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

Influenza.—This complaint which commits such ravages, is always easy of cure.

When a person feels heaviness in the head, sore throat, pain in bowels, and lassitude, he should immediately be put in the packing-sheet until quite hot, then a tepid bath for five or six minutes, and be well rubbed all the time. This treatment to be repeated during the day. Drink plentifully of water, wear a bandage round the waist and throat; if cold and chilly, take two or three rubbing-sheets. To relieve the heaviness of the head, resort to a foot-bath 62° for fifteen minutes. Influenza generally succumbs to this treatment in two or three days.

Sore Throat or Quinzy.—On the slightest symptoms of sore throat, rub it well for five minutes with wet hands two or three times a day; hold cold water constantly in the mouth, and with it gargle the throat, and wear a bandage, this generally prevents the complaint proceeding further; if it does not, more vigorous measures, such as those pointed out for a cold, must be pursued. For Quinzy, the sweating process and tepid-bath twice a day also, or two rubbing-sheets in the intermediate time must be used, a bandage several times doubled and often changed, applied round the throat and waist, and much water drank, gargled, and held in the mouth.

Heaviness after dinner.—Pour a bottle of water on the head, and take head-baths occasionally.

Bronchitis.—In all old affections of the throat a cure is doubtful, it requires the discrimination of Priessnitz to determine which will and which will not be benefited by the Water-cure.

I should say the majority of cases of bronchitis are beyond remedy. At the same time, it cannot be denied that very extraordinary throat affections are cured, especially when they arise from secondary symptoms.

Palpitation of the Heart, stitches in the side, etc.—A young lady felt violent palpitation of the heart, and numbness of the whole side of the body. Three-rubbing sheets and a foot-bath with friction, allayed the palpitation, then a body umschlag was applied. Next night the same symptoms returned, and were combated in the like manner, afterwards the patient was treated with packing-sheets, tepid-bath, foot-bath, and douche. Whenever any obstructions of this nature occur, it is always safe to resort to rubbing-sheets two or three times a day.

Erysipelas.—This disease is an effort of nature to relieve itself by the skin; the packing-sheet process in this case is resorted to, followed by a rubbing-sheet or tepid-bath: when the head is overcharged, sometimes the body is placed in a packing-sheet (previously put into tepid water instead of cold) from the arm-pits to the knees, and then a tepid-bath or a bath with very little water in it. Much water should be drunk, and bandages applied to parts affected.

To refresh and invigorate.—A gentleman with no decided complaint, but generally feeling a degree of languor, and want of nervous energy was ordered, a rubbing-sheet in the morning and afternoon, and a sitz-bath in the middle of the day, followed by much exercise.