WATER AS MEDICINE


The patient feels more active, the longest walks cause hardly any fatigue and that is promptly repaired by sleep. The influence is particularly predominant in the sexual system; it shows itself in phlegmatic patients in an increase of force and tone, causing the disappearance of involuntary loses of semen. In energetic or irritable temperaments the baths provoke erotic dreams and wonted excitement.


Water of various springs, lakes and rivers have been used as medicine for the cure of certain ailments. Most water are reputed to be good for rheumatism, stomach and bowel troubles and skin diseases. Their efficacy is however not restricted to the cure of these common diseases only. There are a very large number of disorders of the body and mind in which these waters can be employed with success. The only rational way of determining the cases in which they can be used as curative agents is to prove them on healthy human beings. Below are some of the waters which have been proved.*Gathered from Clarkes Dictionary.

1. Vichy.- Mineral springs at Vichy in France. Contains Carbolic acid, Muriatic acid, Sulphuric acid, Sil. acid, Phos. acid, Arsenic acid, Ferric oxide, Sodium, Potassium, Calcium and Magnesium. It was proved by Crosserio. Most important symptoms observed were: stitches below mastoid, in chest, in right loin and in heart. Across chest there was sensation of a bar impeding breathing. Sinking sensation. Burning flatulence. Illusions of smell; corpse-like odour and of cucumbers. Weakness as if from hunger, after coition. All symptoms agg. from cold and draughts of air, after and when eating, when seated and after coitus.

The water is mainly used for digestive troubles, liver disorders, engorgements of the uterus, catarrh of the bladder, gravel, gout and rheumatism, diabetes mellitus and skin diseases.

2. Voeslau – Mineral spring at Voeslau, in Austria. Contains: Calc.c., Calc. sul., Calc. mur., Mag. c., Mag. sul., Mag. mur., Nat. sul., Nat. mur., Alumina and Silica. Its symptoms were observed by Rosenberg. Chief symptoms were: Orgasm of blood, pressure and tension. Throat sensitive to swallowing of warm food and drink. Nettle-rash with desquamation. In males sexual excitement and emissions, and in females increased secretion of mucus in genitals and many troubles connected with menses. It is used for menstrual disorders, seminal emission, urticaria and vertigo.

3. Wiesbaden – The spring at Wiesbaden in Prussia. Contains: Carbonic acid, Nitrogen, Nat. mur., K. mur., Lith. mur., Am. Mur., Calc. mur., Mag. mur., Mag. bro., Calc. sul., Calc., ph., Calc. are., Calc.c., Mag.c., Fer.c., Mang, c., Silicic acid., Alumina silica, Mag. iod. Stro. c., Cup.c.

The effects of the water on healthy persons were observed by Magdeburg. Apelt and Constantin James also made an observation of its effect. Chief symptoms are: rush of blood to head, vertigo on lying in bed, vertigo causing falling, Haemorrhages from anus and nose relieving other symptoms, fermentation in abdomen and diarrhoea causing great exhaustion. Nose-bleed curing dimness of vision. Hair and nails grow rapidly. Corns and callosities drop off. Brown sweat on diseased part. Urine stiffened linen. Symptoms are agg. during menses, from coffee and lying; ameliorated by nose-bleed and haemorrhoidal flux. The water is used for gout, rheumatism, paralysis, sprains, stiffness from old fractures and gun-shot wounds which are slow to heal.

4. Wildbad – The spring at Wildbad in Wurttemberg. The water contains: Carbonic ac., Nat. m., Nat.c., Nat.s., K. Sul., Calc.c. Silicic acid, Mag. c., Fer. s., Alumina and traces of Mang. The water was proved among others by Hartlaub and Kallenbach. The symptoms observed are: Sensation as if brain were over-filled. Gnawing, sinking, empty sensation. Sensation of looseness in joints, ankles; knees loose. Teeth seem too long. Beard becomes darker. Desire to stretch., Symptoms agg. on waking at night, lying down and walking. Used mainly for paralysis, paraplegia, rheumatism, gout, bone pains, indigestion, soft nails, hair affections, etc.

5. Sanicula aqua – Mineral Spring water of Ottawa, Ill., U.S.A., Contains: Nat.m., Calc.m., Mag.m., Calc. bicarb., Calc. sul., Kali s., Nat. bicarb., Nat. bro., Fe. bicarb., Nat. iod., Sil., Alumina. and traces of Lith. carb., Nat. ph. and Borax. The water was proved by J.G. Gundlach on himself and his family. (They drank the water for more then a year). Sherbino proved the water in potencies. It is said to be one of the best proved remedies in the entire materia medica. Peculiar sensations produced are: Head as if open and wind went through it. Of cold cloth round brain. Of scalp all drawn up to vertex.

