize it —as if the
human body were a lfag or sponge, without life of its own:as if the mercury so lay upon the. surface, that it would
be attracted by the sulphur.  No, the affair is otherwise;
when the sulphur presses in the skin, the organism  must
then defend itself against this new poison, and therefore
has at that moment, least of all, the power to transmit to
the skin the mercury hidden in the most internal and various parts of the body, and enveloped in mucus.  The
mercury remains rather, wher whee it is, and the sulphur,
which penetrates into the body, must likewise be enveloped in mild mucus-like jhumors,, because otherwise it
would, like every.other poison, destroy the nerves and all
organs, into which it was transmitted.; The whole consequence of the sulphur-baths, therefore, is this, that to- the
mercurial poison is superadded a new ppisoning by'sulphur.  That this is so, has been incontestably proved by
facts in the water-cure.  All persons mercurially poisoned,
who have subsequently passed through the sulphureots
ordeal, have, in Graefenberg, always had the same course
of crises; namely, their first critical transudations smell




245
so decidedly sulphurous, that the bluntest olfactories cannot remain in doubt; when all the sulphur is removed,
then follow  perspirations of mercurial odors, also boils
and eruptions and salivations, as surest proof of the
secretion of mercury; frequently the syphilitic boils
finally make their, appearance again, which then, in a
short time,' are sweated and bathed away.
The warmth of these sulphur-baths contlibutes much to
lower the condition of the mercurially-poisoned; for they
render the body liable to- take cold, which, in every poisoning, but especially in the mercurial, has consequences
in the highest degree painful and fatally dangerous. All
warm-baths, far from- being able to effect a cure, rather
weaken and effeminate the' organism, and open the doorsof disease.  To health, and still more to cure, is necessary great activity and warmth of skin, a determination of humors externally, energetic life' in the periphery of the body. By the warm-bath, however, the
opposite of all this is gained; for,'as the artificial action
of it is to: produce warmth of the skin, so, in consequence
of the'eternal laws of nature, the -reaction after the bath
produces coldness and relaxation of the skin.  To this no
contradiction is possible.' Theory and experience prove-it
with: equal' force.
Still, although these truths are clear as the light of day,
we see daily that many of the physicians prescribe warmbaths; is this' to be imputed to their contractedness, orrather to a-spirit of speculation, to insure work and pay
for themselves in future?




THE  EXTERNAL, OR  SURGICAL- DISEASES.
UNDER this head I include only those injuries arising from
external, mostly mechanical causes, but -by no means
those external exanthems arising from internal disease.
The external' diseases, accordingly, consist in.wounds,
contusions, ruptures, fractures, dislocations, burnings, aid
freezings.
To heal such an injury the organism must.-deposit new
flesh upon the injured spot,'create -new vessels to receive
the- minute new veins, &c.; in order to make this flesh it
is necessary that it conducts thither to the injured part
-the material thereto-the creative humor,:which is the
blood —in abnormal quantity (in like manner plants heal
an injury, a bruise, or cut), by transmitting the sap in
great quantity to the affected spot; this abnormal- flow ofblood produces in the' part.to be healed  n -increased
warmth, which can only rise to actual inflammation when
the instinctive thirst of the wounded, for cold water internally and externally is not'appeased.  Allopathy looks
upon this determination of blood to the wounded spot, and
the local vitality elevated even to a glowing heat, as dis.




247
ease, as a symptom that must be removed, and taps life's
blood. Thereupon, the organism summons a fresh supply
of blood thither, where it is needed, and the allopaths
oftentimes continue their tapping, till the extremities are
relieved of all their blood, and- become cold; oftentimes,
till the patient dies of debilitation (with internal inflammations -also, they do the same), and then they have, in the
most literal- sense, slaughtered the patient.
When wounds, from the commencement, are treated
with water, according to the method of Priessnitz, they
heal readily, and always cleanly: these parts are never
afterwards subject to pains; have no hard scar, or rather
no perceptible scar,, so that the. spot where the wound has
formerly been cannot be detected..
All-wild animals operate similarly to Vincent Priessnitz; whence, forsooth, may dumb animals obtain such
wisdom?  All wild animals, when they are wounded,
seek water; they soothe the heat internally and externally; -and all wild animals heal their wounds much more
skilfully than Diefenbach or Graefe.: it is incredible, but
every huntsman knows that it is true.
It would lead us here too far into detail if I should
mention instances wherein among wild- animals even some
of those organic injuries, which we -usually consider as
decidedly fatal, are happily and radcically cured.  I have
collected instances of the kind from the life of European
park-hunters, and the trappers of the, Far West, and. intend
to communicate these in another place.
It is highly probable that the beginnings of all medicinal art'are to be sought in the application of herb poultices to external injuries.
As every organism endeavors to drive to the skin inimi



248
cal matters that have penetrated internally, in like manner:
it endeavors, in a still higher degree, to cleanse wounds
and sores of dirt and other matter by suppuration, before
it closes and heals them.
The suppuration, as well with critical exanthems as
with wounds and injuries, is nothing else than the assisting means whereby the matters of disease and of poison
are carried off.  It is impossible that the organism  ex:
crete these substances in their nakedness, minute and atomlike as they are, because, unenveloped in mild humors,
they would affect the nerves painfully and dangerously in
their passage towards-the skin; indeed, without envelopment in a smooth and slippery substance, they could. not
be transported.*  The critical transudation in the watercure, always viscid, and of offensive odor, like suppuration from a sore, is, in its character, nothing more than
a sort of suppuration, only that it is exuded little by little
in innumerable little drops, from the millions of pores of
the skin.  When, on the contrary, the- perspiration is not
critical, i. e. does not contain any matters of disease, then
it is fresh, not of offensive odor; also, it' is rather watery
than fat and glutinous.
In like manner as the internal curative, struggles of the
organism, the. symptoms of acute disease- can be suppressed by poisoning, thus can also the natural effort to
cleanse a wound, by suppuration,- and until this can be
accomplished to -keep it open, be overcome. by external
medicinal' applications, and a closing and scarring of the
wound be effected, contrary to the instinct and will of the
* Even when at table a'crumb falls into the windpipe, mucus
is instantly secreted, in order to make the crurnb to be ejected,
slippery and transportable.




