1
100
1
-
https://bibliotheque-virtuelle.bu.uca.fr/files/original/22/26605/BCU_Vichy_and_its_therapeutical_resources_115069.pdf
39b83f1527371654e54bef6a64b9f69e
PDF Text
Text
VIOHY
AND ITS
THERAPEUTIOAL RESOUROE .
DY
PROSSER JAMES, M.D., M.R.C. P .,
Lecturer o1l1lfateria lIût/ica and Tluraj>wtics at the LOlldon ffospital:
Pltysiciall to tlte ffospital for Diuasu of tlte Throat alld Chert,
L ate PI'ysiciall to the North Lond01l COllsumptioll flo.rpital,
Consulting Ph}'sit:iall to the Childl'en's fIome htjirmal)',
Victoria l'ark; Correspomli/l,t: Alembcl' of tlze
Academies of 1Iledicine of '-.l'OIlS,
lIfadrid, a1.d Baralol/a,
éJ'c., éJ'c., ë."c.
r-~
soCItT~
D. S
FIFTII
E[
l~
y~
. CES
MÉDICALES
DE V ICHY
LONDON '
B AI LL I ERE,
TI NDALL,
AND
CO,',
20, riNG \VILLIAM STRHT, STRAND;
AL EXANDER
AND
S II EPIIEA ' RD,
2 1, CASTLE ST RHT, HUI BORN.
188 3.
���/4
( ~-
Q ....~
�...----_....- -SOCIÊTr
SCtENCr: ;- ~ ' .
. .S
1
�VIOHY
AND ITS
THERAPEUTIOAL RESOUROE .
DY
PROSSER JAMES, M.D., M.R.C. P .,
Lecturer o1l1lfateria lIût/ica and Tluraj>wtics at the LOlldon ffospital:
Pltysiciall to tlte ffospital for Diuasu of tlte Throat alld Chert,
L ate PI'ysiciall to the North Lond01l COllsumptioll flo.rpital,
Consulting Ph}'sit:iall to the Childl'en's fIome htjirmal)',
Victoria l'ark; Correspomli/l,t: Alembcl' of tlze
Academies of 1Iledicine of '-.l'OIlS,
lIfadrid, a1.d Baralol/a,
éJ'c., éJ'c., ë."c.
r-~
soCItT~
D. S
FIFTII
E[
l~
y~
. CES
MÉDICALES
DE V ICHY
LONDON '
B AI LL I ERE,
TI NDALL,
AND
CO,',
20, riNG \VILLIAM STRHT, STRAND;
AL EXANDER
AND
S II EPIIEA ' RD,
2 1, CASTLE ST RHT, HUI BORN.
188 3.
��PREFACE TO FIFTH EDITION.
Tms production has been out of print for many
years, the previous issues having appeared in
1866, under the title of " A Visit to Vichy."
The present edition has been carefully
corrected to date, the author having been at
Vichy with a view to its preparation as late as
last season .
Many passages which possessed only a
temporary interest, or which are no longer
applicable, have been omitted.
On the other
hand, numerous additions have been made,
in the chapters on the properties and
~specialy
uses of the mineraI waters.
In accordance
with this enlargcd scope, the ti tIc has been
changcd.
P.
3,
DP.AN SnU.ET, PARK LANl',
,rfarch, 1883 .
J.
\V.,
Az
��PREFACE TO FIRST EDITION.
THE following pages, hastily put together am id st
the fatigues of travelling, contain an account of
the mineraI waters of Vichy and their medicinal
uses, as weIl as an outline of the treatment usually
practised at the springs, and the maladies in
which it is mostly prescribed.
It has not been deemed necessary to enter into
a detailed examination of the theories which have
from time to time been proposed as to the mode
of action of this c1ass of remedies on the human
system. Further, numerous points insisted upon
by French writers on Vichy have been simply
cnumerated or altogether passed over.
The object of the publication is to furnish such
special information on the leading French Spa as
may bo useful to the English practitioner, so that
a mere reference frequently takes the place of
c.' tended explanations.
The few comments interspersed are so condensed
as to leave the pamphlet at least the merit of
brevity. Whether th author has succeeded in
imparting to it cl urnes:,; th(' reader will judge.
l Je hop es it will be round to contai n aH that is
necessaryon the subject. For what i superfluous,
provide<l it rclieve the dulln ss of other d 'taUs, he
will probably receive the same measure of indulgence thal has been acconled to his other
productions.
J)tClm(;tr,
1865.
�BJ' IIIC sa"u AltlllOT.
E'OrftTB ,[OITIO:(, 111u.tmtbtl ,.i~h
II.UD·C·OLOt,:Rf.D PLA.HS.
65.
Gd
S ORE TIIROAT: il Nature, Valictics, T1C:ltmcnt, :lnd Conneclkn
wilh olhtr llill Jet.
L ARYNGOSCOPY
Uu.o. al. aUI1
TIm
RTA1()~
,LT~IAE
aIll! 11 flA8..
AND
'l,'J\tATlH.St
]U II 'OS ü l'Y;
ur lho Tunn.u ,od ~ ... ~r.
"f UI~.u1l
incluùint:
lhe
OF SA.' RDJO AND OTIlFR WINTER
tH' THE ~1l:JT}!t
\~}:
IL til1.
T IIE PROGRESS OF l\J[mcr~E:
],fo{'lure .1.,1Iv l d t ~h,
X od!c 1 Coll.... 1..
01' 'uiu"
..\ \, hlC:luùiul r\.Ck.,
M."TC'~,
c. . "~IJt.
bcinJ:: thl' Inlroùuctory
Clf
the lILh 84" llln (lS73·j'l) of lhQ 1.'Jlu,hm llulIl,iLILL
�VIOI-IY.
CHAPTER 1.
THE
TlIER~1:AL
ESTABLISIIMEN'T-TIIE MINERAL
SPRINGS.
is 220 miles-eight hours by rail-south of
Paris, and lies in a pleasant valley, 800 feet above
the sea-Ievel, on the right bank of the Allier, just
before that river receives the smaller stream of
the Sichon. Every year thousands of invalids
resort to the town in order to take the thermal
bath and drink at the alkaline springs. Th se
springs, as well as the buildings in which the
waters are utilised, belong to the State, but are
leased by the CompagJUc Fcrmûrc. On my fir t
vi it, in 1865, the late M. allou, then Director of
the Company, kindly acted a ' my guide in e "ploring the spa, and placed at my disposaI v'ry
fûcility for studying its resourc s. The following
d script ion, though th n flrst writt n, ha,> be n so
far modified a. to accord with the chang . brought
about in the ubscqu nt period, and verified by a
visit as 1ate as lust s a ·on.
'Ihe Thermal Establishm nt i ' the cenlre around
which allthc li[e of Vichy revolvc. No hcsitation,
VICHY
�8
VldU'.
then, as to where to commence our exploration.
Leaving, therefore, one of the numerous wellappomted hotels, we crossed the miniature park,
and entered the building. Tt is quadrangular in
form-this side being supported on pillars, ab ove
which the twenty windows of the upper story look
upon the narrower end of the Park Passing beneath the central .columns and ascending a couple
of steps, we enter the picture gallery, nearly 250
feet long, forming a sort of transept to the building,
of which it occupies the whole length. It!'; walls
are covered with paintings, and it is always open
to the public. Left and right extend long corridors
as far as the other end of the building, and on
each side of these corridors the doors of the smaU
bathing-rooms are seen, each with its number, and
above each a little bell to summon the attendant.
At the other end of the picture gallery, and at
right angles with il, forming what may be considered the front of the building. is the "Gallery
of the 'prings" -- a sort of porlico supported on
co]umns- where, at int 'ryals, for free consumption,
Me som of the mineral waters. They are conductcl hither in tubes direct from the >arth;,Lr<Jund the orifice of each is a basin, so that they
have aU the appearanc ' of fountains. Glasses, as
w -li as girls in aU ndance to wash them and fin
th 'Ill fresh for ach person inclined to drink, ar
also provitl d.
Tuming to the right on issuing from th picturc
gallcry, and passillg to the -nd of the corridor, w'
rcach in the corner the principal spring of Vichy,
�Tlie Thermal Establùllment-Tlte fl:lineral Sprùtgs.
f)
caUed Grande Grz'lle, on account of a large iron
fence with which it was at one period surrounded.
There is nothing particularly striking in it-a
large fountain-basin, as it were, in the centre of
which water, and that not very clear, 1S copiously
bubbling up. There is, however, a perceptible
warmth, as of vapour, in the atmosphere al'ound.
Touching the waste watel' in the basin, it is warm .
Stretching forth the ladle that lies for use-but,
stay, the girl in attendance puts forth her hand to
do it for you with her " Veuillez boire, Monsieur,
l\Iadame," 1111s \Vith this long ladle a tumbler, and
presents it to you to tas te. lt is hot, soapy, at first
nauseous, but the taste is soon acquired. Observe,
that this young woman takes special care to fi11
the glass from the very centre of the bubbling
stream, so that you may take the mcdicine just as
it comes from the bowels of mother earth, before it
has had time to change in temperature or any
other C]uality. Though paid by the company, the
visitor who spends a season and drinks the water
daily-and some take many glasses a-day- usually
' presents, on leaving, a som'cllt!- in th shape of
coin to tlll' girl at the spring [rom which he drinks.
She is also p ",rm itted, for th05e who des ire it, to
sell tumblers graùuated for measurillg thc e.' act
<l0!)!!, and keeps them on separate pegs exc1usively
for the purchaser':; use.
Glancing at the people a they crowd after ach
ot11 'r to t<1ke thcir draughts, thc reputatioll of thi'
spring is :;tamped UpOIl the countcnances of its
patrons, and the same rcmark is cClually appli-
�10
Vzchy.
cable to the other springs. The Grande Grille is
strongly recommended for chronic diseases of the
liver, spleen, pancreas, and other abdominal viscera; and here the really ill, as distinguished from
the mere idlers and pleasure-seekers, are of the
various shades of pale, sallow, or yellow, combined
with the peculiar physiognomy mostly apparent in
patients whose ailments are referable to the organs
of this great cavity.
At the opposite end of the gallery is the spring
called lJ:fcsdamcs, presenting many points of contrast. It is nearly cold, instead of hot; it do es
not come up in nearly such large quantity. The
actual spring is not immediately underneath, but
at a considerable distance - the water b ing
brought hither in tubes. 'lhe centre of the font,
as weIl as the ladle, are coated with a precipitate
of iron. At the invitation of the presiding nymph,
taste, and you will find a cool, inky draught in
place of the former hot, soapy one. Then the
faces of the d votees at this shrine w ar altogether
a difIi'r nt asp ct. It is as a chalybeate that it is
most sought j not thut the water does not conta in
th sam' aJl'uli, but, in consequence of the iron
found in il, th m dicinal virlu of this mataI is
suppo cl to b superadd d. In place of th
middlc-ugcd, worn-out, sallow-y llow face of
abdominal or anic mischi f, wc accordingly m et
h rc th fragile frame of anlC'miu and protract cl
onval sc nct:: young girl, growing too fast, or
vho. e bloo<l-making pow rs arc infcrior to th
d 'mancl made upon them.
�The Them/al Eslablishmml-The lI-[ùteral Springs.
Il
1
Between these two-say about the middle of
the gallery-is another spring, named Chomel, after
the physician who first described its peculiarities.
This water is warm, and its taste more sim ply
sodaic. It is destitute of any chalybeate or other
peculiar ingredient, and those for whom it is
most1y prescribed do not carry their maladies so
distinctly in their countenances. It is celebrated
for certain disorders of the stomach, and is said to
agree when none of the other waters can be taken,
so that it is often recommended in cases of doubt,
or where there seems sorne slight contra-indication
to the tr atment. We observe, a1so, that this spring
is not a fountain. In place of the basin, here is a
small pump, by which the water is rais cd as rcquired to this e1evation, but which, as soon as you
approach, a girl in charge begins to work, so that
she may offer you a glass pure and fresh from the
depth of the weIl below.
The above arc the only springs in this gallerythe others are more distant. It will, howevcr, be
convenient to name the principal ones in this
place. There is one in the midd1 of the Park
aIl cd Source du Parc. !ts characteristic ingr 'dient
is a minute portion of sulphurettcd hyclrog n, imparting to it a mild flavour of rotten ggs-just as
if a dash of Harrogate wat r had b en mi.·ed
with one of the Vichy springs.
Farther off, on the opposite ·id of th Park,
through which we may walk to it, is the Hospital
spring, in th c ntre of an open space call -d th
"Place Rosalie," and in front of the II "pita 1. Jt
�J2
VzChy.
is in great repute for certain very chronic derangements of the chylopoietic viscera in nervous or
delicate patients, and is said to be more easily
digested th an the Grande Grille. The class of
persons frequenting it varies much from those
named ab ove. On the steps leading up to the
cupola which protects it, you encounter t.he most
elaborate toilettes of the fair sex, the faces of men
~tamped
wit.h the wear and t.ear of town life and
the exhaustion of pleasur
~ seking
and fashion,
as well as numerous tourists and idlers sipping
the water as a part of their natural employment
while ~taying
at Vichy, while here and thcre care
or hard brain-work seems to have driven the patient
to thi remedy. At this spring Napoleon nI.
mostly drank, and of course his Court followed
suit: it is probably the most popular of aH at the
prc~ent
day- unless the Ct/est/ils should still bear
off the palm. It may bo worthy of note hore, that,
on the ~urface
of the large basin which surrounds
this [ountain, LI. (lUantity of green scum is particularly observable only confprv<c, such as would be
s' 'Il on any waler, says one; LI. subslance alto
g ther diffcrent, aud only to bc met with in the
llo!'>Jlital spring of Vichy, say oth rs. vVe necd
not stay to enter into this controvcrsy-which is
aIr 'ady sufTlcicntly 'mbittcrcel. Let the S(l7IallS
of ichy el ciele the point- bcing on the spot and
possl>ssing the nccdful data.
\Valking still farther a\\ ay [rom th establishment, almost the !:;amc ùistance as aIr 'ady
travcrscù, we shall come tü the two spring· namcù
�Tlle Thermal Eslablz'shlllC1ll-The lJ1ïmral Spr/lIgs.
Jj
Cilestùzs, after the rnonks of that Order, in whose
grounds they were situated, serving as a great
attraction to their rnonastery, the ruins of which
still re01ain. The Célestins, perhaps, are the most
celebrated of aU the springs of Vichy; they are
cold, highly charged with gas and salines, and
quite agreeable to the taste; to drink them is
sornething like taking a bottle of soda - water.
They have been used by sorne in the greatest
excess, the number of tumblers consumed daily
by enthusiastic patrons being almost incredible.
At present this fo11y is abating. Vichy water is a
potent rernedy, and an abuse of it lik Iy to lead to
serious con equences. The Célestins are rnostly
recomrnended for gout and diseases of the kidneys
and bladder, are very efficacious in some forms of
grav 1, and have been tried with success in
albuminuria and diabetes. This water is saie! to
be ndowed \Vith stimulant qualities, and Dr.
Durand Fardel .,. relates a case in which he thought
it produced a sort of intoxication. The confirmcd
toper would, however, probably be very slightly
inebriated by the largest doses, and even the most
usceplible victim of hysteria or the rnost excitable
of n rvous invalids need not fear to tast it.