Coldness and largeness of throat. Back as if in two pieces. There is great fear of the dark; constant desire to look behind her. Dreams of robbers. Stool square and full of jagged particles. Part lain on sweats. Must loosen clothing. Slight pressure aggravates more than hard. Agg. from motion, descending, strain raising arm, putting arms behind back, working, misstep, walking, jar, leaning head forward, in room, becoming cold, draft of air, change to damp weather, better by rest, leaning head back, after breakfast, warmth, wrapping up head in cold weather. Used for all diseases.

6. Skookum Chuck – Medical lake in Western U.S.A. Water contains: Sodic carb., Sodic chl., Sodic silic., Potassic chl., Ferr. carb., Mag. carb., Calc. carb., Aluminic oxide and trace of Lithic carb., Borax, and Potassic sul. The water was proved by Gentry, but no symptoms besides those of catarrh were observed as the proving could not be continued long enough due to the severity of the catarrhal symptoms. It has been found useful clinically in skin diseases, rheumatism, catarrh, ozaena, Urticaria, Hay fever and tumours of the breast.

7. Teplitz – Mineral water of Teplitz in Bohemia. The water contains: Nat.c., Nat.m., Nat.fl. sil., K.sul., K. mur., Calc.c., Sil., etc. The water was proved by Perutz and Hromada. Peculiar symptoms observed are: on moving head something seems to fall from one side to the other. Burning in stomach better by drinking cold water. Burning sensation in many parts.

Haemorrhage, epistaxis, metrorrhagia. Vesicles in mouth and tongue. Paralysis of tongue and limbs. Cold feeling in upper arm and feet. Increased sensitiveness to cold. Agg. at night and from motion. Better by drinking cold water and friction. Is chiefly used for the cure of gout but has been found useful clinically in the treatment of bone affections, tumours of the breast, erysipelas, haemorrhoids, paralysis, sciatica, scurvy, toothache, ulcers, vertigo etc.

8 Kissingen – Cold, chlorinated, saline gaseous springs on Kissingen in Bavaria. The leading ingredient of the solid contents of the water is Nat. mur. An account of its action is given by Constantin James. Characteristic symptoms are : moral and physical prostration and a sense of alarm at seeing old and long-forgotten troubles reappear. There is trembling of the whole body, weariness, pulsation of the body, stitches here and there, a tearful disposition, muscae volitantes and noises in the ears. Symptoms are aggravated in forenoon and night, on waking, while eating, during menstruation (toothache), and while reading and writing. The water was proved by Carl Preu. It has been found useful in diabetes, diarrhoea, gout, haemorrhoids, affections of the liver and mesenteric glands, and spleen and warts.

9. Levico – Arsenical mineral water of the South Tyrol. Contains arsenic, iron and copper with other elements. We find an account of it in Burnett. It is used for skin diseases and debility. It is, says Burnett, a valuable intercurrent help in grave cases where there is much debility, notably after the searching remedies such as Bacillinum.

10. Aqua Marina – Sea-water. It contains in addition to Nat. mur. which is its chief ingredient, every inorganic substance in the world. Sea water was proved by C.Wesselhoeft. Symptoms developed were: Neuralgic pains down right temple and forehead. Face ache left side. Cold water intolerable. Sensation of hair of fishbone in throat. Pain on swallowing extending to ears and temples. Nausea and nauseous sensation in stomach and abdomen. constant hawking and raising of phlegm tough and white like cotton. Aggravation at sea- side or on the sea. The water is used for constipation, sea-sickness, biliousness and bad effects of living near the sea.

11. Carlsbad – The waters of Sprudel and Muhlbrunen Springs. Contains the sulphite, bicarbonate and chloride of sodium in preponderating quantity, with carbonates, sulphates, phosphates, fluoride and oxide of Calcium, Magnesium, Strontium, Ferrum, Manganum, Potassium, Aluminium, Silicon, and Carbon, with traces of iodide and bromide of sodium, of Caesium, Rubidium Lithium, and boracic oxide. Most of the symptoms of this water have been recorded from observations of the people under treatment with this water. Prominent symptoms are: sensation of prostration, of weakness, so that she could not hold anything securely Tired, dejected and sluggish, anxious trembling.

Weakness of all organs: of speech, of bladder, of rectum. General anxious sensation as if blood in artery would stagnate, with constant flushes of heat. Pains : dislocated and spraining; drawing; tearing; stitching; burning; dull shocks and jerks. Pimples land pustules. Crawling and prickling in various parts with breaking our of sweat. Much itching and increasing sweat on genitals. Sensitiveness to cold air; great liability to take cold. Flushes of heat all over, especially on face, with sweat on forehead. Heat of head with redness of face and creeping shudders. Sweat easily stains linen yellow. Symptoms aggravate morning and evening; after eating and drinking; on ascending; after lying down in bed. Better in open air; on motion. Even the headaches are better on motion.

J K Mehta