249
organism.  But it is ascertained to a certainty, that in all
wounds artificially closed by salves, internal foreign matters become chronically fixed there.
The proof is this: all deeper and -more considerable
wounds'and sores that are hiealed by medicinal art, leave,
under the scar, a sensation of -pain,' or numbness and uncomfortableness, which is distinctly felt, either when the
spot is subjected to slight pressuire, or when a storm is
approaching: with some it comes on, without any particular cause, at periodical intervals.  Such'artificially
closed wounds oftentimes'break -open again in the watercure, and then heal of themselves, disturbed by no salves
and ointments, refreshed only with wafer.   Then for
ever afterwards every trace of pain or the least unicomfortableness has entirely disappeared.  It has often happened that visibly material.substances have been suppurated from such opened wounds'; for instance, particles
of meal, and even threads, and pieces of lint.  Field
wounds, that were of many years' standing, have again
opened of themselves, at Graefenbuirg, and cast out the
enemies and-tormenting spirits.
As the medicinal art, so also the water-cure art, commenced by healing wounds; Priessnitz, the creator of
the whole hydriatique, first cured particularly external
injuries.
The treatment herein'is various, according to the constitution: and ailments of the patients; local baths, bandages, and drinking, accomplish the principal part.  In
the water-cure; it is impossible for a wound to close before
it is perfectly clean and inature for healing. Particularly
in thrust-wounds from  three-edged weapons, the water is
11*'~




250
of invaluable worth, because in these wounds the prema.
ture superficial healing is of the. worst consequences.
With animals, especially horses, water has been em.
ployed as a remedy in external injuries, for a long time,
with the happiest consequences; one would be astonished
at the results if, instead of the perverted manner formerly
in vogue, the precepts of Priessnitz in this respect were
to be followed.. That would -particularly benefit the poor
horse; as man most prizes this noble beast, it is, next to
himself, most honored with medicine and the consequences
of this poisoning a're, in proportion, quite the same as with
the human race. The delicateness and sickliness of:the
horse is universally known and regretted.; people have
so often lamented that the most beautiful of beasts should
be the most sickly; it has never once occurred to the
wisest. of all animals that the sickliness and frailty of the
noble race of horses is only an effect of medicine and
effeminating treatment.  Just in proportion as the races
of horses are more or less poisoned by medicine, are they
more diseased or mnore' healthy.  The English race-lhorse
is almost as rheumatic and hysteric, as a lady of rank;
the peasant's horse is somewhat more rugged; still more
so the polac, and the horse of the savage knows as little
of disease as his. rider.
When one understands how to employ water in wounds
and injuries,'then surgery is partially unnecessary, with
the exception of setting.dislocated joints, fractures, and
other such seldom.cases.
The surgical and operative help in cancers,' growths
and excrescences, caries, mortification,'arterial tumors,
and all other consequences of earlier medicinal- poisoning,
confines itself to the removal Of the diseased part; the




251
hydriatic assistance guarantees the cure and the preservation of the, remaining part; this is the first small distinction between the efficaciousness of Priessnitz and of
surgery; the second consists therein, that, after surgical
aid alone, generally, the evil breaks out again in- other
places, while, on the contrary, the possibility and the root
of every later mischief are totally extirpated  by the
water-cure.  To be sure, in such cases, the water-treatment is very tedious, and a leg or a breast is cut away in
a few minutes.,
What a train of fearful errors:- when an acute. disease
is fortunately cured into the body by medicine, the patient lauds the skiIfTulness of his doctor';. yes, his heart
is really touched with gratitude.  When, after many
years, the perpetrated poisoning developes its ravages and
destructions, then it does not even occur to the unfortunate being that a long time ago his doctor sowed the poison-seed, which is now maturing to a harvest of internal
ulcerations, of cancers, and unnatural- growths. Now
the sharp steel comes to the assistance to reap the fruit,to cut away the cancer; now the word is, go to some
celebrated surgeon, and the refrain of all. this wretchedriess is the stupid exclamation,-how -astonishingly -advanced man is in science.  " Life is short; art is long."
Trihly,- indeed!- and the longer art grows, the shorter
grows life.




CRITICAL STATES IN THE WATER-CURE.
THE medicinal science understands by crisis, in the
broader sense, the determination of the disease; by crisis,
in- the limited' sense, the fortunate determination of the
disease through evacuations, be they transudations, of
-mucous secretions, or exanthems, or depositions of abnormal matter in the urine, or diarrheea, &c.
By lysis the said science understands so unimportant
a. crisis as escapes observation, perceptible only through
its consequences.
From these explanations it-will be perceived that the
hydriatic has borrowed both the words from  the medical
science, and combines, with them, similar conceptions.
It will farther be- perceived that when, -as is often the
case, the mediciners. deny to the lay of the profession-the
existence of crises, and accompany this denial with a'
compassionate smile, they make themselves guilty of a
conscious falsehood.  It is likewise falsehood when- doctors misrepresent the acceptation of material'causes of
diseases as something in itself absurd, that, according to
their assertion, only quite ignorant unprofessional men




could stumble'upon' so unreasonable a supposition, be.
cause the so-called humoral pathology, which for a long
time governed medicine, and which has still many adherents among the practical and older physicians, is based
upon the acceptation of material causes of disease.
The hydriatique understands. by crisis, the elimination
of matters of disease in a manner perceptible to the
senses, together with the excitation and  fevers which
often precede the elimination; it understands by lysis, the
imperceptible excretion of these matters.
It has already been before shown. how the water-cure
system converts the chronic diseases into acute, viz. that
the water,'first of all, invigorates the organism; and then
releases the enveloped morbific matters from the slime,
and excretes thefi, oftentimes under raging fevers.
The conditions of disease during the water-cure, and
particularly during the critical periods, are, throughout,
different. from everything which has formerly-been witnessed.  It cannot be otherwise, because this cure stirs
up, little by'little, all latent and most deeply-hidden matters of disease, and eliminates- them through boils, &c.;
on the contrary, all former methods of cure suppress the
~commotion of the struggles of disease, and force the
causes of disease inwards. The essential' distinction between. water and medicine is, that the former drives the
peccant matter out of the body;. the latter, however, drives
it into the body.
For this reason the mediciner seldom perceives that the
causes of diseases are material; the water-doctor, however, makes this sensual perception in every disease.
Hence arise'the various views of the corporality and
spirituality of the causes of disease. -Whoever cannot,




