XLVI.—Small Pox, Measles, Hooping Cough, Croup, Scarlatina, Colds, Shivering, etc.
All these complaints form the easiest and surest part of Priessnitz’s practice. No child or adult ever died at Gräfenberg of any of them. This fact, attested as it is by all writers on Hydropathy, leads one to look on the incertitude of medical practice in diseases incidental to children, with wonder and dismay.
Priessnitz considers these complaints wholesome, being the medium chosen by Nature for relieving the system.
On their appearance, his great aim is to strengthen the patient, and eliminate the morbific matters by the pores of the skin. It is frequently asked, “But does not the hydropathic process drive the virus into the system?” No, on the contrary, the packing-sheet acts as a poultice to the whole body; and this, followed by a tepid bath, causes an outward action, and the system is cooled and relieved through miles of drainage (the pores), the true medium through which relief can with certainty be obtained.
A young man with measles, at Gräfenberg, had as many as 400 packing-sheets applied in about fourteen days.
Small-Pox.—Small-pox, of all diseases, is that which should be treated hydropathically; because by its operation the morbid matters are thrown out by the pores of the skin, upon which it rarely leaves any of those scars so detrimental to the beauty of the person.
In the Water-cure, judiciously treated, the small-pox is under no circumstances attended with danger, nor is the patient reduced in strength as under any other treatment. “Small pox,” Priessnitz says, “instead of being suppressed, ought to be encouraged, as it relieves the system of humours that ought to be carried out of it, and is a healthy process.” At one period the profession were as much at fault in the treatment of small-pox, as they now are in that of cholera. No means were left untried, but they failed in arresting its ravages. Jenner’s discovery was hailed as an intervention of Providence, and he was voted two grants in parliament. If Priessnitz is right, this discovery may be hailed as a curse rather than a blessing. He states that the insertion of poisonous matter into the blood of a healthy subject produces poisonous consequences, is repugnant to our feelings, and at variance with the laws of nature.
In small pox, where there is much eruption on the face, a muslin handkerchief, wetted, may be used as a bandage to the part.
If the head is much affected, head-bath and wet bandages must be resorted to.
Bandage the back and thighs if they require it. In these complaints, as in all others, if the bowels require opening, use injections. Drink plentifully of water.
I treated a young lady in small-pox as follows:—
First day—patient was confined to the sofa with head-ache and general lassitude; next morning, fever and several pustules: two packing-sheets, the first twenty minutes, the other twenty-five minutes; and tepid bath 70° for eight minutes. Afternoon—As the packing-sheet did not heat so soon as that in the morning, it was not changed, but patient remained in it an hour and a quarter—the tepid bath eight minutes—drank sixteen tumblers of water, windows always open. Second day, eruption much increased over the body and face; treatment as before. Third and fourth day, eruption increased; same treatment persevered in. Fifth day, treatment only in the morning. Sixth day, eruption decreasing. Eighth day, catamenia, all treatment suspended; which it should be observed would not have been the case had any fever remained. Tenth day, patient out walking, eruption nearly gone. Twelfth and thirteenth day, one rubbing-sheet on getting out of bed. It should be stated, that the wet bandage was perpetually worn during the treatment.
Patient quite as well and as strong as before the attack. Complexion much clearer.
The most extraordinary thing to be observed is, that the patient was not confined to bed for an hour—felt no disposition to scratch herself. The tongue, after third day, was perfectly clean, and her rest after the first night undisturbed.
The fever was taken out the first day, from which time she was not inconvenienced in the least. This young lady had been twice vaccinated.
The second and third day a smell remained in the room after patient was taken out of the sheet and bath, that was perfectly intolerable; which shows that the virus was taken out, and accounts for the eruption being so mild.
Another friend of mine, 46 years of age, caught the small pox, though he had been vaccinated twice. He was treated much in the same way, and was out of doors quite well the twelfth day, never having been confined to his bed for an hour. Windows open night and day.
In all eruptive complaints, packing-sheets allay the fever. To effect this, where the fever is strong, they should be changed once or twice, or even oftener. When there is much eruption, the heat of the bath which follows the wet sheet must be increased in extraordinary cases even to 80 deg.
The packing-sheet process and the tepid bath must be used twice a-day; patient must drink abundance of water; windows of the room ought to be always open; if constipated, clysters; waist bandages in all cases.
This treatment persevered in, must cure all eruptive and other fevers. No fear need exist as to the eruption by these means being driven in—all experience shows it is the way to bring it to the surface.
Dr. Farr declares himself a convert to the Water-cure in cases of eruption and other fevers, and did me the favour of writing the following letter:—
“Miss —— for two days had a sensation of languor, drowsiness, and pain in the head and loins, with sickness and fever. On the third day there appeared on the face small red spots, and successively on the inferior parts, until the fifth day! these rose into pimples, and then filled with puriform matter; dry hard scales formed, and on these falling off, pits or marks were left on some of them. The cold water cure had been commenced when I first saw her, which had cut the fever, and altered the character of the eruption; but as soon as the pustules began to form, the nature of the disease was no longer a matter of doubt; the pustules were as well developed, and went through their regular changes as well and as perfectly as though no application of cold had been made use of. This was the first case of small-pox I saw this winter at Nice, but shortly after several others occurred, and some of them of the confluent kind. I must confess I was surprised at the complete success of the cold water cure in this case.
“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.