TREATMENT AND CASES. (continued 2)

“W. Farr.”

“Nice, 13th April, 1848.[”]

Scarlatina and Measles.—These two complaints are treated alike:—

Morning, packing-sheet twenty-five minutes, then change it for another for twenty-five minutes, followed by tepid bath 64° for ten minutes. Bandages. If the eruption is extensive, heat of the bath must be increased.

Repeat the treatment in the afternoon. If there is much heat between the hours of treatment, take as many rubbing-sheets one after the other as are necessary to subdue it. Much water should be drunk.

Scarlatina.—This complaint, on its first indication, is often subdued by the following simple means:—

Two or three packing-sheets. Large bandage round the waist. Drink water and walk out. A few hours afterwards repeat the same.

If obstinate, two or three packing-sheets, changed when warm, followed by tepid bath 64°.

If in scarlatina, or measles, the throat is affected, drink often in small quantities. Renew the packing-sheet frequently. When fever is diminished, slight perspiration in packing-sheet for half an hour; then tepid bath twenty minutes, with friction. Bread and milk diet.

A child, eleven years old, exhibited symptoms of scarlatina. Dry and hot all over the body. Stitch from chest to back. Was put into a tepid bath 64° and rubbed for an hour, cold water being continually thrown over its shoulders; child extremely cold; walked out. The same operation performed again in the afternoon and twice the next day put an end to the attack.

Hooping Cough.—Rub the child well all over, particularly the chest and back of the neck with hands continually dipped in cold water; or use a rubbing sheet. Bandage the chest, breast, and loins. If sufficiently strong, let the child lie in bed until quite hot, then tepid bath 64° and use great friction until quite chilled. If fever be present, a packing-sheet should precede the tepid bath, and afterwards a bandage round the waist.

Hooping cough may also be treated thus:—

Tepid bath, with great friction, for ten minutes in the morning; two rubbing-sheets at mid-day; the same in the afternoon: head-bath before going to bed; chest and body bandaged and changed often; drink much water.

Mumps.—Begin with rubbing-sheets; then packing-sheets and tepid-bath.

Bandage the throat, loins, and side of the head affected.

Change the bandages often, keep the mouth full of water, and change it when warm.

Croup with Sore Throat and Cough.—A child, on awaking in the morning, had face very red and found much difficulty in breathing. Treatment:—

A cold water injection, then two rubbing-sheets, and bandage all round the body from the throat to the hips.

An enema did not act, but appeared to cool the body; it remained in the body eight minutes. When discharged, another rubbing-sheet and wet bandage were applied. Breathing free, and child slept until morning. Then well rubbed in bath 62° for ten minutes.

Ate little breakfast. Dined on rice pudding.

Afternoon. Flushed and feverish.

Priessnitz, who now saw the patient, approved of what had been done, and said if the croup had continued, eight or ten rubbing-sheets ought to have been administered; allowing ten to twenty minutes between each; depending upon the violence of attack and strength of patient.

Evening. Patient was feverish, when the following was ordered:—

Body, but not the feet, to be enveloped in packing-sheet, and there remain until feet were warm: then tepid-bath 64° ten minutes. If the feet are cold in the bath, rub them with wet hands until a good circulation is produced.

In the night, fever abated and the child slept soundly.

Next day croup nearly gone and appetite good.

Another child with croup was treated in the same way on the first day. At nine o’clock at night, chest, windpipe, and between the shoulders, were rubbed for some time with wet hands; then the waist, throat, and chest were bandaged.

Slept well, but flushed and feverish in the morning; complained of sore throat. Packing-sheet until hot, and tepid-bath 64°.

Still feverish.

At noon, rubbing-sheet, not wrung out. If no fever and appetite, to go out.

Repeat rubbing-sheet in the afternoon.

Should fever continue, packing-sheet followed by rubbing-sheets. This was not necessary.

Second day. Tepid bath in the morning, and rubbing-sheets at twelve and five o’clock. Both children cured in three days.

A child seven years old, subject all his life to severe attacks of croup, on being seized with one at Gräfenberg, was treated as follows:—

Rubbed between the shoulders, and on the chest, for some minutes with wet hands; then lifted out of bed, and well rubbed all over, especially in the legs, in a very wet sheet from five to eight minutes.

A wet handkerchief was then put on as a shawl, and a bandage round the waist; when the patient was allowed to return to bed for ten minutes; after which the same treatment was repeated. This induced sleep, and he awoke free from all signs of croup.

At twelve o’clock there was a relapse, when the rubbing was renewed, and bandage applied to the waist.

At five o’clock in the afternoon, tepid-bath 64° for some minutes, and patient slept all night in bandage and wet shawl.

The treatment was renewed second day.

A child three years old, also liable to attacks of croup, on being attacked one evening about nine o’clock, was instantly rubbed on the chest, windpipe, and between the shoulders, followed by a general rubbing in rubbing-sheet for five minutes; then bandages were applied to throat, chest, and round the waist.

This apparently gave great relief, but in the morning he awoke flushed and feverish, complaining of his throat. A rubbing-sheet followed by a tepid-bath for some minutes, was resorted to; and at twelve o’clock another rubbing-sheet followed. Fever having subsided, he was allowed to go out.

At five o’clock the rubbing-sheet was repeated. He wore the bandage on his throat down to his chest day and night, changing it when dry. Had fever continued, he was to have lain in packing-sheet at five o’clock until warm, instead of the rubbing-sheet. Since this time both children have been perfectly well.—August, 1845.

Ophthalmia.—Inflammation of the eyes is generally catarrhal or rheumatic, and requires the same treatment as rheumatism and gout. I never saw it acute, but always chronic.

To the rheumatic treatment, Priessnitz adds eye-baths, and the douche. The latter must be received in the joined hands; from which, water coming from a height will rebound as high as the eyes. Head-baths are equally indispensable, as well as fomentations, to these organs. Chronic ophthalmia, even at Gräfenberg, is most obstinate, and requires a long course of treatment.

A captain thus attacked, felt, after several head-baths which he continued for three quarters of an hour, a pungent pain in the head, accompanied by swelling of the ears. An abscess was expected in one of these organs, when the pain gave way to a virulent deposit, formed in the thick part of the cheek; after this, the eyes were re-established.

Another sufferer came to Gräfenberg, with an exfoliation in the corner of the eye. To the whole of the treatment, Priessnitz added eye-baths; after each of which, the invalid was to look fixedly at the light, and immediately re-plunge the eyes into cold water. This man, who was perfectly blind on coming, was, on leaving Gräfenberg, able to read with spectacles.

A third patient presented a very remarkable case of blindness, the result of a cold caught during hunting, by which he lost his sight. He had been nine months blind, when he arrived at Gräfenberg; after each process of perspiration, which he submitted to twice a day, the bath and the head-bath, matter mixed with blood came from the eyes. One might say that some pounds exuded from the eyes in the course of three weeks. I did not see the termination of this cure, before leaving Gräfenberg; but I can affirm, that the last time I spoke to the invalid, he could distinguish colours, and also objects at a certain distance.

Itch and Ringworm.—These diseases are more easily cured by cold water, than by any other means. The process of perspiration in the wet sheet, leads to success; but ringworm is frequently more difficult to cure than the itch. It requires longer time, and a more energetic use of cold water.—The douche is also indispensable in cases of ringworm, in order to bring the morbid humours to the skin. The most difficult ringworms to cure, are those which have been driven in by bad treatment. This disease is really equal to the gout, in point of obstinacy, for it re-appears upon the skin after the use of the douche a long time. After the process of perspiration, and cold baths too, it again shows itself under forms much more serious in their aspect, than in the beginning.

