The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-07-23
Insulated Beds.

D6uSs
An insulated bed is one set on some
non conductor of electricity, so the cleo.
tricity cannot flow to and from it freely.
Their usefulness is as yet matter of
experiment.. Their value might be tested
by invalids, at little expense, for a. in
sulated bed can be made by placing the
four feet on four strong glass tumblers.
DIR. Wagenhols, of Columbus, Ohio,
recently read an article on the subject
before medical society, detailing many
cases of acute rheumatism which had
been benefited by sleeping on an insu-
lated bed-amOng others his own. We
quote:
"On December 25th, 1871, / was
attacked with rheumatism of the ankle
and knee joints in one limb, then the
other. 1 treated myself actively by aka
lies, opiates, etc, in the ordinary manner
recognized by the profession as of most
value in this disease. / was unable to
leave my bed for three months, could
not walk until April, 1872, and did not
fully recover until the warm Neather in
June. On the 18th day of December
was again assaulted by my tormentor,
treated myself as before, tand thought
l.
of my room in eight weeks, privileged
to hobble around the streets of the city
with the aid of cane. Warm weather
restored me to health, and during the
summer and winter I attended to my
professional duties. On February 10th,
1874, while was congratulating myself
that L should escape my annual attack,
was suddenly seized in the nighttime
hNA Tn
the morning l failed, after an ardent
effort, to leave my bed. Fever was in
tense, as also the swelling of ankle and
knee joints. A sense of GOODNESS of the
lower extremities existed, which was even
more distressing than the pain caused
by the swelling of the JOINTS. This con-
dltion continued until the morning of
the 18th. From the 10Th to the 18th
was unable to sleep. On the morning
of the 18th insulated my bed by caus-
ing the legs of the bedstead to be
placed in four glass tumblers. fell
into profound sleep, wakening on the
morning of the 10Th bathed in profuse
warm perspiration without the aid of
diaphoretics or anodynes.
81 steadily improved, and in few
days was out of my room. On Monday,
February 23d, left my home for Gin
cinnati, where | remained a week, dur
ing all of which time felt neither pain
nor soreness in the joints. / returned to
my home in six days, and found next
morning the disease returned. l at
once insulated my bed, and in six days
was able to go to my Office and engage
in my professional duties"
This single case, remarks the Herald
of Health, is of little consequence, but
the doctor gives large pumber of 9th
ers corroborating it. How much IS due
to Insulation, and how much to the ex-
pectatiOn of cure, we cannot tell. As
the remedy is perfectly hygienic and
easily tried, we hope further expert
ments will be made.
The closing part of DIR. Wagenhols's
paper is suggestive, and we quote it
Zone of the patients makes mention
of the sensation of drowsiness which
comes over him by the prolonged use of
the insulated bed. This have noticed
in several cases, and distinctly observed
it in my own. Now the question is, do
the effects of this form of treatment,
which, in comparison with our former
modes, is simply marvellous, depend up
on expectant attention Is it another
specimen of the wonderful power the
mind has over the body, or does it de-
pend upon changing the electric state
of the body. 1t certainly deserves at
tention, as, in either case, the patient is
benefited, and this is the end of all
thel apeutics. All our treatment IS
empirical, and, on the results of truth
fully recorded experience tie success of
our measures depend but why go any
further now?
cit is unnecessary for me at this time
to elaborate. have in my possession
several communications from gentlemen
of worth and eminence in the profession,
who fully corroborate my experience in
the particulars set forth and am CON
fdent that if this subject, which deem
important to the profession as well as
to the community, is properly tried and
thoroughly Investigated, much informa-
ton will be gained and large beneficial
results will be accomplished. Notwith-
standing the cautious manner in which
our profession has advanced as a science
within the last twenty years, there are
in our ranks good men who are captiOus
and unwilling to assert or employ in the
treatment of disease any remedies or
agents that were not used by their fore
fathers, who have long since fallen,
some of them martyrs to their opinions,
others to age, and many without ever
having conceived the first principles of
profession whose complexity they had
not the willingness to unravel.
"We live to learn; as We learn we |
advance in knowledge, our information |
and attainments expand, and thus our
usefulness is made felt in communities |
in which we reside, and our vigor and |
energy is undaunted, by reason of the |
good results we obtain"