THE HOT FOOT-BATH. The following will often arrest colds and fevers in their incipient stages, and immediately relieve congestive headaches, etc. On retiring to bed, the feet should be put in hot water, the water rising nearly to the knees; the patient should be undressed, but abundantly and warmly covered; the temperature of the water should be maintained and increased by fresh additions of hot water for ten, twenty, or thirty minutes, according to the strength of the patient, or until perspiration breaks out about the face. The patient should then get into a warm bed, be well covered with clothes, and the perspiration encouraged by drinking cold water freely. On rising in the morning the cold plunge bath should be taken, or the whole surface of the body quickly sponged or rubbed over with a wet towel or sheet, followed by vigorous friction with a dry one. The hot foot-bath should not be used too often.
THE WET PACK. A mackintosh sheet or stout blanket or quilt should be spread on a mattress, and over it, leaving a margin at the head, a thick linen sheet, wrung out of cold water. In fevers, the colder the water is the better; for very delicate persons with feeble reaction, water at 68* may be used. The patient is to be extended on his back, naked, on the wet sheet, so that the upper edge comes to the top of the back of the neck, while the lower edge projects beyond the feet; holding up the arms, one side of the sheet is to be thrown over the body and tucked in; the arms are now placed by the sides, and the other part of the wet sheet is thrown over all, and tucked rather tightly in, turning in the projecting ends under the feet. The mackintosh or blanket is then to be brought over all the sheet, and well tucked in round the neck, at the sides, and over the feet, so as completely to exclude the air. A stout quilt or extra blanket is to be put over all. In a short time the patient will become warm; the sensation is most agreeable, especially in fevers. The patient may remain in the pack three-quarters of an hour to an hour, then be put into a shallow bath of water at 64*, well-washed, dried, and put to bed. It may be repeated once, twice, or thrice a day, according to the circumstances and the violence of the attack. Perspiration may be encouraged by frequent sips of cold water. If the head becomes congested, or the face flushed while in the pack, a cold compress should be applied over the forehead. The wet pack is invaluable in the early stages of all fevers; and in Scarlatina, Measles, Small- pox, etc., it assists in bringing out the eruption.
THROAT COMPRESS. This is an excellent domestic application in various affections of the throat, and may be used preventively or remedially in the following manner: A piece of linen or flannel should be rung out of cold water, and wrapped in two or three thicknesses around the throat; this should be covered with oiled silk or gutta-percha tissue, and then two or three thicknesses of flannel to maintain the warmth. When this is applied, the patient should retire to bed, and he will generally have the satisfaction of finding his throat-difficulty much relieved by the morning. In obstinate cases, the compress should be worn day and night, and rewetted as often as it becomes dry. When the compress is taken off, the throat and chest should be bathed with cold water, followed by a good rubbing with a towel. However often repeated, the wet compress never relaxes the throat.
ABDOMINAL COMPRESS. This consists of two folds of linen, or a napkin, wrung out after immersion in cold water, and applied over the front of the abdomen, covered with oiled silk and secured by a flannel bandage around the body over all.
LICENTIATE OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS; MEMBER OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS; LICENTIATE IN MIDWIFERY, LONDON AND EDINBURGH, ETC. PHYSICIAN TO THE READING AND BERKSHIRE HOMOEOPATHIC DISPENSARY.
Author of "The Stepping Stone to Homeopathy and Health,"
"Manual of Homoeopathic Treatment". Editor of "The Homoeopathic World."