Cold, Cough, with Inflammation.—A lady was ordered—

Packing-sheet, half or three quarters of an hour, then tepid bath 64° for an hour, twice a day. After first day much better. Third day cured. If patient is fatigued by staying in bath so long, let him come out and walk about the room for a few minutes, then enter the bath again.

Major——, a strong man, pursued the following treatment and was cured the third day.

Morning—Packing-sheet, two and a half hours, and tepid bath 64°, ten minutes. Took a long walk.

At noon—Packing-sheet, one hour, and bath ten minutes.

Afternoon—The same.

Bandaged throat and chest day and night.

Chronic Sore Throat.—Child two and a half years old. Morning—Packing-sheet one hour and then cold bath; noon, tepid sitz-bath, fifteen minutes. Bandage round the throat at night, but not by day; rub the throat often with wet hands.

Sore Throat, Pain in the Limbs, and Prostration of Strength.—A young lady so attacked was ordered not to eat any dinner that day; to run up and down stairs and about the room until warm.

Then a blanket, warmed by the fire and the patient enveloped in it, covered by many others, patient to keep in movement in the blanket the first quarter of an hour, to promote perspiration (the sweating process). Bandage throat, chest, and waist. Hold water in the mouth, and rub the throat often with wet hands (requisites in all cases where the throat is engaged). Patient being under the general treatment at the usual time, packing sheet and tepid bath, etc., were used.

Cure effected the second day.

Cold and Cough.—A child six years old. Tepid bath 64° twice a day, fifteen minutes each time, and waist bandage. Cured the second day.

For an adult the above is also good treatment, with the addition of holding water constantly in the mouth when walking, and wearing bandages on chest and legs up to the fork at night; morning, two rubbing sheets; the same at mid-day and in the afternoon. Two foot-baths during the day of ten minutes each; feet to be rubbed well the whole time. Bandages as in former case.

Cold, and Sore Throat.—Bandage the throat at night, expose it by day, even in winter.

Pain in the Bowels.—Packing-sheet until hot, then tepid bath 66° morning and afternoon; at mid-day, sitz-bath 64° twenty minutes. It was truly astonishing to witness the result of one day’s treatment.

In a case of great swelling in the throat, bandages were applied to it always, and changed every twenty minutes. To this were added rubbing-sheets three times a day, and a sitz-bath 64° for twenty minutes.

Cold.—In a severe cold, suspend packing-sheet in the morning and substitute rubbing sheet; at noon, packing-sheet for an hour, followed by tepid-bath 64°.

If not soon well, sweating process for an hour and half, followed by tepid bath 64°.

In a common cold, Priessnitz ordered three rubbing-sheets, with great friction, on going to bed. For children, he finds a tepid bath, for ten minutes twice a day, is sufficient; dining on farinaceous food and going out as usual.

Cold with Head Ache.—Two rubbing-sheets and tepid sitz-bath for twenty minutes before dinner, and the same in the afternoon. After each operation a cold-head bath for ten minutes.

Cold, Sore Throat, and enlarged Tonsils.—Packing-sheets and tepid-bath twice a day. Tepid sitz-bath and bandages are generally ordered.

Cold settled in the Knee.—One day rising from kneeling, a patient, aged 50, felt great pain in her knee, which swelled so as to prevent her going out. Despite medical skill, it increased in size, and the foot lost all sensation; this took place twelve months previous to going to Gräfenberg.

The patient for the first seven or eight weeks was confined entirely to her room. In the morning, packing-sheet and tepid bath; noon, stood on the leg up to the top of the thigh in cold water half an hour; afternoon, repeated the same; drank ten glasses of water daily; and kept the leg and foot constantly bandaged. At length she began to walk with two sticks; then she took a cold bath in the morning, and after ten weeks the douche twice a day, ten minutes each time. Digestion good.

The bone resumed its position and the swelling began to diminish; when, the foot having gained its action, she could walk with a stick without other assistance. This lady was an excellent example of the benefit of the Water-cure.

Cough, Sore Throat, and pain in the Chest.—Heating bandage to the throat at night; expose it by day.

Morning, packing-sheet until quite hot; then tepid bath 64° for fifteen minutes twice a day.

In the middle of the day tepid sitz-bath, twenty minutes. It was astonishing to witness the change for the better, after the first day’s treatment.

Cold and Cough.—An infant aged six years. Tepid bath 64° twice a day, for fifteen minutes each time.

Heating bandage round the waist. Cured in two days.

Severe Swelling in the Throat.—A gentleman resident in my house was ordered three rubbing-sheets, three times a day, and bandages, changed every twenty minutes.

A friend of mine was constantly annoyed by relaxed and sore throat, without any assignable cause. At length it was found that he slept with his mouth open. An Indian-rubber band to go under the chin and over the head, so as to keep his mouth shut was used at nights and from that time he was no more annoyed with the complaint.

Flatulency.—Injection and sitz-baths.

Drowsiness.—Foot-bath, and rub the head with wet hands. If these means are not sufficient, use the packing-sheet, followed by friction in tepid bath for an hour.

A patient complaining to Priessnitz of feeling heavy in the head after dinner, was ordered to pour a bottle of water on his head, and take head-baths occasionally.

Hysteria.—Rubbing-sheets every five minutes, until every appearance of hysteria is gone. The patient should lie in bed between each packing-sheet to get warm.

Ague.—Tepid bath 62° with great friction until fever is reduced; then packing-sheets, changed on becoming warm; followed by tepid bath, bandage, drinking water, etc. The sweating stage is much relieved by packing-sheets.

Shivering.—For a shivering fit, a patient was ordered five rubbing-sheets, with an interval of five minutes between them—patient to walk about the room during that time: first application effected a cure.

A young lady strong and robust, always cold, sleepy, and indisposed to leave the house, was ordered to use the packing-sheet until warm; then a tepid bath for an hour and upwards, three times a day. In three days she was perfectly well.

Weakness of Chest and Short Breathing.—A delicate lady was ordered two packing-sheets, from the arm-pits to knees, and tepid bath 64°. Feet being cold were rubbed in shallow foot-bath for a quarter of an hour, then dried, and she walked about her chamber for a quarter of an hour before going to bed.

Itching of the Fingers, like the approach of Chilblains.—Wash hands in tepid water, 64°, three times a day for five minutes; wear heating-bandage from the wrist to the elbow.

XLVII.—Sore Mouth—Inflamed Gums.

For this complaint, sweating twice a day, long tepid baths, head-baths, and sitz-baths, were ordered. Tepid water, 68°, should be held in the mouth.

XLVIII.—Tooth-ache, Preservation of the Teeth, etc.

If the tooth is unsound, it must be stopped or extracted. Sometimes when a tooth is plugged, the pressure on the nerve renders it insupportable. At Geneva, a clever dentist avoided this painful result by first cleaning out the tooth, then placing a small plate of metal very flat and thin as a sort of shelf in the tooth, so as to leave a hollow below it. By this means, he avoided the pressure upon the nerve, and the stopping was not felt. This is foreign to our purpose; but I insert it as a useful hint. In ordinary cases of tooth-ache, or inflammation of the gums, fill the mouth with warm water; then with the hand dipped frequently in cold water, rub the cheeks until it can be borne no longer; then rub the gums even to bleeding, and bandage the face: if pain returns in the night, repeat the rubbing. Long and often-repeated tepid foot-baths are also useful.

A patient at Gräfenberg writes as follows:—“Priessnitz ordered me, for tooth-ache and pain in my gums, to rub the back of my head and down my neck often and for a long time. The first application afforded me relief. After ten or fifteen minutes’ rubbing, the pain would leave for hours, and then return. Soon there was a longer interval between the attacks: at last, the pain ceased altogether.” The theory of this mode of curing such an ailment is based upon true philosophical principles. Who does not know that the nerves of the teeth centre in the back of the head? It is evident, then, that by friction to that part, the inflammation will be drawn from the gums.

