The times., 1897-05-24
BATHED FOR SIXTY HOURS
Novel Medical Treatment for an
sal6AtropIic Patient.
Louis Mecke, Suffering From GAN
grene, Eats, Sleeps and Drinks
In Four Feet OF Water.

New York, May 23.-Thesurgeonsof Belle
terest the results of treatment now be-
ing tried upon Louis Mecke. he is being
treated for atrophy by what might be
called, not improperly, external irrigation
For two and half days the man lies III Il
tub containing four feet of water, and his
condition has so much improved that Dr.
Dow. who is making this novel experiment,
is greatly encouraged
Never before, so far as the physicians of
Bellevue Hospital are aware, has any such
treatment been attempted. Meeks is fifty
eight years old and has always led q sober
and industrious life. He lived until the
first of this month at No. l36 Allen street
a few months before that he was taken
i'll. and 1t was the opinion of the physician
who attended him that he was suffering
from gangrene.
AS lie rapidly grew worse it was decided
TO take him to Gouverneur Hospital. After
he had been there two weeks and show
ing no signs Of improvement, 1t was de-
termined to remove him to Bellevue Hos
pital for more careful observation and
treatment. He reached that institution
on May and was consigned to Ward 26,
in charge of DR.. Dow. There IL was Seen
that atrophy was setting in.
The entire medical force OF the hospital
gave the case their attention, while sew
eral eminent physicians were called in to
view the case. Despite the application OF
all known remedies and the re-tIiai of all
former experiments, the atrophy did not
abate, and to make matters worse, the man
tp 81
Dr. Dow finally decided in his own mind
that an uninterrupted submersion Of the
wasting unnourished body in water might
bring about beneficial results, If not an
absolute cure He consulted the other ply
slcians of the hospital, and while they did
not all agree with him, yet they decided
that the man would die unless something
was done
One of the largest bathtubs in the insti-
tuition was prepared for the patient. II is
an especially deep tub, and 1T was lined
with rubber cushions Into it was turned
four feet of water heated TO So degrees
When, on Thursday morning, Mecke W as
taken to the bath he was very weak, his
wounds were excessively painful, and he
had high fever He was placed in the
tut fHF.A the heated water was kept con-
stantly running AT noon Of that day the
temperature was increased TO So degrees,
and at night it was reduced co 81 degrees.
On the first day be was fed milk and
crackers, and from that time up to the
present that diet has not been changed
nor has the temperature Of the water.
Up to last night he had been in the water
exactly sixty-two hours, and his improve
ment had been most marked. The fever
had subsidized to a considerable extent and
his wounds gave him less pain. he sleeps
in his liquid bed much more soundly than
at any time since he was taken i'll, aud
seems to relish his food and drink more.
Until the submersion plan was adopted he
scarcely ate at all
Mecke is attended by Nurses Sheridan
and Yule, and last evening was able to talk
TO them with cheerfulness that was pre-
viously quite foreign TO his nature.
The medical board OF the hospital wiIl
probably meet today to discuss the case,
and if it should prove successful 1t Will
be named in honor OF DR.. Dow. Theindi-
cations are that Mecke WIFI recover. How
long he will be kept in the bath DR.. Dow
and his advisers have not decided.