254
by any means, be convinced of the truth of the first view,
for him it. were advisable to-go to Graefenberg; there he
must surrender, unless, in a genuine spiritual manner, he
denies, to all perception of the senses, the power of furnishing proof.
To the characteristics of the critical conditions belong,
first, the rare mixture of the joy of hope with pains of
body, of which he alone has an idea who knows it through
personal experience, although the solution of the apparent
riddle is not difficult.  The pain is produced by the
aroused alarmed "matters," and the joy is caused by the
instinct, which feels certain of cure, and is no more to be
deluded and destroyed.  One perceives inll Graefenberg?
in the fortunate one with.. whom the crisis has broken out,
the lineaments of pain and of joy in picturesque contrast
resting upon the same countenance; one sees joy bursting
from the eye, while the mouth' laments and anathematizes
the pains of the-water-cure.
In many respects, one may speak of the pleasures of
the Graefenberg state of sickness.  What a pleasure to
feel the appetite constantly growing, and soon to dare to
eat whatever one wishes! For it holds, as a fundamental
position; that, after the instinct is again awakened, it. is
always tnhe healthiest for every one to eat what he likes
the most.  What a freedom, farthermore, to dare to be
always in the open air whenever one desires to be; no
possibility of taking cold! XWhat a delicious treat, always to dare to drink freely of the cool, limpid, mountain
spring, when the fever-heat demands it; to dare to plunge
into a bath when the body, glowing like a Moloch, requires
it, in order to bring into the world the crises, &c., which
usher in'the cure!




255
On the other hand, the- treatment causes.many troubles
and pains; claims all the time set apart for pleasures;
requires a more than usual perseverance.  Of those who
have fully accomplished the cure, many an one finds his
expectations disappointed in a double respect. First, the
cure.(in mapy ailments) is more troublesome and painful
than he had before thought possible.; second, the results
of the cure are, oftentimes, much more brilliant than the
patient'was before able to hope for.
Well -observed, I speak of those that persevere until no
crisis more will arise and can arise, because the-body hasbeen completely purified.  Very many leave before this,
and then -do not carry outthoroughly enough the necessary.after-cure. When any one has had a'few crises with.
boils and discharge of suppuration, he. is astonished already, that such a mass of bad humors was in his body,
and thinks, surely, this must be the last. Still, it may be
that, by farther use of the cure, the crises will be repeated again and again, until absolute purification and health
are attained.
Much more disagreeable still than. the boil crises is the
cleansing-cure of badly slimed digestive canals; also, the
matter here to be discharged is much greater in quantity.
When a week has passed in vomiting and evacuation of
slime, it appears a long time; where months thus pass
away, the patient becomes desperate; still,, he may live to
see years pass away in this manner,. This latter, indeed,
is only a very extreme case, and then only possible when
the coating of the bowels and stomach has begun almost
with the first dawn of existence, and, therefore, it is so
hardened that the gradual solutibn of it lays claim to so
much time and energy of body.  That the indurated




256
slimings can be, produced only by poison tand medicine,
and never by-any other cause, on this subject there is
nothing to be found in the instruction book of the rational
art of poisoning.
In these stomach crises the patients sometimes taste
decidedly the medicaments again which they. have taken
years before.'In this, however, there is nothing strange;
for the drug substances, which are preserved in indurated
mucus, and to which neither water nor air can have access, retain their taste and peculiar smell as perfectly as
if they lay in'sealed vials.  The same, is the case with
the poisons, which, divided into minute atoms, are chronically settled in the body; for instance, mercury'retains
its poisonous corrosive power when it-has lain many years
in the body, andthen, by _the water-cure, is thrown upon
the skin; it eats both through the skin and the compresses
also.
-The first effects of the water-cure are, increased stimulation and an- increased general feeling of well-being; so
soon as the body has gained new- strength, the crises cornmence, the burning fever, with the internal pains of the
aroused matters of disease. -In twelve to twenty-four
hours after the commencement of this fever follows the
outbreak of boils, eruptions, perspirations; that is —well
observed, by proper continuation of the water-curealways the course in chronic complaints.  In common
acute diseases the fever is relieved, much more promptly
and surely, by the water-treatment, and the disease dis2
charged in boils, &c., with still greater certainty, l say,
because the acute disease is a curative effort of the body
of its own accord, while, on the contrary, in chronic dis



257
eases, the organism  must first' be induced to the acute
outbreak by a long course of water-treatment.
From that time onwards in which' the Graefenberger
water-cure begins to manifest its effects until the radical
cure be accomplished, it is an occurrence observed by
most patients, that the slightest injury of the skin causes
suppuration, and is very slow of healing. This symptom
is another proof to the point, that the water-cure draws
the matters of-disease from' the internal to the external
parts.  One meets often in common life with persons of
pale complexion, emaciated flesh, and other symptoms of
chronic disease; whose skih however heals quickly, and
without'suppuration, after every injury. Hence, people
conclude, that such a. body must, by all means, possess
healthy humors, and that such a person's miserable appearance arises- from -" weakness;" but that is far from
the true mark; such'a phenomenon proves that the evil
lies in the internal organs and parts'of the body.  When
such'persons undertake the water-cure they learn the
truth; in like ratio as their inward feelings improve, as
their- flesh hardens, the skin becomes more inclined to
suppurations, until, at last, the Jgenuine outbreak of the
boils ensues.
All this is-proof to this effect, that by the Graefenberg
water-cure the vitality, and energy of the exterior functions, and those lying nearer to the periphery of the body,
are elevated in -the same degree as the' diseasedly increased activity of the internal noble organs is reduced to
the normal condition; whence, then, the well-known fact
explains' itsel-f, that the water-cure relieves, and finally,
quite cures the passionateness of sick persons.
Gradtially, as the cure elevates and invigorates the




