The herald., 1897-06-20
BATHING FOR TYPHOID FEVER
Death Of the German Physician Who
Invented the Bath System


On the Sth Of March Ernest Brand.
the distinguished physician and hygien-
list, departed this life in Stettin, Ger
many. DR.. Brand was the pioneer Of a
systematic bath treatment Of typhoid
fever. by which the mortality Of the dis
ease has undoubtedly been reduced to
a small percentage.
Being, early in his medical career,
convinced Of the value Of water as n
remedial agent in acute and chronic
disease, DR.. Brand had an opportunity
to apply the bath treatment in typhoid
fever on large scale among the French
prisoners stationed in Stettin during the
Franco -Prussian war; In common with
others, DR.. Brand found the expectant
plan, which awaits the advent Of grave
or threatening symptoms and treats
them as they arise, unsatisfactory and
often fatal when least expected. He be-
came persuaded that the physician who
followed this method was, as 1t were.
subject to the whims and accidents of
the disease and had no positive basis
for his treatment, because he rarely sue
ceeded in successfully combating per-
foration, hemorrhage and other compli-
cations after they had once been estab-
lished. To prevent these was Brands
chief solicitude; he insisted that the en-
tire aim Of treatment should be prophy-
Tactic, and he devised method Of bath
ing which aimed to enhance the integ-
rity of the nervous system and endow
the organism with resisting capacity
that would enable 1t to meet the inroads
of the disease.
The method Of Brand was an nova
tion upon all other methods of bathing,
the chief and only aim of which was re-
duction of temperature. Brand was
the first to recognize and teach that the
true rationale of the cold bath in typhoid
rested upon the shock and consequent
stimulus to the cutaneous nerves and
vessels. which, being conveyed to the
central nervous system, was beneficially
reflected upon all the functions depend
ent upon the latter. He was the first
to insist that friction of the skin is re-
quired. For these and other reasons.
upon which the enormous beneficence
Of the Brand method are based; for the
earnestness, courage, love
of his kind; for the polemic and logical
brilliancy with which he battled for his
method for thirty years, Ernest Brand is
entitled to be regarded as a benefacto-
Of mankind and as a worthy representa-
tive of profession whose devotion to
suffering humanity is it's chief orna-
mert. The latter is brilliantly illus
trated by his kindness and humane at
tention to the enemies of his country
who had fallen into his hands by the
fortune of war; and by the historical fact |
hat DR.. Glenard, an eminent membe:
Of the Lyons medical faculty, who was
among these prisoners, became so earn
,st a convert to Brands method that |
when he returned to France he became |
ts pioneer and missionary in that coun-
:ry. Despite opposition, which, for politi-
;al reasons, was extremely bitter, the |
Brand method is today more frequently
applied in France than in Germany.
While the Brand method of treating
typhoid fever is far from ideal, it offers
today the most successful mode Of man
agement, as attested by it's advocacy by
our best clinical teachers. Peace to the
ashes of the man who has added a pow
.rful weapon against a disease in the
combat with which the physician has
1itt erto stood almost as passive spec
ator, never knowing where or when the |
zoe would strike his most effective blow
By the strict Brand method, applied |
Early and Systematically, the physician
becomes master of this usually fatal dis
Record