eruptions, had five large boils, which opened in the first week, and
discharged copiously for a fortnight, when his health improved daily;
and before the expiration of the sixth week, he was perfectly well.
_Remains of Fever strongly resembling Gout._--An artist caught a fever
in Egypt. In Rome, his fingers and feet became enlarged, in appearance
resembling gout, when he was treated for that complaint. Priessnitz at
once declared this a mistake, and that it was the remains of the fever.
In three or four days after beginning the cure, patient had fever, and
in ten days another strong attack: his feet and legs became much
inflamed, attended with headache and great debility.
His former treatment was now abandoned for the following:
Three packing-sheets, one after the other, until warm; then the tepid
bath for fifteen minutes: from that into the cold bath for two minutes,
and return to the tepid again for fifteen or twenty minutes. This was to
be repeated in the afternoon. When fever subsided, patient renewed his
former treatment, and was perfectly cured in three months. I saw him in
Rome the next year, when he was perfectly well; and as an act of
gratitude to Mr. Priessnitz, he had caused to be painted a picture of
the "eternal city," to send for his acceptance.
_Intermittent Fever._--General R---- was attacked with intermittent
fever at the siege of Mantua, in 1798. His complaint resisted all
remedies: his liver became hardened and enlarged, exhibiting a tumour
extending three fingers' breadth above his navel. Came to Gräfenberg
thin as a skeleton, complexion nearly livid, unable to walk without the
assistance of two persons. Obstinate indigestion and constipation; no
motion for fifteen years, without aid; congestion of blood to the head,
and threatened apoplexy; insupportable sensitiveness to cold. Arrived at
Gräfenberg in 1839; now restored to health: liver restored to normal
size, with merely a slight swelling at epigastric region.
His treatment was:--morning, partial baths (tepid), twenty minutes, with
strong friction; no water in the bath when patient first entered it,
that being poured over his head and shoulders.
After one month of this treatment, sweating for half an hour, followed
by partial bath for five minutes; noon, tepid sitz-bath (70 deg.) for
half an hour; repeated in the afternoon.
In two months patient could walk alone. During the third month, sweating
for an hour, and partial cold bath for five minutes; and sitz-baths were
now cold; eighteen glasses of water, drunk daily; fourth month:--after
sweating, the large plunge-bath, and friction by two men; twenty to
twenty-four glasses of water, daily. Fifth month:--appetite good;
commenced ascending the mountains. The douche found to excite too much:
therefore abandoned.
August, 1840:--Left Gräfenberg: his liver softer, though not sensibly
diminished. Recommended, whilst at home, to wear heating bandages
always, and use cold ablutions, but not to transpire, unless pain of
liver occurs.
In January, 1841, eruptions on the skin, and many ulcers, made their
appearance.
August, 1841, returned to Gräfenberg, and commenced the same treatment
as before: sweating one hour; plunge-bath and two partial baths a day;
douche for five minutes every other day.
In November, had fever for twenty-five days, and pains in his hands,
with open sores on his fingers for nine months; nails dropped off, and
were replaced by new ones; fingers always wrapped in heating bandages.
For the fever, six packing-sheets, changed every quarter of an hour,
except the last: in this the patient remained longer, preparatory to a
warm bath.
This was renewed twice a day.
Twenty-four glasses of water daily.
March, 1842.--Left Gräfenberg: liver reduced to one-half the size it
was.
August, 1842.--Returned again to Gräfenberg, when his treatment
was:--packing-sheet every morning one hour, followed by two
rubbing-sheets; noon and afternoon, two rubbing-sheets.
October, 1842.--Was seen at his residence in health; pains from many old
wounds no longer felt.
Patient aged forty-five. Ten years ago; caught cold, which ended in
intermittent fever, which resisted the usual remedies; was cured at
Gräfenberg as follows:--morning, packing-sheet and plunge-bath; noon,
rubbing-sheet and sitz-bath; afternoon, as the morning.
Fever and ague returned every fourth day, when treatment was changed.
Packing-sheet and tepid bath 62°, ten minutes; then into cold bath two
minutes, and back again to tepid, with much friction; at noon, five
rubbing-sheets; afternoon, as in the morning. The paroxysm over, resumed
the former treatment until perfectly cured.
_Fever and Ague._--S---- had fever, attended with ague; took nine
packing and six rubbing-sheets, and three tepid baths; two of the tepid
baths being followed by cold plunging bath. Cured the same day.
