Every man his own doctor, or the cold water cure / by James Clarkson.

  • Clarkson, James
Date:
1847
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Every man his own doctor, or the cold water cure / by James Clarkson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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

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    given by the highly talented medical men as quoted in other parts of this work ; and how incapable must they he of judging of such a case, who are so much interested in putting this very valuable treatment down, especially when we consider that it had cured several individuals whom they had given up as incurable. I will give you the opinion of some more eminent authors on the subject of Fever, to enable you to judge of this treatment, and com- pare them with the views of those interested Surgeons. In a work published by Dr. Graham, an eminent Physician of London, on the ] 33 pjige there is the follow- ing remarks on Fevers : In the excitement of Fevers, of whatever kind, the wet sheets and cold or tepid ablutions, are of the first moment. They speedily carry off the morbid heat, relieve pain, and tranquillize the pulse, without in any degree adding to the debility of the various structures of the body, already suffi- ciently great. The drinking of cold water also in Fever is clearly indicated, and very beneficial. This is a fact which cannot be justly controverted; still it is too much neglected in ordinary medical practice. The common effect of drink- ing cold water in the early stage of Fever is to induce perspi- ration—a free and natural perspiration;—all professional men agree, that this is one of the most desirable events, and yet one most difficult to procure without forcing medicines, the influence of which in other ways is to be dreaded. Now and then a medical man of eminence has risen up to bear strong testimony to the surpassing value of this simple ele- ment in Fevers; notwithstanding, being naturally fond of what is complicated, and disliking that which is simple, we have gone on in our own course. But I trust the attention which is now aroused to this subject will be fruitful of great results, in the improved treatment of Fevers of all kinds. In Scarlet Fever cold water is of all others the most
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