The first physician prescribed a heaping teaspoonful
of carbonate of iron three times a day, which was
taken with no benefit. Next, a learned professor,
for a slight fever bled twice, and, to allay consequent
nervous excitement, gave camphor till temporary
deafness ensued. Next, another medical professor
conjectured that the lameness resulted from the state
of the stomach, and gave small doses of rheubarb
three times a day with no advantage. Then
another considered the spine as the diseased point,
and applied irritating ointments. Another pre-



woman's profession. 145

^ scribed galvanism, but could give no rule as to time
or manner, or expected effects, but hoped that some-
how it might do some good. Several prescribed
local applications to the limb, which in all cases
increased the difficulty.
These all failing, I commenced my rounds to health
establishments. The first was conducted by a saga-
cious and learned Gterman physician, who conjectur-
ed that the cause of the lameness was the state of
the blood, and used cold water to produce a skin
eruption which came without any good result. But
during a year's residence there, I saw most remarka-
ble cures of many diseases, by treating the skin with
alternations of heat and cold connected with simple
food, and outdoor exercise. In repeated cases I saw
thin, pale victims of tubercular consumption, some
apparently in the last stages, changed to rosy, plump
and vigorous women by this treatment. Here I also
gamed in vigor of mind and body, though under
the most heroic water treatment, but the weak limb
was unrelieved.
