The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-31
COLD WRITER in FEVERS
IN TYPHOID CASES 1T Is SAID TO BE
A MOST EFFECTIVE REMEDY.
1t Acts as "a StfmuInnt to the Quilted
Nervous System-Treatment Must
Begin in the Early Stages.
;. Baruck, M. d.. in the Independent.

S. Baruck M. D.. in the Independent.
In mild cases of all fevers sponging the
body and bathing the face at frequent in
tervals is grateful to the patient, it re-
freshes and invigorates him; but in typhoid
fever, when the patient is threatened for
days and weeks by an overwhelming of his
entire nervous system under the slow and
insidious undermining influence OF poisons
which circulate in the blood, more ener-
getic use of cold water is required. Indeed,
we have here condition analogous to pois-
oning by opium. The latter also expends it's
force upon the brain more rapidly, however.
Under the parRlyzing influence of opium the
lungs and heart are rendered incapable Of
performing their functions, so that the pa
tent succumbs. If in the early stage of
opium poisoning, provided the quantity abb
sorbed is not too large, the patient be
aroused from his deep sleep by dashing cold
water upon him and if the nervous sys-
tenn be kept alert by forcing him to walk,
by electric shocks, or other stimulating APP
plications, the danger may be tided over.
The poison may be eliminated in a few
hours and the patient may recover. If, how
ever, treatment is begun too late, if the
patient cannot be aroused sufficiently to-
bear it, all efforts prove unavailing.
In typhoid fever the brain is also over
whelmed by poison which acts more
slowly and insidiously. and which requires
three weeks for its elimination The pa
tient in this case is feeble and cannot bear
the stimuli applied in opium poisoning. Ex-
perience has demonstrated that the cold
bath is the ideal stimulant in typhoid
fever. If applied in the beginning of the
disease ere the poison has accumulated, 1t
almost invariably leads TO favorable Is
sue. The systematic bathing introduced by
the late DIR. Ernest Brand of Stettin, Ger
many, has reduced the mortality of typhoid
fever, to less than per cent-a series of
one thousand cases being on record without
a single death. The Brand method of bath
ing dtffe s from all other bathing and
sponging in that it demands bath of 65
degrees Fahrenheit of fifteen minutes
duration with frictions over the entire body
every three hours. when the patients
mouth temperature reaches JOB degrees
Fahrenhelt and he is not asleep.
MUST BEGIN EARLY.
One condition, sine qua non, for success is
that these baths must be begun before the
fifth day of the disease. Cold baths are ca
pable of increasing the patients strength
and diminishing mortality in all cases. if APP
piled with discretion and Judgment but the
ideal results can only be obtained by
strictly following the Brand method. The
latter, however, is so exa.cting and appar-
entity so heroic that it has not become pop
ular among physicians. Nevertheless,
those who have used it in this country
have been so convinced Of its value
that 1t IS now the regular treatment in the
largest hospitals and is taught in all the
best medical schools and textbooks. Those
who are unfamiliar with the cold baths in
typhoid fever tremble at its very mention;
they apprehend that the shock would over
whelm the already enfeehled heart. Seeing
in reduction of temperature its only bene6-
cent effect and knowing that antipyrin and
phenacetin are more capable of producing
the latter they naturally refuse assent to
so heroic measure. The truth. however, Is
that the cold bath is inferior as a heat-re-
ducing agent 10 antipyrin that Il is not
used for this purpose but for refreshing the
nervous system and thereby invigorating
the heart and other organs. 1t is a common
error 70 suppose that the cold bath pro
duces SO great shock that heart failure
would be increased thereby. Even physi-
clans who have a limited experience in cole
bathing entertain such an apprehension
But that this is unfounded may be aSeer