A friend of mine, suffering intensely from pain in the gums, found relief from a tepid sitz-bath of thirty minutes. As a preservative for the teeth, there is nothing like water. It is related in a useful little pamphlet, entitled “Facts, proving Water to be the only beverage fitted to give health and Strength to Man,” that General Norton, the Mohawk Chief, who was in this country some years ago, said that when the Indians are in their own settlements, living upon the produce of the chase, and drinking water, their teeth always look clean and white; but when they go into the United States, and get spirituous liquors, their teeth look dirty and yellow, and then they are frequently afflicted with tooth-ache, and are obliged to have their teeth drawn. For cleaning the teeth and preserving them, there is nothing so good as cold water; warm or tepid water exposes us to catch cold in the gums, whilst those who are in the constant habit of using cold water are seldom troubled in this way.

XLIX.—Watery or Inflamed Eyes.

For watery eyes, an eye-bath three times a day for five minutes will draw blood to, and strengthen, them. For inflamed eyes, throw water with the hand into them three times a day for five minutes each time, and wear a bandage on the forehead at night.

Sore Eyes.—Place the back part of the head in cold water three times a day, ten minutes each time; then use an eye-bath for five minutes, twice a day: for this purpose, glasses are to be procured of the form of the eye. After the eyes are closed in the water for about a minute, they should be opened for the other four minutes. At night, a bandage should be placed at the back of the neck: this and the head-bath have the effect of drawing inflammation from the front. In most cases, foot-baths twice a day are beneficial. Where there is great inflammation; a very wet bandage may be applied to the eyes for an hour occasionally. As a preservative to the eyes, open them in the wash-hand basin of a morning for two minutes, or throw water [i]nto them occasionally, for two or three minutes at a time.

L.—Deafness.

Rubbing-Sheet three times a day, wear bandage over the ears at night, and drink plentifully of water; tepid sitz-baths. This treatment will often relieve deafness: where it is ineffectual, the general treatment must be resorted to.

LI.—Ear-Ache.

Linen wetted should be introduced into the ear; all round the ear often rubbed with wet hands for a quarter of an hour each time, and a bandage worn round the head; also tepid foot-bath for half an hour.

In obstinate cases, perspiration and tepid baths, sitz and foot-baths, must be resorted to. For an obstinate pain in the ear in a strong man, two packing-sheets and tepid bath for two hours were prescribed; next day, sweating for five or six hours, and cold bath.

LII.—Ringworm, Itch, etc.

These diseases are more easily conquered by Hydropathy than by any other means. The most difficult ringworms to cure, are those driven in by bad treatment. This disease is equal to gout in obstinacy. We shall here warn the sufferer that the diet prescribed must be rigorously observed. Dr. Munde states that “three men, attacked with this disease, arrived at Gräfenberg, at the same time as himself; the first, following the treatment with energy for two months, returned home resolved to continue through the winter, and then return to Gräfenberg to finish the cure, which, at the time of his departure, was more than half effected. The two others remained at Gräfenberg, one for eight months, the other six; both left radically cured. The treatment of one of these cases was attended by an acidity in the throat, and by the vomiting of matter containing chalky substances. The acidity of the throat was such, that it caused the tongue to be ulcerated.[”]

LIII.—Psoriasis.

The following extraordinary case is as stated by the patient, an English gentleman, himself. An eruption made its appearance on his head when twenty-three years of age; cause unknown. Underwent medical treatment six years, and tried every remedy five physicians could suggest. Thrice salivated, tried all sorts of ointments, some so powerful as to burn the flesh. Visited Harrowgate the third time, when the eruption spread all over his body. Stomach and bowels a continual source of annoyance. Arrived at Gräfenberg 27th July, 1843; next morning, went into tepid, from that to cold, and back to tepid bath; and afterwards pursued the following treatment:—

Morning, two packing-sheets, the first for a quarter of an hour, the second for an hour, followed by tepid bath for half a minute, then cold, and back to tepid bath; noon, packing-sheet one hour, and rubbing-sheet; afternoon, packing-sheet one hour, and rubbing-sheet. At the expiration of first bath, the bowels acted regularly. Morning and afternoon treatment the same; noon, douche three minutes, and sitz-bath half an hour.

Sept. 5.—Considerable pain felt in thighs and legs; ordered after douching to walk a few minutes, with legs exposed to the air.

Sept. 20.—Diarrhœa. For this, the patient was put into packing-sheet 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°, 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.

An English M.D., 70 years of age, was attacked with yellow fever in the tropics, which affected his liver, when indigestion and dyspepsia resulted.

At Rome, being seized with pain in the heart and congestion of blood in the head, he was bled: finding himself no better, he proceeded for the best advice to Paris, where depletion was again recommended. This determined him to go to Gräfenberg.

The doctor told me Priessnitz took a most accurate view of his case: he began by packing-sheets and tepid-bath, morning and evening; rubbing-sheets, sitz and foot-baths at noon.

The treatment caused him varied sensations, but generally a tendency to healthy action. One day he felt unusual pain about the region of the heart, and congestion in the head. Having a gouty tendency in his system, he became alarmed, and sent for Priessnitz, who put a large wet bandage doubled in the form of a shawl over his shoulders, and over the region of the heart, and then requested him to put his feet up to the knees in cold water for half an hour.

The doctor declared to me, that if asked a question as to the danger of such a proceeding, he should have said that he thought death would immediately ensue, and that but for the confidence Priessnitz’ success, as witnessed by himself, had created, no power on earth could have induced him in such a complaint to follow the orders thus given. As it was, however, he plunged his feet into the water at once in presence of Priessnitz, who stood with him the whole time. By degrees the symptoms decreased; in an hour after the operation he was completely relieved, and that night slept remarkably well.

For a slight attack of fever, the doctor was prescribed five or six rubbing-sheets and a head-bath, to walk in the open air, and change his body-bandage in the night. At another time, for blood to the head and great nervousness, he bathed the head after dinner, bandaged the neck and dispensed with neck handkerchief.

When the doctor first came to Gräfenberg, his walks were limited to the piazza in front of his rooms; these were extended by degrees, until even during the inclemency of the winter and the depth of snow everywhere encountered, he extended his walks thrice a day up into the woods, and was always the first to be seen out in the morning. In about nine months, the gentleman was completely cured of all his ailments.

LXIX.—Deformity.

An artisan kept his bed for a long time, his illness is supposed to have originated in a cold. He was almost bent double. In this state he went to Carlsbad, where the waters rendered him so weak that he moved about with great difficulty. In this state he came to Gräfenberg.

Morning, packing-sheet one hour, bath three minutes; noon, two rubbing-sheets and sitz-bath; afternoon as the morning.

Large bandage round the loins, drank twenty tumblers of water before breakfast; and twenty more during the day.

In about three months this patient was able to ascend the highest hills, then he was ordered to carry loads of wood on his head, and put a stick behind his back through his arms at all times, to assist in bringing him straight. He staid all the winter: in the spring his health was perfect, and he was nearly upright when I left him at Gräfenberg.

LXX.—Spinal Complaints.

Priessnitz says it is difficult to prescribe for these complaints at a distance; and that except in young people, or where the disease is in its infancy, a cure is seldom effected. It is however always safe to adopt the following treatment, which will refresh and strengthen the patient.

Three rubbing-sheets, at intervals during the day.

One or two foot-baths, but NO sitz-baths without advice.

If the feet swell, continue the treatment, all the same, rub with wet hands, and bandage the legs, from the ankle to the knee, this will reduce the swelling.

