Buxton and its Medicinal Waters Part 2

The above remarks apply equally to the various forms of chronic rheumatism, ch.o.r.ea, paralysis agitans, infantile paralysis, hysterical paralysis, mercurial and lead poisoning, muscular atrophy; rigid atrophy, consequent upon the rheumatic diathesis; locomotor ataxia, as a result of rheumatism; syphilis, or local injury; cranial, facial, and intercostal neuralgia; sciatica, lumbago, and their allied affections, especially of a neurotic nature.

The number of baths which const.i.tute a course are usually reckoned at from 15 to 17, which necessitates a residence in Buxton of about one month, provided they can be steadily and uninterruptedly continued throughout that period. If, however, the course has to be discontinued on account of the supervention of acute symptoms (not an unfrequent occurrence) a longer residence is required. Some persons (though all goes on regularly) require more and some less, according to the age, strength, and const.i.tution of the bather and nature of the case. As a rule, experience teaches that the younger the individual, and the more recent and acute the disease, the fewer number of baths will be requisite to give permanent relief, the full effects of the medicinal water being obtained more rapidly, and the ultimate result being more satisfactory.

This, however, need not be a discouragement to those advanced in life, whose misfortune it has been to suffer from repeated attacks of gout or rheumatism, as may be gathered from a perusal of the annual report of the Devonshire Hospital, an inst.i.tution mainly for the reception of patients of all ages, suffering from the gouty and rheumatic diatheses.

Subjoined I give an extract from the medical report of the Hospital, which clearly indicates the nature and character of those diseases specially benefited by the use of the Buxton thermal water. According to the report, 2,351 patients were admitted under treatment during 1891, 2,222 suffering from gout rheumatism or some of the allied affections, and 129 unconnected with either diatheses. The following types of disease, as connected with the two diatheses, are included in the 2,351:-

DISEASES OF THE LOCOMOTORY SYSTEM.

Rheumatism 1322 Specific Rheumatism 5 Podagra 51 Rheumatic Arthritis 550 Synovitis 2 Chronic Periost.i.tis 1 Sciatica 197 Lumbago 15 Sciatica and Lumbago 14 Neuralgia 10 Peripheral Neuritis 3 Poliomyelitis Anterior Chronica 1 Lateral Sclerosis 7 Progressive Muscular Atrophy 1 Pseudo, Hypertrophic Muscular Paralysis 1 Locomotor Ataxia 15 Multiple Sclerosis 1 Chronic Myelitis 1 Hemiplegia 8 Ch.o.r.ea 10 Paralysis Agitans 1 Lead Poisoning 10 2222

I find that during thirty-two years, the Devonshire Hospital, which contains 300 beds, has admitted between fifty-two and fifty-three thousand patients, suffering princ.i.p.ally from the various forms of gout rheumatism and those diseases which are allied to them. Out of this vast number were returned only 6,753, having obtained no relief, which may be accounted for by the fact that most of these latter were labouring under affections unconnected with either gout or rheumatism. These figures will, I think, be admitted as conclusive evidence of the medicinal efficacy of the Buxton Spa in relieving suffering humanity from some of the most painful and intractable forms of disease to which high and low, rich and poor, are alike amenable.