Part 5 (2/2)

96. The circ.u.mstance that, at the same time my two boys were taken sick with scarlatina, a servant of mine became afflicted with _small-pox_, my daughter with _varioloids_, and my mother and wife with _influenza_, afforded me an ample opportunity of trying the effects of the water-cure and my own courage and skill in the new method. The servant was cured, chiefly by long packs, in twelve days, so that she was able to resume her household duties, and though she had been covered with pocks all over, not the slightest mark remained on her body; my little girl was out of doors in a fortnight, and a few days were sufficient to rid the ladies of influenza. The complete success I had in the treatment of all these cases, contributed not a little to encourage me to employ the method upon others, with whom I have ever since been equally successful, with one single exception, which I shall mention hereafter.

97. One of the last cases of affection of the brain in torpid scarlatina I treated, was that of a scrofulous little boy of six years, from Williamsburgh, N. Y., who was at my establishment, with his mother and sisters, taking treatment for scrofulous ulceration of the parotid glands, and other symptoms of that dangerous disease. The reaction was torpid, and the brain became affected almost from the commencement.

There was a little rash coming out, but in small dark purple spots, looking much more like measles than scarlet-fever. The delirium increased during the period of efflorescence, instead of giving way. The spine evidently sympathized in the suffering of the brain and cerebellum. h.o.m.oeopathic remedies, which were earnestly asked for by the mother, had no effect whatever; acids only produced a slight relief of the inflammation of the throat; the packs increased the symptoms in the head and spine. The appearance of the tongue, the peculiar kind of delirium, the small quick pulse, &c. showed, that the case was going to take a typhoid turn; when I ordered a sitz-bath, which almost immediately relieved the head and improved the pulse, I then, proceeded in about the same manner as described above in my son's case, with the difference, that I allowed longer intervals. The patient, according to the severity of the symptoms, took one or two packs a day, and the same number of sitz-baths, had wet compresses on his ears and throat, and was kept in bed with very few exceptions, when the nurse would take him on her knees, wrapt in a blanket. The good effect of the sitz-bath was so obvious, that the child's father, who had been informed by telegraph of the critical condition of his son, asked himself for a repet.i.tion of it, when he found that neither medicines nor packs produced the slightest change. The child always became quiet and slept after the bath. Not only was his life saved, but he also escaped all the dreaded consequences of the disease. I am confident, that under any other kind of treatment, he would have lost his life, or at least he would have lost his hearing.

But, far from increasing, the affection of his ears was rather improved when he left, and his general health a great deal better than when he was first placed under my care. I had a great deal of trouble with that little patient, not only because he did not allow me a night's rest for a week, and the case produced quite an estampeda in the establishment,[36] but also, and chiefly, because of the interference of a half-bred Irish woman, who had brought him up, and who, on account of the mother's bad health, acted in the double quality of a nurse and a governess towards the children. This woman, being averse to the treatment and the place, which gave her little pleasure, and to the rules of which she would not submit, procured all sort of dainties and excited the child by her foolish remonstrances against any application I found necessary, making at the same time an unfavorable impression on the simple minds of the family, by telling lies and tales, thereby not only placing difficulties in my way, in a case which was difficult in itself, but even preventing the parents from acknowledging by one word of thanks the sacrifices of time and health I had cheerfully made. What a blessing it would be for physicians and patients, could unnecessary and unreasonable people be kept away from persons afflicted with painful and dangerous diseases!--

98. IMPOSSIBILITY OF ANSWERING FOR THE ISSUE OF EVERY TYPHOID CASE.

Although a _typhoid character_ of scarlatina will rarely set in, when the patient has been subject to the packs from the beginning of the disease, there will be cases when water-treatment can neither prevent such an event or even save the life of the patient afflicted by scarlet-fever. There will be a case, _now and then_, to baffle any mode of treatment, and the physician must not be blamed for losing a patient of scarlatina occasionally, but it is not necessary that people should continue to die of this disease in such numbers, as they have been destroyed till now.

99. Any case, where typhoid symptoms set in (16-25), is dangerous, and the physician and his mode of treatment deserve commendation, if the patient is saved by it; and it is in such cases, also, that the hydriatic physician requires the most skill, experience and courage.

100. IS WATER APPLICABLE IN ALL TYPHOID CASES?

The question has been raised, whether in typhoid cases, and in cases of torpid reaction in general, water is at all applicable? I can answer the question only in the affirmative; but I must add, that the treatment of such cases requires more than confidence and courage: it requires a nice discrimination to know the exact moment, when water may be applied, what should be its temperature, how long the bath should last, what kind of baths should be given, whether the pack will be of service, &c.

101. RULES FOR THE APPLICATION OF WATER IN TYPHOID CASES.

As a general rule, in typhoid cases, bathing should form one of the princ.i.p.al features of the treatment; i. e. the patient should have more baths than packs in proportion to the treatment of other cases.

102. The temperature of the baths should be in proportion to the reactive power of the body; i. e. the longer the patient has been sick, and the weaker he is, the higher should be the temperature of the water, but never so high as to have rather a weakening than a strengthening effect upon the nervous system. The highest temperature which may be used should not exceed 75 F.

103. When the delirium is active, the patient restless, almost raging, the water should be used colder; when the delirium is more pa.s.sive, the patient weak, muttering, the water should be warmer: in the former case, the water may be between 50 and 60, in the latter, between 60 and 70.

104. When the skin is hot and dry, a wet-sheet pack will produce relief, and a.s.sist in bringing out the rash. After the pack, a half-bath should be given, the duration of which must be regulated by the condition of the brain. If the delirium continues, the bath should be prolonged.

105. The patient should not leave the bath before his head is clearer.

It may be necessary for the patient to stay in the bath for more than half an hour.

106. In a low condition, with pa.s.sive delirium, the packs should not be continued very long, as they will be apt to increase the bad condition of the brain. In that case they should be used only to prepare the body for the bath following it.

107. When the skin is cool and moist, neither a bath nor a pack is indicated. When the skin is rather cool and dry, an affusion of cold water and frictions with the bare hands should be used, and the patient packed afterwards in a dry blanket, to a.s.sist in producing a reaction.

In such cases I have found very cold water to be of more service than water of a warmer temperature. When the patient has not been too much weakened already, a rash is likely to be produced by the proceeding, and in consequence of repeated baths, the nervous system to be relieved and a healthier reaction to be obtained.

108. Should putrid symptoms appear, I would advise the use of mineral acids and chloride of lime, in addition to hydriatic treatment.

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