Perhaps th rnonks selected the spot for thcir
rnonastery from a profound respect for the quality
of th wat r-an xplanation this, too, of the
obstinate bat tics wag d in the rnidùle ages for
po s ssion of thi building, situat ,a it was,
• "1.ettre m(!Jiealcs ur \'khy;" Pari, 111('0.
�14
VIchy.
in the midst of a country producing wine of no
great strength or bouquet. It almost belongs to
the propriety of things that the gardens in which
it is placed should now be the rendezvous of the
goutyand other elderly free-living gentlemen, who
here congregate and partake of this substitute
for their fine" old crusty port." These devotees
are accommodated also with a sheltered divan,
whcre they may rest, read the paper, take their
coffee and cigar, and talk over their progress and the
virtues of the water with their fellow-worshippers.
The view from the grounds and the situation
altogcther is one of the most picturesque in the
neighbourhood, and the enormous rock whence
fiows the stream is an interesting subject of
geological speculation.
Close by is the Lardy-an artesian weIl, 450 feet
deep. This water contains about the same quantity
of iron as the fesdames spring, and is cmployed in
similar cases. Il may be noted, however, that it
is convcyed to the surface in aIl iron tube, from
which it is possible the mctal it con tains may bc
dcrived. It is highly charged \Vith gas, and bears
transportation weIl.
The fJautcrz'vc springs arc situatcd at the villag
of that name, on the other sidc of the Allier, about
thre mi] s distant. They furnbh a typical Vichy
water, which in composition is most allied to the
élcstins, for which il may be advantag ously
substitulcd. Tnd cd, the learned Inspector of th sc
s prings, l r. Duranù I<ardcl, consid r
that
Haul 'rive may usually replac a.ny of the other
�The Thermal Esfabb'shmeul-The Jl.fineraZ SprÏtzgs.
15
waters. Though it is highly charged with carbonic
acid, he has never known it pro duce the stimulant
qualities mentioned above. Like the Célestins, it
is cold, 51'2° Fahr., and weIl adapted for exportation.
There are other springs, mostly used for the
baths, which it is not necessary to describe. The
Vaùse, however, which is also on the left bank
of the Allier, may be mentioned as a curiosity,
inasmuch as its water juts forth at regular intervals
of fifty minutes, each appearance being preceded
by subterranean noises.
With regard to the temperature of the Vichy
springs, the Puits-Carré, which is only used for
baths, is the warmest-it gives a temperature of
45· Centigrade, 113° Fahrenheit. The Grande
Grille has a temperature of full 41° Centigrade,
105'8° Fahrenheit; Chomel, 44° to 44'7° Centigrade,
say II 2° Fahrenheit; Hospital, 310 Centigrade
87 '8° 1< ahrenheit; Park, 18° Centigrade, 6i '4° Fahrnheit; Célestins, 14° and 15° Centigrade, 51'2° and
59° Fahrenheit. The IIauterive springs about the
same, and the Lardy 23'6° Centigrade, about 74°
Fahrenh it.
�CHAPTER II.
THE THERMAL ESTABLISlfMENT AND ITS
DEPENDE 'GlES.
To return to the establishment, from which we
have thus far wandered. On the first floor of the
building, at the time of my first visit (1865), there
\Vere large, lofty saloons, where, every day during
the sea on, a ball, concert, or other entertainment \Vas provid d at a low pric by the Company. lIer, also, \Vere reading-rooms, smokingrooms, conversation-rooms, and éL small th atre
supplied by Pari sian p rform rs, the plot of the
play being generally laid at Vichy. During the
next summ r a handsome n w Casino was open d
at the oppo ·ite corn r of th l ark, and to it aIl the
amus me nts have been transferr d,50 that the
wholt' of th spacious first !loor of th establishment
i utilised for th actual busin ss of th
ompany.
De'c nding to th most important part, it is worth
while to 'nt!'! some of th!' bath-rooms, and witn 55
th air of comfort and cleanlin ss th y pr sent.
Th r' ar nin ty-six of these littI rooms, dispr~
j d
round two square gard ns, so t1,at aeh can obtain
frcsh air and an agrccabl vi w without bcing
overlooked. '1 h Y are well furni5h d and lofty.
�TIll Tlw1Jlal Esfablz'shment and ifs Depmdenczcs.
17
A window into each garden gives the light to the
picture gallery-the set on one si de of this division
being devoted to ladies' baths, and the opposite
one to those for gentlemen. Besides these baths,
there are many shower baths and various kinds of
douches. Nor should the carbonic acid bath be
omitted. This may be taken with the elothes on ;
it consists of an ordinary slipper bath with a cover ;
the gas is brought by pipes from the Chomel
spring, and can be turned on by an ordinary tap.
The patient reelines in the bath, the attendant
puts on the cover, leaving the he ad only outside ;
further protection is ensured by the neck being
elosely enveloped in flannel so as to prevent the
egress of the gas. Local baths of carbonic acid
arc aiso empIoyed, the gas being directed on to
the part afTected by tubes of appropriate size; and
these have becn found useful in neura1gia. In
fact, the system of employing carbonic acid i5 now
in use at Vichy as at sorne other spas. A glimpse
at the pulverisation-room will suffi ce. lIere the
waters arc atomised, pulverised, or reduced to the
form of spray, in order to be inha1cc1. lIere, too,
ar' k pt in stock aU othcr bottled min raI water';
that arc lil'cly to be useful ace ssories to the
tr atment. Jt i5, thcreforc, practicable to employ
ùuring a
ichy course any oth r mineraI wat r
that may he prescribed in the form of atomiseù
in halations.
Oxygcn inhalation has more r cently bccll
ac1c1cc1 to t111' accessory thcrapeutical mcasur's
avaibble at Vichy. This gas is prcparcd in the
11
�ViC/U'·
usual manner, and kept ready in a gasometer. At
the time of inhalation it is passcd through a
solution of bcnzoin, which givcs it an agreeable
.flavour. The inhalation of oxygcn is saicl to be a
very valuable adjuvant to the Vichy course in
diabctes, dyspcpsia, and other conditions. lt would
scem to further incrcasc the tissue changes, which,
as we sha11 scc, arc stimulated by the alkaline
treatment. ,Vhcn this agrecs, the appetite l"eeps
pace ,vith the rapid metamorphosis, and thus the
gencral nutrition is more than maintained. It is
statcd that the red globules of the blood are
observcd to rapidly increase un der the use of these
inhalations.
Leaving the building by the western door, wc
observe opposite us, divided only by the street,
anothcr of similar dimensions and shape, but
without the upper story. That contains the secondclass baths, and i~ arranged in a similar manner
to the otller. Il was erected in 1858; con tains 198
bathing-rooms and twenty douches-enough for
2,000 baths in a day of twelvc hours. The secondclass rooms arc ratller less clcgantly furnished,
but are clean and comfortabll', and contain
verything that is ncce ·sary. We should a1so
have stated that therc arc two piscines or larg
baths where a numbcr of patients may bathe
togcthcr-swimming baths, in f.tet. Since 1863,
thcrc have bccn adtlcd to thi.- difice twcnty-four
third-class bath' for the sick poor, at sixpcncc
cn.ch, lincn includcd.
ln orcIer to suppl Y the baths, the waters of the
�The Thermal Eslablisllmenl and lis Dependcnâes.
r9
several springs are conducted by pipes to a huge
tank, where they freely mix together. Thence they
are raised by steam pumps to the top of a tower.
The engine, of ninety horse-power, also raises fresh
water to the same level. A visit to these tanks
and to the engine proved very interesting. To
raise the water, it takes a force equal to twentyfour hors es-the surplus power being employed to
heat the fresh water to a proper temperature, to
keep in motion the machinery in the laundry, and
for other purposes of the establishment. In the
height of the scason, this engine works night and
day to keep ur> the necdJul supply of water. As
many as 4,000 baths can thus he given in one
clay.
For these, a laundry on a surprising scale is
necessary. The quantity of linen to be seen is
sim ply inconceivable-linen, too, of a teo-ture
which \Vould do many a houscwife's heart good to
hantl1c. \Ve insJluctcli a series of shelves, estimated
hy my guide to contain bctween,G"6,ooo and ,G"7,000
worth of towels and other linen articles in daily
use. A point, also, of considerable importance in
this d 'partment is that, after thr 'e years' wear or
50, the whoJe of this must be reneweù. Some of it
wa shown us which was as friable as paper-the
cITcct of its continuaI soaking in the all-aline
waters. The washing is donc hy steam. As 500n
as th bath r leav s the four or rive pi ces he has
useù, they arc taI-en to the laundry, and passcù
sucees 'i\'ely through several copper cauldrons, in
which Lhey an.! kcpt in motion by stciun, and s
Il 2
�20
Vù:llJ'.
their impurities rinsed OUt. A particular description of the whole process would not interest many
readers. Suffice it to say, that, when c1ean, they
are taken into an upper room, round which pipes
are laid carrying the waste steam. This heats the
room sufficiently to dry the linen-as the moisture
is carried up a flue by the ingress of fresh air being
provided for from below. Description can give
but a feeb1e idea of the extent of this 1aundry, and
we soon descended from the drying-room, the heat
of which was oppressive, and only relieved by the
fierce current ncar the flue-a current, we were
assured, strong enough to tear off any lady's
c10thes who should be rash enough to approach too
near.
Before c10sing this chapter, it may be well to
mention what is usually understood by the expression "a course of Vichy treatment." The
patients who und 'rgo "the cure" at Vichy take a
bath daily for thr weeks or a month. Drinking
from one of tho springs is general1y prescribed at
the same time. Occasionally, a second course of
tr atment is tried at a 1ater periot! of th yoar,
or if the first hav bcen at th close of the
season carly the nsuing on .
1h SCtf\'OIl at Vichy cxtenùs from .May to September inclusive; but. th establishment is open
throughout the year, and many who cannot go in
summ r might, \Vith advantag , try a ourse in
winler. Of course, th r is not much soci(:ty or
amuscm nt In winter; but the establishm!!l1t is
maintatned at an 'quable tempcrature, and an
�The Thermal Eslablùhmml and ils Depmdencùs.
zr
orangery serves as a promenaùe. Sorne persons
would doubtless derive aU the benefits; but summer
is undoubtedly the pleasantest time for bathing•
.and the attractions of the place are, to many,
éÎncreascù by the throngs of visitors.
�CHAPTER Ill.
DFPE. 'DENCIES OF THE
THER~IAL
ESTABLISII Œ. TT.
\VE next went to sec the manufacture of the Vichy
salts and 10zenges, to which a separate set of
buildings is ùevotec1. For this purpose, the mineraI
water is evaporated in enormous reservoirs, and
the solid Ingredients collecteù and dried. This
pro cess is ratller curious, and demands il word of
explanation. Entering the room where the Iast
part of it is carried on, you may walk freely about
the planks which are laid across the huge boilers
of heated \Vater, the atmosphere of this vapourbath bcing anything but '.'llilarating. 'Ihe tanks
arc so arrangec1 that as one is emptied il can be
filled from the one next hottest, 50 thal the process
llced llOt }Je interrupted. The hottest of all 1S
llcxt to the <loor-and [rom this, as soon as the
salts begill to thicken out, men \Vith large wooùen
shovels take out the prccipitate and throw it down
a funnel to a room l)(~Jt'ah,
wher " after ùryin fT , it
is pack cl for' 'portatiol1 in littlo ylinders. 1hi
is but olle part of the procP5s; this residuary salt
is on1y 'mployetl for making haths. The fin '1'
rystals u5ed for the 101. llges, or pastilles, as th<
lorench calI them, are parat cl at an arli 'r sta rc~
'1 he water, being conùucicd into large open v '55 'Is,.
�Depmdencies of Ihe Thermal Eslabl/sll1lulIl.
first of aIl cools and 100ses its carbonic acid, so
that the more insoluble salts of lime graduaIly
subside. It is only th en that the water is heated
unti1 the degree of concentration is reached at
which the carbonate of soda begins to crystaIlise.
It is now placed in large open stone reservoirs,
and, after the soda has aU separated, the water is
conveyed to the room where the remaining salts
are extracted for baths. From the above facts, it
will be obvious that the finer, whiter crystals,
which are preserved for the lozenges, consist
cntirely of carbonate of soda. This substance is
then placed in a room filled with carbonic aci<1,
brought direct from one of the springs, in or der
to re-con vert it into the bt"-carbonate.
Even
then, supposing the latter combination to be
perfectly effectcd, it can scarce]y dirrcr from the
ordinary bicarbonate of soda of commerce, anù
whatevcr other solid matter e."ists in Vichy water
woulù naturally go to the residue, which is
xported as the salts for baths. From a chemical
point of vicw, this i<1ea is so natural that l could
nol help SUgge' ting il to my guide, the director of
this great llterprise, ad ding that the wh01c might
as wt'll go ta thc baths, and bicarbonate of soda
be purchascc1 in an ordinary way for the manufacture of lozcngcs. This observation letI to an e."planation, which mayas weIl b summaris 'd in
this plac , as it will assist the unc1l'rstanding of
much to follow. The springs of Vichy are Stat
property, as weIl as a11 tho buildings, &c. '1 h 'y
arc leased for do tenu of years by a company, but
�Izel!]'.
during the 1ease certain restrictions are impose<1.
The pro<1ucts may be utilised in any manner, but
may not be adulterated or 71llxed rlJùlt anything,
an<1 a Government inspector is charged to see that
these regu1ations are adhered to to the letter.
The whole establishment is un der State control,
and, to prevent fraud and give the purchasers the
best guarantee, no bottle of Vichy \Vater is sol<1
without the proper label-no lozenges are allowe<1
to leave the pre mises, c,"cept in particular bo,"c ,
labelled, c1osc<1, an<1 scale<1 in a manner to prcvent their being opened, c,"cept by the purchaser.
These boxes are maùe on thc premises, giving
employment to a numbcr of young' girls. The
carùboarù is cut into bands for the sicles by a sort
of chaff-cutter; another impIement cuts out the
ovaI top and bottom of the box, 1hcs, fitted
togcthcr anù lined \Vith white paper, arc lcft to
ùry, and thon fllIc<.l and Iabellcù. l'.ilCh hox is
surround<.!d Ly a p(lculiar Land, undcr which is
confined a pi c' of string' j thc cmls of this arc
cllclosed in a small seal oC Icad, on pulling which
th, string cuts throll rh the Land, an(1 50 op 'ns the
box, the lill of which woul<l afl(ml somc diHiculty
ta l'aise but for this ingcnious little contrivancc,
so firmly lIoes thc l)and past(' il <1own.
\Ve have j'ct lo l'I! the aclllal m:Lnufacturing of
the 101. ng " and lwrl! the gen 'raI <tir of cl LUllin li which prevail. is al once appar '11t. The
loaves of sugar al" eut hy ,t circular aw into
slic 'S, and th, c ;Ln~
thrown into a mortar, th \
pc tIc of which i l'f!pt rt!\'olving by a band from
�Dcpendendes of f/IC Thermal Esiablis/mu1II.
