Clinical lectures on subjects connected with medicine and surgery / by various German authors.

  • New Sydenham Society
Date:
1894
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Clinical lectures on subjects connected with medicine and surgery / by various German authors. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Leeds Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Leeds Library.

    90/416 page 80
    can be done anywhere and costs nothing it is higlily applicable in private practice, even among the poorer classes. It is carried out the first thing in the morning. First of all I cause the sheet, which must be large enough to envelope the whole body, to be dipped in water at 24° R. (86° F.) and thoroughly wrung out. With this wet cloth, the rubber—any domestic or servant man can be trained for the purpose—stands before the patient's bed and spreads it out, holding it by two corners with upraised hands, while the patient gets out of bed and lets fall his linen; the operator then wraps it from behind round the whole body of the patient, and rubs his back and legs with the wet cloth, while the patient rubs his own chest and ab- domen. The wet sheet is let fall after a minute's rubbing and is replaced by a dry sheet, previously got ready and warmed gently with a hot water bottle or in an oven. The skin is then dried by means of gentle pressure and stroking, and without vigorous rubbing. I know that professional hydrotherapeutists do not consider this modification of the wet shampoo as eflicacious; but I have most distinctly convinced myself in many hundreds of cases that it is this gentle form of rubbing down only which can overcome the first repugnance and render it possible to pursue the treatment. Each day the temperature of the water is lowered by 0'5° R. until 15° R. (65-75° F.) is reached. It is not generally advisable to employ a lower temperature in neurasthenic cases unless the patients are quite hardened lovers of cold water. A moderate addition of common salt to the water heightens its stimulating action, but it should only be commenced after two or thi'ee weeks. After the rubbing down the patient should dress at once, and if possible go out into the open air for a while. If the procedure has been rightly carried out, the patient ought to experience an agreeable sensation of warmth, freshness, and elasticity after being rubbed down. If he feels chilly and uncomfortable the water should be used warmer on the next occasion. This operation should be continued every morning for months. In milder cases it suffices, combined with suitable diet, to effect complete recovery. Half-baths, and cold slioiver baths with previous wet-paclcinc], or after a short vapour or steam-chamber bath, are more energetic
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