CHAPTER IV. BATHS AND MINERAL WATERS.

 Miraculous Springs.—The Pool of Bethesda.—Herb-baths.

 

Especially in Germany mineral waters achieved great popularity in the treatment of diseases in the seventeenth century.

 

In ancient times, according to Pliny, Paulus ?gineta, and others, mineral waters were recognised as possessing curative effects, and the temples of health were frequently erected¹ in contiguity² to these powerful aids to treatment. Savages³ are everywhere fully⁴ aware of the value of such medicinal waters, and avail themselves of their benefits. Hot springs, wherever they occur, are highly esteemed⁵ by the natives. Humboldt states that on Christianity being introduced into Iceland, the natives refused to be baptized in any but the waters of the geysers.928 Hooker tells us that in the hot springs of Yeuntong, which burst from the bank of the Lachen, in the Himalayas, the natives remain three days at a time, bathing in the saline and slightly sulphuretted waters. No better treatment for certain forms of skin diseases could be followed.929 Such a course of treatment is carried out now at the baths of Leuk, in Switzerland, amongst other places. There the patients take their meals and play cards, chess, draughts⁶, etc., while up to their necks in the warm medicinal waters. Hooker tells us, again, of the use of hot baths amongst the Sikkim Bhoteeas. The bath consists of a hollowed prostrate⁷ tree trunk, the water of which is heated by throwing in hot stones with bamboo tongs⁸. They can raise the temperature to 114°, the patient submitting to this at intervals⁹ for several days, never leaving till wholly exhausted¹⁰.930

 

Dr. Mead931 thinks that the Pool of Bethesda, spoken of in the Gospel of St. John, chap, v., was a medicinal bath, whose virtues¹¹ principally resided in the mud which settled at the bottom. It was necessary, therefore, that the pool should be “troubled,” that is to say, stirred up, so that the person bathing therein might derive¹² benefit from the401 metallic¹³ salts, “perhaps from sulphur, alum, or nitre,” which settled at the bottom. Celsus and Pliny recommend medicinal baths for nervous disorders¹⁴. Pliny particularly advises aluminous baths for paralytics, and adds that “They use the mud of those fountains with advantage, especially if, when it is rubbed on, it be suffered to dry in the sun.”932

 

Many curious instances of the superstitious¹⁵ uses made of holy wells in the treatment of disease, in which customs the elements of magic ritual are not difficult to discover, are given in Gomme’s Ethnology in Folklore¹⁶, pp. 97-99.

 

Eight miles from Munich lies the village of Heilbrunn (healing spring); tradition says it is the oldest medicinal spring in Bavaria. Near the spring was a monastery¹⁷, said to have been destroyed and the well choked with the débris in 935 a.d. In 1509 the monks¹⁸ made some excavations¹⁹, and the source of the spring was discovered; at the same time flames burst forth²⁰ over it, the phenomena²¹ being of course attributed to a miracle. The reputation of the medicinal waters brought the Elector’s wife to the spot in 1659; she derived²² such benefit from the visit that the spring was named after the princess—Adelheid’s Quelle. It became famous amongst the country people for the cure of scrofulous and other diseases. In 1825 Dr. A. Vogel, of Munich, analysed the waters, and found them to contain iodine²³ in important quantity. This led to the deepening and improvement of the spring, and in the course of the operations one of the workmen brought a lighted candle close to the surface of the water; the gas, escaping in bubbles, at once caught fire, and the miracle of 1509 was explained. The fact is that a considerable amount of carburetted hydrogen floats over the surface of the water, and will readily take fire when in contact with a light. Recent analysis of the water shows that it contains bromine, iodine, and chloride of sodium²⁴, sulphate of soda²⁵, carbonates of soda, lime, magnesia, and iron. It is altogether one of the most remarkable²⁶ of the medicinal springs, and its composition explains its value in calming and soothing²⁷ the mucous²⁸ membrance of the stomach and other organs. Its curative effects have been proved in scrofula, glandular²⁹ swellings, bronchial affections, mesenteric and female disorders.933

 

Baths impregnated with vegetable extracts and odours have long been in use. Pine-leaves are at present largely employed, and baths of conium, lavender, hyssop, etc., are still used as sedatives³⁰. Anciently baths of this kind were as complicated in character as the medicines administered internally.

