The Kneipp Cure. Sebastian Kneipp Kneipp

I need not say much; for I have already promised them to give some particular hints for a good education of children chiefly concerning the body, if God spares me life and health. It is mothers, before all, who are charged with the bringing up of a stronger generation capable of greater endurance, and with helping to remove the ever increasing effemination, debility, poverty of blood, nervousness, and all such miseries, which enervate and shorten life, and make such a great gasp in the human race. This is to be done by hardening, by making the child accustomed to hardening from its tenderest years. Air, food, clothes, are necessaries for the suckling as well as for the old man; they form the territory for hardening. The purer the air which the child inhales, the better the blood. In order to accustom the frail little creatures as soon as possible to staying in the fresh air, those mothers do well, who, after the daily warm bath, dip the baby in colder water, at such a warmth as if it had been warmed by the sun, or wash it quickly with cold water. The warm water in itself relaxes and effeminates; the cold washing at the conclusion of the bath strengthens, hardens and secures a healthy development of the body. The very inclination to cry will cease at the third or fourth application. This kind of hardening protects the babies from frequent colds and their consequences, and is a relief to mothers who are anxious to prevent these miseries by muffling and wrapping the little creatures in woolen or other stifling materials, which are enough to terrify all reasonable people, In this way dreadful harm is done to the health of the little ones. * The delicate little body is enclosed, as it were, in burning wool-ovens. and gasps under the burden of bandages and coverings; the little head is wrapped up in such a way that hearing and seeing is impossible; the neck which, above all. ought to be hardened, wears in addition to the others, its own special means of warming, and is through them quite shut off from the outer air. Even then, when the nurse is ready to take baby out for a walk, properly wrapped up, fuddling Mamma comes to examine, if not a little corner still remains exposed to the air. Is it to be wondered at under these circumstances, with this want of every particle of understanding for rational hardening, that the number of feeble little creatures snatched away every year by croup, etc., is innumerable? that many families are crowded with weaklings? that mothers are deploring the hectic, spasmodic, or other complaints formerly not known, even by name, but now so common especially with girls? And who could number all the menial infirmities, these empty blossoms and rotten fruits of a body which begins its slow decay even before it has attained its normal development and strength. Mens sana in corpore sano. A healthy soul resides only in a healthy body. A principal condition for the development of enduring health, is hardening in the earliest age. Would that mothers would understand early enough and profoundly enough this their task and responsibility, and then not neglect any opportunity of taking good advice from good sources!

      2. A special and extremely effective kind of walking barefooted is the walking in the grass, no matter if it be wet with dew, rain, or watering. In the third part this means of highly recommend it to young and old, healthy and sick no matter what other applications they may be using. The wetter the grass, the longer one perseveres in the exercise, and the oftener it is repeated, the more perfect will be the success.

      This exercise is generally taken for 15 to 45 minutes.

      After the promenade all the improper adherents, such as leaves or sand, must be quickly wiped off the feet; yet the feet are not to be dried, but must be left as wet as they are. Dry stockings and shoes have to be put on, however, without delay. The walking in the grass has to be followed by walking with covered feet on a dry path, at first briskly, by and by in the ordinary measure. The time of so walking depends on how long it takes the feet to get dry and warm, but should not be less than 15 minutes. I urgently call attention to the words "dry stockings and shoes;" for wet or damp stockings must never be worn after an application. The consequences would soon be felt in head and neck; this would not be building up, bat pulling down. It may not be out of place to remind young, quick and thoughtless people, not to throw their shoes or stockings into the wet grass, when they take them off, but to secure a dry spot for them, in order that they may bring the damp and cold feet to their proper warmth, later on. This exercise, likewise the walking barefooted generally, may be taken even when the feet are cold.

      3. About the same effect as that produced by the walking in wet grass, is produced by walking on wet stones, which is more convenient and easy for many people. Even house or cottage has, either on the ground floor, in the wash-house, or in the bake-house, etc., a more or less spacious pavement, which will be sufficient for a barefooted promenade on wet stones. In a stone passage of good length one can run quickly to and fro; on a little spot of 4 — 5 stone squares one must tread the stones like the vinedresser does the grapes, or like, at some places, the baker's apprentice treads the dough. The main point consists in the stones being wet, and the patient not standing quietly on them, but walking at a rather quick rate To wet the stones, it is best to take a watering-can, or a jug, and make a water-line which is then extended by treading. If the stones dry too quickly, Hie watering is to lie repeated once or even oftener; the coldest water is the best.

      In cases where this means of hardening is employed as a remedy, it ought not to exceed 3 to 15 minutes; hut the condition of the patient must decide the length of time, whether he is stronger or weaker, poor of blood, etc.; generally — 5 minutes will be sufficient. When taken simply as a means of hardening by healthy people, this exercise can be extended to:!() minutes and longer still, without doing any harm, and 1 can sincerely recommend it to all those who wish to begin a solid hardening. Even the weakest and most sensitive need not be afraid to try it.

      Persons who are suffering from cold feet, who are inclined to sore throat, catarrh, congestion in the head, and headache caused by it, may try this promenade on wet stones. It would be advisable to mix a little vinegar with the water to be used.

      As regards shoes and stockings, and exercise, the same rules are to be observed as with the walking in the grass. Like the latter, it can also be undertaken even when the feet are cold before beginning the exercise.

      4. Walking in newly fallen snow produces even greater effect than that of the two preceding practices. I distinctly remark in newly fallen, fresh snow, which forms into a ball or clings to the feet like dust, not in old, stiff, frozen snow, which almost freezes off the feet and is of no use whatever. Moreover this promenade must never be made in cold, cutting winds, but in spring when the snow is being melted by the sun. I know many people who have walked through such snow-water for half an hour, or an hour, even 1 ½ hours with the best result. The first minutes only caused a little struggle; later on they felt no uneasiness or special cold. The regular duration of such a walk in the snow is 3 — 4 minutes. I emphatically remark, there must be no stand-still but constant walking.

      Sometimes it happens that all too tender toes, which are quite unaccustomed to outer air, cannot bear the snowy cold and get snow-fever, i.e. become dry and hot, burning and painful, and swell. But there is no cause for fear, it is of no consequence if the dry toes are bathed in snow-water or rubbed with snow, they will heal directly.

      In autumn the snow-walk can be replaced by walking in the grass covered with hoar-frost. The feeling of cold is much more painful then, because at that time, at the change of season, the body is still accustomed to the warmth of summer. Even in winter the snow-walk is replaced by walking on stone-squares, soaked with snow-water. The rules for covering the feet, and exercise are the same as in the preceding numbers.

      Generally, the verdict upon this means of hardening is: "Nothing but folly and nonsense," — because people are afraid of catching colds, of rheumatics, sore throat, catarrh, and every possible complaint. Everything depends on a trial and a little self-conquest; one will soon become convinced how groundless prejudices are; and that the dreadful snow-walk, instead of causing harm, brings great advantage.

      Many years ago, I became acquainted with the wife of a higher officer. This energetic mother set a high value on the hardening of her children; daintiness in eating and drinking was by no means tolerated; complaints about the weather, heat, cold, etc., were always censured. As soon as the first snow-fall came, she promised her boys a reward, if they ventured to go in the snow barefooted. This she did for many years; her children, in consequence, became strong and vigorous, and all their life long they were grateful for this by no means soft way of education. That mother was fully expert