A lady attacked by slight fever and shivering, cured by five
rubbing-sheets.
_Sudden Fever._--Mrs. H----'s little boy awoke with fever; she kept him
in a tepid bath, renewed with cold, until he trembled with cold; then
put him to bed, where he immediately fell asleep, and awoke perfectly
well. Priessnitz said the mother would have done as well, if she had
given him a long sitz-bath.
_Catarrh and Fever._--Child restless all night. Tepid bath (nearly cold)
for a quarter of an hour; lean back in the bath so that the attendant
may well rub the chest and throat. Afternoon, rubbing-sheet and tepid
bath for a quarter of an hour.
After each bath, a head-bath for twelve minutes, each side of the head
being alternately placed in the water. If this does not succeed, lay the
back of the head in water, and well rub the forehead with wet hands. Rub
the throat with wet hands three times a day. Eat no meat, and be much
out of doors. Child, after first day's treatment, wretchedly cold; but
pain in the head gone, and cough decreased.
Second day, pain in his legs, and weak; which Priessnitz said was the
result of the fever. As the cough abated, treatment was moderated. Bath
to be tepid. In the middle of the day, throat and chest to be rubbed. In
the evening, a tepid bath eight minutes; head-bath as before; these were
given in consequence of his feverish state in the night. If the body
continued feverish, and the feet and legs cold at night, then heating
bandages to the feet and legs, up to the fork, would have been applied
all night.
_Fever and Diarrhœa._--A Servant of my own, disturbed many times during
the night with diarrhœa and fever, and with violent pain in his head and
abdomen, was put into a packing-sheet for one hour and a quarter; a
rubbing-sheet was then applied, followed by bandage round the waist; at
noon, sitz-bath one hour and a quarter. This simple treatment effected a
cure in a few hours.
_Constipation and Fever._--Patient took tepid-bath, rubbed by three men
for one hour and a half, getting out of the bath was dried and walked
about the room every half-hour for ten minutes; followed by other
treatment.
Second day, the above repeated twice, with the addition of
packing-sheets and rubbing-sheets, in the interim.
General laxity of the bowels for several days, rest disturbed for two or
three nights; could not rest the last night, diarrhœa and fever, strong
pulse (110).
Morning, two packing-sheets, fifteen minutes each. In the first, patient
felt (as he said) as though he was in boiling water; on the application
of the second he felt cooler, after twenty-five minutes he was put into
a cold bath and there remained until heat had left the arm-pits, which
required seventeen minutes. Then a large towel was doubled four times
and placed round his loins, drank six tumblers of water and went to bed.
At twelve o'clock all fever gone--to put an end to Diarrhœa, I ordered
two rubbing sheets three minutes each, to be followed by tepid sitz-bath
fifteen minutes, wet bandages and water to be drank as before.
At five o'clock sitz-bath twenty minutes.
Patient passed a good night, and next day found himself well.
P.S. I treated this case myself at Naples.
_Cold Shivering by Day, and Feverish Heat when in Bed at Night._--A
young man--ordered three rubbing-sheets on rising quite warm from bed in
the morning; the same at noon, and in the afternoon drink plentifully of
water.
Symptoms continuing--An additional three rubbing-sheets were used
previous to going to bed, and when heat commenced in the night, the body
bandage, which had been worn from the beginning was changed, and water
drunk. If in a state of perspiration early in the morning, a tepid bath.
This treatment had the desired effect.
XXXIX.--CONGESTION OF THE LUNGS.
When the lungs are unsound sitz-baths are liable to cause a pain to be
felt in that region, probably from causing congestion to them. I knew a
case of this kind, and named it to Priessnitz who said, to have relieved
this the patient should have been put into a very shallow tepid-bath,
water two inches deep, and there rubbed by two men until the pain was
removed.
In a case of Gout treated by an inexperienced person--where fears were
entertained that congestion had taken place and castor oil was resorted
to--he advised the same bath and friction, _until it_ was removed.
A third case, where after being some time under the treatment a
practitioner was embarrassed by his patient having fixed pain in his
bowels, Priessnitz said, the bath applied with vigour for a considerable
time would have been sure of removing it.
If a patient is ever lost in these cases, it is through the want of
knowledge and the timidity of the practitioner.