 

402

 

Here is an ancient prescription³¹ for a medicinal bath:—

 

The Makyng of a Bathe Medicinable.934

 

“Holy hokke and yardehok peritory935 and the broun fenelle,936

Walle wort937 herbe John938 Sentory939 rybbewort940 and cammamelle,

Hey hove941 heyriff942 herbe benet943 brese wort944 and small ache,945

Broke lempk946 Scabiose947 Bilgres wild flax is good for ache;

Wethy leves, grene otes boyld in fere fulle soft,

Cast them hote in to a vesselle and sett your soverayn alloft,

And suffire that hete a while as hoot³² as he may a-bide;

Se that place be couered welle over and close on every side;

And what dissese ye be vexed³³ with, grevaunce outher peyn,

This medicyne shalle make yow hoole surely, as men seyn.”948

George Herbert, in his Priest to the Temple, enumerates³⁴ the duties of the parson’s wife, and extols³⁵ the virtues of these homely³⁶ remedies. “For salves, his wife seeks not the city, but prefers her gardens and fields before all out-landish gums; and surely hyssop, valerian, mercury, adder’s tongue, melilot, and St. John’s wort, made into a salve, and elder, comphrey, and smallage, made into a poultice, have done great and rare cures.”

1 ERECTED   

adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立

参考例句：

• A monument to him was erected in St Paul's Cathedral. 在圣保罗大教堂为他修了一座纪念碑。
• A monument was erected to the memory of that great scientist. 树立了一块纪念碑纪念那位伟大的科学家。

2 contiguity   

n.邻近，接壤

参考例句：

• The contiguity of the house and the garage was a convenience in bad weather.住宅和车库毗邻，这在天气不好的时候是很方便的。
• Scientists want to investigate the relation between xerophthalmia occurrence and smut contiguity.科学家们打算探讨干眼症与煤尘接触之间的关系。

3 savages   

未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There're some savages living in the forest. 森林里居住着一些野人。
• That's an island inhabited by savages. 那是一个野蛮人居住的岛屿。

4 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

5 esteemed   

adj.受人尊敬的v.尊敬( esteem的过去式和过去分词 )；敬重；认为；以为

参考例句：

• The art of conversation is highly esteemed in France. 在法国十分尊重谈话技巧。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He esteemed that he understood what I had said. 他认为已经听懂我说的意思了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 draughts   

n. <英>国际跳棋

参考例句：

• Seal (up) the window to prevent draughts. 把窗户封起来以防风。
• I will play at draughts with him. 我跟他下一盘棋吧！

7 prostrate   

v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的

参考例句：

• She was prostrate on the floor.她俯卧在地板上。
• The Yankees had the South prostrate and they intended to keep It'so.北方佬已经使南方屈服了,他们还打算继续下去。

8 tongs   

n.钳；夹子

参考例句：

• She used tongs to put some more coal on the fire.她用火钳再夹一些煤放进炉子里。
• He picked up the hot metal with a pair of tongs.他用一把钳子夹起这块热金属。

9 intervals   

n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息

参考例句：

• The forecast said there would be sunny intervals and showers. 预报间晴，有阵雨。
• Meetings take place at fortnightly intervals. 每两周开一次会。

10 exhausted   

adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的

参考例句：

• It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。
• Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。

11 virtues   

美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处

参考例句：

• Doctors often extol the virtues of eating less fat. 医生常常宣扬少吃脂肪的好处。
• She delivered a homily on the virtues of family life. 她进行了一场家庭生活美德方面的说教。

12 derive   

v.取得；导出；引申；来自；源自；出自

参考例句：

• We derive our sustenance from the land.我们从土地获取食物。
• We shall derive much benefit from reading good novels.我们将从优秀小说中获得很大好处。

13 metallic   

adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的

参考例句：

• A sharp metallic note coming from the outside frightened me.外面传来尖锐铿锵的声音吓了我一跳。
• He picked up a metallic ring last night.昨夜他捡了一个金属戒指。

14 disorders   

n.混乱( disorder的名词复数 )；凌乱；骚乱；（身心、机能）失调

参考例句：

• Reports of anorexia and other eating disorders are on the increase. 据报告，厌食症和其他饮食方面的功能紊乱发生率正在不断增长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The announcement led to violent civil disorders. 这项宣布引起剧烈的骚乱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 superstitious   

adj.迷信的

参考例句：

• They aim to deliver the people who are in bondage to superstitious belief.他们的目的在于解脱那些受迷信束缚的人。
• These superstitious practices should be abolished as soon as possible.这些迷信做法应尽早取消。

16 folklore   

n.民间信仰，民间传说，民俗

参考例句：

• Zhuge Liang is a synonym for wisdom in folklore.诸葛亮在民间传说中成了智慧的代名词。
• In Chinese folklore the bat is an emblem of good fortune.在中国的民间传说中蝙蝠是好运的象征。

17 monastery   

n.修道院，僧院，寺院

参考例句：

• They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。
• She was appointed the superior of the monastery two years ago.两年前她被任命为这个修道院的院长。