Spine complaint and general debility.—A lady.

Morning, packing-sheet until warm, followed by plunge-bath one minute; noon, douche three minutes, return home and then take a rubbing-sheet and sitz-bath, twenty minutes; afternoon, as in the morning.

Rubbed the back and nape of the neck with wet hands, twice a day.

Patient staid all the winter; during which time symptoms were combated as they arose, she gained strength and flesh.

Spinal affection.—A young lady, after submitting to all sorts of medical treatment for three or four years, came to Gräfenberg. She was clothed in flannel, suffered greatly from indigestion, constipation, and languid circulation, feet always cold, walking a short distance brought on pain in the back.

Second day after her arrival, Priessnitz ordered,—

“Put aside all flannel, go as lightly clad as possible, keep bed-room window open day and night, and sleep with only a single sheet as a covering, leave off stockings and run bare-footed on the wet grass near the house, or on the cold stones of the passage for half an hour before breakfast in the morning.

“Eat black bread and drink sour milk, lie on the stomach and have the spine rubbed several times a day with wet hands.”

First four days, patient had cold feet in and after the packing-sheet, this was then followed by tepid, then cold, and back to tepid-bath, feet well rubbed, previous to going into packing-sheet, and last thing at night; by this treatment head-ache was relieved and the feet became warmer.

In ten days began the douche for one minute; digestion improved; no longer constipated. Bandages always round the body, and to feet and legs at night.

Patient was at Gräfenberg nine months, during which time the treatment was often changed to meet circumstances. One time, suppressed catamenia was relieved in two days by sixteen rubbing-sheets a day. At another, patient met with an accident in the leg; Priessnitz to keep this to the surface, ordered more water to be drunk. This patient left Gräfenberg in excellent health, though not entirely cured of the affection of the spine, that being out of its perpendicular position.

Pain in the Shoulder and Chest.—A lady in the treatment complained of pain in the shoulder and left breast, and down the side.

Ordered, when in sitz-bath the upper part of the body to be well rubbed.

Body bandage to be more wrung out than usual, and extra covering over it.

Pain in the side, Chronic cold in the head.—A German officer aged 50, afflicted as above, and with continued stoppage in the nose, and frequent head-aches, was told by his medical man that he had no chance of being cured, was completely relieved at Gräfenberg, in three or four months.

Packing-sheets and tepid baths twice a day. Rubbing-sheet and sitz-baths were resorted to for a short time, the cold bath substituted for the tepid bath, and to this treatment the douche was added.

Weak Chest and Worms.—A child three years old. Wash with tepid water, 12° once, and after some time twice a day.

Wear body bandage always, and drink water.

Pain in the Chest.—A gentleman had pain in his chest, like the hurt from a blow, about the size of a crown-piece.

Ordered sixteen rubbing-sheets a day, four at each time.

LXXI.—Constipation.

This complaint is always relieved, and if sufficient time is devoted to the treatment, finally overcome by Hydropathy; space forbids my going into details, or numerous cases might be given in proof of this assertion. The reader’s attention may however be called to the letter addressed to a newspaper, and signed by upwards of one hundred patients, giving the case of the son of Prince Leichtenstein, who was cured in a few days of Constipation, which had endured twenty-eight days in defiance of all medical aid. To effect a permanent cure, the treatment must be persevered in for a long time, very often a twelvemonth.

In a recent case. Rubbing-sheets until feverish heat ceases: sometimes four or three suffice; at others the number must be increased to sixteen or twenty, to be immediately followed by a clyster. Then take a walk, and on returning, a sitz-bath fifteen to twenty minutes, the abdomen to be well rubbed the whole time.

Body bandage to be worn always and often changed. This treatment to be resorted to twice a day. Great exercise to be used, and cold light food to be partaken of.

A delicate lady who had suffered from this complaint for upwards of twenty years, was relieved in a fortnight, and had no return of it during her stay at Gräfenberg. Her principal treatment was:—

Packing-sheet and bath twice a day. Rubbing-sheet and sitz-bath at noon.

A second case, which came under my observation, was that of a Russian, who for many years had only been relieved by medicine or enemas. He went to an establishment at Moscow for six months, where he derived great benefit, though he still used enemas. At Gräfenberg he abandoned the latter, his bowels were relaxed and have continued so ever since.

LXXII.—Indigestion.

Foul tongue and pain at the pit of the stomach; a lady having tried all other remedies, was ordered the following, which answered admirably.

Three cold sitz-baths a day, for an hour each time, rubbing the abdomen the whole time, eat nothing but brown bread and drink sour milk during three days.

Loss of Appetite, Foul Tongue, etc.—Patient had foul tongue, and loss of appetite.

Morning.—Sweating and tepid bath, stomach to be well rubbed in the bath. Sitz-bath thirty minutes in the afternoon.

It is very essential to drink abundantly of water, and take great exercise.

A child five years old. Pale, foul tongue, loss of appetite, thirsty and awaking with screams. Ablution in the morning, and three tepid sitz-baths daily four minutes each; chest, back, and abdomen to [be] well rubbed all the time; waist bandage day night. Drink as much water as possible. Cured in three months.

LXXIII.—Stomach Complaint.

Patient’s stomach deranged, food used to return to his mouth: difficult of cure. His second visit to Gräfenberg, cured in nine months. Packing-sheets and rubbing-sheets. Noon, douche, rubbing-sheet and sitz-bath; afternoon, packing-sheet and bath.

LXXIV.—Throwing Food off the Stomach.

Morning, rubbing-sheet and sitz-bath fifteen minutes. Noon, the same repeated. Afternoon, sitz-bath.

A gentleman of my acquaintance pursued three or four months’ treatment for this complaint, and left Gräfenberg without being cured.

LXXV.—Heartburn.

Drink large quantit[i]es of water fasting, rub the part with wet hands and wear a large bandage, changed often, round the waist. If this does not effect a cure, take a rubbing-sheet or two and a tepid sitz-bath twice a day. Nausea and sickness are to be treated in the same manner; if, however, the latter become chronic, then packing-sheets, tepid baths, and sitz-baths must be resorted to. The diet should be brown bread and milk only. The milk should be boiled, if it otherwise disagrees with the patient.

LXXVI.—Sea Sickness.

To avoid sea-sickness or relieve it. The traveller should lay on his back, and place a large wet towel on his abdomen, changing it when dry. After a sea voyage take a few rubbing-sheets and sitz-baths. Wear a waist bandage, and if constipated resort to cold water clysters.

LXXVII.—Palpitation of the Heart.

Many rubbing-sheets; rub the whole, side for a long time and often. Large bandage. Two sitz-baths a day, fifteen minutes each; rubbing the afflicted side the whole time. A lady afflicted as above was relieved in ten minutes by the rubbing-sheets, and dabbling her feet well in cold water.

LXXVIII.—Want of Sleep.

Before going to bed, take a shallow foot-bath (only to cover the soles of the foot) for seven to ten minutes, rubbing the feet to above the ankles all the time, then walk about the room bare-footed until the feet are quite warm.

A lady, in the treatment, complained of want of sleep.

Two packing-sheets in the afternoon, the first changed as soon as hot, followed by tepid bath.

Two foot-baths for one hour each, the water only to cover the soles of the feet. Feet to be well rubbed the whole time. When the servant is tired of rubbing, patient should walk about the room with bare feet for a few minutes and then resume the foot-bath.

LXXIX.—Languid Circulation.

I attended many cases of this kind with Mr. Priessnitz, where the languid circulation arose from using the head more than the body. In a general way he began with rubbing-sheets in the morning and afternoon for a few days, and then in the morning packing-sheet until warm, and tepid bath, cold bath, and back to tepid bath. Noon, rubbing-sheet and tepid sitz-bath fifteen minutes; afternoon, packing-sheet and tepid baths as in the morning; or a rubbing-sheet. Bandaged always.

