doubled, from the arm-pits to the hips till warm; this was renewed seven
times every quarter of an hour. Patient free from pain, but weak. Cramp
returned in the evening, when a tepid sitz-bath was ordered, if that did
not succeed, a clyster was to be administered.
The sitz-bath removed the pain. About this time pain in his side, which
patient had felt from his youth, left him and has not returned. Patient
observed that the smell of the packing-sheets, after his having lain in
them, was offensive. Eruption at this time evidently worse. Third month,
packing-sheet and cold bath instead of tepid bath, and in the afternoon
cold bath instead of rubbing-sheet.
Reaction after every operation improved. Eruption so bad that skin
cracked in various places, and discharged yellow gummy matter.
Fourth month.--Eruption caused head to feel quite sore; wore bandage to
head and changed it four times a day.
Fifth month.--Rheumatic pains in shoulder, which had been felt at
intervals for years. Rubbed well on coming out of cold bath; pain ceased
in eight or ten days. After some time the pain returned again in both
shoulders; this was subdued by rubbing-sheets as follows:--three the
same night on going to bed; next day at noon, four afternoon,
packing-sheet, followed by three rubbing-sheets, and on going to bed
five more. Never felt rheumatic pain since. Eruption worse, covering the
entire surface of head and ears, and spots on the body as before.
Jan. 8.--Ceased sweating from weakness; eruption improved in appearance.
Seventh month.--Commenced sweating again; eruption improved.
Eighth month.--Eruption still improving, leaving the skin inflamed and
contracted; the spot on left leg gone, and lumps on neck decreasing in
size.
Ninth month.--Head and ears better, left off venturing to expose them to
the air; washed them frequently with cold water; eruption began to peel
off when rubbed. Towards the end of the month, body quite free from all
eruption. Patient winds up by saying, "I have gradually left off the
various operations, preparatory to my departure, and am happy to say,
that now every particle and sign of the eruption has disappeared."
June 17, 1844.--In a letter written some time afterwards to a friend, he
stated that he was perfectly cured of the disease.
_Fistula._--Patient three years previously had been cured of stricture,
to the treatment for which he attributes his present complaint. Morning,
packing-sheet till warm, and cold bath; noon, rubbing-sheet and tepid
sitz-bath ten minutes; afternoon, packing-sheet and cold bath. Bandages
to the fork and arms, and round the waist always.
In three months, douche for three or four minutes. Sitz-bath to be cold
instead of tepid, and alternate days foot-bath and tepid half bath,
without rubbing-sheet. Cured in five months.
In three months, douche for three or four months; sitz-bath to be cold
instead of tepid; and alternate days foot-bath and tepid half bath,
without rubbing-sheet. Cured in five months.
Another patient stated that, he suffered from piles; for these he was
drugged and leeched at the anus; treatment which was no doubt the cause
of the fistula.
_Nose Frost-bitten._--Chafe it with tepid-water 62°, and wear bandage
continually.
_Leprosy._--Patient ordered three packing-sheets and tepid-baths daily,
wet linen drawers and waistcoat, with dry ones over them at night.
Another patient wore two pairs of wet drawers for the same disease by
day.
In another case, patient was ordered packing-sheets and long cold baths,
and slept in a wet dress that fitted him, with a dry one over it; the
whole being covered with a thick blanket. The patient described that his
dress very soon became dry, whilst the blanket was wet and he was cold.
To obviate this, Priessnitz told him to put on a second blanket, and in
two hours take it off.
LIV.--FISTULA.
Where parties are otherwise in tolerable health, this complaint is
always curable in about eight or nine months. When health is
established, contractility takes place. In cases where patients have
been long under medical treatment, the cure of fistula requires great
patience and perseverance.
Morning, packing-sheet and bath; noon, rubbing-sheet, douche; afternoon,
four o'clock, douche; five o'clock, packing-sheet and bath.
Bandage to waist and part affected. The latter made of old linen.
Cold food is better for this complaint than hot. No sitz-baths.
LV.--HÆMORRHAGE, IRREGULAR MENSTRUATION, PAINS IN THE WOMB, &C.
All these diseases are successfully combated by hydropathy.
Away from Priessnitz, excessive menstruation requires cautious
treatment. Persons so afflicted may, however, adopt the following means
of relief.
At the period, wear a large bandage round the waist, wash the body with
cold water on rising in the morning.
Drink plentifully of cold water.
When discharge has ceased, use a sitz-bath for fifteen minutes, once or
twice a day.
