[Letters to the Water Cure Journal, and other papers, by John Gibbs : being the sequel to "Letters from Graefenberg" / by the same author].

  • Gibbs, John, of Camberwell.
Date:
1847-1856
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: [Letters to the Water Cure Journal, and other papers, by John Gibbs : being the sequel to "Letters from Graefenberg" / by the same author]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    construction of comfortable houses, the opening of close lanes, the building of wells and fountains, and the adoption of all other regulations which may promote the physical development of the people.” In the Cork Scientific and] Literary Society an essay is read without interruption on one evening, and re-read and dis- cussed on a subsequent evening or evenings. On this occasion an officer of the society waited on Mr. Varian to require him to omit, on the second reading, those parts of the essay relating to hydropathy, or to withdraw the essay altogether. This dictation was firmly resisted by Mr. Varian, and it is but just to add, that the President of the society, who is a medical gentleman, when appealed to on the subject, said that the essay ought to be discussed. The President absented himself on the evenings of discussion, but the attendance of ladies and gentlemen was extremely numerous. The opposition on the part of a few members was most factious and insolent, but it was completely baffled by the good sense and gentlemanly bearing of the chairman pro. tern., and of the body of the members. It was clamorously contended that the subject of the essay was unfit for public discussion, although, on a former occasion, when the subject was new in Cork, and the public not so capable of estimating it, a medical gentleman read before the society an essay hydropathy. On the present occasion the water cure was denounced as a humbug, and its friends and advocates as fools and knaves. The talented essayist cleerly combated various objections, and -was ably supported by Dr. Barter, Dr. Curtin, Counsellor Macguire, Mr. J. S. Varian, and Mr. Macguire, sen. Your correspondent also briefly addressed the chair on the same side; as did likewise Mr. W. Atkins and Mr. A. Varian, who detailed their personal expe- riences. I regret that I cannot furnish you with even an outline of the able speeches, especially of Counsellor Macguire, the Editor of the Cork Examiner, and of Drs. Curtin and Barter. The discussion excited very great general interest, and at .its termination many regrets were expressed that it had not been further prolonged. Altogether it has effected much good; it has made some converts, and it has set many