The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1883-05-17
The Air Cure.

|
The Air Cure.
The latest cure-a is the air cure. The water
cure had it, day, and since then we have had
the blue-gIa>s cure, which was very short-ved
| indeed. of the water cure some one wittilv re-
marked that it was 'as old as the deluge and
then it killed more than ii cured" Still, it did
some good, while no doubt doing much harm.
| The mistake was made Of using it as univer-
>al remedy. With 50 simple a remedial agent
A. water it was not considered necessary 10
| take medical advice and yet water misapped
may be IL destructive of human life as the most
active poS0ns Since the cold water treatment
we have had also the hot water treatment, the
''steaming and sweating Turkish BATH" but
! that also seems to be falling into disuse. and
the air bath now bids fair to take It's place as a
| sanitary or curative agent. The air bath was a
discovery Of the philosopher who devised the
/ lightning rod and invented the Franklin stove
50 that its paternity 50 to speak, is in its favor.
| We are told, however, that Franklin did not
present the matter in much practical detail, but
he suggested it, used it. and gave reasons for
believing i'll its high Importance. The editor of
the Popular Science News, having made the air
bath matter of careful study. now calls atten-
ton to it as means Of seeming and nreservin q
health. recommending it rs an agent for phvsi-
CA ana mental recuperatIon, in the case Of those
whose fcebene>S is congenital or due to disease.
The following are the directions he gives:
The morning i the time for the air BATH and
an 5lat u required Is nali-ciolh mltten and a
from tha led to tle tio n tha ,or; ~ o
hair glove or mitten be seized. and without re-
moving tue night clothes proceed to rub gently
ilt ' T. ~ lio ~ tne s|!ie tihe WaihlHS
eXperienccd then drop the gIove, and Gently
pass The hand over all parts of the body before
i EXTREMELY sen,irE f. coI% 'riu n,a'to uoIS
exposed TO the air a few moments while in
motloh, even on the hrst morning. The next
'''' ",llp U('r 81 ptu III moderately cool
remaining a LITTLE longer eyn6sod tn the air al,
Ter the rubbing. The third morning repeat this
"arl ~ the !oifth' or al the end OF
" auply the hair Glove first Win the " ,.iG,nt
hand and then with the left. all the time walk
lA@ about. foIloW up this. as the degree of
the BODY i So rri,Iyenatei and the hinnI ~
traced to the surface that the cool air is felt TO
pt luxury Let the body be entirely nude,
rbnst Al ruf or, ~, ftor t u" fGat t ap3uV te
hapS. The exposure to the pure cool air my he
three OF four minutes; soon increase the eX
f9ti 9 htont! Vi tMo' lhe ar
an hour Do not fail to walk about during the
llrst month, using the hands in polishing the
n'H I, Alafa lnt nIsl nohlh me patent may
constant. gentle exercise is best,
IN connection with the hath anotbo,, most ~
portaut curative aoent suooastod i s,,nlio1,+
"In summer. sunlight i accessible b,t in win
ter only the late risers can secnre its benefits
If possible. sit or walk in tba SUNLIGHT d,ri,,
the bath If is as+ouisbino what tbo a;,o,+ -,
TIME RAYS Of the morning s,r oar, do fo, a., il
yalil when fine whole pudo ho4r l. h,o,,ol,t -,
.Io,.i+s ina,,e,,.o :. Il, soao,l .f7.',.
il, of the SIM hath are further o,tollod and Tho
use of friction recommended ..yvitho,,4 oo,,tIo
friction the bath vould he ,nrcl ,oss s.1,,to.,.
as it brings the circulation TO the sprfaco and
thus not only relieves internal orpaus from con-
siderable congestion but the blood brought TO
the surface gives warmth and if comes in cIoso
proximity with the pure. outside mir unon which
it depends foraeration and identification. Erie
ton without impact of air is an excellent sapi
tary measure, but the one sunnlempnts and
gives excellence to the other. and they sbould
always be associated"
Dr. C. +. Page. Of Bddeford in n letter 70
the Popular Science News. endorses the treatise
Of its editor on air. sun and friction baths. and
pursues the subject further His theory, briefly
stated. is that colds are caused by indigestion
and impure air, and are cured by fasting. fresh
ar and exercise. He says that what is so uni
ycr>ally called cold is in reatya teee1 and that
there is invariably more or less disorder of tbe
digestive system. He holds that healthy EXPOS
ure is preventive from colds: that cold air il
bracng; hot air relaxing. And this theory is
becoming commonly accepted. In the same d.