258
organism, as the improved digestion supplies it with more
blood, do the veins, the rivulets of the body, fill themselves, and their pulsation becomes full-toned; their flow,
which before was crawling, becomes firm. and sure.
Every patient notices an entire change of pulse, if on
entrance upon the cure it was not normal.
With many the change in the pulse sets in suddenly
after a crisis.  There is a sort of pulse-crisis, during
which all the arteries beat and hammer, as if the body
were a foundry.  It circulates and chases through and
around; it is a condition, as if the body were begetting a
new'body.  This ~condition is promoted quite especially
by much drinking.  The reaction, after such a waterbout, produces more heat than an intoxication by.wine;
the body dilates, because all the veins course in the most
swelling, fullest tempo, and because the water -presses
mechanically from the interior towards the exterior. - The
skin is very hot, and that is always an agreeable feeling(6nly the internal heat is oppressive)-one feels- in the
skin a prickling and stitching, which arises from the transudation of acrid matters' of disease.  This is always the
best feature with such a water-debauch, that no nauseousness, or other disagreeable consequence, follows in its
course, but rather it arouses keen hunger, and a high tone
of stomach.  Drinking is a chief requisition of the cure';
still, there is here also a too-much, if one continuallypours
down water against the indications of instinct.
As the pulsation of the blood, so also the color of the
same is altered by the water; from the melancholy deepred, it passes to the bright light shade which we see gush
from tle- veins of the stricken deer.'Water makes ruddy




259
blood, and this transparent color is, together with the increase of the blood and the purification of the skin, the
cause of the rosy color which the complexion gains. by
the water-cure.




WHAT DISEASES ARE CURABLE BY WATER?
ANSWER — All- kinds of diseases are curable, but not all
degrees of disease, and consequently not all sick persons.
Whoever is curable to-day, he is next year, or, perhaps,
even to-morrow, no more so.
All kinds of disease are, for this reason, curable, because they are engenderea by material causes, and because the organism, and all and each of its organs, possess
the power of. excreting all kinds of foreign matter.
Accordingly, not water, but the organic strength, is the
universal remedy for all diseases, which strength can only
develope itself victoriously when all the requisitions of the
organic instinct are satisfied, and the objects of its antipathies withdrawn and withheld.
But all degrees of disease are, for this reason, not curable, because only that state of disease is curable in which
the organic power is stronger than the power of the matters
of disease.
Accordingly, the hydropath, who is to determine upon
the curableness of the patient, must more necessarily be
acquainted with the degree of the disease and the measure
of the organic strength, than with the variety or character. of the disease.




AN  INVITATION  TO  THE  PHYSICIANS.
I CHALLENGE all the physicians of Germany, and, if needs
be, of all Europe, to disprove my- doctrine of disease.:: If
any one convinces me that the doctrines of this book are
erroneous, like all those heretofore published, I will confess the same honestly and publicly; if any one produces
ingenious sophisms, or plausible arguments, against me, I
will disprove them; if any one comes out against me with
uncommonly abusive language and unfair polemic, I will
not notice him.
Only one request I would prefer: if you accept my
offer, I beg you, leave the learned jargon of your craft at
home   Believe me, the times are past-in which the public doffed their hats to your kitchen-Greek words of classification, in which it let itself be imposed upon by the
charlatan jingling of senseless hollow expressions after
the manner of metaphysics. Every truth that profits
mankind, every truth, that evidently is truth, must so be
brought forward, that every unprejudiced human understanding,, every thinking human head may comprehend
and hold fast to it.




262
Truth is like the pure mountain water in transparency,
and refreshing invigoration; in its first efect it is like to
the lightning's flash, which fires and illuminates; in its after
ofect, it is like to the whole storm, which purifies the atmosphere, and revives every living thing.
When any one brings forward a doctrine or a book,
containing hard-digestible matters, it is half or whole errors, indigestible as well by the author as by the reader.
That is, in every case, an unprofitable book, which a
thinking man must twice read in order to understand.
Not only must the reader: comprehend the book, but the
book must also be inviting to the reader.
But when it comes to writing upon subjects of which
the writer himself has no conception, which, perhaps, are
beyond the conception of mankind; then,:one requires
of necessity a deep, learned style and metaphysical phraseology, in order that absurdity may appear like sound
sense.
THE. END.




263
APPENDIX.
DlETETICS AND SEA BATHING.
THE human race of the present day is striving after mental rejuvenescence.
They should first become corporeally young and healthy, and cast off their flannel
doublets and woollen jackets; and, especially, beget for themselves a new skin
in the cold bath.
Hitherto, I have only spoken as to the manner in which people are to cure
themselves of diseases, and will now declare, my. opinion of the manner in which
people may protect themselves against the diseases of the future.
In the morning when you awake, spring hastily out of bed, as if you were
already. booted and spurred for the chase, and refresh your skin with a cold bath.
Whoever cannot,do this, let him have a pail of water dashed over his body, or
wash the entire body with a wet sponge or towel-that every one can do.
If you are not thoroughly warm when you -awake, upon getting outof bed -rub
the skin of your body with your hands, until it is very warm, and then bathe.
After the bath, take exercise in the open air, until the reaction of warmth has
completely returned: if this feeling of comfortableness' passes off after you have
returned home from exercise, cover yourself up warmly with comfortables, until
the most perfect reaction has been produced.
After the walk, or exercise,.breakfast from bread and butter and unboiled cold
milk, unskimmed and as fresh as possible.
Here a remark as to the coldness of foods and drinks.
All warm food and drink debilitates the stomach, but cold invigorates it.' To
be sure, the first period of the transition from warm diet to cold is extremely
sensitive and disagreeable to the stomach; but soon it becomes a habit, and promotes the vigor of the digestive organs in a wonderful manner. The reason why
the cold strengthens the stomach, is the same as with the skin. When any thing
warm comes in contact with the skin, or is taken into the stomach, the first effect
is an elevated temperature; on this account the reaction, which always strives to
produce a contrary effect, causes in this case a depressed temperature and depressed energy. With cold, however, the converse is the case; in addition to this
highly beneficial reaction of warmth, and consequently elevated energy, the cold
performs also the office of constringing the fibres of the stomach and skin.
The experience of Graefenberg has most perfectly established the beneficial
effect of cold, or, at least, quite cool food; individuals who suffered of very great
weaIcness of the digestive organs, were restored by a continued course of cold
diet.