25
the steam-engine. The requisite quantity of the
salts, the extraction of which from the water has
just been described, together with sufficient gum,
is added. When these are thoroughly mixed, the
next stage of converting the powder into pas te, by
means of water, is accomplished, anc1 the mass 1S
hanc1ec1 over to numbers of men, who, with polished
steel rolling-pins, roll it into fiat layers on the
marble slabs which surrounc1 the room. The
general appearance of the apartment is that of a
baker's or a confectioner's. The 1ayers of past.e of
proper thickness are placed upon a flap of the
machine, which is regularly projectec1 anc1 withdrawn for this purpose. As it retires, it passes
un der t.he sharp cutters, which descend upon it,
and, in a moment, divic1e it into lt number of
lozenges. l.hese arc set aside to dry. and the
fragments which arc necessarily 1cft are ac1ded
to the nc,'t portion of paste as it 15 kneaùeù.
The eng-ine devotetl to the 10zenge-making i
of twellty-four horse-power, anù abovc a hunùreù
thou5a.nll lozcnges can be turneù out in a clay.
\Vc muy now 1001- at the bottling ùcpartment,
which is comluctccl on an enormous, cale, and in
which a number of ingenious contrivances wer'
pointee! out. Each boUle is Jilled from a tap, 1.0
which the water cailles fr 'sl1 from the spring, a
cork bcing imme(liately thrust in by a machine for
the purpos', similar 1.0 tho e of our so(1a-water
factories. '1 he man who cOlltrols this pa ses the
corl'cd bottle ta alloLher close by, who secs thal
.the cork i leve), puts iL liUle re;"in to it from a
�26
Tlcliy.
kind of glue-pot by his side, and passes it on to a
man who places on it a capsule, on which is
printed the name of the spring and the year when
the bottle is filled. This capsule is ingeniously
fastened by passing it into a loop of string, which,
on being turned round, closes it tightly upon the
neck of the bottle. It is then handed on again to
another man, who affixes the label. After this, it
has to be placed in a covering of straw-such as
wc sometimes sec certain wines come to this
country in-and then packed in cases ready to
cxport. This mode of packing is rather more
xpensive, but, in practice, is cconomical, from its
preventing breakage. These straw cases for the
bottles are a11 made on the l'remises, as are the
ho.'cs in which thcy are pael'ed. The bottled
Vichy waters are sent not only to a11 countries of
Europe, but to the most distant colonies, and thcir
sale is continually increasing. Thus the town
dcrives wealth, not only [rom its 'J hcrmal l~stab
lishment, but From the grcat trade carric<l on 'in its
products, From which more than 500 persons find
rcgular Illployment. ln 1882 no less than 40,500
persons visitcd Vichy, the l1umbet' of baths given
bcing 180,000; whiJe 5,137,559 botlles orthe wate
\Vere cxporte(1.
�IIAPT ER IV.
THE ORIGIX OF TIlE
:\I~ERAL
SPRIXG S.
WE have now inspec ted the ordina ry sights of
Vichy , but an these prelim inaries pale in intere st
before an exped ition to the actual spring s, where
the minera I waters come up fresh and hot from the
bowcI s of the earth, and are thcnce condu cted by
human ingcnu ity to serve the purpos cs of the
compa ny. .Accom panied by the directo r, who kindly
undert ook the dut Y of guide, and hy a laùythe first lady, }1(' t01<1 us, who had ma.dc this
exped ition- I descen ded the necess ary steps, precedcd and follow ed by boys \Vith lantern s, to
'xp10re the dark subtùr ranean cavern s. U nder
aU the buildi ngs describ ed, and far beyon ù, do the
engine ering operat ions of Vichy e."tend , and wc
march ed one by one ul1der long ranges of arches
wh re daylig ht never comes - under the pictur e
galh!r y-untl cr the corrid ors-um ler the long
rang 'S of bath-r ooms- transv ersely , directl y, and
l hlQw 110t how olse besiùe s nor yet whcru under
-but at any rate on-Ol l, umler
"Alch~
UII
archcs-p ilcs Olt piles cxlclldil. ,,'.
till at ]ast wc came to the l'mis Carrl, as it is
callcù. lt is a large square well, a tl e num
�23
Tii:h)'.
implies, where continuously cornes bubbling up
the hot water, filling the tunnels aU along with its
heat and steam-in fact, we were in a complete
vapour-bath, but more than usually oppressive
from the gas which escaped. A light let down a
little way was instantly extinguished by the free
carbonic acid rapidly disengaged-although a
large cone is placed over the well to carry away
as much gas as possible to the carbonic acid bathroom, anù to the room of the lozenge ùepartment
alreaùy noticeù. l T evertheless, we felt the oppression much, anù haslened away through more long
galleries-much cooler anù less oppressive --till at
length, as they again got warmer and warmer,
wc \Vere nearillg another spring. This was the
(;ralldc Gnlle. \Ve stooù sorne twenty feet away,
.and watched it for a few minutes pouring out [rom
llCight of three or four feet ils uninterrupted
supply of hot water; looHng at this, as it flowed
in a large stream just hy our feet into pipes which
conùucted it away, we [clt il wasnol an e.·aggeraleù
<:tatenwnt that from this spring flow {laily 210,000
litre. of waler at a tcrnperalure of 107° to 108"
l'ahrellheit. Arter gazing a few moments al
thi. wonùrous stream, we passee! on-or 1ac]-wards-along similar, or perhaps the sarne, subterrallean pas a rus for sorne di s tance, whcre it
was cool- inùeetl, afler the previous heat, cohl;
then il got warmer again, and we came lo the
lar fU rcscrvoir:; where the major part of the waler
:rol1l a11 the springs is conclucted, and aIl killds
lrcely mix togcth 'r. '1 he heat wa ' tcrribly 01'-
.t
�The Origùl of llze J1fùzeral Spn·llgs.
29
pressive, but we looked steadiJy as the little
lanterns blinke:1 beside the dark caverns. Leaving
the lady with the torch boys, my guide, with one
lantern, preceded me on a narrow plank across
one of those great cisterns to see where the pumps
of the steam-engine took the water from to force to
the tower. l sha11 not readily forget my sensations
here. On the other side, 50 thick \Vas the darkness, the lanterns \Vere only seen like sparks
a long way off-so far it seemed, nothing was
casier th an to fancy that our companion had
started bac1- and gone a long \Vay along the
caverns; but not so-only we had moved. As the
eyes became a little accustomed to the place, my
guide holding clown the lantern to the surface of
the wat r, l could discern ·stretched out beneath
my feel on each side, and on]y separated by a thin
plankthe surface of the water with sorne of its
green scum upon it, otherwise black as night; but
no boundaries were visible-the feeble rays of the
light \Ver lost in the darl-ness, so l could not see
th size of the cistern, nor the height of its vaulted
roo[only darkness above and a11 around- only
the [eoblest flickering of a kind of spark or two to
indicate which way wc must return -and our own
little lantern to show us step by step of the plank
by which we must get back from this tremendously
hot and oppr ssivc, vapour-loatlcd air. Altogether, it was a grim situation-the dark water
below s cm 'd mect type of the shorelcss sea of
oblivion, and the littlc scum on its hot surface
might stand for human woes and passions, while
�1~dI'.
this atmos phere of heavy vapou r, loadin g aU the
senses , and almos t forcing one to fall into the
abyss below, was but a feeble image of the sighs
and groans of our sufferi ng human ity. \Vhen we
return ed to the lady, the hot air which she declar ed
almos t stified her sceme d to us cool and fresh.
Then we wendc d our way to cooler and freshe r
still-t h en a glimm ering of light began , and the
freshn css and coolne ss and light increa sed till we
again came safely above ground .
�CHAPTER V.
IIISTORY OF THE SPA.
the foregoing sketch of its Thermal Establishment, a few words on the history of Vichy may
not be devoid of interest. The town and the
use of its mineral waters c1aim considerable
antiquity. Some champions go so far as to trace
the pedigree of its name to the Druidic gwzdt or
,m'clt, which may be translated vùtltC, j'orce, or
strcllgtll, the letter y merely standing for the
French ca/{- water. \Vater of virtue, then medicinal virtue, no doubt, understood. Lil"c
many long pedigrees, t11i5 is not quite satisfactory
to ail hcralds. 1.he more moderate enthusiasts
content themselves with a derivation from the
Latin v/ms cal/dus, hot village, and the place i5
d • ignated ofju.x ca/ti/a: in the Theodosian table. 1t
i sait! that Cresar crossed the Allier at thi5 point
on his r turn l'rom Gcrgobin to l oanne. The old
l'oman road pa. ses in thi5 direction, and ther i.
a tradition th,Lt on a wooden bridge at this place
he r 'stcd a short time on his weary rout. In this
pracLical age the {lndin rr of l oman rcmains, inc1uding baths, statuette, and coins, furnishes th
bcst tiLle to il anti<luity. Medal. bearing the
AFTER
�32
Vù:h.y.
impress of Augustus, Agrippa, Claudius, and
other Roman Emperors have been found.
\Vriters on this subject have supposed that the
Romans erected buildings here which were destroyed by the N orthern barbarians in their devastation of Gaul. Even if they did not destroy them,
they would certainly take no care to preserve
them, and so they would fall into decay.
Coiffier, in his "Histoire du TIourbonnais,"
states that Vichy sustained a siege in the twelfth
century. A little later the name of the place
seems to have 1?ecn borne by the chief landowner
of the locality. The lands of this family were
conflscated by the Crown towarùs the fifteenth
century.
Louis Xl, when Dlfe de Bourbon, commenccd
builùing walls and towers, on of which 1l0W
remains, and in r.po he founùeù the monastery of
the élestins.
In 1416, Vichy wae; taI"en by harles VII. [rom
his son, th' Duc de Bourbon, who thcreupon retir 'd
to C'uss ·t, where an interview anù rcconciliation
took place, to the gr at r lier of the people, who
suffcred from these civil conflicts.
Vichy continuec1 to play a part in the subsequent
~trugles
of the next two centuries-the monast 'ry
b oing for the most part th, centr' of the most
ohstinate battl s.
In I603, r dical Tnsp ctors wer appointed by
th· rown to superint nd th administration of
th - baths. A few y -ars aft rwards, anotlH!r nkr
of monks, the Capucins, installed thems Ives in
�HiSlory 0) lite Sp'l.
33
proxim ity to the establ ishme nt, and receiv ed
their invalid brethr en who came to Vichy for
treatm ent.
In 1696, Louis XIV. create d, by let ters patent , an
hospit al for the poor- since remov ed to its presen t
site on the Place Rosalie.
In 1676, Maùam e de Sévign é came to try the
effect of the minera I waters , and here wrote those
~harming
leUers which have made the valley of
the Sichon known where ver the French langua ge
is read .
• ot till the visit of Mesda mes Adela ide and
Victoi re, aunts of Louis ~rVI.,
in 1787, was therc
any real progre ss. Up to this date onr: little
buildin g, calleù the" king's housc, " serveù aIl the
purpos es of the place. Tlwse illustri ous laclie5
resolvecl to remec1y some of the defccts they coulù
not but notice, and so becam e the founde rs of
moder n Vichy. Thcre hacl hither to b en no walks
or driv <;; rich anù poor alike freque ntctl inns
which cven French writer s describ e as mis 'rable,
and which, wc may therefo re conclll de, must have
be n-w '11, say indcsc ribablc . hach in turn took
th bath as it was vacatc d, 111 n and wotllen using
the ~.;amc
The Revol ution suù(1enly put a stop to
the ·rrorts of "the ladies of Franc ," anù ~ \V
refonn s could be rrected until J 805, wh 'n the
whol ' b 'came the proper ty of th ' Statl!.
Durin g the P ussian campa i ~n,
Napol eon T.
dccree d to Vichy a sum of mOlley, with which some
adjoill ing houses \vere aùd 'd to the proper ty.
The Duche s of AngoulA'me visiteù Vichy Ln
c
�34
1814, and laid the foundation-stone of the existing
edifice, but this was not finished until 1829. ln
the following year, the revolution of July put a
sudden end to the second visit of this lady, who
fled from here into long exile.
Sorne improvements were carried out by the
Government in 1846, but not until Napoleon III.
began to take an interest in Vichy, and visited it
for health, did that impetus commence which has
placed it at the head of an European spas-a
position which under the present management it is
likely to maintain.
�I~l
CHAP TER VI.
E:YVIRO~S
OF VICHY .
TllE neighb ourhoo ù of Vichy aboun ds in interes t
both to the tourist and invalid , affordi ng, as it does,
a great variety of walkin g, riding , and drivin g
excurs ions. Numer ous are the quiet, seques tered
nooks where a picnic would be sure to succee d.
The Allée de Mesda mes is, perhap s, the favour ite
resort, and certain ly for beauty weIl deserv es the
praise s that bave been lavish eù upon it. It is a
magni ficent avenuc of fi ne poplar s, where shade
can always be had combi ncd with pure fresh air,
fragra nt flow l'S, and lovely scen l'y-a thorou ghly
rural walk close to the town. This avenue lead
to Cu set, about three kilom ),tr s From Vichy.
Cusset is situate d bctwee n two stream s, the
Sichon and the Jo1an, and surrou nùed on every
sidc, . ' ccpt the west, by hills. It is an ancien t
town, ils history going back to the ninth centur y,
and ils nam' has been traced by some to th old
C 'Itle ClIZl'y -h idd n-in conseq uenc(' of ils positio n
among the hills. II cr it was that Charl' 5 VII.
met his son, and the hous in which thaL impor tant
intervi ew took place i
hown to the curiou s.
Here, aIso, ar the ruins of one of the four tower
which d ·fI·nù d in bygon e times the four gates.
There are sOllle large open parts where a pIeasa nt
C z
�Vuh)'.
walk may be had; the older part of the town
consists of damp, narrow streets. Cusset possesses
three mineraI springs in which there is a chalybeate
elm~nt,
and these, with corn and oil, are its only
sources of prosperity. Driving through it to
L'Ardoisière, about nine kilomc'>tres, is one of the
best excursions. The road follows pretty c10sely
the course of the river, and we could not fail to be
delighted \Vith the scenery. Between verdure-claù
hills, sloping away in various directions, the Sichon
wends its \Vay to the Allier-now, in gentle,
noiseless, lake-like calmness, crceping imperceptibly between fragrant gardens; anon, as a
talkative torrent, hurrying over a narrower pebbly
bed; while now anù then, leaping clown a sudden
declivity, the noise of ils little waterfalls mingles
with the music of the fcathered tribes and the hum
of the insect world.
The hills in sorne places ri se close to the road ;
at others, they retire far enough to leave a green
plain, which reminded us of English lanùscap s.
SOl11.:! of our parly onsidered this valloy to rival
sorne of the pr ,ttiest Swiss scenery.
L'Ardoisière is only the remains of a sJate
quarry. '1 her is nothing to sec - but wc were
sufliciently accustomed to this kind of result to
c.· p 'clitions to he satisfi ,cl with the sccncrythrough
which we had pass '(1. The slatr: is not of good
cnou rh quality to pay for worl-ing, so on the
property a litt! . ((lfi or hotel has bl'en fittcd up
wh -rc the visitor can ohtain refr 'shmrmts whcn he
has wa!ked over th grounùs and s 'n the inevit-
�Environs of VzdIY.
37
able sights . The whole is, in fa ct, a sort of public
tea-ga rdens; there is even a pagod a for music.
At one extrem ity of the garden s is a seclud ed
avenu e leadin g to a pretty waterf all. This also is
one of the necess ary sights.
