When Mr. S. came to consult me, he had but lately returned from Europe, whence, he stated, his physicians had sent him home to die. His complexion was sallow, sickly; skin of face plentifully wrinkled; features wearing the air of suffering and anxiety that so frequently accompanies painful chronic conditions. He had for some time past suffered from excessive cerebro-spinal irritability, for the relief of which cantharidal collodion had been employed in the cervico-spinal region (the same had also been used in the hepatic region, to meet the diagnostic views of some one of his medical attendants). He had a remittent chronic intestinal catarrh, with—noticeably during the periods of exacerbation—abundant discharge of a glairy mucus. The appetite was very capricious—not to say poor, and he was obliged to be exceedingly careful in his diet. He was not capable of any continued mental application. The muscular system was weak and flabby. All the vegetative functions were more or less impaired.
On June 3d, 1874, Mr. S., by my directions, took an electric bath. He continued the baths daily for some weeks; then every two or three days, all the time steadily improving. He had some adjuvant medicinal treatment, probably similar to what he had already had in Europe. He states, however, that his improvement commenced with the first bath he took; and the baths certainly constituted the main treatment throughout. He gained daily in every respect. Mind and body were invigorated; his muscles increased in size and hardness; color gradually returned to his cheeks, etc. He continued the baths with more or less regularity until the close of the year, taking in all sixty-one baths. He was then in a better condition than he had been for many years. Thinking a trip to Europe would benefit him, I advised him to go there and remain a few months. He left early in January and returned in the beginning of April, 1875. He had been very well during his absence, until within a few weeks prior to his departure from Europe, when he experienced a severe attack of cerebro-spinal congestion, which caused him much suffering. On his return he resumed the baths, and continued them throughout the spring, continually gaining in strength and weight. At the beginning of last summer he was practically well. He has regained his normal weight (120 pounds). As a criterion of his bodily vigor, I will simply state that I have seen him lift, with ease, 350 pounds, which, for a person of his weight, is not bad. His mental force is as good as it has ever been. The digestive disturbances have disappeared; he can eat things which for years he had been compelled to eschew. To use his own words: “I am well.” In view of the fact that he had already received, at the hands of competent men, all sorts of internal as well as external treatment, I believe I am justified in attributing his cure almost entirely if not solely to the baths.