264
Now for the defence of milk.
The general opinion is that milk slimes or engenders mucus in the stomach;
that objection, however, can only be raised against boiled milk. As soon as one
has accustomed himself to unboiled milk, he is sensible of its beneficial effect
upon the stomach; moreover, it contains the most wholesome of all alimentary
substances, and exerts an excellent effect as an antidote against acrid humors, as
also against inveterate and recent mediein a poisoning.
Whoever cannot overcome a dislike to unboiled milk, should breakfast either
from bread and butter and water only, and replace the milk by cold roast meat,
orwhatever else is agreeable to his' taste, provided it is nothing that has undergone fermentation, or nothing imported from a foreign zone-particularly no
coffee.
For this reason, I am opposed to all outlandish articles of food:
The edible products of a zone are wlholesome only in their nativy zone
I needed the observations of long and distant travels to perceive these maxims
of nature. Priessnitz, with his medicinal instinct, appreciated it without quitting
the horizon of his own blue mountains.
In the far North, fat grows in abundance, but no hot and stimulating vegetables.
Therefore, when you are in Lapland, eat a sufficiency of fat to'protect yourself
against the effects of cold; but eschew eating all spices-they destroy by infiammation.
In the hot regions of the South, fat is wanting to the animal kingdom;- the
vegetable kingdom-produces hot spices. Therefore, if you do not eat lean food
and spice upon the Moluccas, you become the certain sacrifice to a disease whose
seat is in the stomach and bowels.
It is impossible for any one to dispute these doctrines of experience; neither
can any one take exception to the conclusion-which I have thence deduced; and
thus it must be admitted, that people should avoid the products of foreign zones,
if they would eat and drink what is wholesome.-.
Therefore, resign your coffee and'resign your tea, until you go to Arabia and
China; there you may sip thereof to your heart's desire-there it will agree
with you.
~The injuriousness of fermented and intoxicating drinks is disputed by no one.
Still, people frequently say. l taken in moderation they do no injury."  That is,
however, a deception: taken in moderation they do moderate injury. Therefore,
let not wine become a daily necessity; and if you drink it on rare occasions,
drink at the same time much water.
If the intoxicating drinks were not of themselves injurious, still their daily use
would be dangerous, on account of their,frequent adulteration and occasional
poisoning.
Thus far I harmonize with Priessnitz; —now comes the divergence. -At dinner
f would not willingly dine with him off of his dishes. At dinner, Priessnitz is a
true German of the old school; he recommends household fare, however, with
exclusion of all smoked and salted meat, all salt preserves, such as herrings, sardelles, etc.
Salt meat must be' avoided for more than one reason. This kind of food introduces so many acridities into the body, that a healthy person has enough to do to




get rid of them-even if, he should be so fortunnate; -much less can a body that
has long been afflicted with matters of disease or;- dseased humors, even think,
while under the salt diet, of overcoming and improving them. Still more, the
salted' articles are injurious to the stonmach, and s4ai:I in like category with the
bitter Astomnachics, of which furth-eron-. jThjly, salt meat contains but a very
small amount of nourishment, as everylchefiis,-can prove-to an evident certainty.
iThae.~itious quality'of meat' cnsists in the juice or gluten, not in the fibre; this
juice, however, the brine extracts and absorbs. Still, the public in general:are of
the contrary opinion.:'They consider this meat to be very nourishing, for this'
reason-because it remains a long time in the stomach; without considering that
this quality is owing merely'to its- indigestibility. Finally, this food is of an unsweet odor, off'ensive to a delicate sense of smell, disgusting to a refined palate,
Leave salt meat to the sailor. He has nothing else, and he can best make away
with it, because his whole general mode of life-the sea air, the daily involuntary
bath, the exercise-metamorphoses him into a sort of shark.
-Prlessnitz gives his patients-even the dyspeptic-besides baked meat, also
boiled meat. He appears-like all' the inhabitants of Southern Germany, and
also the majority of those of Northern Germany-to have no idea of the preparaton of roast meat. That they learn onsly from the English, which always finds a
place upon their well-supplied tables.
"'W.hen a soup has been boiled out of a piece of meat, it is then suitable for
dogs, but not for the human stomach."' Thus, the English judge, and rightly; -for
such meat contains but little nourishment, difficult of digestion, an^d so disrelishing
to a civilized palate, that dry bread is far preferable to it.
The meat should be roasted, and in such a manner that it may still retain internally the red color of the juice of the meat.- Thus only is it sweet and relishing,
easily digestible, easily masticated, and very nutritious. But if people roast their
meat, after the manner of their grandfathers, for hours together, the ruddy juice
evaporates, and is consumed by the atmosphere in the form of gas.
Still, it is requisite that meat, for a good roasting piece, be taken from a young
animal. But if this is not to be had, how then i Then eat, much rather, only
vegetables and farinaceous-dishes, etc.
The roast beef of an Austrian kitchen is precisely the opposite of what I have
represented as the ideal of a roast.
In Germany, in badly-managed households, people go so far as to first extract a
soup from the predestined roasting piece. Such a procedure is not merely reprehensible, it is criminal treatment of any'refined guest, an insult.
Priessnitz excludes no kind of animal from his diet table; he allows, also, the
hard-digestible pork, duck, and goose. To eat of these unclean animals is ungenteel; however, of that we are not speaking here; I believe,their flesh is not
wholesome.'If it does not produce any distinct disease, still it vitiates the humors'of the body. Great Moses! great Rumohr i why~have you not the power
to give laws to the German kitchen? Herr von Rumohr says, in his " Spirit of
the Culinary Art," although one may not ask quite-'too much of a gentleman, still
he may require that he eat no hog's flesh.
Also, Priesshitz does not recommend the flesh of wild animals, as venison, etc.,
because it creates too much blood. It is inexplicable to me, how a man of such
12