If patient is very ill she must remain in bed lightly covered, wearing a
very broad bandage, which must be changed every five minutes, or at
most, every ten minutes, until better.
In cases of flooding, equally broad bandage, very wet, and changed
often; also bandage the calves of the legs, and change it every five or
ten minutes.
In case of great weakness, a tepid bath of 64° for eight or ten minutes,
with much friction, must be resorted to, fresh water being constantly
added, and fresh air admitted into the room.
At the period when menstruation is coming on, if in great pain, let the
abdomen, feet, and legs, be well rubbed for a long time by hands dipped
often in cold water.
_Too frequent Menstruation._--This frequently arises from weakness; in
that case, the general treatment to fortify the system is requisite.
Three rubbing-sheets a day, drink plentifully of cold water, eat
everything cold.
On rising in the morning, wash internal parts well with a sponge. If
this is not sufficient, add packing-sheet and cold bath in the morning,
and during the week, take two tepid sitz-baths fifteen minutes, 62°,
rubbing the abdomen all the time. Change waist bandage often.
_Irregular Menstruation._--A lady, apparently in good health, came to
Gräfenberg in 1840. She suffered greatly from head-aches, occasioned by
irregular menstruation; when she arrived, though catamenia was strong,
she was ordered a sitz-bath, when it ceased and returned in fourteen
days. During the patient's stay, it returned three times,
notwithstanding which the treatment was continued.
Sweating morning and evening two hours, followed by first tepid and then
cold bath.
During the day two tepid sitz-baths, followed immediately by tepid
foot-baths, fifteen minutes each.
Douche three minutes. Head-bath, five minutes each side, making fifteen
minutes.
Ten to twelve glasses of water, used waist bandages, and took much
exercise. _Cured in six weeks._
_Suppressed Menstruation._--When catamenia comes on, except in
extraordinary cases, all the operations of the Water-cure are suspended,
but when patients are in a crisis or fever, they are continued. When
menstruation, from any cause, is suppressed, the following treatment is
prescribed.
Three or four times a day, three or four rubbing-sheets, not much wrung
out, with great friction. These are each time to be followed by tepid
foot-baths of fifteen minutes each.
A lady at Gräfenberg, for this complaint, took packing-sheet and tepid
bath in the morning, four rubbing-sheets at noon, four in the
afternoon, and four at night; between each rubbing-sheet, she walked or
ran naked about the room, with the windows open, though in the depth of
a Silesian winter. This treatment brought on catemenia the third day. No
bandage was used. If blood had gone to the head, then foot-baths were to
have been applied, and the feet and legs rubbed with hands dipped in
water the whole time. If these means had failed, then the sitz-bath and
douche were to have been added to the treatment. After every operation,
patient must go out of doors and take much exercise, and drink not less
than twelve glasses of water a day. In some cases, cold foot-baths are
more active than tepid ones; and in obstinate complaints of this kind,
the sweating process is useful.
_Pains in the Womb._--Tepid sitz-bath from forty minutes to an hour,
rubbing the abdomen well whilst in the bath with wet hands. Sweating in
cold weather beneficial; in hot weather the contrary. To effect a cure,
the general health must be established.
_Hæmorrhage, Irregular Menstruation, &c._--A patient aged 42, was cured
of hæmorrhage in six minutes.
Packing-sheet followed by rubbing-sheet, were first resorted to. After
three weeks it became necessary to increase the packing-sheets to fifty
a day. They were applied from the arm-pits down to the hips. Patient
kept in a perfect state of repose.
In five days this treatment stopped the hæmorrhage; then packing-sheets
and cold baths twice a day, were had recourse to, until patient was
cured. No sitz-baths. Large bandage, often renewed, was always worn
round the waist.
An English lady of title, nearly exhausted from violent hæmorrhage,
arrived at Gräfenberg in October. She was ordered not to put her foot to
the ground for two months, to sleep with her window open, and to be
covered with one sheet only. After the packing-sheets, she was carried
to the cold bath and back to bed. She felt as in an ice-house. In two
months, great improvement: then, though winter, and the ground was
covered with snow, she was ordered to go out without bonnet or umbrella,
and as lightly clad as possible; and to douche twice a day for ten
minutes. Everything being done to cause contraction. In May she was
declared perfectly cured. The husband, on coming to her, was in
ecstasies at her healthy appearance, and was at a loss to find words to
express his gratitude to Priessnitz.