LXXX.—Ring Worm.

A boy aged seven years had ring worm over the eye and behind his knees. Cured in six weeks. Two packing-sheets and tepid baths daily. Bandage to the knees. Child could not endure the douche.

LXXXI.—Hands Frost-bitten or Suffering from a Boil.

Rub the hands well with tepid water, and particularly the wrist. Put the elbow into cold water for twenty minutes, three times a day. Bandage the whole arm from the arm-pits down to the wrist.

LXXXII.—Weak Eyes and Eruption on the Head.

A child two years old had weak eyes, from which there was a constant discharge and an eruption on the face and head; it was treated as follow:—

Packing-sheet one hour and sometimes longer, followed by tepid bath. Large bandage from hips to arm-pits night and day. Dabbed the face often with cold water and bandaged the head at night. In three weeks eyes quite well and the eruption diminished.

LXXXIII.—Weak Ankles.

If an infant, ablution every morning and bandage the ankles night and day. If an older person, ablution and foot-baths twenty minutes. Morning and afternoon, bandage always.

LXXXIV.—Treatment of Infants.

Immediately after birth bathe the infant in warm water 82°, put a wet bandage on navel, bound on with a dry one, change it morning and evening only. Continue this until the navel is healed. The temperature of the bath to be reduced two degrees every fortnight, until 68°, which is to be used until child can run alone. It may be washed with cold water at three months of age.

If an Infant is uneasy or restless and cries.—Put on a body bandage; if this is not sufficient, give it an extra tepid-bath.

The child of an Hungarian commissioner was born weak and sickly, with great difficulty in breathing. The physicians treated the mother to improve the milk, when the child refused the breast. From three days old it was spoon-fed. On the fifth or sixth day, the father put the child into a packing-sheet until it was warm, when he changed it, and then applied the tepid-bath.

After four day’s treatment a lump appeared on the chest, which increased until it became as large as a man’s fist. On the eighth day it broke, and half a tumbler of matter was discharged. From this moment the child gradually improved and is now the healthiest of his children.

Child-teething, Pain in the Head, and Diarrhœa.—Tepid bath for about five minutes three times a day.

Two head-baths from ten to fifteen minutes each, and one clyster.

A body bandage, and change it often.

LXXXV.—Epilepsy.

This complaint in a general way is not to be cured by Hydropathy; but Priessnitz thinks persons subject to it should use cold baths, and cold water as a beverage. I know a young man who was six months at Gräfenberg, it is now twelve-months since, and as he has not had an attack, he considers himself cured.

LXXXVI.—Hypochondria and Hysteria.

A disarrangement of the system, and inaction of the abdomen, cause much uneasiness and discontent. This disease being moral as well as physical, requires pure air, scenery, society, and a complete change in the manner of living. What is so calculated to combat this complaint as Hydropathy?

A patient became hypochondriac, in consequence of chronic derangement of bowels, struck with rush of blood to the head, face became crimson, lost speech and consciousness, had convulsions and spasmodic movement of the arms.

First operation was to put him into a cold bath, and use strong friction for an hour. He was put into a packing-sheet, in which he became delirious; he was then rubbed by four men in a tepid bath, 64°. He was still unconscious and yet winced on being pinched; water thrown on his head caused a slight cry; great heat on the head. On ceasing the cold affusion, pulse though oppressed began to be felt—eyes fixed—conjunctiva inflamed.

Friction continued two hours, then ceased for one hour and a half, and begun again: in an hour spasms ceased, eyes began to move, without seeing. Patient apparently exhausted, pulse gained its power, though still often intermittent, upper part of the body hot, lower extremities could not be warmed all night, consciousness had not returned in the morning, pulse better, but sleep interrupted,—patient groaning. All night wet bandage applied to the head. At 6 o’clock next morning, sweating process, perspiration preceded consciousness, up to which moment patient was insensible to all that had occurred. After half an hour’s sweating, he was well rubbed in tepid bath 66°, and put to bed, when he slept. On awaking he partook of bread and milk.

At 2 o’clock p.m., awoke covered with perspiration, and from that time until next morning, slept at intervals, pulse regular, talked calmly and rationally, bowels in a normal state.

In the morning, packing-sheet; and later, sweating process; both followed by tepid bath 64°—temperature of the body still high. After good night’s rest, appetite returned, and so much better as to renew the treatment to effect a cure of that which brought him to Gräfenberg.

LXXXVII.—Fœtid Perspiration of the Feet.

This is relieved by foot-baths, and wearing a bandage on the feet at night; but it cannot be cured without the sweating process.

LXXXVIII.—Stricture.

Sweating and tepid bath, and cold sitz-baths, are generally resorted to in this complaint. If cold water is found too severe, tepid is used for a time; a bandage is always applied to parts affected.

For stoppage of the water, three to six rubbing-sheets; if they fail, resort to sweating process until water comes, then a tepid bath, or rubbing-sheet.

Medical men, to effect this object, put the patient first into a warm bath, and then bleed him until he faints: by these means, the prostate gland becomes relaxed, and water flows; or water is passed by the use of catheters, which at Gräfenberg are always dispensed with.

LXXXIX.—Inflammation of the Kidneys And Urethra.

The treatment must be regulated by circumstances: sometimes sweating, at other times the packing-sheet, tepid bath, and bandage.

XC.—Hydrocephalus.

A child one year and a-half old had water on the brain, and a large protuberance in the middle of the forehead. Ordered, a tepid bath morning and evening; a rubbing-sheet after an hour’s sleep at noon, and repeated before going to bed at night. Drank water only at meals, and then but little. Bandage from arm-pits down to the knees; was much in the open air. After twelve months, the protuberance went down, leaving a ridge like a pigeon’s breast down the centre; shape of head completely changed, and the boy was perfectly well.

XCI.—Syphilis.

This complaint always succumbs to the treatment; and a cure effected by it leaves none of those lamentable consequences which attend the exhibition of drugs. By Hydropathic means, the virus is completely thrown out of the system through the pores; whilst the administration of mercury is attended with secondary symptoms, which are more fatal than the disease itself. If taken in time, secondary symptoms are also cured at Gräfenberg. It frequently happens, that patients treated for another complaint, find syphilis return, though they imagined themselves cured of it years before. Recent cases of syphilis in otherwise healthy persons, are generally cured in less than two months; but the cure of secondary symptoms is a work of time. There are many sufferers from this undermining malady, who have been at Gräfenberg one, two, and even three years. In health, they, are much improved; but the malady is too deeply seated to be eradicated. One gentleman, when I was there, was refused admittance; he died in a few days, when it was found that mercury had eaten part of his wind-pipe away—a result that never could have been brought about by water. The following is another deplorable case, the result of bad treatment:—Patient aged thirty-five, tall, thin, and bent when walking; supports his head by pressing his hands on each side of it; part of the cranium destroyed. The brain covered over by a skin; the parietal bones destroyed, and thick pus exudes between the skin and bone, and smells horribly. Inside of the left eye is an ulceration with raised borders, which allows a portion of the orbital arch to be seen surrounded with pus; pulse weak and irregular; constant pain. Treated for secondary symptoms, with mercury in 1841; came to Gräfenberg with three ulcers the size of a shilling on his forehead, with burning pains. Packing-sheets and tepid baths morning and evening, with other intermediate treatment. This case is introduced to show the sort of cases Mr. Priessnitz will undertake: of course, a cure will require a considerable time.

XCII.—Chancre.

