LEG PACKS (26)
These are applied in a similar way to the abdominal pack.
A towel or linen is doubled, moistened, and placed upon the woollen cloth, so that the woollen material extends about two inches beyond the upper and lower edges of the towel. These are laid together under one of the patient's legs, covering it from the middle of the thigh to the ankle, turned up from both sides and fastened with three safety pins. The other leg is packed in the same way, each one separately.
In like manner partial packs of the calves or the feet are applied. In all of these cases it is more expedient and comfortable to use "knit" packs. Cotton stockings of suitable length from which the foot has been removed, should take the place of the linen or towel in the packs previously described. They are moistened and covered with woollen stockings of corresponding length. The foot parts are to be used only for foot packs in a similar way. The woollen stocking should be as loose and comfortable as possible. In case of bent legs (through gout or otherwise) the moistened linen is wrapped around the leg like a bandage, and then a woollen bandage is wound over it.
In cases of severe fever the wrists are also packed, no woollen cover, however, being necessary in this case.
The leg pack has, in the first place, a diverting and consequently a calming effect. It is, therefore, of the highest value, next to the abdominal, cross, neck and shoulder packs, in all feverish and especially all chronic cases of disease where congestion in the head and breast, with consequent dizziness, headache, insomnia, pains in the lungs and heart, must be removed; moreover, in chronic cases, they assist in the effects of the abdominal pack.
Foot packs, that is, wet stockings, have a very favorable action upon headache, toothache and earache, and are best applied during the night. If they excite the patient too much, they may easily be taken off during the night; otherwise they should be followed by a cold ablution of the feet in the morning. Nervous patients are usually unable to stand the wet stockings, which only work well if the feet become warm quickly, which, as a rule, is not the case in feverish illnesses.
Patients who suffer from cold feet should take a steam foot bath before applying cold foot packs.
Since the legs and the feet develop less heat than the abdomen, leg and foot packs do not require as thick material as abdominal packs, and are changed less frequently. They are best applied when the fever is at its height, in the late afternoon and at night. In case leg packs are continued for a long while, the legs show decreasing inclination to grow sufficiently warm. Whenever this occurs, leg packs must be discontinued, or the packed legs must be warmed in an artificial manner.
The diverting wrist packs are of special value, especially in all acute diseases of the lungs (inflammations, bleedings, hemorrhages) and the heart.