Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-13

NATURES REMEDIES.
Cures by Air Baths, Light and Curious
Applications of Water.

Cures by Air Baths, Light and Curious
Applications of Water.
From the London Mail
Tired people more or less run down"
may like to have particulars Of the air or
nature cure so popular In Germany just
now.
The system Is said to represent a reaction
against the overuse Of drugs and serum.
1t appeals for the natural life as the true
remedy for ill-health In the lovely woods
of Dresden and In various other captivating
spots in Germany patients undergoing the
cure are counted by hundreds. They
come from Russia, America, Africa, Aus
tralia, India, even from far-off Siberia and
the Ural mountains, while England con-
tributes four hopeful invalids to the crowd.
The open-air bath Is one method of treat
ment. In various palisaded Enclosures men.
women and children, arrayed In the scanti-
est permissible garb battle themselves in
the air. indulging meanwhile in sport, play
and exercise for varying periods.
An interesting illustration Of the "cure"
may be found In Nansens "On Snowshoes
Through Greenland" He tells Of Eskimos
on the east coast who took their air baths
habitualIy by throwing off their skin cloth
ing in their half-warmed huts at evening,
and SO kept strong and we'll Under Danish
influence and European teaching to the
proprieties. they gave up their air bath and
were ravaged by consumption.
Near the air bath Enclosure are other
spaces for what is termed the lying down
and air cure. In these spaces are wooden
huts raised on supports, and open all one
side except for curtain. In these huts
the night is spent the invalid passing in
the morning to a couch out Of doors where
almost all the day he or she lies wrapped
in rugs, but able to read or work and eat.
Next to air comes light. and this with
heat is utilized in sun baths arranged
on the roof of the cure" establishment
fully exposed to the sky but with a shade
over each head. The patients lie either
free, lie, unclothed, or closely wrapped
on mattresses for about an hour and the
bath is completed with warm and cold wa
ter.
When the sun Is not available or Is I'M
suitable, equivalent good Is obtained it Is
said, by the use of electric light and heat
CABINETS are fitted with 100 more glow
lights and with panes of colored glass
blue, for instance which the arc
lights can play without yellow, red or vio-
let rays. Inc light streams through the
outer skin. destroys bac.lli. increases pig
ment and corpuscle. and Is supposed to re-
lieye pain or lessen internal congestions
Water is available in all the well-known
is fearful and wonderful, for as you lie In
long bath force pump on either side
pounds down merciless stream of hot and
cold alternately for twenty and thirty sec
onds each. The hot steam kettle douche Is
another form of benevolent torture
1t goes without saying that the hours are
early, and by am. the frugal breakfast
Is on hand. You may have special cocoa, or
health coffee" or even tea COT hips and
haWsD, with sour milk and rusks and but
ter. By 10 you may obtain some fruit or.
rarely, an egg and sour milk-sometimes a
night red wine and butter brod" are con-
cessions to weakness. At 1 o'clock comes
the chief meal. consisting of a vegetable
soup or entree, meat or fish. with two
vegetables. preferably not roots; salad
tmade with lemon juice instead of v1negarl.
cooked fruits and creams, but-and here is
the crux-no salt, no water and no bread!