For washing the body, which is prescribed often, the best thing is also a rather coarse piece of linen or hemp.
For reasons which I have mentioned briefly in the introduction. I oppose woolen clothing next to the skin, but I prefer woolen material for covering, over the icy water packages, for example. It produces speedy and abundant warmth, for which purpose it is unsurpassed. For the same reason I recommend feather-beds as coverings with such applications.
The violent rubbing or brushing is entirely excluded from my system; its first purpose, the producing of warmth, is accomplished in a more proportionate and equal way by the not-wiping; its second purpose, the opening of the pores, the increasing of the activity of the skin, is effected by the coarse linen or hemp, and with the advantage that it works not only for minutes like a brush, but day and night without cost of time and labor. When "vigorous washing" is spoken of, it is simply meant a quick washing with water of the entire part under treatment. The main point is to get wet, not to get rubbed.
There is still another point which I should like to mention here. Most people do not like the applications at night before going to sleep, because they get excited, and. as it were, roused from the first sleep by them; others, on the contrary, feel as if rocked to sleep by gentle applications. In general, T do not recommend such applications, but would advise everyone to act in this respect according to his own discretion and experience, because everyone has to bear the consequences himself.
Regarding the particular instructions for every kind of application, reference may be made to the first part of this book, and for the use of them in special cases to the third part. It is also said there which applications are complete in themselves, and which are only part-applications, i.e. to be used in connection with others; likewise which of the applications (vapors) are to be used with great precaution.
I conclude these general remarks with the wish that by the applications of water many healthy people may become more healthy still, and many who are sick be restored to health. I will now proceed to give a short list of the means of hardening, and then a short treatise on the applications of water in use at my establishment.
MEANS OF HARDENING.
As means of hardening we name:
1. Walking barefooted.
2. " in wet grass.
3. " on wet stones.
4. " in newly fallen snow.
5. " in cold water.
6. Cold baths for arms and legs.
7. The knee-gush (with or without the upper gush).
1. The most natural and most simple means of hardening is walking barefooted.
This can be practiced, according to the different conditions of life and age, in the most manifold ways.
Babies, who are still entirely dependent on others, who are always shut up in the rooms, ought to lie, if possible, always without shoes or stockings. Would that I could imprint this as a settled, iron rule on all parents. especially on the all too anxious mothers! Parents who are too strongly prejudiced to agree with this, may, at least, have mercy on the little helpless creatures, and provide for them such coverings for their feet as will permit the fresh air to penetrate easily to the skin.
Children who are able to stand and walk know well how to manage for themselves. Heedless of all human respect they throw away the troublesome, tormenting shoes and stockings and are quite in their delight, particularly at spring time, if they are allowed to run about freely without them. Sometimes a toe is hurt; but never mind, that does not prevent them from trying again. Children do this quite by instinct, following a certain natural impulse, which grown-up people also would feel, if the over-polished, molded, nature-destroying civilization had not oftentimes deprived them of all common sense.
The children of the poor are seldom disturbed in their pleasure; but the children of parents who are rich, or of rank, are less fortunate, and yet they feel the want no less than the poor ones. Once I watched the boys of a high and distinguished officer, and saw how, as soon as they thought themselves out of range of the penetrating eyes of their strict Papa, the elegant little shoes and stockings were thrown over the hedges, and away they ran galloping over the green meadow. Their mamma, a sensible lady, was not displeased at their proceedings, but if, by chance, papa saw his little lords in such an unbecoming attire, at once long lectures were given about duties of rank, about refinement and unrefinement, about feeling and behaving in a manner conformable to one's rank. The children were so deeply impressed by these lectures that the next day they were jumping barefooted in the grass more lively than ever. Once more I say: at least, let the children who are not yet spoiled by refinement, have their enjoyment!
Sensible parents who would willingly allow this to their children, but who, living in town, have no garden or lawn, may sometimes allow them to walk barefooted in a room or in a passage, if only their feet as well as their face and hands may sometimes be exposed to the fresh air to their feet's content, and to move about in their element.
Grown up people of the poorer classes, especially in the country, do not want any admonition; they are used to going barefooted and do not envy the richest townsman his elegant, high or low, varnished, buttoned boots, torturing, pinching and fettering his feet, nor his fine stockings either.
Foolish country-people with townish maimers, who are ashamed to do the same as their equals, punish themselves enough by their self-conceit; lei the old-fashioned conservatives cling firmly to the good traditions. In my youth everyone in the country went barefooted: children and adults, father and mother, brother and sister. We had to walk miles to school and church; our parents gave us a piece of bread and some apples to eat on the way, and also shoes and stockings for our feet; but these were hanging on our arms or over our shoulders, until we arrived at school or at church, not only in summer, but also in the colder season. No sooner had spring arrived, and the snow had begun to disappear from the hills, than our bare feet trod the ground soaked with waters, and we felt merry, bright and healthy in our exercise.
Grown-up people in towns, especially those who belong to the better, or even to the highest classes, cannot make use of this practice, — that is quite (dear, and if their prejudices have reached such a degree that they fear to draw rheumatism, catarrh, sore throat or such like upon themselves, if for a moment, when dressing, their tender feet should stand on the bare floor instead of on warm soft carpets, I shall not trouble them at all. But if anybody really wishes to do something in the way of hardening, what is there to prevent him from taking such a promenade in his room, for 10, 15, or 30 minutes at night before going to sleep, or hi the morning when rising? At first, to begin gently, they could do so with their stockings on, then barefooted, and at last, after dipping their feet up to the ankles in cold water for some moments before the walk.
Everyone, even the highest in rank, the most occupied in his office, could with good arrangement, good will and true care for the preservation of his health, save time enough to bestow such a benefit upon himself.
I knew a priest who went every year to stay for a few days with a friend who owned a huge garden, and there his morning walk was always taken barefooted in the wet grass. He has many times spoken in glowing terms of the excellent effects of this kind of promenade; and I could name a number of persons of the higher and highest ranks of society, who did not despise his well-meant advice, but tried to harden themselves in the better season, by going barefooted during their morning walks in the solitary woods, or on a remote meadow.
One of this comparatively still small number has owned to me that in former times he seldom spent a week without a catarrh, if it were only a slight one, but this simple practice had entirely cured him of this susceptibility.
One word I dedicate to mothers in