6vv
natural acuteness should giveAthe preference to domestic amimals over the. wild,
free-roving denizens of the forest-,to'these tame animals, that are -fatted among
the dung, and fettered to the stalls of a barn, deprived, of all exercise, and sometimes also of pure air! - And how,then.7 Is blood a disease? Too much blood?
And that in a water-regimien ~ No! long live venison and gla:e; or, rgther, let
them be destroyed, so that we may eat them!
At the vegetable dish Priessnitz ii. again a German, down to the very sgurkrout. Whoever has been so unfortunate as myself, to have been sick and compelled to go -to Graefenberg, he may there experience-the following meal: 1.
Baked beef, which is always first-parboiled, to furnish a soup, and onion sauce!
2. Roast pork and sour-krout. 3. Tyroleaa,pple-strudel (a sort of colossal
apple dumpling, made of dough a little shortened, and fried in a sea of fat); and
curd cake!-and (mankind can endure a'great deal) live through it, since he. has
no choice.
Priessnitz warns all those of weak stomach against soup; people should go
further; and banish all soup entirely from the table. Soup makes too slight an
impression upon the relaxed walls of the stomach, to arouse their energy. But
eoarm soup, in particular, weakens the stomach. All soup -is, for this second reason, not healthy, because it occupies the space which should be occupied by
water. Cold water is the most important of all promoters of digestion, for the
simple reason, that it best aids the stomach in macerating its foods, in extracting
from them their nutritious,_properties, and because, secondly, by means of the
reaction so often -spoken of, it produces the requisite and permanent elevated
Warmth of the stomach.
On the contrary, soup does not decompound the foods in the stomach: soup
must be decomposed itself, and that is too great a demand upon the gastric
juice.
" But how. Have indeed broths been for centuries past recommended to-sick
people, and is that suddenly to be pronounced wrong which has obtained as truth
since the times of our grandfathers i?"
I pray you, good aunty, spare me such objections. For centuries the practice
of burning witches was in vogue, and yet a witch never existed.
Oh, that people would only pay some regard to their human instinct I All patients in acute disease thirst after cold water to drink I  All weakness of stomach
manifests a repugnance to soup I
Instead of such a dinner, I propose the following:
First-No soup, and but one principal dish; because the stomach digests a, simiiar quantity with greater facility, when it consists of a simple quality, than of a
compound; and because, in cases of weak stomach, the temptation to eat too
much is greatly increased by a multiplicity of dishes.
Second-Let this ane dish cossist of a piece of well roasted meat from a respectable animal, most preferably of venison or game, then of young beef or
fowls, then mutton, veal, etc. This roast meat to be accompanied either by
stewed green  or dry fruit, or a vegetable, as rice, potatoes, salad, or any thing
else that has not an unsavory odor, such as cabbage. The principle is well established, that, whatever smells bad, is difficult of digestion, and not wholesome. Do
you believe, then, Nature has given to man his noble nose to no purpose 7




Third-After the roast,-nothing but good bread;and butter, and sweet, unboiled
milk, or, ill summer, rich, curdled, unskimmed'milk, or raw fruit.
Femrales generally prefer farinaceous preparations, and these are as serviceable
to them as meat to. man. Then, the whole meal of a'female may consist of farinaceous preparations, with fruit, and bread and milkl:
At Graefehberg, the evening meal consists of bhead and butter and MAilk only,
which, however, is devoured in extensive quantities. When people, sup two to
three hours, they may alsotake a little cold beef, or fish, or farinaceous pudding.
When I also say, drink nothing but water and milk, accustom yourselves to
drink considerable water, take much exercise, sit little; rather stand or reclinethen I have concluded the rules for the day's work.
Now; ye gourmands, who are given to wine and chocolate, to spices and Parmesan cheese, to caviar and to the sardelle, can you dispute the wholesomeness
of this natural diet.?,Or do ye smile as epicures, and thank me for my advice, because it robs you
of all pleasures of thb palate?
Believe it not I Else I must serve you with' an answer which would shame
your understanding 1
Only do not suppose that ye are epicureans. Epicurus was'a very sensible
man, and would have been ashamed of such disciples.
Epicurism'is wisdom; but your epicurism is a very contracted epicurism!
It is an epicurismt which one can at the most excuse in -the understanding of a
child.
Whoever wishes to carry the enjoyment of every perception and pleasure to'
the greatest height, let him be aware of the fact, and never forget it, that the magnsitude of the ensjoyment.depends upon the susceptibility for the perception of the
enjoyment,,and not ipon the object of e.njoyment.
The -diet which I have described, sharpens the senses in an astonishing degree;
it steels-a tnd strengthens the body; but in order to be able to enjoy t ings truly,
delicately, and extensively, and constantly, one requires extremely delicate senses
and robust health, and'strenagth of body.
This diet sharpens particularly the senses of smell and taste to such a delicateness, that the instinct, long destroyed by the usual diet, awakes again in the man,
and serves its master as an infallible private physician. Whoever, in delicateness
of the palate,' has become possessed of true instinct,.he -may, in sickness and
health, always follow the propensities of his appetite.
That part of the instinct which serves to the maintesance of the; animal life,
resides in the, senses of smell and taste; this instinct nature has.bestowed upon
both man and beast in like degree of keenness and infallibility. The nose of a
natural man points out to him every poisonous plant, still more so the.sesee of
taste. To destroy this instinct of the nose, the,use of warm food and drink is
alone sufficient, but the use of the stupefying weed, tobaccb, is more'than sufficient. ~- In like manner, the scent of the hound becomes obtuse from eating warm
food,'as every huntsman knows..
I am well aware of the do'gna, which originated in the mryoptic wisdom of the
old-fashioned spectacled maigi —" Instinct was given to the beast, but understandmg to man."




268
The bbast also has understanding, has the power of comprehending -and obey
ing: aye, the nobler animals possess even the noble faculty of fancy.
Does some one ask, If the most simple diet warrants the greatest number of
enjoyments, how were it possible that man could stray from the diet of nature
to the diet of refinery 1
That were possible for this reason: because the brief transition from the'natural
to the unnatural supplies more enjoyment than nature vouchsafes. That is a great
truth, which ought to be published in giant letters.
Since the increased quantum of enjoyment continues only during the progression of the transition, it sinks the transgressor deeper and deeper, until his senses
and the capability of enjoyment are rendered so obtuse; that he happily arrives
at Cayenne pepper and aqua-fortis.
With virtue and vice it is quite the same. As the transition from the natural
to the unnatural creates the highest intoxication of enjoyment, so the return from
the unnatural to the natural gives rise to the most bitter sufferings and deprivations; consequently, a heroism of purpose is necessary to this conversion. But
soon, very soon, the conflict has been maintained, and, as recompense therefor,
happiness is again restored.
In Graefenberg, inveterate gourmands of the finest, or rather of the coarsest
kind, have been brought to the confession, that never before had their port wine
and sardelles at breakfast tasted so delicious to them, as now simple milk and
bread. The resurrection of the delicateness of the palate ensues at a much ear.
lier period than one would suppose.
What can you reply, you refiners, who arrogate the name of epicureans?
The delicate palate perceives in milk:the stimulant and the spice which your
coarser palate seeks in Cogniac and Jamaica; the delicate palate can speak of the
aroma and flower of milk.
Do you presume upon possessing a nicety of taste? Nicety of taste I You!
Your coarse, obtuse palates can be deceived by disgusting, spoiled food, if you
only do not spare the biting buck, which you call sauces. That occurs- daily
without your being inwardly aware of it.
CLOTHING.
Do not wear woollen garments next to the bare skin; wool excites-the skin tc
perspiration. and one should avoid perspiration, except when one intends bathing
after it.
In Graefenberg, even feeble and aged.persons have always, within two iwreeks;
in inclement seasons, laid aside their woollen jackets, which were so old, that
theyimight well celebrate their jubilee.
Accustom yourself to light clothing, but do no violence to yourself. If you are
in general inclined to feel cold, if you have no comfortable warmth of the skin,
that is a proof that you harbor matters of disease in your internal organs. and
that the central functions have gained a preponderating energy over the pserph.
eric. You need a systematic water-treatment; you will be cured by boils.




269
PASSIONS.
During the actual cure avoid every excitement. Priessnitz, therefore, strictly
prohibits'all playing for money, all unreasonable desires of the fancyi, still more
the actual enjoyment of sensual love; he admonishes against anger, vexation,
envy, etc. Also, such patients as-have only local affections, and otherwise blooming health, he sentences to celibacy, as long as the actual treatment continues.
DIET  FOR DISORDERED  AND  DYSPEPTIC  STOMACHS.
In Germany, people are not exactly very moderate and healthy eaters, neither
are they.very moderate drinkers, only they drink no water. Consequently,
stomach disorderments are a part of the daily business of a genuine German, and
belong to the chapter on diet.
iThe remedy par excellence for invigoration and-purification of the stomach, is
cold water; for this purpose, if it is to dissolve old slime and produce vomiting
or purging, it must be drunk constantly in large quantities.
The allopathic tonics, bitters, and piquants, are the sworn mortal enemies of the
stomach.
This error of the doctors has arisen thus: those bitters and piquants, as indigestibilities, excite an elevated activity in the stomach, in a certain measure an
acute struggle of disease, in order to overpower and eject the mortal enemy.
On the occasion of this struggle, the stomach powerfully digests its contents, or,
when it is empty, it manifests an earnest desire -after food, as a relief, and, to a
certain degree, as a fortification against the enemy. One perceives this is no digestion and no appetite of health, but of compulsion and necessity.
Does some one say, every energy must have an enemy, in order not to become
torpid; and for this. reason bitter things are wholesome? I reply, firstly, the
enemy must be such an one, that he can be overcome;' but that is, in this case,not possible, because those bitter things are absolutely indigestible;, a superior
enemy discomfits his antagonist. Secondly, with the stomach it is really unnecessai-y to create work for it artificially-it has already enough naturally.
When this same procedure of stomach-invigoration is daily repeated, the stom.
ach sinks daily more and more deeply into the irrecoverable misery. - Then anOther danger also arises. In order to carry off indigestibilities, also to protect
itself against the pain which they occasion, the stomach has recourse to slime, or
mucus, wherein it envelopes them. If it is compelled to do this daily, its power
becomes crippled; it prepares the slime, but cannot again purify itself of it; the
stomach gets coated with slime, and mucous growths arise. Now the patient
experiences an incessant oppression in the stomach, and periodical nausea.- The
doctor administers purgatives and vomitives; the latter have no result, and the
former cause nothing but discharges of mucus, which'each purgation causes to
be newly prepared for the purpose of carrying off the poison of the purgative.
Hence, the doctor concludes the stomach is clean, but only weak, and'must be
strengthened. Piquant, and sharp and biting substances exercise a similar evil
effect upon the stomach, from similar grounds; they excite an elevated energy,
because they torture the stomach; they themselves, however, are indigestible.




270
Even table. balt, used in excessive quantities, belongs in this same category. People must salt their foods only moderately,if they would not produce acriditj of
the humors of the body, and weakness of stomach.
Whoever has taken much of allopathics,_tonics, or other stomach-destroying
medicaments, may, if he has the- symptoms of oppression at the stomach, and of
repeated nausea, be assured that his trouble consists not alone in weakness of
stomach, but in a coating of the stomach with the toughest slime;* neither should
he let himself be deceived by the unsuccessfulness of purgatives; the powerlessness of these and other medical remedies has been already spoken of.
When patients of this kind are not yet too old and'weak, they are, by perseverance, surely cured by water, and they will be themselves astonished at the
quantities of slime which they throw off.
For this purpose, water must be drunk in considerable quantity; the stomach
soon accustoms itself to it. It is, however,, necessary, together with much waterdrinking, to take a daily cold bath, so that the central functions may attain a
ruinous preponderance over the peripheric; still more, daily clysters arid sitzbaths are necessary.
Such a treatment for -inveterate slimings is very tedious; months may elapse
before the first trace-of solution of slime ensues, and the period of purification
with vomiting and purging may continue months longer. Whoever endeavors
to abridge this period by means of medicinal purgatives, destroys the cure, and
brings himself again into the old misery.
In order to learn what is necessary for a sick stomach, one should not go to
extraordinarily learned professors, but to quite unlearned dogs, devoid of all
titles. The -dog, when his stomach is deranged, drinks water until he vomits or
purges, and then he feels well again.,
Here I would take the opportunity of warning all against an error which is, in
the highest degree, injurious in its consequences. Some persons presume to
assist a weak stomach by sparing it from labor, inasmuch as they feed it upon
pure nourishment contained in the strongest broths, raw yolks of eggs, etc. That
is the surest road to complete ruin. When one endeavors to spare an organ the
activity which nature has designed for it, it soon goes to its final rest.
* These symptoms are, without doubt, unerring indications of mucous oi slimy
coating of the stomach; but their absence is -no guaranty of a.pure stomach.
Very inveterate mucous coatings may exist without those symptoms, and always
do exist, if the symptoms have existed in earlier years. After a mass of slime
has been fixed in one spot for several days, without the assistance of water it
remains there, in every case, until death. Still, it grows so hard that the nauseousness may quite disappear; and when it is not extensive, its effects upon the
health are impercptible. Even when it is so extensive as to cause life-long paleness and considerable ematiation, yet, for years, every trace of a diseased feeling
in the stomach may be wanting. However, at last it produces death, by marasmus, consumption, or ossification of the digestive canals, or miserere.




