PILGRIMAGES TO THE SPAS
IN PURSUIT OF
HEALTH AND RECREATION;
WITH
AN INQUIRY
INTO THE COMPARATIVE MERITS
OF
Different Mineral Waters:—
THE MALADIES TO WHICH THEY ARE APPLICABLE,
AND
THOSE IN WHICH THEY ARE INJURIOUS.

By JAMES JOHNSON, M.D.
PHYSICIAN EXTR. TO THE LATE KING.

LONDON:
S. HIGHLEY, 32, FLEET STREET.
1841.

[i]

PRINTED BY F. HAYDEN,
Little College Street, Westminster.

[ii]

PREFACE.

The observations and reflections contained in the following pages, arethe results of several autumnal excursions in the line of the GermanSpas, undertaken partly for health, partly for recreation, and partlyfor information on a subject that now interests a large portion of Englishinvalids. The contents of the volume are like the objects which gaveit origin. They are miscellaneous—and probably this character will be objectedto, on the principle, “ne sutor ultra crepidam.” I have yet to learn,however, why a physician should be debarred from indulgence in generalobservations or reflections, and confined exclusively to professional topics.His education, habits of thought, and knowledge of human nature do notparticularly disqualify him for a task which is daily undertaken by people ofall grades of acquirement, and degrees of ability. The truth is, that beingtoo independent to write for the mere purpose of catching the approbation ofothers, I have followed the bent of my own inclinations, and, if taken to taskby censors, have little other reason to offer for my conduct than the oldone—“stat pro ratione voluntas.”

There is one portion of the book, however, (a very small one, some twentypages of letter-press) which may require some apology. The course of theRhine leads to most of the German Spas, and is therefore traversed annuallyby multitudes of invalids as well as tourists. Every castle and promontory onits banks has its legend, and these traditions contribute to fix the picture ofthe locality in the mind’s eye, by association, for ever afterwards. In one ofmy excursions, some years ago, it struck me that these legends were designed,originally, each to convey some moral precept—at all events, I became convincedthat they were capable of being moralized. Under this impression,I condensed the principal traditionary tales that have their locale in sight ofthe voyager, and deduced what I considered to be the moral or useful preceptswhich they concealed under a wild and improbable fiction. If I have failedin this attempt, the intention, at least, was good. Throughout the wholevolume, my object has been to compress into small space much useful informationfor invalid or tourist, and, on all occasions, to start subjects formeditation or reflection, well knowing, from long experience, that such occupationsof the mind on a journey, are eminently conducive both to pleasureand health.

In the principal or professional portion of the work, I have endeavoured tocollect all the information in my power, and, in the exercise of my judgment,to sift the grain from the chaff, thus to steer clear of the extremes ofexaggeration and scepticism. There has been too much of the former abroad,and too much of the latter<