The record-union., 1893-03-06

dle II y ing 10 discover the masters SyS-
tenn. In the center, Kneipp in his arm
chair, a cigar in his mouth, his snuff box
III his hand, glass of water before him
Impassable. And the defile commences.
zach IN his turn approaches the table,
holds out his book, upon which the doc
Tor IN charge comments briefly, and then
IN loud voice he states his case, but in
as few words as possible, for it is neces-
sary TO be quick-they are only allowed
three minutes Then he awaits his sem
tence. The ceremonial is the same for all,
men, women and children. Often ladies',
lnumldated and confused, hesitate before
this public confession. They have TO re-
veal their little and great feminine
troubles, and to go sometimes into such
private details as are very embarrassing
TO make. Just to think, all these men
round them, all these attentive ears !
What will they say? But they will say
nothing at ALL
At Woerishofen it is each one for him
self and kneipp for us all-and nobody is
censorious. The hesitation is of short
duration. These ladies lower their voice
ana the circle of men enlarges discreetly.
II Is fortunate if the cure, who is little
deaf, does not interrupt by saying,
Louder! Speak a little louderw If you
90 not understand German the situation
IS more complicated and the unfortunate
stranger is still more out of countenance.
The two doctors, who serve as interpret
ers, have some knowledge of French, but
the translation is laborious, and the three
lalal minutes pass so quickly. During
tins time kneipp pays but little attention
10 The patient, or rather appears to do SO,
lof he examines him without seeming to.
ftls restless eye travels over the assem-
DIy without being fixed on anyone. He
takes pinch OF snuff, relights his cigar,
drinks a swallow of water Then he
oil oil a
any, III couEter-tenor voice and appears
10 consult his memory or recalls in few
words some condolences to the physi-
cans present, who take note of them.
FINALLY he indicates the treatment re-
CURED and the regimen to follow for a
nXed number of days. The doctor rap
IDLY writes it all down in your book and
returns 1t to you. The audience is over.
ANA so with from sixty to eighty patients
at single sitting. They are of all ages
and afflicted with maladies, miseries and
lnhrmltleS the most diverse. There are
the deaf and blind, the rickety, the dys-
peptlc; there are consumptives; there are
paralyticS, the worn out, the weary of
LIE, some with limbs lame, wasted or de-
formed; others with old sores that refuse
to be healed; others with cancers or re-
voting lupus. A true court of miracles.
THE SYSTEM OF ABBE KNEIPP.
To regenerate the blood, to enrich it, to
insure the natural circulation To the ex-
tremities of the body, such is the entire
secret of the method of Kneipp. Forty
years of experience, of study, and of
patient observation, have brought him
10 the conclusion that all disease
being caused by the presence in the sys-
tenn of noXious elements, it is in the
essential principle of the organism, in
the blood alone, in its changes, its inn
poverishment, its abnormal circulation,
that 1t Is necessary to seek the sole cause
and origin of all diseases. 1t is not alone
to intiammatory, or other distinctly char
acterized maladies that this system APP
plies; not only to vague, lily defined,
and obstinate affections, such as diges-
tive troubles, or nervous diseases. 1t is
the same with local complaints; blind
ness, deafness and paralysis are no eX-
ceptions to this law. The human body
Is not like species of clockwork, of
which all the wheels but one being per-
feet, 1t is only necessary to repair that
one, and replace it for the whole machine
to work as is desired: quite different is
the wonderful human mechanism. 1t
forms an indivisible whole, and each of
the organs which go to make up it's COM
pleN nature is tributary to and dependent
upon one vital principle, the blood.
Starting from this principle the con-
clusion is evident: all disease, whatever
IL may De, - Oulg IHe result OF Il general
disorder. accidentally located in such or
such part OF the body, or affecting such
or such particular organ. By treating
this organ separately, it can with
out doubt, be cured, thanks to
the skill of the practitioner, but the
evil principle is not for all that elimi-
mated from the system and is likely to
appear again, either under the same or q
different form. On the contrary treat
the organization in its entirety, renew it
it entirely by the restoration of the blood,
and by means of that give health to ali
the organs of the body, strengthen them,
revive them. This is, according TO
Kneipp, the true road to follow, and it is
logical. 1t does not appear that any
this theory, which, moreover, is by no
means new one. But where the Ba-
varian cure overturns all the traditions
of Hippocrites and Galen, is in the means
employed and the method of using it.
kneipp, while recognizing the value, too
often unappreciated, of the humble herbs
of the woods and fields, employs usually
nothing but water! Water! the most
simple and inexpensive agent, which we
have at hand always and everywhere.
Yes, water alone, because it alone can
work upon all parts of the body stimuli
taneously, rapidly and effectively. In
the hands of kneipp water is not merely
the agent of powerful reaction, it is
something more, and this is an innoya-
ton of the cure-doctor, it is in his system
an element of penetration and absorption.
He desires that the body should saturate
itself through the skin with the largest
quantity of water possible and at regular
intervals. Hence the formal prescription
to wipe only the hands and face on
emerging from a bath.
MASKS OF CLAY.
What are these shadows which glide
along, and keep close to the walls to avoid
notice? The women wear a thick veil,
and the men pull their hats over their
faces. Their heads down, they march 81
lent and sad. Go nearer; their faces
daubed with clay show nothing but blink
ing eyes and the swollen lips of half
opened mouths. These are the unfortu-
nate victims of lupus. The lupus: this
gnawing and pitiless disease which carries
its victim slowly to the tomb after hav-
ing distigured HIM. All, the unfortunates.
yoa cry, death alone can help them. Re-
assure yourselves, tender hearts. and
keep your tears for more fitting occasions.
At Woerishofen lupus is cured. How
ever incredible it appears, the thing is
true. Yes, upon that, on which the phar-
macoppia has in vain exhausted its
drugs and causticS, and of which the
kniie could not check the horrible pro-
gress, water, clay and vinegar work mira
cles. You refuse to believe it? We'll.
then, come and see for yourselves; new
Thomases, put your fingers into the
wounds. l have not the honor to be a
medical man, but simple tourist; re-
peat what l hear, and relate that which l
see. And l see astonishing things, and l
hear those that are still more so.
OF the many diseases which come to
seek a remedy at Woerishoien there is
not one, perhaps, of which the cure is
more frequent, more assured, than that
of lupus. Imagine people who come
there having no longer human face, the
flesh decomposed, purulent pustules over