Volume 1

A short treatise on the all-cleansing,--all-healing,--and all-invigorating qualities of the simple earth ... To which are added, a description of ... earth bathing, etc / [James Graham].

  • James Graham
Date:
1790
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A short treatise on the all-cleansing,--all-healing,--and all-invigorating qualities of the simple earth ... To which are added, a description of ... earth bathing, etc / [James Graham]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    19/24 (page 17)
    ( >7 ) ally and more abundantly from the Earth, which is in contact with it, and iurrounds it. The morning is the beft time for Earth-bathing; although any time of the day is fafe and falutary -fo is any time of the year—but the fpring and fummer bafons, efpecially in rainy or funny weather, are to be preferred. Indeed, I have found vaft ftrength and alacrity of body and of mind, from fitting in the earth or two or three hours each time, in Scotland, in all the winter months, efpe- eially in the fevered dorms of froft and fnow at Chriftmas. Every body, even perfons in health, and in the midft of fummer, tremble «nd are very chilly and cold on firft coming out of the Earth,—till they have run about a while, or till they be wafhed with cold water, and well rubbed before ia good fire, with flannels, or with a half pound fmooth lump of camphire;_ or till they have ate and drank, and are reded and warmed in bed. For the Earth, although it ads as a cold bath at firft, yet in a few hours, efpecially if :he patient be ftrong apd flefliy, it becomes a tepid or warm bath, foaking, licking out, and cleanling the body from all impurities, fo that we are very enfibly chilled with the cold air, on firft coming out of the warm Earth. I never found it necefiary to eat or to drink while I was in the Earth, even for ever fo many hours.—No, the furface of our body and limbs is a mere fponge or mafs of dry fand, drinking in with eafe and avidity whatever is applied to it: —Nature; at every pore of the body and limbs, eats and drinks, like a glutton, at a million of mouths. Neverthelefs, a perfon who is very cold or weak, may eat a piece of bread, and drink a glafs or two of wine,—or fome very thick oatmeal gruel,—or fome warm and very ftrong tea, made of rofemary, fage, mint, peppermint, penny-royal, hyffop, or of frefb powdered anifeeds, caraway- Ifeeds, or juniper berries, and plenty of honey, treacle, or fugar, in. the tea, made very ftrong of any one or more of thefe herbs, feeds, or fimilar articles. It is a matter of the utmoft importance that delicate, and weak, and emaciated patients be not left alone, while they are in the earth, nor fuffered to fleep, but that they be continually attended to, and cheared, and excited to fpeak, or to read, or to ling, that they may derive all the good pofiible from this molt natural of all remedies: and the more that they and every perfon fmell at the Earth while they are in it the better,—with clear and open mouth and noftrils, eagerly drawing into their lungs, the fweetly refrefhing effluyium. m cafes of deformity, or crookednefs of the fpine or back-bone, breaft, or limbs, of young (lender females, or males, who outgrow their ftrength, and the. recruiting lupplies of nature, between the ages of eight and eighteen, this ]udicious and long continued Earth-bathing, or alternated with fea-bathing, and long and violent rubbing with the fea-fand, and plenty of mild, fimple, nourifhing living food, and frefh air and exercife, and loofe warm clothing, are the only natural and effectual means of cure that I know in the world.—and I have known them to fucceed molt aftonifhingly. . If any one willies very highly to improve and to enrich the Earth which they intend to bathe in, let them plough, harrow, dig, or turn over the Earth, every month, every week, or, if they pleafe, even every day, fo as to expofe it, as much as poflible,. to the.action of the fun, moon, ftars, planets, and to the whole hoft of the celeftial fpirits, effluxes, and influences,—and to the air, rains, dews, fnows, frofts, &c. and if they defire to have it as rich and as medicinal as it can poffibly be made by nature and by art,—befides the grand expofure to the other elements and influences, as above directed, and to the exciting and mellowing attritions of ail its parts and particles, by the very frequent application of the plough, harrow, fpade, hoe, &c. let them mix together a large quantity of frefh ground Wheat-bran, frefh ground Oak-bark, from the Tanner's, and frefh rawed Lignum Vitae Sawduft from the Ship Block Maker's;—and with them plenty of rough Saltpetre, Bay Sea-falt, and Pot or Pearl Allies;—and Juniper ljerries, beat into a fmooth pafte,—Native or Crude Camphire, powdered,—and the whole mixed together, and then mingled with fome pure Honey, efpecially Mountain or Heath Honey in the Comb ;—and then fprinkled upon, and wrought into the Earth, with much ploughing, harrowing, digging, opening, and turning C over