Hunyadi János, Hungarian aperient water : an account of the history, chemical composition, & curative properties of the waters of the Hunyadi János bitter Salzquelle, Buda-Pest : with opinions of eminent German and English medical authorities.

  • Martin, Aloys, 1818-1891.
Date:
[1876]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Hunyadi János, Hungarian aperient water : an account of the history, chemical composition, & curative properties of the waters of the Hunyadi János bitter Salzquelle, Buda-Pest : with opinions of eminent German and English medical authorities. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    H of the water is continued for therapeutic purposes for some time. The weight of the body is not reduced, for the elimination of nitrogen from the organism appears to be essentially limited ; while during the use of the water the process of oxidation is more directed to the fatty consti- tuents of the body. When taken in larger quantities—one or two wine-glassfuls or more in the morning, fasting—it induces, by reflex action on the stomach, greatly increased peristaltic action of the intestinal canal, augments the quan- tity of water in the intestinal contents, and more or less quickly produces, with little or no pain in the abdomen, and with evident relief, from four to six evacuations—at first pulpy, afterwards watery. In consequence of this increased peristaltic action of the intestine, the elimination of the more or less completely digested food and of the intestinal secretions is quickened, less fluid is supplied to the tissues of the organism through the interference with absorption, the tissue-change is stimulated, the elimination of nitrogeneous elements as well as of carbo-hydrates is increased, and, under the prolonged use of the water, loss of weight is produced. It is only a too abundant or too prolonged use of the water that can injure digestion and the general health. Dr.Seegen, in his ‘ Handbook of General and Special Balneology,’ says : —‘ The deeply penetrating action on the change of tissue, which we have ascertained from our experiments with sul- phate of soda, is beyond doubt essentially connected with the therapeutic indications for Glauber’s salt water. In many diseases in which we see these waters to be of use, there is a disposition to an excessive collection of fat, either in the whole body or in individual organs, such as the liver. By the use of small doses of Glauber’s salt, the decompo- sition of the nitrogenous tissues is limited; and we have endeavoured to explain this by the more active oxidation of the carbo-hydrates. The remarkably rapid reduction of the abnormal collections of fat produced by Glauber’s salt water gives additional support to our view, and we gain thereby a closer insight into the hitherto almost unexplained action of the Glauber’s salt water.”