A new guide to Cheltenham : being a complete history and description of that celebrated watering place, embracing a minute account of the virtues and qualities of its mineral waters, and a summary of the disorders in which they are recommended, together with a sketch of the surrounding country, and an account of Gloucester and its cathedral, as well as other places worth of notice / by G. A. Williams.

  • Williams, G. A. (George Arthur)
Date:
[1823-1825]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A new guide to Cheltenham : being a complete history and description of that celebrated watering place, embracing a minute account of the virtues and qualities of its mineral waters, and a summary of the disorders in which they are recommended, together with a sketch of the surrounding country, and an account of Gloucester and its cathedral, as well as other places worth of notice / by G. A. Williams. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by University of Bristol Library. The original may be consulted at University of Bristol Library.

    83/246 page 63
    bathing, but it is recommended by many eminent me- dical gentlemen, to use the bath two or three hours before dinner, when the system is in its greatest vi- gour, and the body rather above than below the na- tural standard of heat. This remedy seems also remarkably efficacious in removing that slow, irregular fever, which too fre- quently preys upon the spirits, undermines the health of the sedentary aud studious, and accelerates con- sumptions. To this disease, the bane of genius, and the pest of literature, we owe the loss of many a pro- mising young adventurer in the world of science : more dangerous from its apparent insignificancy ; and so often fatal, because so seldom noticed 5 it proceeds slowly, but surely in its work, and saps the founda- tion of life before any precautions are used in its resistance. The peculiar cases in which cold bathing should be avoided, are permanent morbid obstruction, in feminine attacks, attended with pain in the head, increased sen- sibility of cold and general languor ; in cases of in- digestion produced by high and stimulant living ; in all those who are liable to a strong determination of blood to the head and especially to the lungs ; and in children of a delicate frame and a strong tendency to rickets. Cold bathing invariably does harm, when the powers of the body are two languid to bring on re-action, and the chilling effects of the bath remain unopposed. VV hen the patient feels the shock of immersion very severely, and, from experience of its pain, has ac- quired an almost insuperable dread of its application; when he has felt little or no friendly glow to succeed the first shock, but on coming out of the bath remains cold, shivering, sick at the stomach, oppressed with head-ache, languid, drowsy, listless, and averse to food and exercise during the whole day, we may be sure the shock has been too severe, the bath too cold.
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3