Case of a very strong young man:—

For five days—sweating (after perspiration broke out) morning, one hour; afternoon, half an hour; then tepid bath, followed by cold bath and back to tepid. After five days—from sweating went into plunging cold bath; in another week, douched from two to five minutes at eleven o’clock; bandage round the body and on the sores, which were bathed and had water thrown on them frequently; wore suspending bandages; eat sparingly; no meat or butter, and took but little exercise. Perfectly cured in six weeks.

XCIII.—Gonorrhœa and Chancres.

Sweating, followed by bath in the morning; douche at eleven; at twelve, rubbing-sheet and sitz-bath; afternoon, packing-sheet and bath; chancres increased to the size of a sixpence then, and in two days cicatrised. Patient cured in twenty-five days.

Gonorrhœa, &c.—Packing-sheet, tepid bath, and sitz-baths were the means used. The complaint continuing, Priessnitz supposed it arose from debility of the parts, and ordered:—

Six sitz-baths of ten minutes, allowing five minutes to elapse between each, twice a-day; packing-sheets to be changed as soon as warm, followed by cold bath.

A young man, immediately on discovering this complaint, who took sitz-baths as above described, injected cold water into the urethra, bandaged the parts and drank plentifully of cold water and lived low; was cured in two days.

Another person was subject to involuntary emissions, by which his strength was wasting away. In a month after he began the cure, he found an old gonorrhœa return (which had evidently been driven into the system and was the cause of his malady); he was now treated for this and restored to perfect health.

A Russian officer, declared cured of chancre three years before, found the complaint return, when he was again treated by mercury. His throat continued to trouble him, his voice was husky, and piles began to make their appearance. After pursuing the Water-cure for a short time, as described in a former case, he had a crisis in his foot, and diarrhœa for a fortnight, when he passed a considerable quantity of blood. After this, the piles disappeared entirely, and his voice became sound and clear. It should be observed that he sweated alternate mornings only; the other mornings, packing-sheets and bath.

A young man aged 23, attacked with secondary symptoms: sore throat, etc., was ordered three packing-sheets and cold baths a-day; rubbing-sheet and sitz-bath.

I knew another strong young man suffering under secondary symptoms, so that he could hardly walk with the use of a stick; he went to Gräfenberg, staid there two months, and returned to England the picture of health.

As there are always at Gräfenberg a large number of individuals labouring under these complaints, cases of cure might be adduced ad infinitum: suffice it to say, that hydropathy in their cure is omnipotent. Buboes and chancres, when taken in their infancy, are eradicated from the system in a few weeks, sometimes days, without the debilitating effects attendant upon other deceitful remedies.

XCIV.—Scrofula and Vaccination.

Priessnitz, when asked what he conceived to be the cause of such an increase of scrofula as is said to have taken place of late years, said, he attributed it to vaccination, syphilis and drugs.

When vaccination is performed without producing its desired effect, the virus remains in the system, and when it proceeds favourably, it is a question if it is ever thoroughly ejected.

Every practitioner knows the difficulty that exists of finding children from which to take matter where no taint is in the blood. The child subjected to vaccination is not only exposed to the sins of his own forefathers, but also to those of the stranger.

The consequences attendant upon syphilis, and the evil results of mineral poisons, are such as to lead us to believe that Priessnitz’ opinion is not without foundation. I am doubtful whether scrofula is ever cured,7 though whilst at Gräfenberg I saw many obstinate cases relieved. Children who arrived there perfect cripples, were enabled to use their limbs like other people. I think I may in great truth say, that in all cases the enemy received a check, and the general health of the patient was improved.

A patient states, that previous to inoculation his family were well; but since that operation they have been scrofulous. He came to Gräfenberg some years ago from Dartres, when Priessnitz told him to go home, give up all beverages but water, use cold baths daily, and he would be well; though incredulous, he followed the advice, and in two years was perfectly cured.

For scrofula, the whole treatment must be persevered in for a long time.

XCV.—Piles.

Piles are caused by an accumulation of blood in the vessels which merge into the large intestines; they either discharge blood, or are confined to a swelling of the veins, in otherwise healthy subjects. Hydropathy effects a radical cure of this complaint, whilst medical remedies are only temporary, and often lead to serious consequences.

Treatment.—Morning, three rubbing-sheets and sitz-bath, twenty minutes; noon, the same; afternoon, the same, and an additional sitz-bath, making four sitz-baths during the day. At night, a rubbing-sheet but no sitz-bath, as it is too late to walk after it. Body bandage; much water to be drunk; douche four to eight minutes in the middle of the day, if possible.

Out of the general treatment, persons troubled with piles may take sitz-baths and wear a bandage on the part affected.

A patient having piles and sore eyes, was advised neither to take sitz-baths or eye-baths. When Priessnitz was asked the reason, he said, “Because you have too much bad matter in your system, which I am afraid of attracting to those parts.”

In a common attack of piles, two or three sitz-baths a-day, fifteen minutes each, and wearing a bandage upon the part at night, will afford relief.

Persons subject to piles should especially avoid all heating and stimulating drinks.

XCVI.—Rupture.

I knew of a case of double rupture, in an officer 34 years of age, which was perfectly cured at Gräfenberg in three years. Another case of single rupture was cured in nine months, and a recent one cured in four months.

There can be no doubt of the complete omnipotence of Hydropathy over this malady; its cure is only a matter of time. It is difficult to lay down any prescribed treatment, as the chief aim of the practitioner must be to bring his patient into fine health. All organic action is contraction; all strength depends upon the power of the different parts of the body to contract, and nothing will aid the operation so much as the different appliances here made use of. As a rule, I observed that when rupture exudes, the sweating process should be resorted to; when perspiration has broken out, gently rub the part with the hand until the rupture is gone in again. Bandages are worn continually.

XCVII.—Chilblains.

Rub the feet or hands affected for a quarter of an hour in tepid water three times a-day, and bandage the leg from ankle to knee if in the feet. If in the hand, the arm from wrist to elbow.

XCVIII.—Cold Feet.

Take a shallow foot-bath, cold, one inch deep, before going to bed, for fifteen minutes; let the feet be well rubbed the whole time, then walk about the room bare-footed for half an hour, so that re-action may take place, or they will be colder than before.

XCIX.—Eruption, Scabs, and Sores on the Arms.

A child had tried sulphur bandages and all other conceivable means:—

Morning, noon, and afternoon, packing-sheet and tepid-bath; the latter after a few days changed to the cold-bath; bandages night and day; cure effected in a few weeks.

C.—Consumption.

Until the age of fifteen or sixteen Priessnitz conceives this complaint to be always curable. Very often when parties are supposed to be consumptive, they are not so. A young lady arrived at Gräfenberg during my stay there. I thought she had delayed it too long; she appeared in the last stage of consumption. Priessnitz however took the case—and, principally with rubbing-sheets, administered three times a-day, effected an extraordinary cure in two months. I saw this lady afterwards at Florence, and was quite surprised to see what an extremely fine woman she had become.

There was also a young lady suffering under the following symptoms:—great debility, very thin, weak eyes, little or no appetite, and a short cough, which would awaken her about four o’clock in the morning, and trouble her the whole day. She was considered by M.D.’s as consumptive. Priessnitz took a different view of the case, and as she was cured in two months he was right. Her treatment was as follows:—

Morning, packing-sheet and plunge bath, the tepid-bath having been used only for a short time; at ten o’clock, douche; at eleven, rubbing-sheet and eye-bath; at five, packing-sheet and bath; chest, waist, and forehead bandaged every night; waist bandaged always.

