Staying healthy in the 18th century

Sanitary Systems

Dumoulin, the physician, observed at his death that "he left behind him two great physicians, regimen and river water." Villars, the French quack, who, before the middle of the last century, made a fortune by an almost justifiable fraud, kept thousands of patients in good health by administering to them nitre dissolved in Seine water (sold at five francs a bottle), eat moderately, drink temperately, take plenty of bodily exercise, go to and rise from bed early, and avoid mental anxiety.  And in the same way the English quack, Graham, whilst he presided over the "Temple of Health," prohibited to his patients the use of the "deadly poisons and weakeners of both body and soul, and the canker worms of estates called foreign tea and sugar, red port wine, spirituous liquors, tobacco, and snuff, gaming, and late hours." Dr Graham also enjoined early hours, widely open windows by day and night, and abundant use of cold water to the persons.

From the Otago Witness newspaper, Issue 619, 10 October 1863, Page 8 (link)