Hydropathic, or Hydropathical

Pertaining to hydropathy. Hydropath'ically, adv. In an hydropathic manner. Hydrop'athist, n. One who practises hydropathy. Hydrop'athy, n. [Gr. hudor, water, and pathos, disease.] (Med.) A mode of curing disease by means of the application of water. The system owes its origin to one Vincenz Prie nitz, who, in 1826, established an institution at his native place, Grafenburg, in Austrian Silesia, for the cure of diseases by this mode. The system soon spread, and now there are in this country a number of hydropathic establishments. Without claiming for the system all that its votaries demand, there can be no doubt that it is of the greatest benefit in a large number of cases. Particularly is it of benefit in cases of indigestion, nervousne , an impaired constitution, a too full habit, or in such as have been living too freely, without taking much exercise. The system of dietary and exercise that is kept up at these places is perhaps not le conducive to a cure than the baths. Having, under the head Bath, already noticed at length the different forms of baths, and the great importance of bathing, little more remains for us here than to notice shortly some of the forms in which it is employed as a remedial agent. These are very various. Besides the ordinary bath and the shower-bath, one of the most common is the douche-bath, in which a single jet of water, varying in size from the thickne of a quill-pen to that of a man's arm, is projected with great force, either from above, below, or one side, upon a particular part of the body. The sitz-bath is taken sitting; besides which there are the foot-bath, hand-bath, . Sometimes, when the patient is sitting in a warm or tepid bath, cold water is poured over the head and upper part of the person. Pieces of coarse linen, saturated with cold water, are also applied to the skin, and covered over with dry cloths, and usually remoistened several times a day. The wet-sheet packing is one of the characteristics of the system. It consists in the patient being closely enveloped in a sheet, wrung out of cold water, and then covered over with dry blankets. The great importance of hydropathy consists in the healthy stimulus which it gives to the nerves, bracing them, and acting as a tonic, and soother to the whole system. Hydro pericardium, n. [Gr. hudor, and pericar dium, about the heart.] ( Med.) Same as HYDRO CAR DIA, q. v.