Our Contin ental
friends have either an excess ively keen eye for the
beauti ful, as weIl as the curiou s and rare, or a very
poor opinio n of John Bull's judgm ent; for they
never fail to find somet hing for him to see, and,
having seen, to pay for. A house in which sorne
one was born or died, a ruin which may have been
a castle or may not, a conven t, a churc h-any thing,
in short, which can be seen is caUed a sight, and
serv s the purpos e of extrac ting a franc from the
well-fi lled purse of the crcdul ous travell er. Every
village has its monum ents, and, failing these, the
scener y of the valley or mount ain can be donc at a
moder ate tari/T. It is the same story hcre. As in
dut Y bound , we followcd the boy, who carried a
lighte d candIe , iuto a darI- cav , until we came to
a w'l1 said to be of awful depth, now full of water,
and surrou nded by a wall to prcven t adven turous
spirits from falling ln. The boy consid erately
waIJ-c<l round, that by the distan ce of 11is candIe
w(! might jutlge of its sizc, and the
sight \Va.s over.
There was nothill g cIse-n ot 'ven a ghost -nor
.1. story of any one killed berore the wall \Vas
built nor could the guide tell us how long it is since the
<[uarry was work '(1. But \\'C could not satisfy him
withou t goillg"; wc shoulll have sIlock 'cl not a fcw
.ùy visitill g Vichy and Ilot seeing L'.1"\ rdoi ·ière.
'lhese garden s arc thorou ghly throng 'cl in tll
�Ti'chy.
season , and are really agreea bly laid out. On the
summ it of a lofty hill which bound s them on one
side stands the ruin of a castle, said to have
belong ed to the Templ ars. It is a long, weary
road to reach it, so, though the view from it must
be extens ive, we conclu ded to be conten t with our
day's excurs ion, thinki ng there would be plenty of
other sights more access ible.
LA MONTAGNE VERTE. Anoth er favour ite trip
1S to the summ it of this "Gree n IIill." The road,
which is availa blc for cardag es, passes near the
spot whcre the Sichon cmptic s itself into the Allier,
then ascend s gradua lly throug h vineya rds to a
platea u crown ed by a "kiosq ue," whero the
visitor can find somet hing to COlt ancI drinl- while
contem plating the vall y of Vichy, with it5 woods
and planta tions, interse ctecl 1>y tho str ams tllat
desc 'nd from the distan t ranges of mount ains
which bound th view.
Amon g the numer ous other .'cursi ons which
may be made, wc ought not to omit that to the
CHA'[ EAU l ANDON, saicl to hav
bo 'Il orect 'cl in
the sixth cf'ntur y 1>y sorne monl's .
ln th ' tw'lfth
c n tury it bccam e a [ouùal strong hohl. ln 1821 il
WOlS bough t 1>y l'rillce ss Adelai de, sister of LouisI)hilip p '. A mile or two beyon d this is the
I!:\ThA U l\fAJ~IONT-th
hUlltin g 1'clldczvous of
the neph \Vs of the samt. prin ss.
Iher nr . plenty of oUler wall ' s, rides, and drives
-inde cù, the facility for thi& 1 incl of njoyn1P.nt i5
a grcat recomm nclation to Vichy as a hcalth
rcsort. Tho consta nt outtJoo r ext'rci s , brealh illg
�EllVÙ'OlIS
of Tlch),.
39
of pure, fresh, bracing air, and the exhilarating influence of attractive scenery no doubt contribute
their quota to the cures effected.
HAUTERIVE and CHATELDON may be particularised, as each of these places possesses mineraI
springs. IIauterive is only a village about three
miles off; its spring contributes sorne eighty-six
cubic mètres of mineraI water daily to the establishment, at a temperature of thirteen or fourteen
degrees Centigrade. This water is considered to
be specially adapted for exportation.
Châteldon, eighteen or twenty miles from Vichy,
is situated at the foot of a granite rock. The
village is a jumble of houses, in narrow, tortuous
streets; a stream, caUed Vauziron, passes through,
and keeps the basements of most of the buildings
damp. Many of the inhabitants, more especiaUy
the women, are a{fected with goitre-or Derbyshire neck. AU the hill-sides ofthis neighbourhood
are c10thed with vineyards, which are said to produce the best wine of the Auvergne. An old
castle, with its oltblù:tte, or ceU, in which the victims
were lcft to starve, is the inevitable sight of the
place. But ils chief importance i5 d rive cl [rom
the two Chalybeate springs whi.ch suppl Y its
miniature stablishment. l he waters are ll1os11y
used internally, and, as they bear transport very
weIl, ùo not attmct so many visitors as might hav
been 'xpect 'ù from Dr. Desbrest's d scriptlon of
their virtucs,sur les l'ropriété des l'.aux minérales de
�CHAPTER VII.
ClLE~IA
l'ROPERTIES 01' THE WATERS.
chemical composition of the water of the
different springs at Viclly has long occupied the
attention of observcrs. The analyses of M.Bouquet
made in 1852, and published in a memoir addrcssed
to the Academy of Sciences under the title of
(( IIistoirc chimique des Eaux de Vichy," are given
in Tables J. and 11., and theyagrce in th most
csselltial particulars with the prior investigations of
M~r.
Longchamp, Berthier and Puvis, and others.
r. Ossian Ilenry, who was employed by the
lovernmcnt to c. "amine thc subject, reported th
'. "istenc of ioclitw, ùrominc', and lithium in scv l'al
of the spring- . More reccntly, by m ans of sp ctrum
anal,)' is, ~I.
(Irand '<LU hits round indications of
rubidium and c;csiuIn. j\lccpting the main conlusiotls of the 11105t abll' (hemists, wc find the
]1105t important ingretlients of Vichy water r 'pre. cnt 'lI ùy t\\'o distinct sets of principlcs, acids and
ha ,a will bc n~itdj]y
sc 'Il in '1 aùle 1l. Only
t \\'0 uf th
princi pl 's are to he I11Ct with in il fr . ,
stat - \'iz., carbonic acid and ilica. AH the ot11 'r
i ngr llien tare i Il a tatc of 0111 bi nation; conquclltly, it i as saline that th y 'nt r into the
TIl E
�,.
StrOatia '" .. ,
IJ.e '" '" '"
ProtoL of Ima
JI.,.aia,.. ,..
'768
'335
"003
'42 1
1
]
g
'275
'OOS
'545
J
~
'.
1111
- -
j
~
!
III
, !
1 Î
1
'434
'.)03
'JOl
'3J8
"003
'427
'005
'570
':Il00
~
'12
'699
-oos
'554
'2 13
'005
-614
'710
"005
's;i
'2
'601
'382
-005
'SO.
"003
'412
'479
"005
'5 14
~
'425
"003
"76 1'751 1'067 1'Of9 l'J99 1155 1'7SO 1"968 J'183 l'B3 1'908
4:X= 5'09 1 4'89j 5 : 5'019 5'103 4'101 4' 57 4'91t) 1'517 4-687 4' 1 4'016
'23 1
'.89 '233 '·89
'152 '37 1 '3:'
'440 '3 1•
'JJJ
CI
1
i
'002
'534
'070
.. , .. ,
'"
."
'002
'002
'002
'002
'002
'003
'002
'003
'002
'002
'002
'003
traces
~-
:u1
7' 86S
a-601
q' 165
17'755 8'956
1-;';- -7'8n
'5,8 '5 18
'550 '5So
'SOS 'S34\ 'S18 '355
'065 '055
5 'Ofl '071 '052 '03 2
'050 'OSO ~
traces
traces
traces
traces
traces
traces
tnc:cs
tnc:cs 1traces traces
Totali •••••• _ ••••••• 7'914 7"959 7'833 8'797 a'222 a'244
1-
~
traces traces traces traces traœs traces traces traces traces traces traces traces traces
..." .. , , ..
.. _, ." '"
SiIica ,., " ,.,ta",
Borate
Aneuiate
-oG4 '004 '004 '004 '004 '004 'Of4 '004 SOJ8 'OOf '017 '010
traces traces . traœs baœs traces traces traces traces traces traces traces traces traces
)f=~
'291 '27· '2SO
'29 1 '291 . '291 '291 '291 '29 1 '3 14 '3'4 '3 14 '~
'" '"
s.JpIIate of
~e
" ••• _ •••• 'IJO '070 '028 '070 'Of6 '09 1 traces '·40 '081
'1
'Of6 traces traces
..
..
..
.
..
Flee c.t..ic Acid '" ."
....... ofSocla '" ,,' '"
..
Pot8IIa ' .. '"
.....
' ....
ta ....
al ...............
•
Bitamiaoas lfatter '" '"
~ofSdia
~.tl
If.... o. . . . . . . . . .
TABLE L-FIlOK BOUQUET.
�A
,
".
_' Ica ,"
'"
"
C:noonic Acid ..
Sulphuric
Pho~pric
"
Arsenic
"
Boradc
"
HJ'drochlOric "
Pretende of Iron
,.
of .Man~c5e
Lime .. ' .. ,
Strontil '"
Ma;:ueilll, ..
Potash
Bituminons Matter
Sod:l ,
d
~
:c!E.
co
:..
-
~
=
-
2=-
2
lE
..::
~ a;
::
.=
!!
~
:J
'<i
.!d
~"
I;:'~"
~
~
~
~
~
i
.~
~
1
E:
0
,0
;':" ~
el
rI.:.
~
a;
a
...,
~
14'831 ' 5'°4° +'95i 15'° 2 9
'13i
' 164 '153 ' Ioj.I
'oSS
'025 traces traccs
'001 '001
'001 l '002
trace, traces traces 1traces
'3 18 '33 ~
'3 24 '22Z
'°41 'oi l
'°52 '°32
'OOZ
·008 '0[2
tmccs trace" traces traces
'z65 '168 'zoo '235
'003 '002 '003 '002
'122 'IGo '153 '136
'115 '0<)3 l ' 121 'O<)S
1'912 2'368, z'4 0 9 1'95i
""""
~
I-=--______'_____~
X ,nrES OP TH. SPat"GS
TABLE II,-FRm.r BOUQUET,
=
~ <>
I__
- '.....
_ _ _I_ _
~ ..
-
~"
1 ~
!
4'41S' 4'4 2 9: ·HIS 5'.3+8 4/ 19/4/ 0 5 4'647 / 5'°;1 5'400
'16+ ~ ' 164 '1641'164 '1641 ' 164 'li7
' l i7
'Iii
'OïO l '03 R 'OIS
'0.3 8 'o~5
'°5° trace" 'Oio 'OH
'001
'oor '001
'001 , '001 l '001
'001 '001 'o~
traces tracc,; trace;; traccs trace, 1 traec, traces trace, traccs
'3~
'3,B l '334 l '3~4
',Ff '33-f: '3H '3H '33+
'°70 'oïo l ,068 '0';0 '°50 , ,060 '065 '055 '005
'o~
'001 l 'oo:! '001 ~ '002 l 'o~
'020 '002 1 'or3
.. traces trace.:; tral:CS 1 traces' traces! traces traces trac cs traces
'169 '166 . ' 164 '211 1 ' 212 1 '180 '2ï2
'231) 'z;6
'001 '002 '001 '003
'003 '003 '003 '003 '003
'09i
'r08 ' lOi 'oSS
'004 'lOS ! '1 fi
,068 'Oi6
'IS1
'19:! '196 '146 , '228 '16 3 / '110 '151 'Z73
;:'488 2'536 2'445 2'501 2'5 00 2'560 2'12} , 2'500 z'48b
195 1 /S' 68 i 19'24817'83519'°39 8'3i 8 ;,866
trace., 1tr.lces 1trac.:, 1tracc, trace, trac.:s trace, traces trace" traces traces 1trace, II ace,
- - - - - 1- i- ,- - -----
Total, ". ' .. '" .. , .. , ;'99; 8'04 2 ' .9 16 S Si; S'3 02 8'3 2 ;
�Chemical Pr(lJer/ics of the Waters.
43
constitution of Vichy water. Some of the ingredients are doubt1ess on1y held in solution by
the large qualltity of free carbonic acid, equal to
about half the volume, and, as this gas escapes, are
consequently precipitated. It is to the loss of this
gas and of heat that the deposits around the
fountains owe their existence. These incrustations
sometimes cause considerable obstructions at the
mouths of the springs. The most abundant compound of this acid is that with the base soda. The
bicarbonate of soda it is, in fact, which gives the
chemical characteristic to Vichy water, and on
which its medicinal qualities mainly depend. The
first Table shows, on the average, nearly five
grammes of this salt in every litre of the water,
which would equal about a scruple in each
tumbler. The largest quantity is contained in the
water of the 61estins spring, the smallest in that
of 1\[escbmes. The bicarbonates of potash, magn sia, and lime are pr 'sent in greatly infcrior
quantities, and in a mcclicinal point of view arc of
litH consequence. The ingrcdi nt to which the
second degree of importance is attached i5, perhaps,
iron, of which traces are found in aIl the waters,
and in those of .Mesdames, Hauterive, and Lardy
sufficient to be considered of value. Th distribution of iron i5 curious nough to d -mand a
passing notice, From its conn cLion with the origin
of min -l'al springg. Taking the Par]- as a centre,
wc may dcscribc a circl ,the radius of which shaH
not 'xt 'nd b 'yond the Célestins. ln this spacc
will be -nc10sed aU the original springs of Vichy,.
�H
those which are simp1y a1ka1ine in contra-distinction to tho"e beyonù the circumference of our
centre, which arc not on1y a1kaline, but a1so
Cha1ybeate. The Cha1ybeate waters are those
obtained by artesian wells, or brought to the
surface or From a distance in iron tubes, from which
it may be conjectured they take up the small
amount of the llletai they contain. The Lardy is
just outside our limit, and is, moreover, an artificial
pring-an artesian well. 1· arthcr off still, at two
kilom '.tres distance, is 1\{csdames, but the wat r, as
wc have sccn, is tak 'n to the e tablishm nt in tubes i
anothc1" kilomètre 1>eyon<1 are the threc prings
of u set, all Chalybeate. 1'ive or si.- kilomdres
From iclty arc IIauterive and Saint-Yorre, whi!
al twenty are th ' sprin~
of h,üelùon.
'1 he phosphates and the ar 'nie, though in 5111a11
qU<Lntities, IllU. t Hot he ov rlookc<1 From a chcmical
pointofvit'w,thou (ht11 'ycan carc lyhavemuchto
do \Vith the III didnal qualiti -. of the watcr. '1 hen
the strontia and mangane P, and Jl 'rhaps lithia,
will 110t fail to catch th· aU 'ntion of sorne 1" '1ùers.
JI 'nry, L furt, and
hatin aIl found iodin " hut it
i nut 111 ntioncd by 1;ouquct.
J havc aIr 'ady alludud to the clistincl odour of
sulphur lted hydro" 'Il p r cptiblc in th \Vat 'r of
the l'ark sprin f, alul thi is nol t1w only on'
slightly Împre Itat li witll tItat Ta , although nOll
of the h fore-dt cl ch mi t5 S III to have met \Vith
il.