Consumption of the Nerves.—A gentleman aged 30, came to Gräfenberg in a most deplorable state, supported on one side by his wife, on the other by his servant. Second night he was taken alarmingly ill, with a fever and a stoppage in his bowels. He was too weak for a packing-sheet or tepid-bath, therefore twelve rubbing-sheets were administered within three hours; and two head-baths during the intermediate times. When a change for the better took place, enemas were applied and relief afforded. The next day patient was out of doors. I left Gräfenberg about this time, therefore do not know if he recovered.

Spitting Blood.—A young lady was subjected to spitting blood, pain at the chest, and general debility. Priessnitz doubted if the lungs were affected, and tried packing-sheet and tepid-bath, which patient was found too weak to support. Then rubbing-sheets twice a day; patient still too weak. Then rubbing-sheet, and tepid sitz-bath ten minutes. Feverish excitement and loss of appetite came on. Back of head put into cold water for quarter of an hour; to be repeated several times a day. Bandage at all times down the middle of the breast and round the waist. When spitting of blood came on, then cold foot-baths were resorted to. Patient tried the treatment for a month, but was not much improved by it.

On leaving, Priessnitz advised her to spend the winter in Italy, to eat nothing but bread and grapes, and to use cold ablutions.

CI.—Insanity.

This disease, Priessnitz says is curable, when it proceeds from bodily suffering or disease; but when caused by mental suffering or misfortune, is generally incurable. I witnessed the treatment of a case of aberration of mind at Gräfenberg; the patient was put into a tepid-bath, held there, and rubbed for nine hours and a half; he was then put to bed, and next morning awoke perfectly composed.

Hydrophobia.—Dr. Short in 1656, published a work, in which he stated, that with cold water, he had cured the bite of mad dogs and dropsy. Priessnitz says he never treated the human subject for this complaint, but that he had cured a dog, by tying him up and throwing a large number of pails of water over him. At first it caused him to shiver a great deal, proving the absence of fever to any extent. When dry the aspersion was repeated; the shivering diminished at each successive aspersion, until it was entirely allayed. If, on throwing a dog, thus treated, bread, and he will eat it, it is a sign he is cured. Dr. Sully, of Wivelscombe, in a work published some years ago, states, that he dropped water constantly on the wounded part, and that it invariably acted as a preventive. My impression is, that hydropathy is adapted to the cure of this complaint.

CII.—Cholera.

Spasmodic or pestilential cholera first appeared in England in 1831, and in France in 1832; great difference of opinion exists as to its cause, and hardly two practitioners agree as to the best way to effect a cure. Some persons think, as many would get well without medical aid as with it; and this conjecture is supported by what took place on its visitation in Dublin. The numbers attacked were so great, that for the humble class, large tents were erected outside the city, and the medical men were so harassed by their own connexions within it, that the poor were left very much to fate. On comparing notes of the mortality that took place, it was found, that the number of deaths of those who received medical aid, and those who were deprived of it, were about equal. Pages might be employed in enumerating instances related, in which the cholera was cured by cold water, though administered without reference to any hydropathic rules. In 1832, Cholera made great ravages in Silesia, when numbers at Freywaldau and the neighbourhood, fell victims. Priessnitz’s patients did not escape, though they avoided its fatal consequences. A friend of mine, who was at Gräfenberg at the time, assures me that in cholera, Priessnitz never lost a case, though seventeen of his patients, and many persons in the neighbourhood, were treated by him. My landlord at Freywaldau, confirmed the last of these statements, and said that his daughter fell a victim, who, he felt persuaded, would have recovered, had she been treated with water instead of drugs.

To ward off this disease, and place the system, if attacked, in the best condition to resist it, we ask the dispassionate reader, are not hydropathic rules in accordance with reason and common sense?

There are three different stages in cholera; the first is that of a common diarrhœa, accompanied with oppression of the chest, anxiety, and collapse of the face; if neglected, it assumes a more serious form, the pulse becomes weak, and there is a difficulty of respiration.

The second stage is ushered in by giddiness, great depression of pulse and of the vital energies, with spasms, accompanied by purging and vomitings.

In the third stage, the patient is suddenly laid prostrate, serous fluid, in large quantities, is discharged from the bowels and stomach, with cramps and spasms, hardly any pulse, and difficult respiration. Under ordinary treatment, this frequently terminates life in a few hours.

To those who have witnessed the wonderful results of the Water-cure treatment in cholic, diarrhœa, &c., it must be evident, that in the primary stages of this malady, the treatment resorted to in those complaints, would be perfectly effectual; and that cholera, in its worst and most fearful form, is to be successfully combated by no other than hydropathic means.

If, after visiting a contagious case, Mr. Priessnitz feels at all uncomfortable, he takes a packing-sheet and tepid-bath.

Asiatic Cholera.—On the first appearance of Cholera symptoms, which are generally those of languor and chilliness, do not wait for a development, but apply most vigorously a rubbing-sheet; then dry the body, and administer a clyster of cold water. In two or three minutes repeat the rubbing-sheet and clyster, wait five minutes and repeat the same a third time. Then a cold sitz-bath, letting two attendants rub the patient with hands dipped in water, particularly on the abdomen, the whole time; water should be drunk whilst in the sitz-bath, until patient vomits; when cramps in the stomach and vomiting have subsided, place a large bandage round the body, and put him to bed well covered up. After sleeping, apply a tepid-bath with friction for some time. If not cured, renew the whole operation.

If, after the sitz-bath, cholera appears on the advance, warm a blanket, and pack the patient as in the sweating process; if he remains therein several hours, and the symptoms do not decrease, renew the whole proceedings, and again try to produce perspiration; when effected, keep it up two or three hours. After this a tepid-bath 62° with friction. The success of the treatment very much depends upon drinking abundantly of water. The bandages used, should be doubled or trebled, and changed often. If patient is unable to stand or sit upright, lay him on a bed, and let several attendants rub him all over with wet hands.

Extract from a letter from Dr. Gibbs to the editor of the “Water-cure Journal.”

“You cannot have forgotten the consternation of the profession when this fearful disease invaded us in 1832. Neither can you be ignorant that the faculty, generally, are as ill prepared to contend with it now as they were in former years; but for the information of those who may not be as well acquainted with such matters as you must be, I beg to make an extract from the minutes of the proceedings at a meeting of the Western Medical and Surgical Association, as reported in the Lancet of September 19, 1846. In the course of a discussion on the treatment of cholera, Dr. Cahill said, that he ‘positively felt a creeping of the skin at the relation of the enormities which had been perpetrated by practitioners upon their patients. When he listened to the recital of practitioners who described the extravagant cases of mercury and of opium which they administered, he could not refrain from fancying that he was witnessing the orgies of so many Indian savages, whilst counting the scalps of their victims. He thought it a pity that the invention of such a system of torture should not experience the fate of the inventor of the brazen bull, and illustrate upon his own person the efficacy of his infernal ingenuity. He believed that in the majority of persons who died of Asiatic cholera, death was the consequence of the treatment rather than of the disease. He had seen above a thousand cases of Asiatic cholera; and in no instance had he seen any benefit from any mode of treatment. On the contrary, he had seen persons die of narcotism, who would have survived if left to the vis medicatrix naturæ. He had seen others die of absorption of air through the veins when the saline fluid was ejected; and he knew many who had had the extraordinary luck to escape both the doctor and the disease, yet rendered miserable for the remainder of life by the effects of the immense doses of mercury which had been given to them during the cholera paroxysms. In fact, it was afflicting to contemplate the sufferings which the rash and empirical practice of the profession in the management of this epidemic had created.’The learned gentleman likewise said ‘With respect to cholera, since nothing was known of its nature, and no treatment had any influence over it, the best plan was to do as little as possible: give carrara, soda, or pump-water, with a little laudanum, perhaps in the diarrhœal stage, and the patient would not be deprived of the chance which nature had given him.’

