Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1888-07-11

An Inyalid's Experienicce with Dis
agreeing Physlans.

agreeing Physinns.
In the month or August, 1882, l
came down from Engeiberg to Lu-
zerne. The next day / met a friend
who, knowing of my search for health,
Informed me that the great lung
specialist, Professor Russmaul, of
Strasburg, was at Rigi-Kaltbad and
advised that consult him. Within a
few hours L had made an appointment
by telegraph, and the following day the
train carried me from VitZnau, up the
famous Rigi mountain The doctor
perfect type of a German professor
received ne cordially, auscultated my
lungs with re, and pronounced the
following opinion. said he: "You are
not very sick man and, with pru-
dence, ought to live to old age. | find
catarrhal condition at the base of the
right lung. This you should try to re-
move. The lung is sluggish at that
point and needs some shock to make it
work. Go to the great water cure es-
tablishment at Divonne, near Geneva.
The French understand the water cure
treatment better than We Germans. DR..
Vldart, the physician OF the Divonne
establishment, will arrange cold
douche to fall direct on the catarrhal
point with great force, say from a
height OF twenty TO thirty feet. a few
weeks Of such treatment will help to
remeve this catarrhal condition"
paid liberal fee and returned to
Luzerne. The DOCTORS advice oiled
me with concern. l feared that such a
violent shock might Induce hemorrhage.
The same night wrote particulars of
this interview with request for advice
to DR., Messing, clever physician of
Meran, Tyrol, who knew my condition
perfectly. Three days later came the
telegraphic response: do not 60 to Di-
vonne. Such treatment dangerous for
you. Messing" So l did not go, but
went to Italy and, later, MentoHe in
stead.
The following summer 1 spent sew
eral weeks at Rilchenhall, Bavaria. 1
heard so much of the ability of DR..
SchmId that L consulted him. His
diagnosis and treatment agreed with
that of Professor Kussmaul. He ad-
yised strong douches on the affected
part of the lung. l still had my doubts.
The next day L consulted Professor
| Schneider. He rather undecidedly ad-
vised against the dOuche business. a
day or two after L had my chest
thumped by DR.. Kammerer. physician
of reputation. He opposed the douche
idea most decidedly. Said he: sit can
only do you harm. You eat well, sleep
well, feel well and, to all practical pur-
poses, are well. Be satisfied Don't
try dangerous experiments" The
balance stood-two for cold water
treatment, three against. So l still
| kept away from Divonae.
A few months thereafter, en- route
from Frankfort to Baden-Baden, L left
the train at the little station whence
one drives to Falkensteln. l was
curious to inspect the great Santa
and to meet the eminent Professor
Dettweiler. Soon after arriving L had
the professor pronounce on my cOndi-
ton, telling him the treatment Kuss-
maui had advised. Dettweiler Thought
it a good idea; said, however, that it
was not necessary to go to Diyonne,
that fine water cure establishment
was conducted at Baden Baden; that l
should call in DIR. Schliep, man of
ability physician of the Empress of
Germany, who Thoroughly understood
water cure treatment and would az
range to give me the powerful douches
required. l left Falkenstein delighted.
AT last was to have my douches. The
very day l reached Baden Baden sent
for DR.. Schliep-a bright, wide-awake
young man, who has hobby that the
majority of lung and throat diseases
originate from breathing through the
mouth. l explained to him all that
Dettweiler had said. He examined me
attentlvely, then asked what form of
bath L was in the habit of taking. l
answered that for many years l had
taken daily cold sponge bath, followed
| by vigorous massage. THAT" said
DIR. Schliep, sis all you need. L see no
necessity for any violent douches in
your case" Cheated againl
! spent part Of the winter in Men
tone. l laid the case before DR.. Stiege.
HIS opinion was that the treatment
proposed wouldn't do me much good,
but that 1t couldn't do me any harm.
| Then consulted DR.. Cube, a Russian
| physician. He most emphatically be-
lieved in the treatment, and urged me
to go to Divonne. Then went to
| Nice and consulted DR.. Drummond, a
Scotchman. He just as emphatlcally,
with the broadest brogue, said: Don't
you go to Divonne. You'll burst the
Machine"
My medical balance now stood four
II favor, five against and one on the
ence. The physicians of greatest
reatment. had pondered on the sub
bect some two years, and so L finally
| decided that L should at least visit Di-
vonne. In the month of April, 1884,
therefore, entered the Etablissement
HydrotherapiQue de Divonne, and
stood In the presence of DR.. Vidart. l
explained to him the original sugges-
tion of Professor Kussmaul, that a
very violent cold water shock should
be made to fall on the deceased part of
the lung, with all the other medical
pros and cons. The doctor devoted
considerable time and care to the eX-
animation, and finally delivered the fol-
lowing opinion: 'Cold water doucheS
Will do you good, but not violent
dOuches, and the whole body must be
douched except the very part which
has the chronic catarrhal Affection"
Comment unnecessary. Did l follow
the treatmentT Yes, for five weeks.
Did it benefit me? Mol 1t robbed me
OF flesh and vitality, which it took me