The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-12-05 00:00:00

A CURE FOR TYPHOID.

fle news has published the following letter

Sir,—ln the recent discussion as to the cause of
typhoid fever, has not an equally, if not more impor-
tant question been overlooked—viz„ whether the
treatment of fever almost universally adopted through-
out England is the moat efficacious means of arresting,
eradicating, and curing the disease? That there is
another system worthy of serious consideration at the
hands of the medical profession at large the following
facts clearly prove :
' .

On my being taken suddenly ill last year at Lucerne
and acute symptoms of a threatensd lever setting in,
my friends forthwith called in Dr. Steiger, who enjoys
a considerable reputation throughout Switzerland. He
ordered me at once to be what is called " packed " and
on my expressing surprise, he said, " I am thankful to
tell you that the doctors in Switzerland and Germany
have at last learnt the value of simple remedial
measures; when Sourbaki's army entered Switzerland,
I had charge of the fever hospital for this district
and out of 24 patients sulfei tog from typhoid
fever (two were brought in dying), I cured 22 entirely
by application of the wet sheet. 1 used neither medi-
cines nor stimulants, and the soldiers completely re-
covered their health in a very short time. During the
last tight years this system has been carried on in the
Basle Hospital with signal success, reducing in a sur-
prising manlier the death-rate in the fever wards. In
private practice I invariably adopt this system, and '
rarely lose a patient whom I have treated from the
commencement of the fever. I have been particularly
: successful in puerpeial and scarlet fevers. This sys-
tem is now almost universally adopted throughout
Switzerland and Germany." Through Dr. Steiger's
assiduous attention and packing treatment, I was able
to resume my journey in two da3 s.
Now, if net trespassing too ninth on your valuable
space may I be allowed to explain the process and the
principle?
1. The Process.—A blanket is spread out on the
bed, and a sheet, wrung out in cold water, placed
on the blanket ; the patient is then wrapped up in
the sheet, and the blanket tightly packed round the
body ; other blankete are finally placed over the
patient In lieu of the she,t, a towel or towels may
be used, depending entirely on the extent of fever
and the probable reactionary powers of the patient.
The sheet is renewed every ten minutes or quarter of
an hour, according to the temperature of the body,
which is ascertained from time to time by placing a
thermometer in the arm pit of thz patient. It will be
found that each sheet will reduce the fever from three
. . .

to seven degrees. This process is continued for about
an hour, after which the patient is quickly washed
over for a couple of minutes, either on the bed or in a
tepid bath, and put back into bed. It is reoevi•ed at
intervals of four or five hours until the fever is en-
tirely subdued, which crisis is usually shown by a
spontaneous outbreak of natural perspiration. By
means of the thermometer, the fever can be kept in
check by repeated sheets as easily as a steam-engine
can be controlled by the 'handle of the machine.
2. The Principle.—lt is always difficult to explain
in simple language a system depending upon and that
ought to be studied by the laws of science, but, in
plain words, the wet-sheet pack is simply a cooling
poultice. As is well-known, the rationale of all
diseases is the determination of blood in excess to the
interior of the body, and the foundation of all curative
processes ought to be the withdrawal of such blood for
healthy re-distribution throughout the body. This is
the principle of a poultice, and of the wet-sheet-pack.
It withdraws the heat of fever as generated by
accumulated blood, and it is continuously repeated
till the body regains its normal temperature
through a restored equilibrium of circulation. Further-
more the poison, which is the cause of all specific
fevers, is thus tuade to expend itself harmlessly, with-
out involving the body in the destructive consequence
of prolonged febrile excitement. It has been proved,
without doubt, that the disease by this system can be
arrested and eradicated in the course of a few days, and
without running what is considered the usual course of
seven, fourteen„ twenty-one, and forty-two days. The
I subsequent period, also, of a long convalescence is
entirely avoided.
_ • • -

-
It is at the urgent request of many friends that I
now venture to make public these statements ; and I
trust the medical profession at large, towards whom
we aU ewe a deep debt of gratitude, wiU kindly accept
these suggestions in the spirit in which they are
offered.
---

As a layman, I am unable to enter into the medical
and scientific part of the question ; but Dr. Steiger, of
Lucerne, with whom I have lately been in correspon-
dence, has kindly given use pertnisiou to use his name,
and any letters addressed to him on this buhjert will, I
am sure, receive his best attention.
_ . .

The only apology I can now offer for this letter is
the deep interest I have long taken in ho.pital work,
and the conviction that a system io simple in its ap-
plication and so effective hi its cure, when adopted in
such countries as Germany and Switzerland, is not un-
worthy the practical consideration of the medical pro-
fession in England.—l have the honour to be, Sir,
your obedient servant, JOHN 40. STEPHENS,
Vicar of Savernake, and Honorary Secretary
to the Savernsks Hospital.

November S.