Traditional Hydrotherapy

from Hydrothermic Remedies...

Equipment:

• Two sheets
• Two Towels
• Hot Foot Bath
• pail of water at 15-20°C

Procedure:

• Patient should be warm
• Apply Cold Compress to head
• Patient stands in Hot Foot Bath or tub bath if just finished
• Wring a sheet from cold water so it does not drip
• Wrap patient as follows:
  • have him raise his arms and place upper left corner of sheet under the right arm and have him lower his arm to hold it
  • Pass sheet in front of the body under the left arm which is lowered, then across the back and up over the right shoulder
  • Pass across the front over the left shoulder and tuck corner in the sheet behind
  • Tuck sheet between the patient's legs
• Rub vigorously and give percussion over the hole sheet as quickly as possible until the sheet is thoroughly warmed. (Rub over the sheet don't rub the patient with the sheet)
• Two attendants give the best results
• Dry with a sheet and towels

Effects:

• vigorous Tonic Friction only used after patient can react to Cold Towel Rub

from Dr JH Kellogg's Hydriatic Techniques...

15°C

Tonic, Fluxion, Derivative, Antiphlogistic

Need:

• 1 sheet
• drying sheet
• 2 towels
• Hot Foot Bath 40°C

Tonic Derivative

Wrung dry out of 15°C water, with Hot Foot Bath 40-43°C to prevent congestion in...

• Following Sweating Treatments
• Alterative - wrung slightly, double sheet renewed 3-4min with friction
• Debility - thin sheet wrung dry, 10-15°C 1-2min, vigorous rub in:
  • Anaemia
  • Chlorosis
  • Neurasthenia
• Superficial Anaemias 15°C
• Cerebral Congestion in
  • Insomnia add salt 200gm/litre, 15°C
  • 1-2min (increases circulatory reaction)
  • If skin is dry and hot use water 25-30°C, do not use Wet Sheet Rub at all if skin is cool
• Visceral Congestion in:
  • Spinal Cord Inflammation
  • Colitis
  • Splenic Congestion and Hepatic Congestion especially after Malaria and in Chronic Indigestion
  • Chronic Gastritis
  • Hypopepsia
  • Entero-Colitis
  • Gastric Dilation
  • Enteroptosis
  • Dysentery
  • Gastroenteritis
  • Constipation
  • Chronic Bronchitis
  • Pelvic Congestion where little pain
• Inactive Skin with second daily Sweating Treatments in...
  • chronic Indigestion
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • Gout
  • Diabetes
• Cardiac Insufficiency permanent results in:
  • Congestive Heart Failure
  • Valvular Heart Disease
  • Oedema (with preceding short heat) in strong patients

Antipyretic

Short duration, dry sheets and vigorous rubbing to prevent thermic reaction in:

• Retention Fever
• Hyperthyroidism
• Myxedema
• Nervous System Irritability

Contra-indications

• Eruptions
• Hyperaesthesia
• Acute Visceral Inflammation
• Widespread Neuritis
• Severe Neuralgia
• Very Feeble

from Dr GK Abbott's Prescriptions...

Very vigorous Tonic. Do not use until patient reacts well to Cold Towel Rub

• Patient stands in a tub of hot water.
• Begin with sheet wrung almost dry.
• Rub over the sheet until skin is warm then quickly dry the patient with sheets or towels.
• Later use colder, wetter sheets. When reacting well move to Dripping Sheet