Little-known Spa on South Manchuria Railway: Favourable' Geographical Situation From Oom Hanoix Ccmnesroxoesr Tangkangtzu July, 20
It is comparatively recently that the therapeutic qualities of the Tangkangtzu Sulphur Hot Springs have been generally known in these parts, but the writer has no hesitation in ig that in a very few years it become a popular health resort mong Europeans resident in the Far East and suffering from rheamatic and neuralgic complaints in tone their numerous forms. The hot lime or mud which is taken front these sulphur springs has been found to possess excellent curative properties. The mud-baths now obtainable at Tangkangtzu under Droper medical supervi only ones of th East, and being geographically conveniently located, cannot fail to attract persons suffering from the ihave mentioned complaints, as well fas others. Tangkangtzu is a small fetwtion on the S.M.R., eight, hours train ride from Dairen and two hours from Mukden, thus visitors from Shanghai and elsewhere can reach the Hot Springs under very favourable conditions and in perfect With the advent of the Russians into South Manchuria, the ther pontic value of Tangkangtzu was established, and they who discover-led the special curative properties of the mud or rather slime to be found at the bottom of these sulphur hot springs, which emit gaseous vapours jand thermal water. A military hospital was located here and remained until the Russo-Japanese war and the retreat of the Russians northwards. To the Japanese was duo the transformation of this spot into proper health and rest resort, which now boasts of a large park, with many shady avenues and a ficial Take, three hotels, an up-to-date Bathing House as well ai [Japanese style buildings for peop Jcoming for day's outing only. Some years back the initiative of the South Manchuria Railway Ca. the Tangkangtzu Hot Springs Ca, formed to exploit these Hot Spring: the majority of the shares being held by the S.M.R. and hence the spending of quite large sums in bringing the health resort up-to-date and attracting foreign visitors jas well, It, however, must be borne in mind by' all foreigners who visit the spa, that the management caters primarily for Japanese guests, who Datronize the place all the' year Found, more as a rest resort pure Jand simple, taking merely the sulphur baths which are installed in the hotels. Thus it is that foreign visitors, who have nothing but praise for the benefit they den from the mud-baths and the medical supervision on the spot, find fault with certain defects of' the living accommodation and arrangements, which are more or less on a These are however, lorations. It is prob: able, now that a modern up-to-date Bathing Establishment has been! completed and opened this present season, designed: on the most approved European plan, that ere long the management will decide to open European Hotel, on the same Tines as the Yamato Hotels through-jour South Manchuria, and build small bungalows, such as are available at Hoshiguura and Ogenidai, and thus give additional attraction to the place.
The Bathing House, from an invalid's point. of view, the most important building at the spa, is lander the direct supervision of a competent physician, Dr. Tkat-Jchenko, who took his degree Prague, and has made a_ special study of the therapeutic qualities of thermal spring of the principal health resorts and Spas of Central Europe, Complete medical examination is required, before one is able to start the cure, and when once begun, one is under the constant surveillance of Dr, Tkatchenko, who. speaks fluent English and German. This is essential owing to the virile qualities of the slime, and it is he who decided the temperature of the, mud-baths and the length of time to remain in them. Each patient has a separate bath-room, divided into two, one for dressing purposes and the other containing two separate baths-mud and clear water jand a douche. Here again the patient is under the vigilance of a competent Russian nurse, who] superintends the Chinese attendants, sees that the bath temperature is just right and places iced com-Presses over the heart and on the ead, Wooden tubs filled with slime and of a cetin-like form are. run' in_on iron-rails direct from the springs to the bath-room, and at ence ured by the patient, hence! there is no rehandling of the mud from the time it is taken out of the springs. So active is the action of the slime that no patient remains in the bath longer than 10. minutes, and on getting out is sluiced down with warm water by an attendant, before entering the warm clear water bath and followed by a shower. After the bath it is essential that the patient puts on both woollen underwear and warm outer garments, and is then taken back to his hotel' in a rieshaw, and immediately goes to bed for one to three hours. Patients perspire freely, and it is often necessary to change one's things two or three times.
On the ground floor of this establishment are also. the sulphur} bhat baths Scotch douches, hip and! intestinal baths the consulting room, the waiting halls, ete. On the second floor are to' be found appropriate modern methods of supplementary treatment in. conjunction with the thermal cure, so that most Jcomplex cases can obtain suitable special forms of treatment when Recessary, The: al Mechano 'Therapeutic room on the Zander plan, and containing modern types of movement apparatus, an Ultra-Violet Rays. ought for' the treatment of skin Electric Cabinet where patients may} undergo various kinds of electric treatment.
Tt must not be thought that either the waters or the slimes contain much sulphuretted hydrogen, and are therefore strong-smelling for this is not the case. In the slime self there is only traces of it, and! tis of no therapeutic value, whilst on the other hand on account of its sbsente persons suffering from lung troubles may use these baths free: ly. The percentage of water in the' accident which occurred at Uth Ys, forty miles from Harbin, of the embankment with
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.