The Wilmingtonian., 1885-11-28
Rest as a Therapeutic Agent.

Rest as Therapeutic Agent. i
So much has been written about tho value
of exercise as a therapeutic agent, that the
equal Importance of rest as a means of cure
is too frequently overlooked. Ofcourse, in all |
acute inflammatory affections the patient is
ordered to bed as matter of routine pratice,
but in the subacute and chronic stages the
patient is either left to his own wishes in the
matter, or is directed to take daily exercise,
when as matter of fact, his preeminent
need is rest in bed. Nothing can be more
pitiful than to see the victims of phthisis
exhausting their slight remnant of strength
by taking long walks and climbing steep
hills during the paroxysms of exacerbation
which occur in this disease. All exercise
should be abandoned at this time, and the |
patient placed upon antipyretic treatment
and kept in bed uutil the temperature has
subsidized to near the normal.
| factor in the various diseases of the nervous
system. The most obstinate cases of chorea
have quickly recovered when the patients
were kept in darkened room and prohibit
ted from getting out of bed. The wonderful
results obtained by Dr. 5. Weir Mitchell
from the combined use of rest and mas
sage in case of hystera, hystero epilepsy,
and allied neuroses, are too well known to
require repetition: Suffice it to say that the
enforced rest was the most important factur.
Rest is also the only effective remedy for
writers cramp telegraphers' paralysis, and
various other forms of functional paralysis,
Posterior spinal scleross, that able
disease, which has been defiant to every
other remedial measure, has in several ms
tances yielded to rest alone. Pro essor N.
s. Dayis* relates a case in which the symp-
toms had been developing for several months
previous to the PATIENTS admission to the
hospital. The diagnostic symptoms We're 81
complete that lie was several tunes presented
0 the class as an illustration of the COURSE
of topical cases of this disease. He was
sabiect to steady treatment for three months
taking in succession Alternatives, tpnlcs, ant
nutrients, combined with jud'cious diet {
The use of electro magnetism. AT the SAM
:. time he was encouraged to try to walk a It'll
every day. Professor Davis now think
|. that this latter direction was an error. Fo
8 lie gradually failed, and at tine end Of tn
# three months could not walk step OF stan
o upon his feet without an assistant on eacl
side to hold him up. Thinking further specia
treatment to be useless, he was directed L
!, desist from all efforts to assupie an uprigh
= + req tlasnt u he useless, h. was directed |
doslst fromVl,i sfforis- 4 y sassuSs;' an dBr1s
position evelN .eg enough for the making
his bed, but Sc, kept strictly clean, a
TO be changed in position frequently to ave
: the formation of bed sores.
!, The patient was lett entirely at rest i'm,
49,. these directions, expect ny him to coutr
failing until the fatal issue was reach
u. the patient after three months Of IL
~, enforced rest began 20 make efforts to ht
l ,.lI
- get out of bed and stand aloue. He fina
ror SO completely recovered that he left
hospital in fair general health, and with
firm, steady step and gait in walking. Pr
'u'" essor Davis states that he relates
"'- particulars of this case, first, to show t
oiS patients sometimes recover from con
'in- tions of chronic desease which render IL
'i0- cases apparently hopeless and second, to
'is ustrate the value in some cases Of entire I
w protracted rest in the recumbent position
'u' A somewhat analogous case was Eepor
" in the German medical journals last "
''' The patient, who had been suffering Fl
posterior spinal sclerosiS, was subjected
W various forms of treatment without ay
= He was steadily growing worse, W
'o fortunately for him he fell and fractured
VI thigh He was consequently obliged
remain in bed for six weeks. Daring
"'' period of compulsory, but purely accd"
rest, all the symptoms oi the original d's'
IS Oh disappeared the fracture united readily
the the patient recovered completely.
*Lectutes on tie Prime pies and PIac
mily of Medicine; by Nathan SIN til Davis, A.
ptrv NJ. D., LII. D. Cnicag !: rnsei McClurs
can
nero Beware of Strangers.
very The picture of man falling victim