The North Star (Rochester)/1847/12/03/Hydropathy

From the Chronotype.

Hydropathy.—We have heretofore called the attention of our readers to the Water Cure Establishment of Dr. Ruggles in Northampton, and take pleasure in copying from the Hampshire Herald, the following very remarkable testimony to his skill and success. The Doctor, as our readers already know, is blind. He was not regularly educated to the profession, but in a man of native and good sense, and a strong, enquiring mind. By the activity of his mind his eyesight became impaired, and in his efforts to reclaim it, having suffered much of many physicians, he became totally blind.—Yet he availed himself of this greatest of earthly losses to acquire a medical education, both new in its mode and wonderful in its results. He employs that delicacy of touch which it is well known the intelligent blind always acquire, to judge of the electrical state of the skin, and upon the knowledge which this gives him of the action and obstructions of vital functions, he proceeds in his water treatment. Whatever be the thought of this theory on which Dr. Ruggles builds his practice, nothing can be more certain than his remarkable success. Some cases he rejects at once as hopeless; but when he undertakes a cure, he rarely fails to astonish and gratify the patient. The writer of the following letter, Rev. Payson Williston, is the father of Hon. Samuel Williston of East Hampton, and J. P. Williston of Northampton, well known in the annals of Massachusetts liberality. We are informed that Dr. Ruggles has prescribed for upwards of 150 persons, the past year, who have consulted him with regard to their cases, independent of these connected with his cure.

Mr. Ruggles' Water Cure.—Having experienced substantial benefit from the Cold Water system, as practiced at the Northampton Water Cure, by Dr. David Ruggles, and believing that it may be interesting to others who may be afflicted, I thought it due to the cause to request that you would favor me with a place in your paper, to make a brief statement of my case. I am 84 years of age—find with the exception of a lameness in my right leg, which was caused by an injury about forty years ago, I have enjoyed a greater degree of health than has fallen to the lot of most men. For seven years after this injury I was obliged to use two crutches; but by degrees my lameness decreased, so that I was finally enabled, with the aid of one staff, to walk comfortably a mile or two at a time. About two years ago, however, without any apparent cause, other than the infirmities of increasing age, my leg again troubled me. It became much inflamed and swollen, and at times painful.—Exercise aggravated all these bad symptoms, and though I obtained the advice of various physicians, eminent in their profession, their appliances proved useless, and some of them injurious. My limb grew worse until I was almost confined to my house, and my leg, in addition to the swelling and inflammation, assumed a dark purplish color from the knee to the ankle; the skin was almost dead, and it appeared on the point of breaking out into a running sore and I was instructed by my physicians to use palliatives, as it was believed nothing further could be done than to render me comfortable. These bad symptoms began to make their appearance above the knee, and assumed a more serious aspect, affecting my general health and appetite. In this condition I was persuaded to consult Dr. Ruggles in relation to the adaptedness of the Water Cure in my case. Alter a careful examination of my limb and the attending symptoms, by his peculiar method, he expressed his belief that water would relieve me. I immediately placed myself his care, and in less than eight weeks was entirely relieved of all pain and inflammation, and every other bad symptom, and was able to walk comfortably from three to four miles daily, with no other aid than one staff, as formerly. It is now about two months since I left the Cure, and I am still improving in strength and general health, so that I have within the past week walked two miles at one time. Payson Williston.

Easthampton, Oct. 25th, 1847.