ing among them acknowledge that "the whole philosophy of the effects of water is not yet understood by any one" and that "those who know most about it have much to learn"; yet they assert that they have a perfect knowledge of all the means necessary to effect a cure in all cases by the use of water. They are quite sure that water is the only proper remedy in every case; but how it operates so as to cure in all cases, they cannot exactly tell. They suppose, however, the most common cause of disease to consist in the lodgment of effete or morbid matter in some part of the body, and therefore they attempt to cure the patient by washing out these filthy lodgments. This appears to be their main idea; and although they entertain others of less importance, they are not less absurd. Their theories are mostly of a mechanical character—they would compare the human body to a sponge, which they would cleanse by filling with water and pressing or rubbing it out. They suppose, however, that water may be made to produce various effects by various modes of application.
We will look a little into the philosophy of