271
B..THS.
Before I ever heard of Priessnitz or Oertel, I knew that daily cold baths were
necessary to health. The woods, and the wild animal nature therein, had taught
me hat. That is, I reflected how it was that cultivated life was so entirely different from the natural life. I reflected how it were possible to replace by art
the healthfulness of the natural mode of life. Every creature is bathed daily in
the dew, or rain, or snow, or in the river, or sea; consequently I concluded the
cold bath must be yvry healthy.
Further-in natural life the most cold water comes -in contact with the feet and
inferior parts of the body; consequently, it must be necessary to wet the feet
tand legs more with water than the body. Also, this last conclusion I find beautifully justified by the theory which I have learned at Graefenberg. For it is a
principle in my theory, that wherever the water is most abundantly and frequently applied, thither particularly it conducts energy, warmth, the matters of
disease, and the-discharge by boils. "Feet warm, head cool," that we have long
understood; but not how to attain it. Thus, then, by bathing the head least, but
the feet'most of all parts of the body.
This principle explains how it is that, with most men, all acrid matters deposit
themselves in pimples upon the skin of the face.; Because most men are so uncleanly as to wash daily nothing but the-face, and not the whole body. Females
should, if only from considerations of beauty, take daily a cold bath, and also
another foot bath; then the pimples.and freckles would certainly throw themselves upon the feet and legs.
The most excellent of all cosmetics is common spring water. It imparts fresh
ruddiness, cleanliness, and a kind of transparency to the skin. It gives to the
evaporations of the skin a peculiarly sweet and delicate odor; especially the
limbs of females, when they are frequently bathed with cold water, emit such a
sweet, milky aroma. One observes this when matters of courtesy brings one in
contact with such a lady-I mean, when he kisses the hand or lips of such a lady.
Priessnitz is opposed to salt water. Salt water has not the pure quality of the
penetration and solution of bodies, but more of corrosion, by means of its fine
acrid and salty properties, and, consequently, is incapable of effecting a true radical cure. For, in and after the salt-water bath, the'body reacts, not only against
the dissolvent power, but also against the penetration of salty and acrid substance. Since a greater part of its energy must be directed against this latter, it
cannot direct its undivided strength against its old deep-lodged matters of disease.
This salt water, and the mineral spring, belong quite in the category of medicine,
because all.these unclean waters possess constituents which operate solely by
their medicinal effect.
Therefore, the following remarks are more applicable to-lake and river bathing
than to sea bathing.
These baths, as they have hitherto been used, cannot possibly be of any considerable efficiency. Compared with a systematic water-treatment, their curative effect is as insignificant, as it is excellent in comparison with the effect of
medicine.
The season fixed upon for their employment is generally unsuitable; the




272
water, in the months of July and August, is so warm, that their otherwise -gocA
effects are, on this account, much diminished. Let him choose these months,
who will-bathe only for the sake of pleasure; but he who will fish from the sea
the delicious pearl of health, should'select that time of the year in which the
water ranges from 55~ to 750 Fahrenheit-the months of April, May, and Junestill better, from the middle of August to October and November. But then the
duration of the bath must not exceed fifteen minutes-for most patients, not one
minute. They must' always bathe with the skin warm, or in a slight perspiration.
In the morning take a full bath immediately on comin   om bed, while the
skin still retains the warmth of the bed; indeed, it'is then necessary that the bath
be but a few steps distant from the house. If'not, one must erect a wooden
bathing hut on the strand or shore, and there sweat or heat up in blankets before
bathing.
Also, before noon, take a sitz or foot-bath, after which take a walk before dinner. The sitz bath may be taken by all that suffer from dyspepsia, constipation,
or nervous affections.
For the Afternoon, I would propose a new kind of bath-walking' half-bathsthat is, in this manner, that the patient must walk from five to ten minutes in the
sea, with half of -his body immersed in water. The upper part of the body must
be so covered, that it is neither too cold nor too hot; that is, it.must not perspire.
Such a bath would be especially serviceable in drawing congestions from the
head and breast. Its first effect would be the contrary; and for this reason, those
-who are subject thereto, or afflicted therewith, must wet their head and breast
with water on going into it. These baths would be particularly effective in conducting the energy, warmth, the matters of disease, and the critical exanthema,
from the nobler parts to-the legs; they would also particularly benefit those having lame or stiff limbs and joints, or withered calves of the legs.
My above-mentioned conclusions, taken from baths in natural life, led me to the
idea of these walking half baths.
In making dise of all local baths, one should consider well the oft-mentioned
principle, and, consequently, never take a local bath without combining it with a
daily general bath. Under this latter condition, a daily sitz-bath is of inestimable
value to sedentary persons who are afflicted with constipation and piles. Priessnitz has restored a great many of these sufferers; all, when they left Graefen.
berg, took with them their syringe, and respected it as their protective patron.
In injections, only cold and tepid.water is to be used, and never warm water;
their temperature should vary from 55~0 to 72~ Fahrenheit




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