Every Man His Own Doctor / The Cold Water, Tepid Water, and Friction-Cure, as Applicable to Every Disease to Which the Human Frame Is Subject, and Also to the Cure of Disease in Horses and Cattle

by R. T. Claridge

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.