_Head-ache, Pain in the Limbs, and great uneasiness._--A child taken in
the night with the above symptoms accompanied with fever, was ordered
immediately--
Rubbing-sheet, sitz-bath, and head-bath; at noon, rubbing-sheet and
sitz-bath; afternoon, packing-sheet twenty minutes, and tepid-bath.
If the packing-sheet heated soon, then to be changed for twenty minutes.
If symptoms continued, renew the rubbing-sheets, sitz, and head-baths,
in the night.
Patient well in the afternoon.
_Pain in the Breast._--A lady, two days after her confinement, had her
breast hardened by milk, so that she could not endure the infant's
attempt to draw it. She applied the bandage, covered with a dry one; it
was immediately soothing, and in less than an hour, the milk began to
flow.
_The Whites._--These find a certain cure in hydropathy. Very often
sitz-bath, beginning with tepid water and afterwards using cold and
injections, effect the object. When they do not, rubbing sheet and the
douche are resorted to.
A case within my knowledge was cured by the following treatment:
Three tepid sitz-baths 60° daily; morning, two packing sheets; one
fifteen minutes, the other twenty-five minutes, followed by cold bath,
with cold water thrown over the body; afternoon, the sheets were
repeated, and either a rubbing sheet or cold bath. When patient did not
feel well the tepid bath was used. Body bandage worn always.
LVI.--CHANGE OF LIFE IN FEMALES.
Health would be re-established by a few months' treatment--such as
rubbing-sheets and douche; drinking water and wearing the bandage. Those
who cannot _devote time_ to go to Gräfenberg, should take a rubbing
sheet every morning, wear a waist bandage, and drink seven or eight
tumblers of water a-day.
LVII.--TREATMENT OF LADIES.
_Pain at the Chest, Dry Cough, Weak Digestion, Pain and Pressure at the
Nape of the Neck, Cold Feet, Great Emaciation and Suppression of
Catemenia for three months, Skin dry and hard, Unable to Walk._--A lady,
38 years of age, for the above symptoms, was treated as follows:--
Morning, packing-sheet and tepid-bath; noon, rubbing-sheet; afternoon,
as in the morning.
Bandages on chest and abdomen day and night.
Ten glasses of water drank daily.
In ten days able to walk a little, cough eased, better spirits.
In a month, skin softer; and shortly after, a cold plunge-bath was
ordered instead of tepid.
_Accouchement._--Experience has demonstrated the utility of cold
ablutions, sitz-baths, simple diet, and exercise in the air, to females
enceinte; water should be substituted for all stimulants. Madame
Priessnitz, for her easy and prompt accouchements, is indebted to cold
water and sitz-baths, which she took daily for six weeks previous.
The following statement to me in writing, by an American gentleman,
shews the value that ought to be set on hydropathy by ladies.
"From 1837 to 1844 inclusive, Mrs. ---- was, to all appearance, very
healthy, but had an abortive accouchement every year, sometimes twice a
year. After the second accident of this nature, she took advice; when,
on one occasion, she was subjected to depletion; another, she was
advised to pass her time entirely in a recumbent position; she had the
best advice that could be procured in Boston, Florence, and Liverpool.
These mishaps caused her many distressing and alarming symptoms. She now
went to a hydropathic establishment for a few weeks, and derived great
benefit from the treatment; this determined her on going to Gräfenberg,
when Priessnitz assured her, if confined there, no doubt need be
entertained of a favourable result, or the life of the infant. In April,
1845, she arrived at Gräfenberg; after six weeks she became unwell, and
continued so for some time; she, however, persevered in the full
treatment until April, 1846, when she gave birth to a male child
weighing twelve pounds, six ounces.
"Her treatment had been packing-sheet and cold bath in the morning,
rubbing-sheets, douche, and sitz-baths in the after part of the day, all
the winter. The latter she took the very morning of her accouchement.
"During labour, the bandages round the waist were quite wet, and changed
every ten minutes. She was also ordered to walk and use her arms as much
as possible.
"After the birth, she was washed twice a day with tepid water
15°[Transcriber's note: probably Reaumur scale], with wet towels.
"The child, immediately on entering the world, was put into water as it
came from the fountain; afterwards warm water was mixed with it until it
reached 15°. The child's baths were afterwards tepid 15°, and gradually
reduced to 12°. After two months he had two of these baths a day.
