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.