“It is to be presumed that the doctor had not seen this disease treated by the Water-cure, under the operation of which, if I am correctly informed, and as I can readily believe, results very different from those, which he witnessed, were obtained. It is stated that more than twenty cases were successfully treated by Priessnitz, and between thirty and forty at Breslau, by a clergyman, whose name I regret that I have forgotten; and it is added that neither practitioner lost a patient by death. The treatment adopted by each of them was nearly the same; the principal difference between them being, that the one employed the sitz-bath, and the other the shallow tepid-bath.

[“]If on the appearance of the premonitory symptoms, judicious treatment be promptly adopted, it seems not improbable that the disease may be cut short. Those symptoms may be any combination of the following:—shivering, dizziness, a ringing noise in the ears, a small quick pulse, accelerated respiration, languor, præcordial anxiety, a cold white tongue, nausea, vomiting, severe gripings, and watery diarrhœa. If it be not checked, the disease quickly passes into the second or algid stage; the circulation becomes feeble, the blood is drained of its fluid, the muscles are contracted and cramped, the tongue is colder and whiter, the thirst becomes burning, the lips livid; the features contracted, the extremities shrivelled, and the skin cold, clammy, and discoloured.

“Little is known respecting the nature of this disease; but the most rational opinion seems to be, that it owes its origin to a poison pervading the blood; deranging the balance between the arterial and venous circulation, impairing the nervous energy, and impeding all the functions of the various organs, excepting the secretions from the stomach and bowels; the preternatural excitement of which would seem to indicate an effort of nature to expel the disturbing causes from the system. This opinion obtains additional probability from the fact, which often has been observed, that the more profuse is the diarrhœa, the less fatal is the disease.

“Cholera may suddenly appear without manifesting any, or at least with very slight, premonitory symptoms; especially where the patient is labouring under any serious affection of the brain, lungs, or air-passages, when it will sometimes graft itself on the primary disease, and aggravate all its most various symptoms.

“On the first manifestation of premonitory symptoms, immediate recourse should be had to repeated friction in a wrung-out sheet, as in the earlier stages of fever. This will tend to stimulate the nervous energy, and to maintain or re-establish the balance of circulation between the arterial and venous systems; will counteract the disposition to internal congestion by promoting cuticular circulation; will aid the lungs by freeing the exhalants of the skin, and will forward the elimination of the virus through the same channels.

“But it will not be sufficient merely to attempt to resist the encroachments of the disease; the efforts of nature to expel the cause of it, also claim assistance. To this end cold or tepid water should be freely drunk to facilitate the vomiting, to dilute and weaken the action of the poison, to stimulate the kidneys, and to supply the waste of fluid in the blood. Dr. Rutty, in his synopsis, says, ‘It [the drinking of water] has also frequently been found efficacious in stopping violent vomitings and purgings, partly as a diluent, and partly as a bracer to the fibres; and in violent, deplorable choleras, cold water is recommended by the ancients, and at this time is ordered by Spanish physicians with good success, though Celsus orders it warm.’

“Enemata of pure water, tepid or cold, should likewise be freely administered; the quantity administered to an infant at one time should not exceed two ounces; four ounces would be sufficient for a child six years old; eight ounces for a youth of fifteen, and fifteen or sixteen ounces for an adult.

“But the principal process is long and entire friction, either in the shallow tepid-bath or in the sitz-bath. The latter seems to deserve the preference, inasmuch as it will more directly and powerfully aid nature in her efforts; its primary action being that of a purgative, while a less body of water will suffice, than could be made to fulfil the same intention in a vessel of the shape and size of the half bath; but, if the sitz-bath be employed, then friction with wet hands should be applied to the extremities. Cold water may be used in the sitz-bath, provided that there is nothing in the previous state of the patient to contra-indicate its use; in which case tepid water must be employed. Tepid water about 70° Fahr. may likewise be employed in the shallow bath, as the body of water therein must be greater than the sitz-bath; but warm applications are never indicated. Vapour-baths have been tried to recall the circulation to the surface, but without effect. On this point, Dr. Daun in his ‘Medical Reports on Cholera,’ says, ‘O’Brien lay on the steam couch for three hours before he expired, in a heat that I am convinced would have raised a lifeless body to a temperature nearly, if not equal, to that of a person in health; but his body preserved an icy coldness to the last.’ In this case friction in wrung-out sheets, or in the shallow bath, or perhaps the stimulus of the cold dash, would seem to be indicated.

“Cramps, in the extremities, should be combated with brisk friction, with wet hands to the parts affected. It is often necessary to draw off the urine with a catheter. Before the algid stage sets in, the heating bandage round the body may be very beneficial; but during the algid stage it should be omitted.

“The third stage or that of re-action, is marked by the following, among other symptoms; the pulse becomes fuller and harder, the skin becomes warm, and its livid discoloration disappears; the tongue becomes red and warm, the cramps cease, diarrhœa decreases and stops, and the kidneys begin to act. In this case it is well to encourage moderate diaphoresis in the dry blanket.

“The predisposing causes to cholera are any excess in eating or drinking, the habitual use of alcoholic liquors, unwholesome food, sitting with wet feet, a neglected cold, uncleanliness, impure air, deficient light or ventilation, and violent indulgence of the passions.”

CIII.—Colds, Sore Throats, etc.

Influenza.—This complaint which commits such ravages, is always easy of cure.

When a person feels heaviness in the head, sore throat, pain in bowels, and lassitude, he should immediately be put in the packing-sheet until quite hot, then a tepid bath for five or six minutes, and be well rubbed all the time. This treatment to be repeated during the day. Drink plentifully of water, wear a bandage round the waist and throat; if cold and chilly, take two or three rubbing-sheets. To relieve the heaviness of the head, resort to a foot-bath 62° for fifteen minutes. Influenza generally succumbs to this treatment in two or three days.

Sore Throat or Quinzy.—On the slightest symptoms of sore throat, rub it well for five minutes with wet hands two or three times a day; hold cold water constantly in the mouth, and with it gargle the throat, and wear a bandage, this generally prevents the complaint proceeding further; if it does not, more vigorous measures, such as those pointed out for a cold, must be pursued. For Quinzy, the sweating process and tepid-bath twice a day also, or two rubbing-sheets in the intermediate time must be used, a bandage several times doubled and often changed, applied round the throat and waist, and much water drank, gargled, and held in the mouth.

Heaviness after dinner.—Pour a bottle of water on the head, and take head-baths occasionally.

Bronchitis.—In all old affections of the throat a cure is doubtful, it requires the discrimination of Priessnitz to determine which will and which will not be benefited by the Water-cure.

I should say the majority of cases of bronchitis are beyond remedy. At the same time, it cannot be denied that very extraordinary throat affections are cured, especially when they arise from secondary symptoms.

Palpitation of the Heart, stitches in the side, etc.—A young lady felt violent palpitation of the heart, and numbness of the whole side of the body. Three-rubbing sheets and a foot-bath with friction, allayed the palpitation, then a body umschlag was applied. Next night the same symptoms returned, and were combated in the like manner, afterwards the patient was treated with packing-sheets, tepid-bath, foot-bath, and douche. Whenever any obstructions of this nature occur, it is always safe to resort to rubbing-sheets two or three times a day.

Erysipelas.—This disease is an effort of nature to relieve itself by the skin; the packing-sheet process in this case is resorted to, followed by a rubbing-sheet or tepid-bath: when the head is overcharged, sometimes the body is placed in a packing-sheet (previously put into tepid water instead of cold) from the arm-pits to the knees, and then a tepid-bath or a bath with very little water in it. Much water should be drunk, and bandages applied to parts affected.