18 monks   

n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The monks lived a very ascetic life. 僧侣过着很清苦的生活。
• He had been trained rigorously by the monks. 他接受过修道士的严格训练。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 excavations   

n.挖掘( excavation的名词复数 )；开凿；开凿的洞穴（或山路等）；（发掘出来的）古迹

参考例句：

• The excavations are open to the public. 发掘现场对公众开放。
• This year's excavations may reveal ancient artifacts. 今年的挖掘可能会发现史前古器物。 来自辞典例句

20 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

21 phenomena   

n.现象

参考例句：

• Ade couldn't relate the phenomena with any theory he knew.艾德无法用他所知道的任何理论来解释这种现象。
• The object of these experiments was to find the connection,if any,between the two phenomena.这些实验的目的就是探索这两种现象之间的联系，如果存在着任何联系的话。

22 derived   

vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取

参考例句：

• Many English words are derived from Latin and Greek. 英语很多词源出于拉丁文和希腊文。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He derived his enthusiasm for literature from his father. 他对文学的爱好是受他父亲的影响。 来自《简明英汉词典》

23 iodine   

n.碘，碘酒

参考例句：

• The doctor painted iodine on the cut.医生在伤口上涂点碘酒。
• Iodine tends to localize in the thyroid.碘容易集于甲状腺。

24 sodium   

n.（化）钠

参考例句：

• Out over the town the sodium lights were lit.在外面，全城的钠光灯都亮了。
• Common salt is a compound of sodium and chlorine.食盐是钠和氯的复合物。

25 soda   

n.苏打水；汽水

参考例句：

• She doesn't enjoy drinking chocolate soda.她不喜欢喝巧克力汽水。
• I will freshen your drink with more soda and ice cubes.我给你的饮料重加一些苏打水和冰块。

26 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

27 soothing   

adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的

参考例句：

• Put on some nice soothing music.播放一些柔和舒缓的音乐。
• His casual, relaxed manner was very soothing.他随意而放松的举动让人很快便平静下来。

28 mucous   

adj. 黏液的，似黏液的

参考例句：

• Healthy,skin,mucous membranes,and cilia are natural barriers to many viruses.健康的皮肤，粘膜和纤毛是许多病毒的天然屏障。
• Seromucous glands contain both mucous and serous cells.浆粘液腺既含有粘液性细胞，又含有浆液性细胞。

29 glandular   

adj.腺体的

参考例句：

• Terry has been laid low with glandular fever for nearly a month now.特里由于功能性高烧已卧床近一个月了。
• A malignant tumor originating in glandular tissue.腺癌起源于腺性组织的恶性肿瘤。

30 sedatives   

n.镇静药，镇静剂( sedative的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A wide variety of mild sedatives and tranquilizers have become available. 现在有许多种镇静剂和安定剂。 来自辞典例句
• Since July 1967 there has been a restriction on the prescribing of sedatives in Australia. 自从1967年7月起，澳大利亚的镇静药处方受到限制。 来自辞典例句

31 prescription   

n.处方，开药；指示，规定

参考例句：

• The physician made a prescription against sea- sickness for him.医生给他开了个治晕船的药方。
• The drug is available on prescription only.这种药只能凭处方购买。

32 hoot   

n.鸟叫声，汽车的喇叭声； v.使汽车鸣喇叭

参考例句：

• The sudden hoot of a whistle broke into my thoughts.突然响起的汽笛声打断了我的思路。
• In a string of shrill hoot of the horn sound,he quickly ran to her.在一串尖声鸣叫的喇叭声中，他快速地跑向她。

33 vexed   

adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论

参考例句：

• The conference spent days discussing the vexed question of border controls. 会议花了几天的时间讨论边境关卡这个难题。
• He was vexed at his failure. 他因失败而懊恼。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

34 enumerates   

v.列举，枚举，数( enumerate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Enumerates the transaction options when sending or receiving a message. 发送或接收消息时，枚举事务处理选项。 来自互联网
• Ming as Researcher enumerates research projects conducted and those in progress. [潘氏研究]举曾经进行﹐及现在进行的研究计划。 来自互联网

35 extols   

v.赞颂，赞扬，赞美( extol的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Everyone extols his noble qualities. 人人称颂他的崇高品德。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Dance Art is an art in which sentiment enlightens genuineness, extols benevolence, and arouses beauty. 舞蹈艺术是以情启真、以情扬善、以情唤美的艺术。 来自互联网

36 homely   

adj.家常的，简朴的；不漂亮的

参考例句：

• We had a homely meal of bread and cheese.我们吃了一顿面包加乳酪的家常便餐。
• Come and have a homely meal with us,will you?来和我们一起吃顿家常便饭，好吗？