In going over this extensive establishment, none of that appearance of mystery intruded itself on my attention, which is so often noticed when an inquisitive traveller of my own tribe begs for admission to similar or analogous institutions. The attendant shewed every part most readily, and explained the apparatus by which the mineral water is pumped up by a double-action pump-is warmed by steam-pipes-and by which the shower-bath is filled at the same time through a series of pipes, numbered according to the rooms, and discharged by the patient simply turning a cock, either for cold or hot water. Every thing appeared genuine, and particularly neat and tidy; and I came away well pleased with the establishment, which, as well as that of the Old Well (where, however, there are no baths), deserves encouragement.

My readers must by this time begin to think that enough has been said of the Leamington mineral waters; although in the preceding account I have not included Mr. Curtis's baths and drinking-well, which ought not to be forgotten, as the former are quite as good as those at the Pumproom. The fumigating baths also of Mr. Fairweather, which differ not in the least from Mahomet's shampooing baths, may also be favourably mentioned.

I may now conclude what I have to state on the subject of Leamington mineral water with observing that two points are particularly to be noticed in its favour-first that it is to be had genuine, not the slightest suspicion of any mystification ever having attached to its production; and, secondly, that it is to be had in abundance. As a drinking water, I readily admit the several moderate virtues which belong to such a class of saline waters; but, as a water to bathe in, I consider it as very little better than common sea-water. Used as a shower-bath, with or without the witch's silk cap on the head of the patient, so much employed in this place, and to be seen on sale even in the Pumproom,—it is not more efficient than ordinary water employed for the like purpose. How

can it be otherwise? After long immersion in the Leamington saline water, it is probable, and medical men believe, that some of its ingredients may benefit the body by penetration through the surface, or by absorption; but during a sudden, rapid, and momentary ablution, what possible absorption of the component parts of the water can take place through the skin? If it be the shock that is relied upon, then any water will cause that effect under similar circumstances.

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CHAPTER XI.

LEAMINGTON CONCLUDED.

EFFICACY of Leamington Waters-Dr. Jephson's Negative Opinion-His Dislike of German Waters-Experience better than Vague NotionsAUTHOR'S Ideas and Practice on this Subject-COMPOSITION of the Water-Ingredients-IODINE a farce-When and how to drink the Mineral Saline-Medical Consultation-PHYSICIANS and Surgeons at Leamington-THE ORACLE-Beach Lawn-DR. JEPHSON'S HistoryHis Character and Deserved Success-Monopoly of Public Confidence -STATE OF MEDICINE in England-Treatment of Symptoms and not the Disease-The "One Remedy" Plan of Cure-Celebrated Precedents-ABERNETHY, HAMILTON, and Others-Its Simplicity and Moral Influence-CERTAINTY versus Experiments-Force of Example-Medical Idolatry-CLIMATE-Whom it is good for, and for whom it is not-SALUBRITY, its degree—AMUSEMENTS-Leamington a dull place— ASSEMBLY ROOмs, and other Public Places-BALLS and CONCERTSCirculating Libraries.

Of the efficacy of Leamington water, or Leamington salts, in the treatment of disease, there is no lack of medical authority; but the one great authority regarding it—that of the practitioner who for many years might have successfully monopolized nearly the whole of the experience on this head-that great authority, I say, is wanting. Not only has that popular practitioner never expressed publicly his opinion on the subject, but even in private his testimony has never been of that decided character, to warrant

my quoting it in support of the valuable medical properties of the water. Of mineral waters in general, indeed, I happen to know that the practitioner alluded to thinks very indifferently; and when I had the honour of an interview with him, after the publication of my work on the Spas of Germany, which had sent thither some thousands of patients who, of course, went not to Leamington that year, he ventured to speak unfavourably of the German waters, though he admitted he knew nothing of them from personal experience.

The prodigious number of happy results, however, that have taken place since, among those who have obstinately adhered to the practice of going to the German Spas, in spite of his dictum, may have worked some change in the opinion of that physician respecting them; and, if so, it is possible that he also may have formed a more favourable estimate of mineral waters in general, and of the Leamington water in particular. At present no one knows what he thinks of it, nor could I gather it from him at our interview. Very few of his patients, indeed, drink any of the water, and of those who do so, few drink long enough to affect their constitution in any sensible degree, or to modify their disease. Nor would it be possible to form any estimate of the medical value of Leamington waters from the results observed in the patients of the worthy practitioner here alluded to, even did they use those waters largely; since there is not one of them but undergoes a combined and well-followed-up treatment by medicines at the same time, on which, indeed, the successful practice of that physician is said to depend.

We must, therefore, turn to some other quarter for information, as to the particular virtues of the Leamington waters; and by so doing, as well as by reflecting on the composition of the water,-which, after all, is one of the best criteria of its medicinal properties,-and looking, also, at my own experience, I can with confidence state, that those

waters will be found useful in many simple cases of disturbed or irregular digestion; also, in incipient indications of the liver, or of the mesenteric glands; in people who are undergoing a course of mercury; and, lastly, in many glandular diseases accompanied by irritation or hectic fever.

These waters are not, per se, sufficiently active in urging the bowels, and frequently require the addition of Glaubersalts to render them so.

These observations respecting the intrinsic value of Leamington waters must be understood to apply strictly to the pure salines, without any iron, or at least with only a trace of it; for where that mineral is present in a large quantity,

-as in the saline at the Pumproom, in which it is stated by Dr. Loudon, the most recent writer on the subject, to amount to 0.956 of a grain, or nearly one grain in the imperial pint, -the use of the waters in any of the complaints I mentioned is incompatible.

The Old Well, and the Original Spa, or Goold's, are the waters mostly to be recommended as Leamington waters; and so of the salts prepared from them; for they contain barely a trace of iron. As for the iodine of some of the Leamington waters, previously mentioned as having been detected by

In a former note I described the mode of preparing the salts by Mr. Herring, at first from the Original Well, and now from a bore he made through a very red sandstone, at no great depth, where his public laboratory now is, when the water sprang up in a stream as thick as a man's arm. It was stated to me that four grains of oxide of iron were contained in a gallon of the water. But having tried in the presence of Mr. Herring himself the condensed liquor, as well as the natural water, with both tincture of galls and prussiate of potash, supplied most readily by himself, not the slightest trace of iron could be detected. The usual tests were also applied by me to the water in a very condensed form, under his inspection, for the detection of iodine, but none was found. I then declared to Mr. Herring, that, as both those ingredients were announced in his printed statement of the salts to be present in them, I should think it my duty to mention the negative results obtained by our experiments.