.\J. 'hc\"ulli r r 'cogni d il uTlmi takabl!;
()ùour, ,1I1l1 J\IM. l'runellu nnd BaUllrimonl sI' ak
of a ulphurou l l'incipit: about th· Luca. It i
�Chemù:al Properlùs of Ilu H'a/(rs,
+5
possible that this gas may not be so constant a
constituent as the solid ingredients, but any one
ignoring its presence shouhl certainly go to the
spring and tas te, or rather smell. The small
quantity present would seem to be due to decomposition of the organic matter, for it is only the /Tas
that is found, not the alkaline sulphidc. , which are
so much more important as constituents of mineraI
wat rs. After e.'portation the gas is almo"t or
entirely convcrted into other product~,
Besides
the alkalics and other ingredients mentioneù, it
will oe obscrvcd that the waters contain salts,
which may be classed as salines and aperients to
the average c,'tent of 25 or 30 grains of the form r
and [6 to 18 of the latter.
Laslly, a few words on the sub tance that has
b en callet! "glairin." That a c rl<tin amount of
organic malt -r shoul<l e."ist in ail the waters mi rht
have be 11 sa~-ly
prcdictcc1, but that this is in any
ùcgr - peculiar to Vichy i' ,t11oth r que. tion.
\Vhcth r the green scum sc n in some parts Il,
orùinary cOIl/ava; or not wou!<l scem an ea y
question for r sidents to sett! '. 'l'hi di putcd substane - has no appcarance to di tin fui h it from
that of cvery pond-nor is it seen 'xc pt whcn th '
wat 'r i. .1)0 'cd to the air and stagnant, as in the
illlm 'Il f; ba in of the ) 10 pilaI sprin .,.; he id ,it
i5 nover to he found in th bottl -tl waler. Thal
the orgunic mallpr may bl! p culiar, and x rcise
.01110 modifying influ ne - ov -r th - oth r ingr -di -nt5,
though b -licvcd by many, cannat yet b' aùmittctl
as proved.
�ViChJ'.
The previously quoted analyses refer to the
waters as they issue from the springs. That their
composition remains unaltered after exportation is
evident from the analyseswhichProfessorTichborne
has made, for our recent account" of the chemical
and therapeutical properties of these among
other bottled mineraI waters. From his analyses
l have compiled Table III., which shows the
TABLE III.
~
Ingrc<licnl8 por gallon
ut lho IV "lora.
...
.,
0
.,
~
'g
~
'"....
'C
.s
~
"
co
a
CI>
"".."
~
CI>
Sodium, l3icarbonatc ... 2 (J4' 110 300 '00
21'(}<}
12'08
Potas ium
... 18,(,2
3 2 '03
~rl:n'
mm, arl;~ntc
IfrOI
0'1')
Strontium
2(J'u8 2j'U2
Calcium
.~
r:l
...,.
co
p..,
29 8 '00
111'3-1·
1'08
J-ClrOU
1\1 "ngane e
]
"
Sodium, Sulphale
"
l'ho phate
Ar cnic .. , ...
1\01 lcie Aci,1
Lithium hI01i,lc .. ,
Sodium Chlolide , ..
(!,rl; nie M tler
SllIca .. , "
... \
trace .
..
trac Cs
ltac 'S
Ill'uo
3'00
O' ()
31' 15
hn(cs
4'13
2'00
43.prj
35(,'22
amount of th salts 11 fuun<l pr 'sent in tho
Vichy wat rs which he ,'amincù. On th whol',
th 'sc analys 'S do nol giv so 11 'iLvy il. rl!sull as
1'1 0
".Iincrnl \\' t 1 of LtIlOp ," by ',H.. C. "ichbolllc, l.L,D.,1II1ù
cr Jame , ,\I.U" 1.011,1011, 1 83,
�ClwlIl'cal Properfies of the Wafcrs .
47
former ones, but the difference is too slight to be
important. Traces are noted oflithîum, manganese,
boracic acid, and organic matters just as before
bottling. The amount of arsenic is not sufficient
to constitute what may be called an arsenical water ;
in fact, there is not a maximum pharmacopœial
dose in a gallon of either of the 'w aters. The chief
quality of the waters- the alkalinity-remains the
same, depending principally on the bicarbonate of
sodium, which is present in similar proportions, as
al50 are the other salts, The amount of these last
does not exceed three grains in a tumblerful of the
water, and only one of them can be considered
aperient. The following skeleton analysis, also
compiled from the above cited reports, shows the
amount of these ingredients ;IV.
TA1~LE
Tngrê li lits )1 r i mp 'riu l
}",H.piIlL of tho WnWI'8.
... ...
Antaci ,15
..
-
Solid-
Grain s
Salines
"
"
...
P\lrgative
.. .
...
~
"
Q
Cl
'h
~
.
11
Cl
.,.,
.
.
II>
::=3
-_.
~
~
""...
!":I
~
'5
.....
~
~
~
"
_.
~-
28!
26
23
2if
27
22
21
23 A
JI)
25
,
:::
1
:::
[
[
[1
t
J'1
-..
1
.~
From what hns prececl cl, it is clcar that the
chemical reactions of Vichy \Vater should b thosc
of the substances alreacly inclicated, and t11is will
�fiC/lJ"
be found to be the case, not on1y at the springs,
but in the bott1ed exporter! waters. Knowing,
then, pretty accurately, the composition of th!'!
substance, can we not make it by an artificial
pro cess ? "Vould not the simple solution of the
salts in water charged \Vith carbonic acid furnish
us \Vith an equally perfect remedy? The question
has been often al'cd and answercd-negatively
by most medical writers, affirmative1y by parties
who profess to manufacture a substitute. It is not
necessary to nter profounc11y into the que tion.
Admitting that the bicarbonate of ~oda
may be
dissolve(1, togcth r \Vith the other ingr dients, in
the propcr quantity of wat r, thcre arc y t various
sources of fallacy which mal'e it impossible for us
to ass rl thal such an imitation possesses aIl the
propertics of th genuine Vichy wat rs.
l'ir t of
a11, th ' analyses, though mad 1>y th 11105t emin nt
chcmist. ,cannot hl! regarded as absolut '1y perfect,
sinGe th 'r' arc Tl 'rc 'ptible discrcpancies in the
rcsults of <lifferent obs rv rs.
for ov r, wc cannot deny tllnt 01111' sul> tnnc s may escap th mo ' l
carcful <lnalyst; lithium. though clouhtlcss alway
present in minute qunntity, was long undeteclctl.
Rubidium and ,-sium have on1y rccently bCC'!l
demon lral",l hy tlH' spcctrum. S 'condly, th
r sults of th, nnaly t mny, in sorne cl gr ,h' clue
to the proc s
of th 1nhoratory- they rnny h .
th proùu 't s of lh ana)y is; b iùe ' which, the
f)unntitie of th' . eV"rill alts art' in r -a1ity ol1ly
hypothctically ca1cu1at -<1 from th, acids and bas' ,
If, th n, sOllle ub talle
arc too subtl, to be
�Chmllcal Proptrlùs of Ilu mlltrs.
+9
separated, and others may be present without
giving reactions to our knowl1 tests, how can we
aver of any imitation that it fairly représents the
waters of the springs? There is another point
to be noticed-viz., that the mere mixing together
certain substances doe not constitute the chemical
compound.
For example, we know very weIl
the ingredients of wine, one of the most comple.'
fluids; yet, by mi.'ing a1cohol, sugar, ethers, and
other constitutents in the most correct proportions
in the laboratory, wc cannot produce a fluid which
would pass for the product of the vineyard.
Such are the principal arguments against th~
use of rzrliJicùrZ as sub!;titutcs for llatural mineraI
waters. ln this particular instanc it is further
stated by several authorities that the imitations of
our mineraI waLer factories will disagree with the
stomach when a bottk of tru ' Vichy ",atcr will be
casily assimilat 'd. It is Ilot ncccs ary to pursue
this subjcct furthcr- illee the rtenuine proùucts
of th ~pring
are within the r 'ach of ail invé.ld~,
and l~tJgi
hmCll are Ilot lil'cly to r.onSlime tl:c
factitioliS waters while Lhe genuine are thus easil)"
procurable.
u
�CHAPTER VIII.
PIlYSIOLOGICAL PROPERTlES OF THE WA1ERS.
INTnlATELY connected with the chernical reactions
of Vichy watcr, and, in point of fact, to a large
extent dependent upon thern, arc the experirnents
that have bcen made with a vicw to ascertain its
effects upon organic tissues. M. Barthez'" subrnitted portions of various te.'tures to the action of
ordinary \Vater, and to that of the élestins spring.
Ile found that zoo grammes of fat imrnersed in a
litre of ordinary water for six weeks, the waler
being changcd once a fortnight, lost nothing in
lIcight, and changed but littlc in appearanceonl y acquired an elastic, spongy natur. 1 he same
\V ight of fat trcated in the samc way by Vichy
water, though losing no weight, was convcrteù
into stearine-a rcsult that might have becn
anticipat d by any one aC<1uainteù with the
chemical composition of the liquitl. Muscle lost
109 gramm s of weight in
ic11y-only 4S in
cornmOll water. A portion or ox liv r of the same
wight was suhj etel! to a similar trial. ln pur
water il 105t 95 grammes in \\(.'ig-ht, its colour
and consistencc r maining llcarly the same; but
of the portion aet cl upon hy Vichy wat r, ther
only r 'main 'd in the v '5S ,1 il f, 'W grammes of
�Ph)'siologû:al Propmùs of the fl a!trs.
very soft, grayish, semi-fluid matter. The mucous
membrane of the stomach was only slightly
softeneù by corn mon water, but reduced to a jeUy
by Vichy water. As long aga as 1755, we are
informed by Tardy;r. that similar experiments
had been made, and that de :Mony found a pleuritic
deposit completely dissoived by one day's maceration in Vichy watcr. 1\1. Baron !las aiso made a
number of observations with a vicw to show that
these waters can prevent the formation of the false
membranes of croup and diphtheria-an idea which
is supported by sorne experiments showing them
to be capable of dissolving albuminous and
fibrinous c1eposits. But aU such experiments
present one important defect; they take no cognizancC' of the difference between dead and living
animal tissues. No,\', during life, chemical must
be subonlinatc to vital action; consequently, no
xpcriment outsid the living organism can acurat 'ly portray a1l the changes continually going
on within. lt \Voulù thercfore be more to the
purpos to inquire what cffl!cts the water may
producc on living animal tissues, what variations
they may caus' in the functional activity of campI 'x organs, and what otller infl uence they may
('xercise on th general hcalth of the body.
In th \ prpc ding chapter, w have shawn that
the waters conlain largu quantities of ,~lkaies
salines, and carbonic acid ga. Ta thcse ingredients must be ascribed no inconsiderable share
in the ·{fucts praducccl by the wat 'rs, whether
--
"Di cItation
SUllcs
gaux ùe Vichy;"
1 iSS.
U
2
�5Z
employed internally or externally. Thus, in a
Vichy bath we cannot overlook the softening
effect on the skin, which is no doubt due to the
solvent action of the alkalies. Dut there is also a
stimulation of the cutaneous surface, which occasionally, after a number of prolongeù baths, may
amount to irritation, and may, on clelicate skins,
cven bring out a rash. This is due to the local action
of the mineraI constituents. Thesc, when brought
into contact with mOre sensitive tissues, set up
severe pain. Consequently, whcn the skin is
broken, bathing has to be suspendcd until the
wounù is hcaleù. '1 he solid ingrcdicnts and the:
gas no doubt r 'inforce the action of h'at, but it
i5 to this last agent that most of the effects of
thermal baths must b ascribcù. COTlsidering the
important part played by the sl-in in r gulating
the bodily tcmperatun" the hang" of medium
From air to waler must powcrfu1Jy affect the production of animal Iwat. Radiation and cvaporation are inlt'rrupted, and the whole surface i5
protcctc(1 From iluddcn variations. There i5, COIlS qucntly, kss (klllilmi OIl tlle heat-proùucingfunctioIl; but, al the sanl(; limc, there is more
rapid ti sUt! ll1otilTllorphosis, and grcater functional
activity, in cOl1sequence of the iner 'ased circulatioll c lahlbhutl aJ1 over the surface, and which
no <louht p 'Ilctratc as d, 'ply a the physical
intluel1cl; of tho III'at- a point varying with the
_nt 'nsity and dumtioll of th, application. It will
be ohser'v cl thal the . rfects are oblain 'ù wilhout
shock, ilnd without <LilY' -tra delll:1.lIù on the vital
�PI'..l'siologlè:al Propcr/ùs
0/ the Trillers.
53
energy. A !ittle more heat would powerfully excite
the circulatory and nervous systems, but, at the
ternperatures usually ernployed at Vichy, although
the baths at first producc sorne stimulation, the
effect scerns to be soon counterbalanced by the
withdrawal of the blood to the surface, so that,
though the cutancous circulation remains more
active for a considerable time after the bath, the
pulse seldom varies many beats, amI is quite as
o!ten a lil tle slowcr as the reverse. Moreover,
there is no depression aftcr the Vichy baths . This
probably depend . chiefly on thcir temperature; [or,
as water may be.made to convey heat either to or
from the body, so thcre 1S a neutral point at which
it ie; doing neither, anel, though this point may
vary somewhat in different persons, it is weIl
within the range pr~scibed
at Vichy. IL is , too,
known that balhs containing salts and carbonic
acid an be tal'en cooler and for a longer time
than others, th(; sensation of coltl, after the first
impression, b ing less p rccived.
It must not b' assumed that the solid matter
0111ain -(} in the water can be absorbcd into the
sy~t
'm lhrough the sl'in. It is truc thal llumcrous
cxperirnents have heen made wilh a view of
showing that various substances can thus find
th 'ir way into the circulation, but they almost aU
negative the id 'LL. N v rthe1css, some writers
still h0111 to the popu1ar notion. ln combating
this view, wc cou1<l not (l(Imit observations made
'Il Vichy, h C(lUS' Ilot only woultl 'v ry pati nt,
lLllOUgh i11t 'rdit:ted, be likely to sir> occasional1y
�S4
from one of the springs and so vitiate the result,
but the who1e of the drinking water of the neighbourhood is impregnated, to sorne extent, with
soda. Further, not on1y is there no foundation for
crediting the absorption of solids, but it is even
improbable that the cutaneous surface can take up
pure water. The sooner, then, we discard an
un tenable theory the better. Sorne of the most
careful weighing experiments give a diminution
in the weight of the body after a bath, but it is a
matter (Jf drams-or, at most, ounccs-not pounds :
quite within the variation due to pulmonary e,'halation. lt is asy to talk of million. of open
pores as r~a
ly ntr,lI1CC' for iluids; hut, if this
wcre 50, what would be the conscquence of bathing"
in poisonous liquids, or cven applying" poisonous
lotions 1
\V' may now notice the cfli.!cts of Ilrinl'ing thf,
\Vater. As soon a' it is swallo\\"ud, its hClllical
affinities are brought into play. Any acidity in the
cont nts of the stomach must bo immcdiatc.;ly
diminish d, and an alkaline condition may he
temporarily established. ,0, if it pas') beyond th
pylorus, the water will intensify all-alinity, (JI'
neutralis - acidiLy, as it encounters one state or
the other. 'J h LI., the first ffcct i. the chem ictLl
r -action on the ont -nt. of the alimentary canal;
but w' must Ilot forg l t11at t11e warm alhtlil1(!
fluiù mOly also act dircclly 011 th, mu ou surf,lI;e
as weil ol. on il secr ,tioll. \Ve hlOW, furth 'l', th. t
pure warm water taI- 'Il into th· stomach is Ilot
withoul ·rr 'ct on tItat organ ami 011 the sysl 'm.
