Drink restrictions (thirst cures) particularly in obesity : being part VI of several clinical treatises on the pathology and therapy of disorders of metabolism and nutrition / by Professor Dr Carl von Noorden ... and Dr Hugo Salomon.

  • Carl von Noorden
Date:
1905
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Drink restrictions (thirst cures) particularly in obesity : being part VI of several clinical treatises on the pathology and therapy of disorders of metabolism and nutrition / by Professor Dr Carl von Noorden ... and Dr Hugo Salomon. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

    19/98 (page 13)
    effervescent alkaline waters are, of course, particu- larly effective in overcoming such contractions, since they facilitate the onward propulsion of the gastric contents by diluting them as well as by directly neu- tralizing their excessive acidity. In organic acidity, however, from fermentation, associated with a dimin- ished secretion of hydrochloric acid, prolonged alka- line treatment would be injurious by still further depressing such secretion. In cases of this kind, therefore, plain water, neither ice-cold nor very hot, is preferable and will often, by merely diluting the over-acid contents, relieve the spasm and thus help to unload the viscus. Manifestly the acid wines and malt beverages would aggravate, instead of remedy- ing, the conditions just described.—Ed.] It is a peculiar fact that the thirst cure that was so commonly employed in the Middle Ages in the treatment of cardio-vascular disorders was not rescued from oblivion even by Schroth’s cure. For otherwise the book that Oertel (ii) published in 1884, entitled “ Therapy of Cardio-Vascular Disorders,” could not have surprised the profession as it did, nor could it have become so epoch-making. The work that Komer (12) published some time before Oertel must, it is true, be considered a precursor of the latter’s ideas, and some credit, therefore, is due this author, too, for having revived the idea of restricting the fluid intake as a therapeutic measure. Oertel proposed, in cases of serious failure of compensation, to dehydrate the