In this book we set forth a series of simple remedies and preventives
of many common troubles. They are all well tried and have been proved
by long experience to be effective and safe.
We give, as far as we know, the reasons why they are likely to do good,
but we acknowledge that there are things which we cannot fully explain.
For instance, we do not know why a well aired lather of M'Clinton's
Soap should have the soothing effect it undoubtedly possesses, or why
spreading handfuls of this lather over the stomach of a person
suffering from retching or indigestion should give such relief, we only
know that it does!
Some may sneer at the remedy and say it is a case of faith healing and
assert that any other application, if put on with equal credulity,
would have the same effect. But take a case that lately came under our
notice. Indigestion and colic had rendered a baby a few weeks old
restless and miserable from the day of its birth. The nurse was kept
nursing it all night long, trying to soothe it; at last the mother who
had frequently tried the soap lather for occasional attacks of
indigestion, and always with good effect, determined to try it on the
baby. It worked like a charm, the little one was at once soothed and
slept all night, only waking once for its food. This was repeated for
several nights, for until the lather was applied the child would not
settle to sleep. In a few days the child was quite well, the habit of
sleeping was established and the application was discontinued. Now it
cannot be said that faith in the remedy had anything to do with the
result in this case. We only wish every mother would have faith enough
to give this simple treatment a fair trial, making up the lather as
described in this book and not, as many do, "improving" on our method
by rubbing the soap on the wet skin and making a sort of lather with
the hand.
We may say that the soap used for making this lather is not M'Clinton's
shaving soap. The latter is specially made to give a thick durable
lather; for curative purposes use the lather from M'Clinton's toilet or
household soap.
Again, why should the use of the linen underwear we recommend have such
a beneficial effect on sufferers from rheumatism and various skin
troubles? We have suggested possible explanations, and if these seem
inadequate we can only say we know that it has these effects no matter
how they are produced.
There are many things in nature that we cannot explain, and since the
discovery of X Rays, Radium, etc., scientists are much less dogmatic in
declaring anything impossible.
The diet we recommend for health and disease is as simple and cheap as
our other treatment. That plain fare is good for both mind and body was
proved by the four youths at the Babylonian Court over 2,000 years ago,
but alas people squander that priceless boon, health, by letting
appetite rule their lives.
We only ask for our treatment a fair trial on our lines. We claim that
ours are common sense methods. Anyone can see that if a head is hot and
fevered the application of a cold towel is likely to lower that heat
and reduce the fever. But it is no use putting a little bit of wet rag
on and then saying our treatment has failed. Large towels repeatedly
changed for an hour or more may be needed, and this will give more
trouble than administering some dose from the chemist's shop, but the
results are well worth the additional work.
The day is hastening on when men and women will see what fools they
have been, not because they had no sense, but certainly because they
had failed to use the abundance which God has given to all.
Not one of the remedies we have recommended can hurt any one, as they
are only those which we have for years seen used successfully by
ordinary persons who were willing to do their best to cure the
suffering. If we can secure one night of sound sleep, or one day of
comfort for another, we are bound to do our very best, and it is a
wonderful reward to know that one has secured even this in our
suffering world. Our Heavenly Father gives no monopoly of this
blessing.
[Illustration: 1. Vertebral Column; 2. Skull; 4. Sternum; 7. Collar
Bone; 15. Hip Bone; 16. Sacrum; 18. Femur; 19. Knee Pan; 21. Fibula;
22. Tibia; 8. Humerus; 10. Radius; 11. Ulna.]
_Note._--It is earnestly requested that _the whole_ of any article, and
of those referred to in it, should be read _before_ beginning any
treatment.