�PIlJ'siological Praper/les
0/ the
mzters.
55
As soon as absorption takes place, the natural
alkalinity of the blood must be intensified by the
bicarbonate of soda, which is the chief ingredient
of the water, and a normal constituent of the
blood. This base seems to facilitate osmosis, and
promote oxidation of waste materia!. By it certain
carbohydrates, organic acids, and even some constituents of the blood seem to be oxidised. As
there is continuaI interchange between the blood
and the tissues, we perce ive how thesc, in their
turn, undergo morc rapid matamorphoses. Though
we cannot watch the processes going on in the
inner arcana of the economy, wc can trace theie
results in the e.'cretions, by which the disintegratcù matcrial is removed. A· thore is also a
rapid 'Iimination of the min raI salts, they, in
turn, act directly on the organs by which they are
removcc1, and notably alter theïr secretions . The
~l'in
and J'idneys arc most r >markably affected.
1 he per 'piration is rapidly ncutr.dised, anù the
normal aci<1 state of the urine replaced by an
alkalille or ncutral condition. '1 his is what is
commonly unùcrstood by alhtlinising the system.
The increased rate of disintc l'ration lcatls to more
rapi(l formaLion or new tissue so long as frcsh
nutrilll 'Ilt is supplicù and can be lak n up. But
if the clig stivc organ . he impcrrect, or if thcrc bo
<Lny oth 'r imlwtlinH'nt to the assimilation of new
lood, \V<lstin ~ will ensuc.
') hl' chang '5 wc have numcratcd cannot be
withoul eflcct on tlH' t\NVOUS system, which, in ils
~ 'veral parts, Hlay also be morc dircctly inf1uenccd.
�Vic1IJ'·
for-as first demonstrated by IIumboldt-the
excitability of a nerve is exalted by contact with
an alkaline fluid.
The effect on complex organs may be observed
in alterations of function. The action on the liver
and pancreas is twofold-directly on the secretion,
indirectly on the organ thrùugh the circulation.
The circulation itself, as inùicated by the pulse, is
generally quickened at first, but later it is as often
rctarded. On the temperature wc have but few
observations, and they indicate little change.
Barthez found the waters reùuce the pulse, but
here arc other observations lcading to an opposite
opinion. Perhaps the truth is that large quantities
deterioratc the health, cithcr by impairing digestion or by interfering with later nutritive processes,
.-md that such in jury lIlay lIlanif, 'st itself either by
provoking a febrile attack or by brillging about a
more slug-gish achetic condition, acconling to the
constitution of the indiviùual, or other circumstances.
�CIIAPTER L.
r
,
TIIERAPEUTICAL f'ROl'ERTlES OF TI TE \VATER '.
TUE transition from the chemical and physiological
action of Vichy water to its medicinal uses is both
easy and natural. These qualities are aH in reality
closely allieù, the strict1y medical being on1y su ch
as wc may dcduce from the combination of
the others, but we must corroboratc or correct our
dcductions by observation, \Vithout 'ntering into
a.n the theories that have becll propoundcd, \vc
may fairly sut out with the assuIllption that Vichy
waler i5 a potent agcncy for gootl or il!.
nlike
çhemically intliffcrcnt spas, thl! water ' of Vichy
are highly lllincralis d; thcy arc strollgly alkalinc,
th 'ir alkali onsisting [or th' most part of bicarbonate of soda, Wu may thurefure conclllcle that,
whene\'cr this bao;e is indicatcd, a" ichy course"
may be safely tricd; but wholl it is contraimlicalcd, no rational physician would sanction
the xpcrimellt. 1~ut
a course of mineraI waler is
.dtogeth 'r a difrcr 'nt thillg' from the ru 'r' admini 'tration of a certain quantity of any clrug-,
\Vhat, th n, arc wc to und 'rsland h)' a "Vichy
cours(! "? lt compris 'S th ' syslematic u. e of the
\Val 'rs, bollt c ' lcrna11y and int 'rnally, fOI' a Il rio<l
of about thruu \Yccks, during which the dict and
�Vzchy.
regirnen should also be carefully regul<!-ted, and in
sorne cases other accessories ernployed. It may
perhaps be well to consider separately, Ca) the
externaI, (b) the internaI, and (c) the accessory
treatrnent.
(a) E."tcrnal. Of course the baths are the
most important part of the external treatment, but
sornetirncs douches take thcir place. Usually a
bath of an hour's duration is tal-cn cvery day
throu ghout the course, but sometirncs it is nccessary
to omit the bath nowand again. In other cases
it is desirable to prolong th treatrnent, taking
the bath only 'v'ry other day.
1any visitors to
spas chcrish the superstition that a fixcd numb r
of baths must hl! tal-cn by cvery patient. No
cnIightcnccl medical man will countenance such
an absurdity. ... ot only may the Humber of haths
be limini hed; it may C)ually b increased.
Morco\" 'r, although an hour is the avcrilgl' time of
{~ach
bath, the pl1ysician orten has goot! reasoll for
varyin g it in either direction. 1 he tl'mpcmture of
the bath ~ Tl 'r,llly pr' r.ribee! is b ,tw 'Cil R8 U anù
91° l'ahr. Even thi5 is not an absoIulcly fixeù
quantity, hut ,_ 'pcrience has shown thal hetwcen
th s points the baUts t."er isc th b st influence.
'J h wat 'r u ù ror the haths is a mL"lure of th'
difli r nt springs, diluted nt the lime of using with
an t'quaI quuntity of fr sll waler. A bath of pure
milll'ral watcr i n 'v('r givcn '."ccpt by 111 'dical
onkr, th ' rea~on
l>t'in r that th ' Ulldilut 'lI mil\l:ral
w:llf'r Îs loo I!xcilin", and th physicians of Vi hy
have informed me tlwt th 'Y scarccly 'v 'r pr S rib
�Therapmtical Propertù's of the
H~lt'
s .
59
them. l have tried their effect, but on11 one at a
time. A series of such baths will, it is said, produce feveri -hness, headache, sleeplessness, nervous
derangement, and even congestion of the brain.
Sometimes it is found desirable to dilute the water
more than one-half; in othc1' cases, bran or starch is
added to the ordinary bath, Though it is common
to hear the remark that the duration and the composition of the baths arc the ch ief points, l cannot
but regard their tcmperature a 'quallyor even
more important.
(Ii) The internaI treatment consist'i in ùrinl'ing at one of the ~,prings
This has to ho s Iectell
with duc regard to the patient':; conùition, for the
action of the severa1 waters olt the system diffcrs
more than their chemical composition l11igllt loaù
us to il\~
r. Perhaps tho most important Llifferencc
may he duc to the tcmperaturc, in which we have
s' n there arc grcat variations, some springs
b ing hot, others rplite cohl. The prcs encc or
absenc of
rtain ingr 'dients, such a iron, may
'xplain the prestige of SOll1e springs for particular
ailmcnt " Tite dose of the w.Lter llOuld also be
pr scribccl hy the physician, 1t i. dangerous for
the pati 'nt to incrl'<1s the qual\tity as recklcssly
as is donc at SOl11e indiflcrent spas. It i 110t 1l0W
commol1 to ' 'cced t Im;e or four small glasses, scven
ounc s ach, though rar hu-gel" quantities us ù lo
he r 'gularly ,iven . l\.luch 1"
1s orten nough to
mailltaill the s'cr ,tions tll. utral or alkaline, nnll
this i suflici '!lt for all purposcs. If intolcmnCl' or
disgu. t for the romeùy:et in, it shQu1tl be dis-
�60
continued. The time for taking it is morning and
afternoon-some time before breakfast and before
àinner-that is, when the stomach is empty.
(c) Of accessory treatment diet is most important. At Vichy the French system of two
mcals daily is followcd. This is convenient for
bathing, and leaves suitable hours for drinking.
Bordeau,' wine or something as "Iight" is often
recommended. lt us cd to Le held that aU sub-acid
fruits, vincgar, and wine should he denied, as they
\Vere supposed to neutralise the alkaline waters.
It might have hcen supposed that in such case an
c.·tra dose of the watc!rs "\\'ould have sufficed to
restore the balance. \\T e now h10w that the acids
of most of the fruits and vegetahles founel on our
tahles arc o,'iùiscd in the system, and are e.·cr ted
as alkalinr. carhonat!'s, so tl1at they would reinforce
the effcct of' the waters rather than otherwise. As
to the win " it is Ilot the aciùity, but the a1cohol it
con tains which is likely to be injurious. Certainly,
ail fonns of alcohol are inconsistenl \\'it11 alkaline
!l]l'ùication.
Jt is Ilot necessary to dwell on th • shan~
wllich
r 'cr 'ation, x rcise, and <:limate Illay hav' in th·
tr 'atment pursu ù at the nUIllProus spas to which
w' som 'lim 's sem! our patienls, From the tinH!
wh 'n Abernclhy SPlit an ilJvalid on a fruilless
of'rrancl lo thG Yorth of Scolland, these circum-"tances have b (Il fairly apprl' iat ·d. ami to th '01
i. probahly 10 li large n. t'Ill dut; th, faet tllal a.
. -. ort to tir . Spl'Î ng-. i Tl mO!it (';} " i sillon' b 'llCricial than the use of tir "port'lI waters. But, on
l
�Therapeuli'cal Proptr/ùs
of the
Ha/t'rs.
61
the other hand, there are no doubt plenty of
people to whom the Vichy cure would be equally
or even more suitable Olt home; therc are thousands who could 110t possibly leave home without
a complete break up of their families anü business,
while many woulù be better under the immeùiate
directions of their own medical attendants than
that of the most able practitioners who were
5trangers.to their constitutional peculiarities. For
aU these the pure water bottled at the springs,
and the salts for maJ-ing the baths, are now to be
had at a moderate price in London.
From what has been said, it will be seen that il.
Vichy course i5 likely to e."ercise il. powerfuI
thcrapeutical influence. Even the baths alone
produce decided general eŒ.:cts, for, although wc
reject the notion of cutaneous absorption, we
cannot refuse to credit the erfects of the thermal
treatment at Vichy or any other spa. An onlinary
warm or hot bath may proùuce powerful efft.!cts
both in health and discase. lt is frequently
prescribed as a diaphoretic and stimulant, or as a
sedative, and sometimcs as both at once. The
sedative cffect mostly follows the perspiration, anù
is intense in proportion to the time spcnt in the
bath; while thl! e.'citing quality can b increas (1
by raising the temperaturc. A brief immersion in
a very hot bath stimulatcs the clltaneou,> nerVI!S,
and, through them, the cerebral and spinal centres.
A prolonged us' of a warm, but not hot, bath
'xercises a sedative influ ne over museular spasm,
convulsions, anù pain; even 500the5 irritability of
�T'ici!)'.
mind or of the ncrvous centres, caIrns the heart's
action, and conduces to sIcep. A numbcr of prolonged warm baths might induce a state of languor
and debility. "\Vherein, then, do the baths at Vichy
differ? The physicians of the place generally
a.scribe a stimulant, tonic effect to a course of
mineraI baths, and as sort that the tonicity imparted
by this treatment is particularly durable. That the
course does not debilitate may be seen in the gai ety
of those undergoing treatment, and by the energy
\Vith which they enter into a11 the amusements
of th.e place. To what, then, must wc ascribc
the rcstorativc action of the baths - to the saline
ingredients? to the carbonic acid; to the tcmpcrature r or, finally, to the combination of aU
t}H!"C agents 1 "\Vc havo a1r 'aùy seen that the
salls anù the gas e.·crcise an influence in this
directioll. IL i5 ol1ly natural to attributc to the
heat tho c effects which 11Iay bc obtaincd from
inüirrl!r 'nt thermal baths. The alkalinc ingredil'nts are of special value, but, \\"hen their full
effect 011 thc system j rcquiretl, the waters mu t
bc taken intcrnally. l thilll - too l1luch stress has
becn laid on the ùehilitatin dl~
ct of fre5h"\vatl'r balhs. lhose who cOlllplaill l110st of thc:ir
baths w ake ning th 111, pcr i t in tLtl-ing them
too warrn. At il suitable tcmp ' [" ture a series of
prolou ~el
bath may he lnJ 'cn \Vith comforl, as
wc s u nt variou th nn, l spa, hut th r' eomes
a tillH; whcn th 'y have tu uc u pcndcù i anù
Vl Il at
ichy Barth '/. found that SOllH! rohust
men, Llfter thr ' or four week of .·pcrimcntal
�TlurapCltiical Proper/les of Iht
JVa/t'ls.
63
bathing, complained of a feeling of lassitude and
depression. Probably, however, this would have
passed off on reducing the temperature or duration
of the baths.
The mec1icinal value of the interna1 use of the
water corresponds \Vith its chemical an d physiological properties. In the prima: VICc it is an
efficient antacid, and abundant experience proves
that the warm alkaline fluid acts as a sedative
on the gastric mucous membrane. In the circulation it maintains the alkalinity of the fluids,
hastens osmosis, promotcs o.-idation, and facilitates
thc removal of waste products. 'l'hese incrcascd
rnctamorphoses, so far as they art' carricd on at
the expense of the tissues, 1 ad to 10ss of weight.
}< at is the first to be remov d, and its disappear<Lnc is oft n so remal'kablc that some have
upposed that it is soponified by the carbonate
of soda and thcn carried away. But loss ot
weight. is hy no means a ncccssity. If nulrim nt
can be easily assimilated and is auulldantly
supplied, new mate rial may takc the place of oId,
or ils o,-idation may shicld thc tissu '5 and greatly
ait! respiration. and
alorification.
This will
enable the body to recupcrate and CVCIl to add to
its wight, ju lifying the tCrIn r constituant which
is ort 'n applicü to thc trr.at.m 'nt.
Such is the xplanation l woulü olt r of the
apparent paradox t11at iL Vichy cours!! rnay,
accorùing to cirC'umstanc s, l''ither increa c or r duce th wight of the hody. Nor must wc Forget
t.hat in unsuitablc cases the trcatmcnt may impair
�l'lcll)'.
digestion and hinder nutrition at the very time i t
is promoting disintegration. If, then, it should
be recklessly persisted in, rapid emaciation and
cachexia would be a na tural result. It is true
that immense quantities have been taken \Vith
impunity, but sorne exprimnt~
have had cause
to regret their imprudence. This is not the use.
but the abuse, of alkalies, and will receive no
countenance from judicious physicians.
M. 1\IiaIhe, indeed, looks upon the bicarbonate of
soda as an aliment, and maintains that il is inoffensive in far larger doses than arc ever given,
a.nd that uny grcat excess escapes by the bowels.
