The Watering-places and Mineral Springs of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
By Edward Gutman. M.D. (Sampson Low and Co.) —This book is described as "a popular medical guide," and as also giving "notes on climatic resorts and consumption sanitariums, heat, mud, and sand baths, whey and grape cures," &c. It seems to us, as far as an unprofessional judgment goes, an excellent manual. The author goes the round of the principal and even of the minor watering-places and spas, describes the nature and use of their several springs, and Without indicating any preference of his own,— the necessary drawback of special treatises,—gives the reader the op- portunity of judging, as far as he can without professional advice, of what is likely to suit his case. Some preliminary observations on diet, &c., may be read with advantage even by those who are not thinking of trying any medicinal waters. Half of the good that is done to invalids by the potent influence of mineral water, is undone by the still more potent influence of a foolish and intemperate mode of life. Dr. Gutman condemns the table d'hOte system of dining, in which, often from sheer weariness, a guest eats far more than is good for him. Be thinks that Austrian is better than German cooking, certainly better from the point of view of the invalid or dyspeptic. Among the minor cures Dr. Getman mentions, not without a certain modi- fied approbation, the well-known grape cure (wherein the patient takes as a maximum seven pounds of ripe grapes during the day), and the less familiar kermess cure. Kermess is coagulated mare's milk, and the Asiatic nomads who habitually drink it, either for this or for some other reason, are wholly free from consumption.
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