Thomas Beddoes to Thomas Wedgwood, 12 November 1799
[a line too faint to be read] enquiry I cd respg [MS obscured] from the bath waters externally – But I never wd learn that those may [a line too faint to be read]
plain water – Creaser whom I endeavoured to make attentive to the effects of bathing in a letter printed near the end of the 2nd ed. of my Essay on Consumption states his observations & takes for granted that their <agency> solely depends on temperature — A bath with a very small qty of carbonated volatile alkali might serve you from the analogy with animal food?? — but it must be very weak — you can try in the small way what proportions will not injure the scarf skin –My conjecture is still that there is a want of the oxygenous principle – You cd make oxygene gas by Mr Watts [xxxx] in your bed room by an Argand’s lamp Mr Watts apparatus — indeed by an Argand’s lamp if you use sulphuric acid & manganese which give the purest – as to gaseous oxyd its manufacture is troublesome [MS obscured] a very slow is required — but if you were to adopt this plan it is quite necessary you should have a chemist attached to you — But as there is no difficulty in the process for oxygen I wish you wd try that first — Take it in large quantity; & heated by passing over boiling (or hot) water.
Did I ever mention to you the scheme of gently bracing parts of the body as the thighs, by laced drawers supported by shoulder straps — This strengthens some people extremely.
Davy is at present in Cornwall & will remain there 2 or 3 weeks — I will immediately write to him – about the dried fish.
I do not see how it applies to you on the whole – but for mere temperature living with cows is the most delicious thing imaginable. Perhaps the fumes wd give a salutary stimulus to your the surface of the lungs which might communicate itself to the whole system — I shd think this much better than living with a butcher & more agreeable, as well as more efficacious than resorting to a foreign climate — You might have your oxygenated airs brought to you toties quoties.
Sincerely wishing any of these hints may be of use, I remain yrs most truly,
Thomas Beddoes
12 Nov.
Address: Thomas Wedgwood Esq / 4 / Bath Street / Bath
Endorsement: Dr Beddoes
MS: WE/EL/1/1/E1–566–1