According to him, there is a limit to the extent to
which the syslem may be alkalinised, but he or
course admits that this may 1)(' donc sufficiently
for therap/'uticaJ purposes. Vic ]"now that wc
may neutralise, or cven alkalinisc, those secretions
whi ch ,.re nalurally <Lcid, and wc may kcep thern
Jl(!utral for a considerable pcriod-much longer
than might hav(~
bean c01ljectur d not 0111y ",ithout dan fer, hut with great bcne{it tü cerL:.tÎn
patients. Olh(;r5, howevcr, ougllt lwvcr lu hl! subjcctcc1 to sllcll treatment, unlpss lllllier special condition s iLl1tl for particular purpose.. Durillg e1imination th e ]"i(llwys arc dir 'cUy stimulated 1>y th·
min ml lllatter, "n(l thair aller tl secretion act~
topi cally on the whole surface over Wllich it l1ows.
Small do '5 500111e the ITlUCou. Il1embran • proba.uly hy n~(lucig
acidily, but large Cjllantities
may producc an oppo il' cffcCL, and arc lil"ely to
invoh" complications. 1h(; rclê.~tio
or the al kali
�65
Tlwüpeulical Propcrlù:s o.f Ille Wllft'rs.
to the several forms of gravel is as obvious as it
is important.
We may, then, sum up the effects of a Vichy
course, wh en judiciously prescribed, as restorative
to the digestive and assimilative functions, and invigorative to the general health. The tone of the
slomach is soon improved, digestion becomes
easier and more rapid, pain and weight after food
disappearing. The bile flows more freely. The
bowels become regular. Diarrhœa, if prcviously
present, ceases. The consequence of these chang-es
is better assimilation, and, therefore, ficsh is olten
gained. \Vith the improvemcnt in nutrition, the
colour rcturns to the checks and energy to the
mind.
The skin becomes delicate and glossy, perhaps
partIy [rom the local action of thc alkali on th,
pidermis. Sometimes an e." anthematous-Iooking
rash com 's out. As to the special efTect on the
muscular system, there is sorne difference of
opinion amongst authorities, which may perhaps
arise from the varying duration of the haths on
diŒ>rent individuals.
On the circulation there is no need to fear any
consid rLtble fTect, either stimulant or dopr ssant.
The ncrvous system may be e.'cited, or, on the
oth r hand, drowsiness and constant tonc1cncy to
sleep may exhibit its sedative influence. ln some
cases it is said to groatly increase animal spirits.
l hav' alroadyalluded to th statoment that an
intoxicaling qualily has oeen conj ctur d by somo
to d weIl in the water. It has bc n argu >d that
h
�66
this is due to the carbonic acid it con tains-the
same gas, we are gravely reminded, which causes
the effervescence of champagne. The nerves seem
to be stimulated to greater activity by the presence
of alkalies in moderate quantity,
Un cler the Vichy treatment, the gastric, biliary,
cutaneous, and urinary secretions are augmented.
What has been called a depurative influence is
thus exercised on the bIood, and, through this
medium, on the solids. A more rapid removal of
worn-out matter from the body, while a new supply
can be assimilated, is undoubtedly an effectuaI
method of restoring the hcaIth; anü perhaps the
increasc of c1ig stive and assimilativ<! power, and
the more rapid s cretion which results from this
treatll1 nnt, are sufficicnt to 'xplain ils valu ,
La tly, on the felllalc reproductive organ" a
Vichy course is saill to act in a special manner,
nel learned writ rs have gone il far ilS ta attribut!'
to it an illlluenc cxl ndin ~ ovcr il prolracl-d
pcriod, in som instances b 'i ng S \:arrieel away
as ta as ribe to th mineraI treatrnent an ÎrH;rca, l!
which has tal-cn place in the f,Lmilil's of palir:nts
monlhs anel r ) \' 'Il yl!étl'S aftcrward.., Credal Jlfill'IIS.'
Coulel il <tct in any other way th.tn itS tlll! g-f ~ n raI
rc tO/\Ltive d ' cribcll auovl! i and thcre i. 1I0lhill"
P cial in that.
ln unsuitablc casus the tr~amen
may giv' ris
to il numbcrofunpl 'asallt . ymplom - mostly those
of SOIlll! sp cial irritation - u Il as !TIlly be r ·ac1ily
<lf' llceù J'rom the for' (oing parliculars.
l~\'
'n wholl mo t illdicat d, it oughl to be COIll-
�Tf/crapeulii:al Properher of the Walers.
67
menced \Vith caution-the tolerance of the system
being gradually ascertained-and in an cases
moderation ought strictly to be enjoined, much
injury having arisen from the excesses that have
sometimes been practised.
E 2
�CHAPTER X.
SPEClAL Tl fERAPEUTICS.
THE several properties of Vichy water having been
already described, it is unnecessary to enter at
length into the theories of thos diseases in
which it is chiefly r commended.
From the
g neral indications which have preceded, the
.English medical profession will have no difficulty
in deducing the particular applications. Neverth 1 ss, sorne brief observations on the more
corn mon uses or the remp.dy in question may serve
as an epitome of the subject, and an index to the
points most worthy of onsideration. First of aU,
it may be obs rV'd that an alkaline thermal
trcatment is of most valu' in chronic casso N xt,
that th dis as's in which its ffects ar most marked
are thos(' implicating the organs of th abdominal
cavity. From th sc propositions w may leduc
that a 'rtain d gr of hronicity or obstinacy in
th dis ase n cl not n c ssarily: discourag(' a trial
of this mode of tr atm 'llt. Lastly, th(' Vichy ure
may be aU mpt cl in aIl cas s in which alkalies
arc h ·mically indicat d. J 11 the two form 'r cas 'S
a mpl 'te cours' of th rmal tr 'atm nt is to b'
carried out; in the Jast, the indications can ort 'n
be fulfillcd by ùrinJ'jng al the springs, or ven by
�Speàal Therapeulics.
the use of the exported water. Bearing in mind
the chemical qualities of Vichy water, the physician
will find numerous cases in his daiIy practice in
which he may prove its valup. It may safelyand
conveniently take the place of many of the common
alkaline formulro, especially those containing soda,
and it will he found more certain in composition,
and therefore in its effects, th an ordinary sodawater-an article which too frequently contains
none of the alkali From which it takes its name.
But, passing over these sIighter cases, it may be
well to summarise in a few paragraphs some of Hs
more important uses.
Dùcascs
0/ Ille StOlJl({c!t rrlld
Bowcls.
That, by its mere chemical reaction, Vichy water
shouid appease the pain' depenc1ent on an e. ' cess
of acid in the jJrùllrr vtir is at once evident, and
that thus such forms of INDIGESTIO. shouid he
cur d i equally casy of comprehension. On the
other hand, this rcmcdy has hcen found efficacious
whcre the action caUed into play by ils continuaI
us s med rathcrto have been the immcdiate cause
of th \ cur '. l' rom sorne valuahle statistics scattereù
through the usefui worl" of Dr. Barthez,'" whose
position as s nior physician to the l\1iIitary Hospita.l at Vi hy afford -cl him a field for observa.tion
by which hl! gr 'atly profil d, it appears that, out
of 100 cases of GAS'lRI! [S, SI w re cured, 36
• .. (iuidc Plilli'l'Ie de M,ll;ldcs;1\1
I ~ aux
(le Vichy'" Pari·, 18fJI.
�T'ïchJ"
relieve d, while only 13 were unbene fited. In
PYROS IS 80 per cent. of the patien ts were cured.
In GASTR ALGIA 52 cases out of 100 were cured,
43 relieve d, and only 5 contin ued in the same
condit ion; while other forms of DYSI'E PSIA were
more tractab le th an even PYROS IS. In fact,
Vichy is regard ed by many as the natura l cure for
disord ers of the digest ive appara tus, and so about
two-th irds of the visitor s are sent there for such
maladi es. It must, howev er, be observ ed that, to
obtain the best results in dyspep sia, no little discrimin ation is requir ed in the selecti on of suitablC'
cases. Thus, valuab le as Vichy is in sorne cases
of gastra lgia, it is use1 ss in otht'rs , and so as
regard s other forms of indige stion. Simpl e or
idiopa thie cas s are very amena ble to the treatm nt, but those which are rather of the nature of
neural gia are lik]y to b aggrav ated. Thus,
again, malad ies of the stoma eh are often omplie ations of other diseas s, and, unless th se latt rare
likely to hr' benefi ted by th rmal ir atmen t, the
pati nts shoulcl nol b s nt to Viehy to comba t
ases of canc r of
th accom panyin g clyspepsia.
th stoma ch arc met \Vith at Vichy, but l do not
. e {11at th r ,li .f of sympt oms at an arly stag
would he gr at r th<1.n could be obtain cl at horo
from ordina ry trcatm nt, and it i t b hoped no
on WOU}(} s '!leI atlvan c cl cas s away. Discas s
of th' int stin sare somcti m s tr at'd at Vichy,
but th r' are non mor' difficult to mana g. Som
œ lf, which may b . 1001" cl upon as a
cas s of d/ ~ /rlt
kiml of ùdt {t'tltlt indige stion, do rcmnr kably \Vell,
�Special Tlurapeut/cs.
but the treatment should be cautiously undertaken
and carefully supervised. Favourable results have
followed the waters in chronic tropical dysentery
and diarrhœa.
Dùeases of tlle Lzver.
Closely allied to the previous ailments are a
number of liver complaints, in which the reputation of Vichy has long been established, and the
number of pati nts \Vith this organ more or less
involved to be met around the Grande rrille has
already been alluded to. Vichy is, in fact, the
spa to which those resort who have served in
Algeria and other hot countries, and who suffer
From the ffects of tropical c1imatcs on the liver;
besides which, oth('r diseases of the same viscus
are hcre successfully combated.
Instead of
entering on the severn.! theories on the strength of
which a11"a1ine treatment is rccommended in th ese
cases, 1 shall tal"c it for granted that they are
sufficiently familiar to the reader, and merely stop
to quote the 5tatistics of Dr. Barth z on this point.
ut of 100 cases of what he call::; h patalgia, or
h('patic co1ie, 83 were cur d and 17 rclieved. In
simpI' ,ngorgement of the liver, \Vith or without
colic, 45 W'1"e cured, 'la rclicvcc1, and 15 r 'ccivcd
no b 'n -fit. This obs f\' r adds that the trcatmCJlt
would havI' b n still more bcneficial hat! 110t sorne
of th patienb suf~'red
from t11(' injurious drug
administ 'r 'cl b ,fore thcir r sort to Vichy. Out of
100 cases of biliary ca1culi tr 'at d by the same
author, 60 were cured, 21 relicved, anü 19 undcr-
�went no change. J AUNDICE, which may be looked
upon rather as a symptom than a disease, very
often readily yields to the thermal treatment at
Vichy; while that condition sometimes denominated
sluggishness of the liver, as well as those forms of
constipation or diarrhœa dependent on irregular
secretion of the bile, are equally relieved or
removed. In the treatment of aU these diseases,
drinking at the rande Grille is usually prescribed
in conjunction with the baths.
DÙ('({j(:s
0/ IIIC
.SplCC7t.
Engorgement of the spleen is as commonly
treated at Vichy as that of the li ver. Numerous
subjects of this disease, contracted from residence
in Africa, as weU as those who have lived in
marshy districts, every year finù relief al this spa.
1t i asserted that greal enlargemenl of the spleen
following intermittent fever is speeùily reduced by
the conjoint use of the baths and drinking on of
the springs, and, moreov r, that, with the diminution of the diseasecl organ, the general state of the
patient is also improved. From th ('xp 'ricnce of
the Military Hospital, this disease would appear les
am nabl to the trcatm nt than th- same condition
of the liv'r.
ut of 100 cases of enlarg ment of
the spIc 'n originatcù by agu ',th proportion wa '
7 ur d and 45 r -li -ved, while 1 R continu d in the
sam' state as b for' treatmcnt.
It will not b out of pluc h r to mention that
peculiar Cflche.\t(~
so Orlen 'ngend 'red by marshy
�Specz'al The:-apeutù:s.
73
miasms. The pallid or saUow anœmic look of
the patient, dependent on sorne profound alteration
in the nutritive functions, and accompanied by a
vitiated state of aU the secretions, and sometimes
by passive hœmorrhages more or less severe, has
been attributed to a changed state of the blood-a
diminution of its plasticity, a decrease of the red
globules, and increase of the white- to use a long
word, LEUCOCYTHEMIA. This disease might be
supposed incapable of benefit from alkalies, and
many physicians would hesitate to try them. Dr.
Barthez, indeed, admits that Vichy treatment would
not be proper in such a state if arising from a
congenital lymphatic temperament, but he dec1ares
it to be curative when this condition is brought
about by bad c1imate, indigestion, insuflicient
nutriment, inilammation of the livt.;r or spleen,
disease of the ganglionic system, or agu. \Vhenev 'r prescribed for these cas 'S, the 'halyb ate
springs would naturiJlly be sclcctcd, and thcir action
might bt~ assisted by ferruginous preparations and
<>ther appropriate tonics.
j)/sCilSt'S
(1/
Illt Urtilllry Or,I[({/Is.
1 he dcposit of lithic acid and lithalcs may b
imm diat Iy suspcmled by the introduction of the
bicarbonate of soda into the system, so that we
ne et! 110t be surpris'd to learn that the Lilhic
Diathesis may undergo a change by a compl 'te
course of thermal alkaline tr ,.ttment. Uric acid,
the urates, and th' cystic o."ide arc all very solubl .
·fore il. sort
in alkalinc liquiùs. Vichy \Vater is thc~
�7+
Vidlj'.
of specifie for GRAVEL, provided that it be comp~d
of either of these substances. But let it never be
forgotten that the phosphates and oxalates of the
urine are immediate1y precipitated by al1-alies.
It therefore follows that Vichy water may be
positively dangerous in the phosphatic diathesis.
This, indeed, is denied by Dr. Daumas,· who professes to have found the treatment as efficacious
in white as in red gravel, and attributes this success
to the Vlflll a distinguished from the c!wJlZcnl
action of the remedy. The explanation is, however, not satisfactory in face of the fa ct that a
pelliele of ammoniaco-phosphate of magncsia may
be s en on the surface of the urine as soon as it
becomes n'utralised or acquîres the faint 'st
alkaline r 'action. In the d po it of lithalC's, Vichy
wat r i a natura1 r m dy, and, a cording to th
5tatistics of Dr. Barthez, ured 55 p r cent. of the
patients anù rclicverl 40 per cent. morp., only
1 aving 5 per cent. unimprov d. Fr m th' intimatc
r -Jations IJl'tw 'H th skin and hùn ys it is on1y
nalural to nnd that the th _rmal baths are of gr at
valu in lithiasis; but they are usually suppl 'ml'ntcd hy drinking th wat r5. Pati 'nts suffering
from th 'se <lisorù 'rs, who cannot go to Vichy, may
al 0 ,,-dvantag ously mploy th imported waters.
ALCUI.r.-It is 110t surprising' that llumerous
diff,'r 'nces of opinion should surround th qu 'stion
as to th! apabi1ity of this tr 'atm 'nt dissolving
d médicale des SOUI ce de ViI;h y; " l'.lrÎ ,
�Spcdal Therapeu/ù:s.