XL.--INFLAMMATIONS.
_Inflammation of the Lungs._--This complaint originates in some
obstruction, and is occasioned by an effort of nature to remove it. By
bleeding the symptoms are reduced, but the cause remains, and
consequently it frequently happens that under Hydropathic treatment
inflammation returns, which then, by producing irritation on the
surface, is extracted.
Mr. Priessnitz' married daughter, this year, returned to Gräfenberg,
with her husband, to be cured of an epidemic which raged in Hungary. The
husband was cured. The lady, with an eruption, went for two days into
the country; on return the eruption had nearly subsided; it had gone to
the lungs and inflammation resulted. She was put into tepid and cold
baths thirty or forty times during the day. These positive means put an
end to the inflammation in one day, and the next she was about as usual,
quite well.
This apparently dangerous complaint, without any apparent cause, when
taken quite in its infancy, is generally cured by the following simple
means.
Place a cold packing-sheet several times doubled over the shoulders,
chest, and back of the patient, whilst he takes a cold sitz-bath, for
from half an hour to an hour, during the time use great friction to the
feet and legs with hands dipped in water. All medical reasoning will be
to the effect that this treatment must cause congestion to the lungs;
but every day's practice at Gräfenberg proves the contrary.
Between the application of the above treatment, use a rubbing sheet.
If the head is affected, let the patient lay quiet in bed, with his head
in a basin once or twice a day, from fifteen to thirty minutes, or much
longer if necessary each time.
If fever, then resort to the tepid bath, until heat disappears under the
arm-pits; this may require a long time, but must be persevered in.
The water of the bath must be continually renewed or it will become too
warm.
I have known the sitz-bath, applied two or three times a day, completely
cure an attack of this nature.
A lady, aged forty, attacked with inflammation of the lungs, was put
into a tepid bath 62°, and kept there three hours and ten minutes, cold
water being constantly poured over the shoulders, to bring down the
temperature. Priessnitz frequently felt the chest and arm-pits; and in
answer to patient's request to discontinue, he said if she did so until
all parts were cool alike, her life would pay the forfeit.
After this, she took a cold bath twice a day, and wore the
heating-bandage. In two months, she was perfectly cured. It should be
remarked, that during the greater part of this times she felt a pain
and hardness in the side, but this all subsided.
_Spitting Blood and Inflammation._--A young man had inflammation of the
lungs at Vienna, which ended in great debility and spitting of blood.
Shortly after going to Gräfenberg he had another attack of inflammation
of the lungs.
_Treatment._--Tepid bath 62°, five minutes, then cold ten minutes, and
back to the tepid ten minutes. This change from one bath to the other
was repeated for nearly three hours, and ended about nine in the
morning; at eleven o'clock, a sitz-bath fifteen minutes; afternoon,
packing-sheet and cold bath for five minutes. Next day quite well of the
attack; he continued packing-sheet and cold bath, morning and afternoon,
and sitz-bath at noon; more heating-bandages on the chest. In ten weeks
perfectly cured.
_Inflammation in the Wind-pipe._--A lady--Chest, throat, and between the
shoulders rubbed for five minutes with hands, and frequently dipped in
cold water. During this time water was held in the mouth and changed
when warm.
Bandages were applied to throat, shoulders, and waist.
Walked the same afternoon a short time.
_Inflammation of the Brain._--Rubbing-sheets, head-baths, and bandages
to the nape of the neck, back of the head, and some distance down the
back, the rest of the body lightly covered. In an obstinate case,
recourse must be had to a tepid bath 64° for a considerable time.
In all cases, whether in fever or not, where the head is attacked, large
wet bandages may be applied, and changed every five minutes. Bandages to
the whole of the head should not however be applied in general practice.
The head ought to be free and the face washed often.
_Inflammation of the Gums._--A child suffering indescribable pain, no
sleep night or day.
One or two rubbing sheets, two or three times a day. Heating bandages to
be applied to the head, as a turban, so that only the face can be seen,
and changed every five or ten minutes. The same round the waist, from
the hips to the arm-pits, and changed when warm.
If the body is confined, administer a cold water enema; if one is not
sufficient, a second should be administered in half an hour; drink
plentifully of water. Child out at play the third day.
XLI.--GRIPES, CHOLIC, DIARRHŒA, ENGLISH CHOLERA, OR CHOLERA MORBUS.
