New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-16
THE LATEST PANACEA.
ARISTOCRATIC INVALIDS RUNNING BAKE
FOOTED IN FROSTY GRASS.

ARISTOCRATIC INvALIDS RUNNING BARE
FOOTED IN FROSTY GRASS.
ryRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT or THE rRIBuSE1
Munich, Nov 1.
The latest panacea for the ills Of humanity
the "cure" Of Father Kneipp. Of Voerisbofen. and
to seek it is now the fashionable fad OF the day.
For some years the system has been gaining favor
But now that Baron Nathaniel Rothschld mas
come to VOerishofen, all the grand monde OF
Vienna will follow In his train, and the obscure
hamlet will rival Carlsbad and Gastein in fame.
The curious part Of the whole business is, that no
one is making or will make any money out OF IL.
Father Kneipp makes no charge whatever for
treatment Wealthy patients. however. pay fee
of twenty-five cents day for the use Of the Kur
Anstalt," and that is all. II they wish full board
they pay fifty cents. As for the villagers, they
follow their pastors example, and only accepe
from the visitors who lodge in their cabins tho
smallest possible sum, Just enough TO meet actual
expenses Whether they will always remain %
simple and unmercenary is a problem.
The head of this remarkable institution, Sebas-
tan Kneipp, is the village priest. Half century
ago he was very i'll. The doctors said he must
surely die. Then. he says, he invented system
of sef-cure, which speedily restored him to entire
health He devoted the whole Of his life since to
developing and perfecting his system. lie began
by curing himself. Now he cures Others. Inc
little village is crowded with people, who come
from near and far to take his advice. which Is
given gratis; for he devotes his life to nghtng
disease according to the system which he has
found in his own case and in those Of hundreds OF
his patients to effect a marvellous cure. lie Is
himself at past seventy, as sturdy and fresh IN
body and mind as man in the prime OF life, ana
he attributes his wonderful health to the rules py
which he lives.
Father Knepp does not believe in wearing wool
or flannel next the skin; he declares that 1t rem
ders the skin delicate, and his great aim is to
harden and invigorate-n0t, be 1t observed, Dy
violent means, which he strongly deprecates, nut
BY natural and gradual ones. lie recommends
that all Undertaking he made Of very coarse linen
the roughness of which stimulates the skin WIN
out enervating it, as wool does, and, moreover
possesses the advantage of allowing the perspira
ton to pass through it quickly. Wool, he says,
often induces rheumatism, and is only advlsaoe
for outer clothes Water plays an important part
in Father Kneipp's system; but his mode of water
cure differs greatly from that usually known under
the name of hydropathy. He prefers cold
to warm water but employs 1t eau
tiouslv and allows old nervous per-
sons to use tepid water Before every
thing he enjoins rapidity in bathing. According
to him, a cold bath, including undressing and
dressing, should only last five minutes his seems
| an impossible period in which to take Dath.
| Il is. however, explained by the next and one OF
| the most startling rules in the kneipp method:
the patient is forbidden to attempt to dry himseu
after a bath, but is told to put his coarse linen
underclothes straight on TO his wet body, then
| his outer clothes, and then to take at LEAST .
| Quarter of an hours exercise Father kneipp o.
| cares that the drops of water left on tne s~in
serve as fuel for the inner warmth, which USE
] them as material to form rapid and intense gio"
of heat all over the body, assisted BY the ACTIVITY
| of the skin induced by the coarseheSs VI '"'
| linen in contact with il.
| Another means of hardening and invigoratn0
the body and promoting circulation adopted by
| Father Kneipp is the practice Of walking or run
ming barefooted in wet grass in cold water. or ID
freshly fallen snow. Voerishofen lies In Vaiey'
In the midst of green meadows, which Seeni "
have been made especially for this form OF eAer-
| else and are constantly occupied oy the pa'irm'e
taking their daily runs with naked feet. INC INC
exercise at first lasts only fye mlhuies, out soar
period is gradually increased 10 nan an I:
| At the end of the prescribed time. the patien.
ordered to put on dry socks made OF coarse yatm,
precisely similar to that OF wnsin without drying
his feet. then his boots, and then take sna, ,y
walk by this exercise In freshly fallen snow
Father Kneipp entirely cureG womeu w .on;.aI
| and q girl Of toothache lhese are only "p''"'
| cases among numerous similar cases; ..,,.,
Father Kneipp is great on the diet auesa' ~
tea and coffee drunk by the present generation, 70
| which indulgence he attributes the enormous
| nrevajenoc Of nervousness and nervous disease.
| fie also objects to the great quantity Of mea.
| usually consumed, the proportion OF which, IN 70
| iafion TO other foods he considers FAR too nrie.
The nourshment he recommends consists chiehy
| ~ bread. fruit, vegetables and milk lie approves
| Of meat and wine but In moderation. lie par,
ticulary praises the many farinaceous dishes, anu
dishes composed wholly Of vegetables peculiar 70
Viennese cookery and little known elsewhere;
Although a Bavarian, he is no great admirer o'
beer, and prefers wine as stimuant lie strong.
a recipe specially adapted for dyspeptc pauenls
| His two particular fancies' in the way OF fooo.
those which he considers the healthiest and moss
| nourshing are peas and sauerkraut! There atc
few better meals, he says, than plenty OF ilesa
i fruit and piece Of bread. Three meals gay,
he maintains are sufficient. II more are taken
| the stomach has not time to recover from one
process of digestion before 10 Is called upon "
begin another. The more moderately man eao
the more chance he has of keeping his digestise
organs in good order, and retaining them 50 70 oia
age He advises his patients to drink ielore ea.s
ing never while eating, and after eating only y
very decided thirst be felt and then nut my,
erately He advocates hard beds, and cool, Wen, Wen.
ventilated bedrooms. lie does not in the Fsss
object to smoking in moderation. In fact, nc api
proves Of the use but not the abuse, OF al sos.
things, except tea and coffee, which he does To-
up TO by the medical profession, and many doe'sss
| - e. Voovishofon In ANDY hs method.