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.