All partake more or less of the same character; to describe the
symptoms, nature, and medical treatment of these complaints, more
volumes have been written than there are days in the year.
My object is not to inquire how such complaints arise, but to show how
by the most simple and safe means they are to be cured.
_Cholic._--This complaint invariably gives way to sitz-baths, clysters,
bandages, and drinking plentifully of cold water.
A patient suffering from pain in the bowels for some days, was ordered
injections three times a day, notwithstanding the bowels were perfectly
free.
W----, taken with sickness and griping pains, could retain nothing on
his stomach, supposed that it arose from eating unripe fruit. An
injection of cold water was first resorted to; one not being sufficient,
a second in half an hour was administered, and during the day ten
others. Then two rubbing sheets, followed by a tepid bath, with great
friction, and large bandage, three hours afterwards, a sitz-bath, tepid,
fifteen minutes.
Again, after a lapse of three hours, the former process. This put an end
to the gripes the same day.
An Austrian officer, attacked with violent pain in the abdomen, which
extended through to the back. Great heat and pain in the head, with cold
feet.
Priessnitz wetted the body all over with cold water, particularly the
feet, and without drying the parts thus wetted, ordered the patient to
sit quite naked near to the window, which was open, for one hour in a
sitz-bath, his servant rubbing him the whole time. Patient was then
covered up well in bed to bring on re-action, the pains of which for a
short time were worse than cholic. The attack was put an end to by this
one application, or it was to have been renewed in the morning.
The singular part of this treatment is, that the body was thus exposed
to the inclemency of a Siberian winter, wet and naked, for one hour.
When asked why he adopted such positive treatment, Priessnitz said,
because there was a great tendency to intestinal inflammation. The
patient was out and well next day.
_Dysentery and Diarrhœa._--For the information of the general reader, it
may be well to state, that Dysentery is brought on by damp, cold, or
unripe fruit, and is attended by the evacuation of bloody glaires,
violent pain of the stomach, burning at the arms, and spasms of the
bladder, a constant desire to evacuate without being able to render
anything but glaires. Diarrhœa is attended with many of these symptoms,
but there is no blood in the evacuation. Hereafter it will be shewn how
both these complaints are to be treated.
Cold clysters, rubbing-sheets, sitz-baths, and bandage, are the chief
agents in the cure of these complaints. When attended with inflammation
take three or four sitz-baths a day, and change the body bandages every
ten minutes.
In Diarrhœa or Dysentery the patient should take but little exercise.
When Diarrhœa is recent, it is sufficient to drink plentifully of water,
wear a bandage round the wrist, eat little, and that of farinaceous
food.
Diarrhœa is often the work of nature to carry off prejudicial humours;
which ought not to be prevented. At the same time it must not be
suffered to continue too long without resorting to measures to check it.
A patient came to Gräfenberg who had suffered six weeks from this
complaint, which had reduced him almost to a skeleton. He was cured in a
few days.
Where abundant evacuations of glaires are alternate with constipation,
cold injections are a great relief. If patients in Cholera, Diarrhœa,
Cholic, or Dysentery, cannot sleep, administer a very cold foot-bath,
water only half an inch deep, for fifteen minutes. Let the feet, legs,
and thighs be rubbed with wet hands the whole time, then the patient
should walk bare-footed in the chamber for ten minutes.
_Dysentery._--Begin with one or two rubbing-sheets, then cold injections
every quarter of an hour for two or three hours.
Then tepid sitz-bath, rather warmer than usual, for half an hour,
followed by a large heating bandage doubled three or four times, from
before the hips to the arm-pits, leaving the arms free. Change this
every ten or fifteen minutes. Let the covering to the bed be light, but
keep the feet warm. Drink large quantities of cold water.
When the bandage has been changed three or four times, if the patient is
better, let him remain quiet; otherwise repeat the treatment.
Miss B----, attacked with dysentery attended with great pain; ordered
four sitz-baths in a day, one hour each large bandage from hips to
arm-pits; changed often.
Took them two days, and one in the night. These chilled her exceedingly,
which Priessnitz said was as it ought to be.
_Diarrhœa._--A delicate lady, ordered not to drink milk for some days,
but sixteen to twenty glasses of water; take but little exercise; at
noon wash with cold water; at eleven o'clock, cold sitz-bath, twenty
minutes, then walk a few times in the room, with only dry sheet over the
person; then sitz-bath again for twenty minutes; repeat this a third
time to complete the hour.
