XL.—Inflammations.
Inflammation of the Lungs.—This complaint originates in some obstruction, and is occasioned by an effort of nature to remove it. By bleeding the symptoms are reduced, but the cause remains, and consequently it frequently happens that under Hydropathic treatment inflammation returns, which then, by producing irritation on the surface, is extracted.
Mr. Priessnitz’ married daughter, this year, returned to Gräfenberg, with her husband, to be cured of an epidemic which raged in Hungary. The husband was cured. The lady, with an eruption, went for two days into the country; on return the eruption had nearly subsided; it had gone to the lungs and inflammation resulted. She was put into tepid and cold baths thirty or forty times during the day. These positive means put an end to the inflammation in one day, and the next she was about as usual, quite well.
This apparently dangerous complaint, without any apparent cause, when taken quite in its infancy, is generally cured by the following simple means.
Place a cold packing-sheet several times doubled over the shoulders, chest, and back of the patient, whilst he takes a cold sitz-bath, for from half an hour to an hour, during the time use great friction to the feet and legs with hands dipped in water. All medical reasoning will be to the effect that this treatment must cause congestion to the lungs; but every day’s practice at Gräfenberg proves the contrary.
Between the application of the above treatment, use a rubbing sheet.
If the head is affected, let the patient lay quiet in bed, with his head in a basin once or twice a day, from fifteen to thirty minutes, or much longer if necessary each time.
If fever, then resort to the tepid bath, until heat disappears under the arm-pits; this may require a long time, but must be persevered in.
The water of the bath must be continually renewed or it will become too warm.
I have known the sitz-bath, applied two or three times a day, completely cure an attack of this nature.
A lady, aged forty, attacked with inflammation of the lungs, was put into a tepid bath 62°, and kept there three hours and ten minutes, cold water being constantly poured over the shoulders, to bring down the temperature. Priessnitz frequently felt the chest and arm-pits; and in answer to patient’s request to discontinue, he said if she did so until all parts were cool alike, her life would pay the forfeit.
After this, she took a cold bath twice a day, and wore the heating-bandage. In two months, she was perfectly cured. It should be remarked, that during the greater part of this times she felt a pain and hardness in the side, but this all subsided.
Spitting Blood and Inflammation.—A young man had inflammation of the lungs at Vienna, which ended in great debility and spitting of blood. Shortly after going to Gräfenberg he had another attack of inflammation of the lungs.
Treatment.—Tepid bath 62°, five minutes, then cold ten minutes, and back to the tepid ten minutes. This change from one bath to the other was repeated for nearly three hours, and ended about nine in the morning; at eleven o’clock, a sitz-bath fifteen minutes; afternoon, packing-sheet and cold bath for five minutes. Next day quite well of the attack; he continued packing-sheet and cold bath, morning and afternoon, and sitz-bath at noon; more heating-bandages on the chest. In ten weeks perfectly cured.
Inflammation in the Wind-pipe.—A lady—Chest, throat, and between the shoulders rubbed for five minutes with hands, and frequently dipped in cold water. During this time water was held in the mouth and changed when warm.
Bandages were applied to throat, shoulders, and waist.
Walked the same afternoon a short time.
Inflammation of the Brain.—Rubbing-sheets, head-baths, and bandages to the nape of the neck, back of the head, and some distance down the back, the rest of the body lightly covered. In an obstinate case, recourse must be had to a tepid bath 64° for a considerable time.
In all cases, whether in fever or not, where the head is attacked, large wet bandages may be applied, and changed every five minutes. Bandages to the whole of the head should not however be applied in general practice. The head ought to be free and the face washed often.
Inflammation of the Gums.—A child suffering indescribable pain, no sleep night or day.
One or two rubbing sheets, two or three times a day. Heating bandages to be applied to the head, as a turban, so that only the face can be seen, and changed every five or ten minutes. The same round the waist, from the hips to the arm-pits, and changed when warm.
If the body is confined, administer a cold water enema; if one is not sufficient, a second should be administered in half an hour; drink plentifully of water. Child out at play the third day.