Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-08-19
BATHS FOR ALL ILLS.
A Water-Cure Palace for New York
kneippists.

Almost at the northern door of
New York city there is to be a dupli-
cation of the famed Woerishofen
water-cure sanitarium established by
the late Father Kneipp, and in every
respect it will offer the believers in the
cure the same advantages possessed
by the original institution. 1t is es-
timated that at least 5000 Americans
go abroad annually to take some one
OF the many water cures sprinkled
over Europe, and it is also estimated
that there are 10000 who would go
II II were not for the expense of the
trip. Faith in the efficacy of water as
q cure for ali ills has spread extensive
ly in this country within the past
twelvemonth, in this city alone there
being about 1900 Kneippists. and the
number is steadily growing
These conditions have been taken
advantage of by a number of shrewd
business men. who have organized
Water-cure company, with sufficient
capital to buy 100000 plot of land
and erect 100000 building. 1t VIII
probably take another 100000 to get
the institution into running order, but
it is confidently believed that hand
some dividends will be earned by the
half-million investment.
The land consists of 100 acres in the
suburbs of Mamaroneck, with the
Westchester homes of many rich men
in the immediate vicinity This piece
of land is splendidly adapted to the
purpose of the Kneippists, as it has
all the natural advantages of a water
b1 ook pierces the property from end
crook pierces the property from end
to end, and there are scores of acres
of rich grass country for the barefooted
patients to sport in. Considerable
money will be expended in laying out
the grounds and converting them into
q fine park.
The building will be a combination
hotel, sanitarium, bathhouse and gym
nasium. The physicians will be i'm
ported from the Woerishofen institu-
ton, and only those who have worked
under the personal supervision of the
late Father Kneipp will be employed.
The gymnasium will be patterned
after the Greek affairs of the kind,
and the patients will be put through
certain drills by one of the physicians.
The most interesting part of the struc-
ture will be that given up to the
baths.
x n se,t, -
seven divisions of treatment, namely,
The water bandages, the water baths,
steam baths, grass walking and wad-
ing, four baths, water drinking and
he water chemical bath The latter
consists of water impregnated with a
solution of vegetable extracts treated
An effort is on foot to induce the !
to introduce the various i
paths which have found such favor at |
Marienbad, Franzenbad, Teplitz, Pyr-
mont, Driburg, Cudowa, Bruchenau |
md Elster. If these are introduced in |
with the regular kneipp !
treatment it would make of the new !
Institution the most complete waite.
cure establishment the world over.
There are special kinds of baths for /
ZACH variety of physical ailment, and /
here are enough of them to cover
every form of ailment in the medical /
calendar. For fevers and kindred
rOubles there are two styles, one the
ull bath and the other the half bath.
n the full bath the water reaches to
he armpits, but in no case goes be-
yond the shoulders. The patient at
irst steps into lukewarm water, the +
of which is gradually re- !
luced until it is very cold. The length +
# the bath depends upon the stamina
ii the patient. Afterward he is vigor-
,usly rubbed, to put the blood into ac-
i've circulation.
In the half bath only enough water
S placed in the tub to reach the pa
tents stomach when he is sitting in
t. The attendant pours the water
While this is going on the patient must
'ub himself vigorously with a brush
IN the breast, and when the pouring
process is over the attendant scrubs
lim on the back. On leaving the tub
he attendant turns a sprinkler OF
han that in the tub.
For stomach troubles the sitz bath
IS employed, and is so applied that
he blood courses freely to the
promoting the action of the
failing organs. This bath is in very
cold water and seldom lasts more than
five minutes similar bath, but in
warmer water, is used for spinal and
brain troubles, and for slight nervous
diseases a solution of pine cone is
added to the water.
The newest kind of mud bath is
not the literal bath in mud, but
bath in water in which is placed a
composed of chemical COM
binations of earth and animal and
plant extracts. For rheumatism and
various blood affections this has been
found to be more efficacious than the
old-fashioned method of sitting in mud
up to the chin.
The sand baths, which were so eX-
tensively used by the ancient Romans,
have been changed very little. In a
high wooden box, three-fOurths filled
with dry sand, the patient seats him
self. The bottom of the box is con-
nected with a heating apparatus, and
the action of the warm sand upon the
body has been found to have a bene-
fetal effect.
The carhOnic acid gas hath for