F----, had diarrhœa two days, when Priessnitz said, "If you are not in
pain, do nothing; if the contrary, take a morning rubbing-sheet, and
sitz-bath three quarters of an hour; noon, the same; afternoon,
sitz-bath three quarters of an hour; change bandages and walk less;
drink plentifully of water."
A---- had Diarrhœa whilst travelling, as he could not procure sitz-bath,
he lay in bed, changed bandages every half hour, and drank freely of
water. This treatment sufficed.
_Chronic Diarrhœa._--Morning, packing-sheet from hips to arm-pits until
warm, then cold bath; noon, two rubbing-sheets and sitz-bath
half-an-hour; evening, sitz-bath half-an-hour; or in the morning,
sitz-bath for half an hour, then walk, return and take cold bath; drink
plentifully of water and wear large bandages.
_Pain in the Bowels._--Tepid sitz-bath 62° for three quarters of an
hour; rubbing the abdomen all the time; in a simple case this puts an
end to the pain at once.
_Severe Pain in the Bowels._--Tepid sitz-bath, half an hour to an hour;
much rubbing with wet hands on the back, stomach, and abdomen when in
the bath; no exertion of mind or body; eat only of one thing; drink much
water. When constipated, or had pain in the bowels, extended the period
of the sitz bath. Patient's recovery quite marvellous.
The sitz-bath may be resorted to two or three times a day, and also
rubbing-sheet, if the case proves obstinate.
_Pain in Bowels and Diarrhœa._--Ordered sitz-bath fifteen minutes, walk
gently about the room five minutes, then repeat the sitz-bath fifteen
minutes, and again walk for five minutes, and after third time take
sitz-bath. Put on a large bandage well wrung out, and change it every
quarter of an hour. If not cured in three or four hours, repeat the
above treatment. If obstinate use cold injections.
_Relaxed Bowels._--Three rubbing-sheets and a sitz-bath on rising from
bed, for ten minutes in the morning; one rubbing sheet, and sitz-bath
twenty minutes at noon; the same repeated in the afternoon. If not
better, a clyster of cold water on going to bed; bandage, and drink
water as usual.
A young lady, troubled with relaxed bowels for some days--
Morning, three rubbing-sheets, and immediately after, tepid bath for
fifteen minutes; large bandage; at two o'clock two rubbing sheets.
These simple means effected a cure; if they had not, the sitz-bath was
to have been resorted to again.
_English Cholera._--A Russian General attacked with English Cholera, was
suffering extreme torture when Priessnitz came. He ordered three
rubbing-sheets, five minutes interim between each; patient then to be
put to bed for half-an-hour, and well covered up to promote heat; this
was followed by a cold sitz-bath of 30 or 40 minutes; drank plentifully
of water and wore a large heating bandage.
This one application effected a complete cure; had it not, the General
was to have repeated the treatment in the afternoon.
XLII.--CONSUMPTION.
Mr. Priessnitz thinks that in the great majority of cases consumption is
curable until the age of fourteen or fifteen, when the complaint
generally assumes a more serious aspect.
Young people are often considered consumptive when they really are not
so. A young lady of my acquaintance, having all the symptoms, was
ordered to Italy, where, notwithstanding the climate, the malady seemed
to increase. She went to Gräfenberg, when Mr. Priessnitz at once
declared it was not consumption, that it was a contraction of the chest.
Two months' treatment caused the chest to expand and restored the
patient to robust health. Dr. Johnson says, "One thing of which I am
convinced is, that the true principle of treating consumption is to
support the patient's strength to the utmost;" and it must be remembered
that the great aim and principal effect of the Water-cure is to
_strengthen the system_, thereby giving the inherent curative power the
fairest opportunity of doing its own work.
It must however be observed, that when consumption has fairly set in,
neither water or drugs will arrest its progress. A friend of mine writes
me most sensibly on this subject: "I fully believe," says he, "if all
girls were to _wash thoroughly every_ day, more than three-fourths who
now go into consumption would be saved."
XLIII.--CRAMPS.
Rubbing-sheets, and rubbing powerfully with wet hands, for a
considerable time, particularly the feet, are efficient means of cure;
after each application let the patient remain quiet. If the hands or
feet become cold, apply friction again to them and the parts affected.