Since this system permits the application of the pack without disturbing the patient and making him sit up too often, it is very desirable in cases of severe illness.
The undivided pack is often very uncomfortable for patients suffering from respiratory complaints.
It is better to treat very excitable patients with front compresses only.
When the stomach pack only is prescribed, as in catarrhal and nervous, stomach or liver complaints, which pack may be worn during the night as well as the day, a long, wide mesh shawl, with a bandage, 7 to 8 inches in width at each end, is most servicable, as it will reach around the body 4 or 5 times. In order to exclude the air as much as possible, the moist compress is first applied, and then the shawl is placed around the body in such a way that each succeeding turn covers the previous one to about one-half, in bandage form.
THE CROSS PACK (25)
This is applied in case of men's diseases and women's diseases of the sexual organs. To the woollen material and the linen crash of the abdominal pack, another piece, about half as long and about 7 inches wide, is sewed or pinned before application, in the form of a T.
Before the two ends of the abdominal pack are folded over on the front of the abdomen, the narrower piece is drawn up between the legs from behind, so that the end of it can be fastened to the two sides of the abdominal part of the pack that are folded over in front.
As shown above, the abdominal pack must reach down as far as possible, and if a patient is unable to stand both packs, the moist part of the abdominal pack may be omitted, and only the regular pack over the sexual organs and the woollen part over the abdomen applied.
In case the cross piece is for the purpose of cooling and contracting, it must be frequently renewed.