"In case of pain in the bowels bandages were applied; if not attended
with immediate relief, a cold clyster. He is now three years old, strong
and cheerful; his mother free from all those symptoms hitherto so
obstinate, mysterious, and apparently fatal. I leave Gräfenberg with the
highest sense of gratitude towards the wonderful man, whose intuitive
genius has proved such a blessing to thousands. I regard hydropathy a
thousand times more as a science of life than a remedial agent. I have
seen enough to convince me that he who lives according to its precepts,
_must_, barring accidents and pestilence, live to a good old age; it
will teach all to make their passions harmonise with their organisation,
and then it will be, not only a medicine, but a religion."
If fever of any kind supervenes upon accouchements, wet sheets and
tepid-baths are resorted to.
_Pregnancy._--A delicate lady, who accompanied her husband to
Gräfenberg, became in the family-way; she had long suffered from
derangement of the stomach, which now became much worse: she wasted away
and became weakly.
Ordered two rubbing-sheets daily, one in the morning, the other in the
afternoon. A sitz-bath occasionally.
Bandage round the waist, always drank plentifully of water.
Under this treatment, she became stout and plump. She walked until the
day before her accouchement. When she felt the pains of labour coming
on, Priessnitz caused her to sit up until the last moment, with a
bandage round the abdomen, which, during labour, was changed every six
minutes. The delivery was quick and easy.
_Experience shews_ the utility of cold ablutions and exercise in the
open air, to females who are in the family-way. To this add simple diet,
and drinking plentifully of cold water. All stimulants should be
avoided. A sitz-bath occasionally, and a bandage when sensations of pain
are felt, will also be beneficial.
_Sterility._--I could enumerate instances out of number, of parties (who
had often deplored the absence of children) having families, after
undergoing the cleansing and fortifying process of the Water-cure.
A gentleman, now an M.P., and his lady, were travelling for their health
in Italy. A friend of mine at Venice, advised them to go to Gräfenberg.
They did so, and after five months, the lady became enceinte. She wrote
afterwards, that she had been married eleven years without having had a
child; that since her trip to Gräfenberg she had three. Her meeting with
that gentleman at Venice, she said she looked upon as an act of divine
Providence.
_Difficulty in passing Urine._--Wash the parts with cold water often;
the body twice a-day; bandage the parts; drink plentifully of water and
eat grapes.
LVIII.--GIDDINESS, DIZZINESS, ETC.
Bandage (wet) round the head; lie in bed and change body-bandage often.
Tepid sitz-bath 62° for forty minutes. If after a few hours, patient is
not better, resort to packing-sheet and tepid bath; or three or four
rubbing-sheets twice or thrice a-day, followed by tepid foot-baths.
LIX.--HEAD-ACHES.
When they proceed from nervousness, rubbing-sheet for three or four
minutes, well wetting the head first, followed by sitz-bath for fifteen
minutes. When these fail, resort to packing-sheet and tepid bath.
Head-bandage.
It frequently happens that well washing the head, rubbing the temples
for a long time with wet hands, and wearing a wet bandage as a turban,
the head-ache is relieved.
_Head-ache and Flushing from anxiety._--A lad was ordered:
Foot-bath twenty minutes; feet very much rubbed during that time. Body
bandaged and bandage often changed.
Tepid sitz-bath 62° quarter of an hour; head-bath for ten minutes, and
afterwards bandage round it very often terminates head-ache at once.
When head-ache is obstinate, the duration of the sitz-bath must be
extended, and a perpetual bandage from the ankle to the knee. This,
though it may produce an eruption, may be continued for months. Bandage
the head night and day.
_Head-ache._--For a violent head-ache, Priessnitz ordered the body
bandage to be changed every ten minutes. This did not answer--when
patient was relieved by the following treatment; a rubbing-sheet for
five minutes, and sitz-bath for an hour, the head being bandaged all the
time.
A lady of a fine strong constitution, suffering from intense nervous
head-ache, was treated as follows:--
Morning, packing-sheet and bath, followed by head-bath, three minutes to
each side, and the same to the back, making nine minutes; noon,
rubbing-sheet, sitz-bath; afternoon as in the morning. Patient always
went without stockings and bonnet. In three months health much improved
and headache less frequent.
_Head-ache._--Some head-aches are relieved by fomenting the forehead and
temples with towels wetted with hot water for half an hour, occasionally
washing and rubbing those parts with cold water; when, if not cured, the
treatment should be repeated, and afterwards a bandage may be applied.
LX.--ACUTE INFLAMMATION IN THE HEAD, CHEST AND ABDOMEN.
