Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1872-08-29
Shaping as a Cure for
Dyspepsia.

Some years ago a physician in
New York city published small
book, in which he gave well-writ-
ten certificates of marvellous cures
of dyspepsia. Patients began to
flock to him. Their introduction
to his treatment was very queer
He took the patient into his con-
sultation office, examined his case,
and if it was, one he could cure,
he announced his fee as FIVE hum
dred dollars, to be paid in advance.
1t the patients confidence was
strong enough the money was
paid, and then the doctor took him
through hail, up a fight of !
stairs, through another hall, then
through a room, down a flight of
stairs, up fight, down a fight,
then to the right. then to the left,
and at last they arrived in small
room without windows, artificial
lily lighted, and in that room the
patient was required to put bis
name to solemn vow that heI
would never reveal the mode of
treatment. This being all finished,
the patient was iAtrnuctd to the
treatment. 1t consisted in slap
ping the stomach and bowels
Besides this, the patient was re-
quired to live temperately, and
much in the open air. On rising
in the morning he was required TO
spend from five to ten minutes in
striking his own abdomen with the
fat of his hand. Then he went
out for a morning walk after hav-
! ing drank a lumber or two Of
cold water. At ii o'clock in the
forenoon he spent quarter of an
hour OF more in slapping the bow
els with his hands. Then lie laid
down to rest. He dined temper
ately at 2 o'clock, and spent the
afternoon in sauntering about
At Z o'clock in the evening he
repeated the percussion, and went
/ to bed at 8 o'clock. A majority
of the cases of dyspepsia that
sought relief at this establish.
ment had used all the other means
except the slapping; that is to
say, they had lived On plain food
and much in open air. 1t was
the Shaping, the pounding with
the fists, kneading with the fists,
sometimes with the fists of an at
tendant, that cured these people,
for cured they certainly we're
Marvellous cures were effected at
this establishment. After the
death of the d ctor some of the
patients felt themselves absolved
from the Obligation, and one of
them described the treatment to
me. In every case of indigestion,
no matter what may be its char
acter, Shaping the stomach or
bowels with the flats of the
hands on rising in the morning,
four hours after breakfast, and in
the evening on going to bed, is
excellent treatment. ! cannot con-
ceive of case of chronic indi-
gestion which such manipulation
would not relieve. II the patient
be so weak that he cannot per-
form these slappingS or kneadings
upon his own person, the hand of
discreet assistant should be EN-.
ployed. 1t is marvellous how the
body, the stomach for example,
which, when these manipulations
are first practiced, may be so ten
der that the slightest touch can
hardly he borne-it is marvellous
how in two or three weeks a blow
almost as hard as the hand can
give is borne without suffering.
If you have pain in The side or
across the chest, percussion will
relieve it almost instantly. But
constipation, dyspepsia, torpidity
of liver and other affections of
the abdominal viscera are relieved
more surely and completely than
any other class of affections by
percussion, kneading, etc. Such !
treatment comes unGer the head +,
of counter irritation. A new cir
culation is established in the parts
near the point of suffering aud
congestion. Besides this, espe-
cially in abdominal troubles, the
manipulations appeal directly to
the contractility of the weak and
L. i