EMS.
No German spa is better known to the English than Ems, lying in a narrow valley of the Lahn river, only six miles from Coblentz, in the Duchy of Nassau. The town is built on the right bank of the little river, and the slate hills rise almost perpendicularly behind it. The sun’s beams are collected into a focus there, during a great part of the day, and the air is hot and sultry. These hills, on both sides, are covered with vines, trees, or cultivation. The walks about Ems are not so well shaded as at Wisbaden and some other watering-places in Nassau; but there are plenty of donkeys and guides to take the invalids up to the higher grounds for pure air. The environs are very pretty, especially the road to Nassau, about five miles from Ems.[49]
These waters did not escape the notice of the Romans, whose coins and other vestiges have been found there. The waters issue from the foot of the eastern slate mountain (Mont de Bains) and their sources are hidden from human eye and investigations.[50] They are clear and transparent as crystal, when first drawn in a clean glass. The chief fountains are the Kesselbrunnen and the Krachenchen—the first has a temperature of 115° of Fahrenheit—the latter, only 83°. These are the drinking springs. There are several others, varying in temperature from 80° to 124°, and used as baths. Some of them are about the temperature of the blood, and fit for general bathing, without increase or reduction. They have the taste of chicken-broth, with a slight smack of iron. They preserve their physical qualities (excepting temperature) for forty-eight hours, uncorked—when corked and sealed, they are said to keep good for several months. They are light and easy of digestion.
The Ems waters are eminently alkaline. A pint (of the Kesselbrunnen) contains 20 grains of bicarbonate of soda—two of carbonate of the same—two of carbonate of magnesia—one of sulphate of soda—one of common salt (muriate of soda)—and a very minute trace of iron. All the springs contain nearly the same ingredients—but the Krachenchen shews much more carbonic acid gas than the Kesselbrunnen, on account of its lower temperature.
Thilenius (the elder and younger) the Nestors of Ems, make the following observations on the waters.
“They operate on the human constitution mildly but efficiently, with little disturbance to the functions of the body. On this account they agree well with delicate persons, whose nerves are morbidly sensitive,—the sad effects of mental emotions, civilized life, and other debilitating causes. They are, therefore, peculiarly suited to the female constitution.—They may be employed, too, in advanced stages of disease, where other mineral waters of more exciting qualities, would be inadmissible. Their alkaline properties enable them to resolve obstructions, and free the functions of the kidneys, skin, liver, and various other secreting organs—especially the uterine vessels. They correct tenacious and morbid bile, as well as acidities—and thus prove aperient in a mild degree. Their intimate connexion with carbonic and sulphuretted hydrogen gas enables them to give activity to the secreting vessels, and evacuate unhealthy humours, while they give vigour to the whole organism, oppressed by chronic diseases. They have, at the same time, a soothing and tranquillizing effect on the nervous system. No waters, with the exception of Schlangenbad, produce such a pleasing and salutary operation on the skin, which they cleanse, soften, and leave in a sattiny state, thus improving the complexion, and clearing the pores. They are potent in discussing glandular swellings, and promoting absorption of abnormal deposits.”
The foregoing exposition of the general effects of the Ems waters is more rational, modest, and just, than we shall usually find in the eloges of most other spa doctors. We shall now give a catalogue of the particular maladies for which these waters are specially recommended—marking, as usual, the probable, the doubtful, and the dangerous, with the numbers 1, 2, and 3.
[1. Probable. 2. Doubtful. 3. Dangerous.]
They are represented as prompt and efficacious in all complaints dependent on acidities (1)—Glairy accumulations in the bowels (1)—Foul humours in the blood (1)—Spasms of the stomach (2)—Colics and vomitings (2)—Indigestion (1)—Irregularity of bowels (1)—Flatulence (2)—Loss of appetite (1)—Sense of distention and malaise after food (1)—Embarrassments of the chest (2)—Neglected catarrhs (1)—Inveterate coughs (1)—Asthma (2)—Hæmorrhage from the lungs (2)—Hooping-cough (1)—Loss of voice (1)—Obstinate jaundice (1)—Gall-stones (1)—Gravel (1)—Hypochondriasis (1)—Rheumatism and gout (1)—Spleen (2)—Hysteria (2)—Chorea (2)—Epilepsy (2)—Chlorosis or green sickness (1)—Uterine obstructions and irregularities (1)—Painful periods (1)—Leucorrhœa (1)—Swellings of the limbs (1)—Induration and enlargement of glands (1)—Sterility (2)—Paralysis (1)—Nervous and intermittent fevers of long standing (2)—Lameness (1)—Commotions of the brain or spinal marrow (2)—(the baths in such cases might be dangerous)—Neglected syphilitic affections (1)—Morbid effects of mercury injudiciously administered (1)—Ascites otherwise incurable (2)—Diseases of the skin (1)—Fistulæ (2)—Goitre (1)—Dropsy (2)—Inveterate inflammation of the Eyes (2)—Rickets of children (2)—Curvature of spine (2)—Scald-head (1).
From this ample carte des maladies (and I have omitted several which will not bear publication in this country) the valetudinarian will be able to select the dish that suits his taste—or rather the evil which he wishes to discharge. I have endeavoured to estimate the value of the remedy. Thilenius, indeed, expresses an apprehension that readers may be sceptical as to the power of one remedy curing so many and such different diseases. But he says—“let the sceptic come and see.” Who can combat the following argument?—“The result of our most profound researches is the firm persuasion that mineral waters are the gifts of Divine mercy to suffering humanity.” The same might be said of every medicine; but medicines often do harm, and so do mineral waters, unless administered with prudence. It will be seen that the stigma of No. 3 (dangerous) has been affixed in no instance to the Ems waters; but this applies to drinking them and not to bathing. I cannot too often repeat my conviction that there is far more mischief produced by spa-bathing than by spa-bibbing—especially in the case of the Ems waters, which are by no means of such an exciting nature as those of Wisbaden and several other warm springs. In every case where there is either local inflammation or constitutional excitement, these and other thermal waters are dangerous as baths. Thilenius himself remarks as follows: