Traditional Hydrotherapy

from Dr JH Kellogg's Prescriptions...

• Adynamic Fevers
• Childhood Fevers
• Febricula
• Feverishness
• Glandular Fever
• Hyperpyrexia
• Inflammation Fever
• Persistent Fever
• Production Fever
• Puerperal Fever
• Retention Fever
• Septic Fever
• Surgical Fever
• Sweating Sickness
• Thermic Fever

from Hydrothermic Remedies...

Often it is tempting to use general cold to reduce fever, these conditions are best treated otherwise:

• Cold, wet skin, cyanosis, goosebumps, shivering or chilliness indicates Retention Fever, the most common fever. Treat with heating treatments until the entire body is warm then give short general cold.
• A hot, dry skin with full pulse and flushed face indicates Production Fever, treat with cooling treatments.
• Sweating often indicates the body has beaten the fever, or everything that the body can do is being done. Treat by Cold Mitten Friction or simply wiping off the sweat with a Cold Compress. Persistent Sweating indicates Persistent Fever.
• Infancy or Old Age - see Childhood Fevers - prolonged Tepid Tub Bath, repeated Wet Sheet Pack, Cold Mitten Friction, Wet Sheet Rub and Cold Water Drinking are the best.
• Late or Neglected Cases - treat as Childhood Fevers - usually a combination of Cardiac Weakness along with weakened resistance and internal congestion. Treat with Cold Mitten Friction after heat by a prolonged Tepid Tub Bath or 10-minute Hot Blanket Pack. Also use Alternate Applications to the Spine such as alternate Sponge or Spray. Gentle tonics are what is needed.

For specific problems

• Goose bumps - in Retention Fever - indicate chills, or toxins causing peripheral vasoconstriction. Use Hot Mitten Friction or cold after heat to the spine.
• Cyanosis - in Retention Fever - indicates Cardiac Weakness, treat with short Hot Tub Bath, Hot Enema or Fomentations to the spine followed by Cold Mitten Friction.
• Cardiac Weakness - in Retention Fever - often seen by the presence of areolar cyanosis. Use Precordial Compress, alternate Sponge to the spine and general Cold Mitten Friction.
• Myocarditis - endocarditis, and Pericarditis often occur in continued fevers. Treat as for Cardiac Weakness.
• Intestinal Perforation - as with Cardiac Weakness.
• Peritonitis - in Retention Fever - treat with prolonged Tepid Tub Bath or short Hot Tub Bath followed by Cold Mitten Friction.
• Pleurisy and Pneumonia - in Retention Fever - Cooling or lightly covered Chest Pack with Fomentations every 3 hours otherwise as for Peritonitis.
• Tuberculosis - Wet Sheet Pack and Cold Mitten Friction and cooling or lightly covered Chest Pack.

from Dr JH Kellogg's Hydriatic Techniques...

Causes:

• Toxaemia - Bacterial toxins
• Autointoxication - body toxins

Treatment:

• Aseptic Diet

Problems:

• Acute Nephritis
• Bed Sores
• Cardiac Insufficiency
• Cerebral Irritability - Neutral Tub Bath also Antiphlogistic
• Collapse
• Delirium
• Emaciation
• Haemorrhages
• Muscle Aches
• Pulmonary Congestion - hypostatic in low f.s
• Superficial Anaemias - Continuous Tub Bath

Extreme Fevers: with bounding pulse

• Antithermic -
  • cold Coloclyster
  • Chest Pack
  • Cold Sponge
  • Cooling Coil over heart
  • Evaporating Compress on head
  • Cold Spinal Compress to prevent spinal complications
  • Cold Enema
  • Sinusoidal Current
  • Alcohol Sponge
• Cardiac Antiphlogistics
• Tonic
• Antipyretic
  • Cooling Pack
  • Cold Shower Pack
  • Wet Hand Rub
  • Cold Towel Rub

During intervals in intermittent -

• stage I Wet Sheet Pack

During Convalescence:

• Graduated Tonic Cold
• Dry Friction

Contra-indications

• Shallow Bath if cardiac complications
• Cold Plunge
• Hot Tub Bath
• Sweating Pack

from Dr GK Abbott's Prescriptions...

Hydrotherapy is beneficial in acute and febrile illnesses while mild heat, sunlight and ultraviolet are useful in low grade and chronic infections with little or no fever.

Convalescence: -

• Heating Pack

Problems:

• Emaciation