Page:The American improved family physician, or home doctor.djvu/16

10 the brain, must resort to it with extreme caution. The stream must be directed to the back of the neck, along the spine, hips, and shoulders; in Chronic Swellings of the joints the stream may be directed to the affected parts; no strong Douche should be applied to the head, nor should it be long continued on any one spot about the spine or back bone. The water may be used cold and sometimes warm, principally cold; this bath may be received by taking a watering can up on the first story and letting it fall down on the patient as above indicated, or which is better, a stand or tub on the second story filled with water, and a tube made of tin (of the size of one inch in diameter,) fixed in the bottom of the stand, and the stream is the Douche. Applied, five to twenty minutes and repeated daily.

Plunge or Full-Bath. — This is generally used by Hydropathist after the wet sheet-pack, but in general is too inconvenient at any place, but with water-doctors it will do very well; but the dripping or rubbing sheet, and douche or shower-bath will answer all that is necessary in general.

Shower Bath or Rain Bath. — This bath may be used after the wet sheet-pack, or alcoholic vapor bath, not very cold, but tepid. A shower-bath is easily made if you have a douche. Only place a piece of board or tin under any stream full of small holes, and stand under it; this is a good morning bath; no patient must have more than two or three - full or whole baths a day, these are Douche, Plunge, Shower and Rubbing Sheet. Duration of shower-bath from one to five minutes.

Head Baths are easily given. — Take a common basin or small tub, lay your head into the water backwards; by laying yourself on the back or the floor, the shoulders a little elevated, and your head thus laid into the vessel almost full of water, the water must principally be used very cold, and in some very few cases it may be used warm; duration from five to ten minutes or longer; the head may also be bathed by putting the head forward into the water, the head ought to be rubbed more or less while taking the bath, &c.

Clysters or Injections — Must be used in Costiveness, Diarrhœa and Bowel Complaints generally; they may be used either cold or warm, as indicated, but principally cold or tepid. A Syringe is an instrument that every family ought to have, it is easy and simple to use, and harmless; introduction easy if the point of the instrument is directed towards the left hip. Always inject gradually, the patient ought to retain it from five to twenty minutes, and sometimes longer — repeated several times a day according to circumstances.

Arm and Leg Bath. — These are very easily understood, and are only indicated when the limbs are diseased, duration from