Frequent rubbing-sheets; packing-sheets, and sitz-bath, cut short the
premonitory stage of the disease. In the event of increase of pain and
fever, tepid bath 62 to 64 deg. should be used, and patient kept in it
until the axillæ are cold. Packing-sheet, after the lapse of
twenty-four, thirty-six, or forty-eight hours, when all inflammatory
symptoms have ceased, may be had recourse to. Should these symptoms
return, the tepid bath must be repeated, and its duration regulated by
circumstances.
LXI.--CHILBLAINS.
Put the part affected in tepid water three times a day for twenty
minutes; if the fingers are attacked, apply a bandage from the wrist to
the elbow; if the toes, from the ankle to the knee, and wear it night
and day.
LXII.--COLD FEET.
When cold, to be well rubbed with wet hands, but _never_ put into a
bath. To cure cold feet, rubbing-sheet to the whole body, and friction
to the feet two or three times a day; after which, walk about room, or
passage, or cold wet stones, for ten or fifteen minutes, or until heat
has returned. Persons suffering from cold feet, on going to bed at night
may use the bandage as follows: first bring heat to the feet by exercise
or friction; then put a bandage into cold water, wring it out well,
envelope the feet in it, and over that place a thick dry bandage.
LXIII.--COLD HANDS AND WHITLOW.
Rub the hands with snow or cold water and let them dry of themselves;
when they are wounded, keep the snow or water away from them. To draw
heat or bad matter from the hands, bandage from the wrist to elbow and
use elbow-bath, fifteen minutes each time. In ordinary cases of whitlow,
rub the finger, hand and wrist often with wet hand, and bandage the
finger at night. If obstinate, resort to the same treatment as for cold
hands.
LXIV.--BUNNION AND ENLARGED GLANDS OF FOOT AND INSTEP.
A lady aged 45 was ordered--morning, packing-sheet twenty minutes and
tepid bath 62°; noon, sitz-bath fifteen minutes; afternoon,
rubbing-sheet. Bandage to feet and legs up to the knees at night, and
from ankles to knees only by day If the feet are wounded by tight boots,
take foot-baths twice a-day and wear a bandage on the feet at night.
LXV.--DEPRESSION OF SPIRITS, HEAD-ACHE, ETC.
A patient derived immediate relief from the following treatment:
morning, packing-sheet half an hour, then tepid bath two minutes, cold
three or four minutes, and back to the tepid; noon, rubbing-sheet,
sitz-bath fifteen minutes and head-bath ten minutes; afternoon, morning
treatment repeated. When better, the packing-sheet in the afternoon was
abandoned for a sitz-bath ten minutes. On dreary wet days the
packing-sheet was to be resorted to again. After the sitz-bath, the feet
were to be put into water for two or three minutes and well rubbed.
LXVI.--DEAFNESS.
Away from Gräfenberg, persons are recommended to use the rubbing-sheet
twice a-day, take a foot-bath ten minutes, and wear a bandage round the
ears at night.
A young man from Hambro', suffering from deafness, followed up the
general treatment for three or four months, when a boil appeared on his
abdomen and increased to the size of an egg; this burst whilst patient
was taking the douche: from that time he heard as well as ever.
LXVII.--HERNIA AND CONSTIPATION.
Both these complaints, which are so completely out of the reach of
drugs, are always cured by hydropathy.
Don----, late minister from a foreign court to England, through my
interpretation, inquired of Priessnitz how long he should be before he
was cured of constipation? A twelvemonth. How long of my hernia? Four
months. His treatment was as follows:--
Morning, packing-sheet and tepid bath, afterwards changed to cold bath;
noon, rubbing-sheet and sitz-bath; afternoon, as in the morning; bandage
to the hernia and round the waist always.
In about four months hernia was perfectly cured and patient declared
that as he eat, slept, and walked well, he considered himself in health,
and consequently left Gräfenberg. I heard from him in Rome afterwards,
when he continued perfectly satisfied.
_Hernia._--A German baron, thirty-five years of age, assured me that
nine months before I made his acquaintance, he came to Gräfenberg for
hernia: that he had been cured the last two months, but he was waiting
to be assured of it.
He was induced to come, from a captain in his regiment having been cured
of a double rupture two years before.
Cases _ad infinitum_ might be quoted to show the certainty of the
Water-cure effecting cures of this nature.
LXVIII.--LIVER COMPLAINT, CONGESTION OF BLOOD IN THE HEAD, ENLARGED VEIN
IN THE LEG.