Every Man His Own Doctor / The Cold Water, Tepid Water, and Friction-Cure, as Applicable to Every Disease to Which the Human Frame Is Subject, and Also to the Cure of Disease in Horses and Cattle

by R. T. Claridge

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.