A patient was afflicted in every joint so that he could not be moved in bed without great pain.
Packing-sheets until warm, which required about half an hour, ten times a day, allowing an interval between them. Each packing sheet was followed by a rubbing with wet hands.
This treatment in one day enabled patient to stand; then the packing sheets were used four times a day, followed by rubbing sheets. Parts affected and loins always enclosed in bandages. Patient drank sixteen to twenty glasses of water a day. He was out of doors the third day, and afterwards pursued a more vigorous treatment, such as sweating, douche, &c.
A——, had a severe rheumatic attack in both knees; he thought swinging his legs backwards and forwards would relieve him; instead of which, it brought on enlargement of the joints and inflammation: whilst at Gräfenberg I inquired of Priessnitz what he ought to have done.—
Answer—He ought in, the first instance, to have rubbed the knees well and often with wet hands and worn a bandage. If this was not sufficient, then to have put the feet and legs, over the knees into cold water for half an hour at least, rubbing them all the time, and apply a bandage from the calf of the leg to the middle of the thigh.
Chronic Rheumatism.—A——, contracted rheumatism in 1837, which commenced as sciatica. Constitution greatly debilitated. Medical advice, sea baths, hot baths, and other remedies, useless.
Patient went to Gräfenberg, August 1843, and left in May following.
Treatment.—Packing-sheet, followed by cold bath twice a-day; noon, sitz-bath and foot-bath, fifteen minutes each; legs rubbed all the time up to the knee. Douche three minutes daily.
In November, one of his usual attacks came on, when sixteen rubbing sheets a-day were resorted to. Four of these were given in succession four times a-day; between each rubbing sheet, the patient being weak lay down in bed, until warm bandages were applied as usual.
This attack subsided after the second day, when patient renewed his former treatment.