The Kneipp Cure - Sebastian Kneipp Kneipp

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baths, gushes, partly by the ablutions, and finally by the entire system of hardening.

      I cannot and will net give particulars here in order to avoid misunderstanding.

      As every disease originates as previously stated in disorders of the blood, it is evident that in every ease of dis ease all the respective applications must be used more or less dissolving, evacuating and strengthening; further, that not only the suffering part, foot, or hand, or head, as the case may be, is to be treated, but always the whole body through every part of which the bad blood is flowing: of course the diseased part with preference, the rest of the body only as fellow-sufferer. It would be partial and wrong to act otherwise with regard to these two important points. Many instances in the third part of this book will justify my statement.

      Whoever uses the water as a remedy, according to my ideas and wishes, will never think the applications to be for his own whims, i.e. he never will use an application just because he likes to do so; he will never, like a fool, take pleasure in being able to "handle, and boast of, and to rave about many things, about vapors and gushes and packages." To a sensible man the applications will always be only the means for the purpose, and if he attain it by the mildest water-application, he will be happy; for his task is only this: to help nature struggling for health, i.e. for her own and independent activity; to obtain this activity, to loosen the fetters of illness, the chains of suffering, and to enable nature to do the work herself again, unprevented, gaily and cheerfully. Is this task finished, the treatment must cease. This remark is important, more important still to observe it. For there is nothing which so greatly brings the water as healing element into miscredit and bad reputation, as to make applications in an indiscreet way without measure and reason, a sharp, strict, rugged proceeding. Those, and only those, I cannot repeat it enough, who consider themselves to be competent in the system of water-cures, but frighten every patient by their endless packages, their vapors almost driving out the blood, etc., are causing the greatest harm, which it is very difficult to mend. I do not call this using the water for healing, but such outrages — I beg pardon for the expression — I call putting the water to shame.

      Whoever has a knowledge of the effects of water, and knows how to use it in its extremely manifold ways, is in possession of a remedy which cannot he surpassed by any other, whatever its name may be. There is no remedy more manifold in its effects, or as it were, more elastic than the water. In creation it begins in the invisible globule of air or steam, continues in the drop, and finally forms the ocean tilling up the greater part of the globe.

      This ought to serve as a hint to every water-curist to show him that every application of water can lie raised from the gentlest to the highest degree, and that in each case it is not the patient who ought to accommodate himself to the package, the vapor, etc., but every application is to be accommodated to the patient.

      It is in the selection of the applications to be used that the master-hand shows itself. The one who undertakes the cure will carefully examine the patient, but not in a startling way. At first the subordinate sufferings will come under his notice, i.e. those diseases which like toadstools, spring up from the interior ground of disease. By them one can, in most cases, easily conclude, where the roots of the disease, the principal evil, is to be found. By means of questioning and searching he will find what progress the disease has already made, what mischief it has done; then it must be taken into consideration, whether the patient is old or young, weak or strong, thin or stout, poor of blood, nervous, etc. All these points, and others besides, give to the mind of him who undertakes the cure, the right picture of the disease; and it is only then, when this is clear and complete, that he goes to the water-apotheca and prescribes according to the principle: The gentler and more sparing, — the better and more effective.

      A few general remarks may be given here, regarding the whole of the water-applications. —

      No application whatever can cause the least harm, if it is made according to the directions given.

      Most of them are to be made with cold water, either from the spring, well, or river. In all cases where warm water is not expressly prescribed, the word "water" stands for and means cold water. I follow my principle founded on experience; The colder, the better. In wintertime I mix snow with the water for gushes when they arc for healthy people. Do not accuse me of ruggedness; for, think of the very short duration of my cold-water-applications. He who has once ventured to make a trial has conquered forever; all his prejudices are entirely removed.

      But I am not, nevertheless, inexorable. To beginners in the water-cure, to weak persons, especially very young or very old ones, to sick people who are afraid of a cold, to such as have not much warmth in their blood, whose blood is poor, or who are nervous, I gladly allow, especially in winter-time, a warm room for their baths and pushes (65 degrees) for the beginning, and lukewarm water for every application. Flies are to be attracted not by salt and vinegar, hut by honey.

      There are special prescriptions for every warm-water application respecting the degree of warmth, the time, etc.

      Regarding the cold-water applications, we must briefly give some hints for regulating the course of action observed before, during and after the application. (In the third part this point is often dwelt upon.)

      No one should venture to make any cold application, whatever, when feeling; cold, shivering, etc., unless it is expressly allowed in the prescription relating to his case. The applications are to be made as quickly as possible, but without agitation and haste; also with dressing and undressing no delay should be caused by slowness in buttoning or tying up, etc. All this secondary work can be done, when the whole body is properly covered. To give an instance: a cold full-bath, including undressing, bathing and redressing, should not exceed 4—5 minutes. Tt only needs a little practice to accomplish this. If with an application the time '"one minute" is given, the shortest time possible is meant; if it is said 12 — 3 minutes, the cold application is intended to be of more enduring, but not of longer, influence.

      After a cold application the body must never be wiped dry, except the head, and the hands as far as the wrist (the latter in order not to wet the clothes when dressing). The wet body is at once covered with dry underline!! and other articles of clothing; this is to be done quickly, as before remarked, so that as soon as possible all wet spots may be shut off from the air. This proceeding will seem strange to many, even to most people, because they will imagine that they are thereby obliged to remain wet all the day long; but let them try it only once before judging, and they will soon experience what this not-wiping is good for. Wiping is rubbing, and, as it cannot be done quite equally over every part of the body and on every spot, it produces disproportionate natural warmth, which is not of much consequence with healthy people, but of very great moment with sick and weak ones. The not-wiping helps to the most regular, most equal and most speedy natural warmth. It is like sprinkling water into the fire; the interior warmth of the body uses the water clinging to the exterior as material for speedily bringing forth greater and more intense warmth. As before said, it all depends upon a trial.

      On the other hand I strictly prescribe exercise to be taken (either by working or walking) as soon as the patient is dressed after the application, and this must be continued, until all parts of the body are perfectly dry and in normal warmth. At the beginning one may walk somewhat swiftly, but the speed must be slackened when the patient gets warm. Everyone feels best himself when the bodily warmth has become normal, and when the exercise may cease. People who easily become hot and perspire freely, ought to walk more slowly from the beginning, and for them it is better to walk a little longer, but by no means to sit down in perspiration or when over-heated, even in a warm room; a catarrh would be the inevitable consequence.

      As a rule for all it may be said that the shortest time for exercise after an application ought to be at least 15 minutes. The kind of exercise taken, whether working, walking, etc., is of no consequence.

      Concerning those applications which require the patient to be in bed, especially the wet sheets and packages, instructions are given in their proper place, as well as particulars for every special practice. If a patient falls asleep during such an application, he should not be disturbed, even if the prescribed time has expired; for nature itself is the best and most exact alarm here, as in even other great or small need.

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