75
renal or vesical calculi. In 1839 M. Bérard'
reported that this \Vas not only possible, but
offered great probabilities; and, further, that a trial
could not be attended \Vith danger. M. Ossian
Henry afterwards gave favourable opinions from a
number of experiments \Vith the liquid on certain
calculi; but these experiments in the laboratory
are by no means conclusive as to the possibility of
acting on the human boùy, anù, although one or
two writers still think small stones may be dissolved,
they do not pretend that large ones can, while
most authorities do not admit that any caIculus
once formcd can be thus removed. Where the
symptoms have disapp ared, the stone has probably
found its \Vay out fier vias na/ura/es. The imm nse
pr ponde rance of uric calculi ov r ph05phatic is
p rhaps th most hopeful fact in the history of this
pain fuI disease in relation to the long - ve.'cd
qu stion of r moval by solution. But this also
points to oth r alkali '5 a preferabl to soda.
ATA RRII.· AfLer aU the ordinary
VE ICAL
rem dies have failed, good results have sometimes
been brought about in this ùis as by a complete
course of ichy tr atment. Of 97 cases admittcd
into the l\li1itary lIo pitaI,J5 are reporLed as cured
and 51 reliev cl, no difference being perceptible
in the r mainin ~ 1 J. Bathing as well as drinhng
i
m1l1oy 'ù in this diseas ; nemas a1so have
be 'n found usefuI, anù illjections have be 11 tri d.
Il
Bull linde \'ùc lémie. "
�Vic11f.
This last local application deserves a further trial.
Cases complicated with calculus, paralysis of the
bladder, and incontinence of urine have also
obtained relief.
Gout.
Whether we believe that uric acid in the blood
excites the paroxysms, or that this statement
ought rather to be reversed, we may start from the
decision of the Paris Academy as to the value of
Vichy water in gout. After animated debate,
this learned body agreed that it had been " ltseful
rallzer titan Iloxûms." N ext, let us take up the
statistics of the Military Hospital, 50 often cited.
In 57 patients out of 100 admitt d under r.
Barthez, the paroxysms entirely disappeared,
although they had previously recurred for several
suce ssive years-once or more a year; 3'1 \Vere so
much r ,li 'ved thal som of them consider d
themselves 'luite cured; 9 wcre neither better nor
worsc. This physician declare' that in aU his
exp ri nec he never saw gout rceed to the
int rnal organs, nor th blood suIf'r injury, from
the tr atment, although many patients hacl carri <1
it to xe '55. lhe 'rror of abu5ing the remeely has
be 'Il previously noticed. It is again l' ferret! to
be ause it has b 'en in go ut that the alkalinisation
has oft 'n b' 'n pushed b 'yond th' limits of
prudence. A gooel rem 'lIy in 1110d 'rate dos s
may in un)jmit '<1 quantities prove a poison, and
uch alka)jcs might easily be to gouty ]l 'rsons
�Special Therapeullà.
77
unless employed with proper precaution and, as a
rule, short of alkalinising the system. The spring
of the Célestins has the greatest reputation for
gout. Perhaps, being cold and of more pleasant
taste, it more easily pleases the fastidious palate.
There is certainly nothing in the chemical constituents to render it 50 much superior to its
fellows, the ingredients in aIl being 50 nearly
alike. It has appeared to me that one reason for
its proving 50 valu able in these cases is its position
Located half a mile or more from the establishm nt,
to drink at this fountain two or three times a day
means to wall- a certain distance, and we aIl know
what a valuable adjuvant to the treatment a certain
amount of walking exercise must be j especial1y
would this walk prove superior to the dreary
marching up and down the gallery for so many
minutes, which is not seldom prescribed. Arrived,
too, at the fountain, and the draught taken, the
patient can continue his stroll in this picturesque
garù 'n, or repose, before his retum, in the pavilion
fltte(1 up for lIis us. The baths are Iess employed
in gout than in oth r ailments, and, the spring being
cohl, th treatment might b carried out in Englanù
wilh the hottlcd waters could wc prevail on the
patient to submit to the other hygienic onditions.
RltWlIlcl!ÙJJl.
In this dis ase Vichy has n ver been 50 popular
as in gout. It may he thought that this is b 'cause
the 'xc 's of acid in the secretions ü; no t mani-
�~ichy.
fest in acute rheumatism, when patients cannot be
moved. But in more chronic rheumatic affections
alkalies are often employed, though, it must be
confessed, with little success, unless for the purpose
of mp.eting temporary indications. This may
perhaps be regarded as another indication of the
inadequacy of the chemical theory of rheumatism.
Of late years the frequent as ociation of joint
affections with nerve lesions has been amply
illustrated by Charcot, Weir-~Itchl,
and others;
but, long before their investigations, the late Dr.
Billing taught at the London Hospital and in his
« Principles of Medicine" that aU forms of rheumatism were of neurotic origin, and could only be
satisfactorily treated in accordance with this view.
It will, then, be weIl to restrict the internaI use of
Vichy wat r in rheumatism to those cases in
which aIl"alics are indicatcd to rcctify disorders
of digestion and assimilation. On the other hand,
the baths may be employed to allcviate pain and
promot the restoration of movement in joints.
In s iatica, in lumbago, and aIl forms of muscular
Theumatism, any WiLTIll baths arC' sC'rviceabl .
can h' tal' 'Il , warm swimming-baths
'VIJ en th(~y
arc orten 'fTcctua1. But douch 's arc frequcntly
th . mosl cfficaciolls; and thcse arc a1so bcnclicial
in rhculllatic goul, provid cl thcy arc carerully
admini tercd an<l are warrn tlough. 1 h 'y are
orten Vl'ry po\\' 'rflllly aitl 'd by vapour baths, (·ilh r
local or genera1. Il will b oh 't'ved tltat it is th'
thermal ratller than the alh:t1inc trentment which
the '. sClltia1 point in rhcumatism, and this i.
�Specùzl Tlurapeulû:s.
79
why aU thermal spas can boast of more or less
success in the management of that disease.
Dzàbetcs.
This intractable disease has been submitted to
the Vichy treatment, \Vith results that have encouraged many observers. In 100 cases treated by
Barthez, 50 lost aU traces of sugar, in 16 it
greatly diminished, while in 34 it remained the
same in quantity as before, and that in spite of
improved digestion and increased muscular
strength following the treatment. From his
observations this author concludes that, if the
patient on arriving at Vichy only secrete a smtlll
quantity of sugar, it may disappear under the
thermal treatment, but that if the qunntity be
large this result will not be reaeliIy aUaineel. ]f e
further remark . that, as this manifestation is lik Iy
to recur, the patient shouid go to Vichy sevcral
successive years. Dr. Daumas seems to ent rtain
a less favourn.ble vicw; while Dr. Durand-Farel J,
who has made a profound study of the subject, COJ1c1udcs, very rationally, that, wilhout lookin r on the
tr 'atment as a ch mical speciflc, since t'qually goot!
cffi>cts may follow otll 'r methods, none appro,lches
that of Vichy [or the cer1.ainty and r 'gularity of
its rcsults in the majority of cases.
A lbulIlùlll rÛl.
Sorne or th Vichy physicians have thought that
the elimination of albumen by the urin' might be
�80
Vz'cliy.
heldin check by their treatment. It is quite conceivable that the stimulation of the skin by hot mineraI
baths, conjoined with hot alkaline drinks, together
with tonies, might in some cases be useful. But
this is little more than making the hot mineraI bath
a valuable adjuvant to other treatment. Especially
would such practice be likely to succeed where the
albuminuria manifested itself as the sequel to some
eruptive fever. In Bright's disease much circumspection would be required in allowing the alkali
to be taken into the stomach; whenever the results
of desquamation are to be found in the urine, the
utmost caution should be exercised. Possibly, in
minute doses, the alkali might sometimes he of
service, though l should b more inclin 'd to
confin the thermal treatment of this disease to
the haths, looking upon these only as an adjunct to
th' ordinary means mployed. Moreover, vapour
or hot-air baths, if only th 'Y w re car fully useù,
would S' '11\ preferahl . to the min raI haths.
Dùcases of tllr lIcrrrt.
ardiac dis ase i' usually Iooked upon as precluding- a resort to min raI wat r, and Vichy
among th
r t. N verthe1 55, some l' r neh
authorities hav' proposeù th -ir -mploym 'nt, and
lM. Vernif\!" and Dufr ·ss ù \ hassaigne have
n'port d to the Acadcmy favourable r sults from il
trial of th
halyb at \ wat rs f Saint-N taiT!!
anù Chauù '5- igu 5. 1 r. iculas has also main-
�Special Therapettlics.
tained if> that the mineraI treatment of Vichy may
be advantageously resorted to in certain organic
diseases of the he art, and most especially in those
arising in the rheumatic and gouty temperaments.
His theory is not inferior to many others proposcd
on the mode of action of this remedy-inùeed, it
consists in a combination of the chemical and vital
theories propounded by others, and is an exemplification of the extent to which we may go when
once we look upon the human body as a mere
Iahoratory. The ingenious author will find it
difficult to convince the English mind that the
mineraI water finds its way to a valvular concretion, and then breaks it up and dissolves it.
nc~ids
which, although it may be yet found that
the treatment is less dangerous than has been
believed in heart disease, it will always demand
the utmost precaution in pre~cibng
it.
Dùcases 0/ Fcmalcs.
That a number of the patients may be benefited
by the various heaIthful inlluences by whi.ch they
arc surrounded at most spas is incontrovertible,
and thal certain mineraI waters are particularly
efficaciou ' requires no teslimony. At Vichy, il is
by the Chalybeate springs that this class of
maladies is treateù, nOT ne -d wc car to dcny that
the small, yet perceptible, <luantity of iron in the
.Me!ielamcs or the Larùy may b \ of p 'culiar value
in AN.& lIA . But, while admitting thi!i, we are not
• .. I} Utilit é dl: Alcalin ct mt out ,le E uux minéralcs de Vichy
ontre ccrt'lin s A ,rection orgnlli'jucs du CU: UI."
1
�82
Vzchy.
to overlook the importance of other hygienic
measures, and the general improvement of the
health which follows a course of the baths is
perhaps the first step in the cure. At the same
time, where iron is deficient in the blood, it is not
to be doubted that the system is capable of sep arating it from a liquiù in which a minute quantity
of that metal exists quite as easily, anù, for aught
we know, more easily, than from our meùicinal
preparations.
In CIILOROSIS, 1\1. Petit looks upon the efficacy
of Vichy treatment as equalled only in few other
diseases. This seems, after what has preccded,
almost an exaggeration, yet aH the other local
practitioner ' regard the ferruginous Vichy springs
as peculiarly scrviccable in this ail ment, antlscveral
maintain that th, Mesdames anù the Lardy are
sufficient for the cure of ail cases. The Jirst go où
'!Ti 'ct is almost invariahly proùuced on the
digestive system, and how OltCll, wh 'Il the gencral
hcalth improves undcr any kincl of trr'at\1H!l1t, the
p 'cial organs return to the c1ischarge of th 'ir
IUllctions i5 weil hlOwn to 'very obs!, rvcr. ln
the merely sylllpLllhetic canliac symptoms whi h
oft 'n accornpuny thl's ' cas!'s thl!r 'can be 110 contrainùication to th!! tr 'atment.
o 'ü ,~s · , O.' (}J. " Il~
ï 1~H.lJS,
a well as som
d gr e of J IY"~R
" IWI'IlY, and ail thal terribl
train of sy11lptorn rl!sulting From inl111mmatioll,
irritatioll, or ! \' 'n natural stimulation of this organ,
�Specz"al Therapezdics.
rnay be appropriately submitted to thermal
treatment, and every year numerous sufferers find
at Vichy sorne relief from the consequences of
difficult or too frequent labours, painful miscarriages, irregularities of menstruation, falls or
other accidentaI injuries, as weIl as natural and
preventible sources of irritation. LEUCORRHŒA
should be looked upon as a symptom only, and
its management referred to its cause.
OVARIAN disease or mere 'irritation may have a
similar origin, and give ri se to the samo train of
distressing symptoms. lIappily, it is a1so frequently
amenable to the samu treatment. It is in these
cases that p/I'Cl'lIes are mostly useel. These baths
arc large nough for several patients to take
together- a sort of swimming-bath, in fact. lheir
chief rccommendation i5 that the patients can
move frcf'ly about during the time of the bath, and
th -rcfore rnay stay i11 it a longer lime without
being oven'v'he1med hy the tediou 'nes·. It has
becn urgl'd, abo, that they can talk tog ·ther, but r
am Ilot om! of th05e who deem t11is an advantage,
for conv 'n,atioll \Voultl naturally turn on the one
subjuct of the patients' maladies, anù the less
attention th 'Y give to their local symptoms the
b tl 'r. Nor can 1 altog -ther reconcile t11is with
the peculiar ù -licacy which should be the charm of
the l'-male minÙ. The less fuss maùe about the
uterin' or ovar:ian lesions the butter.
1t is in these diseases that enemas of Vichy
waler are round of the greale t serY' cc, and in-
�Vi'chy.
jections may z1t some cases be safely employed,
though only with considerable circumspection. It
il> from the use of the warm baths that l should be
disposed to anticipate most advantage. Acidity
in the prùJlœ viœ, so often present, could be appropriately relieved by drinking at one of the springs.
Douches and frictions will suggest themselves as
likely to benefit many sufferers, and exercisewalking or driving, according to circumstancesas weIl as every other means of restoring the
health, inc1uding sometimes the administration of
sorne drugs, will prove valuable adjuncts to the
treatment.
In malignant diseases it has been found by
sorne that the baths have moderated the sufferings of the patients, and afforded a tcmporary
tonic to the system ; but probably warm mineraI
baths at home would be qually good, and of a
hundredfolc1 more comfort to the unhappy sufferer.
1 her' could be no harm in trying th m mad \Vith
the Vichy salts, now to he had in England, the
extraction of which has becn prcviously described.
l.ondr" • AI.RU
U aM
��aM
VI
\ \ % \~ \~ ~ \ \ \ \ \ ~
HY
\ \ \ \~
���
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Le Thermalisme
Relation
A related resource
https://bibliotheque-virtuelle.bu.uca.fr/files/vignettes
/BCU_Vichy_album_de_photographies_247365.jpg
Description
An account of the resource
<p>La médiathèque Valery Larbaud de Vichy conserve plusieurs centaines d'ouvrages consacrés au thermalisme.<br />En partenariat avec l'Université Clermont Auvergne, est ici mise en ligne une sélection...<br /><a href="https://bibliotheque-virtuelle.bu.uca.fr/exhibits/show/lethermalisme">En savoir plus sur le Thermalisme</a></p>
Text
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Vichy
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Prosser, James
Title
A name given to the resource
Vichy and its therapeutical resources
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Baillère, Tindal, and Cox. ; Alexander an Shepheard
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1883
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Médiathèque Valery Larbaud (Vichy) S.H. V 10 910.2 VIC
Bibliothèque Université Clermont Auvergne
Subject
The topic of the resource
Cures thermales -- France -- Vichy (Allier) --19e siècle
Vichy (Allier) -- 19e siècle -- Guides
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
84 p.
application/pdf
Description
An account of the resource
Dédicace manuscrite de l'auteur à Durand-Fardel
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
text
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Domaine publique
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
BCU_Vichy_and_its_therapeutical_resources_115069
Relation
A related resource
vignette : https://bibliotheque-virtuelle.bu.uca.fr/files/thumbnails/22/26605/BCU_Vichy_and_its_therapeutical_resources_115069.jpg
Cures thermales -- France -- Vichy (Allier) --19e siècle
Vichy (Allier) -- 19e siècle -- Guides