HEALTH FARMING

( By Dr. Krishna Murari Modi )

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2-No Life Without Water

Without water there can be no life. It is the most common substance on earth. It covers 70 per cent of earth’s surface and it fills oceans, rivers, lakes. It is in the ground and in the air we breathe. Every living thing - plants, animals, people - must have water to live. Every living thing consists mostly of water. Scientists believe that life itself began in water, in the salty water of the sea. The salty taste of our blood, sweat and tears suggest that this might not be untrue. Water has been shaping the earth, rain hammers the land washes the soil in to the rivers. Oceans pounds against the shores, chiselling cliffs and scooping out the land. Rivers slice away the rocks, carve out deep canyons and builds mounds of earth where there was empty water. Water helps keep the earth’s climate form getting too hot or too cold. A senior research hydrologist of the US Geological Survey has explained that rocks absorb and release heat from the sun quickly, the oceans absorb and release the sun’s heat slowly. So breezes from the sea bring warmth to the land in winter and coolness in summer. The writer adds : "Throughout history, water has been people’s slave and their master. Great civilisations have risen where water supplies were plentiful. They have fallen when these supplies failed. People have killed one another for a muddy water hole. They have worshipped rain gods, and prayed for life giving rain. Often, when rains have withered and starvation has spread across the land. Some times the rains have fallen too heavily and too suddenly. Then river overflowed their banks, drowning everything and every one in their paths. "Today water is both slave and master to people. New uses have been found for it in medicine. Water treatment is finding increasing uses in toning up the body and relaxing the muscles.

Water Treatment

Water is available everywhere in the homes of the poorest or the richest. It remains on of the most powerful and harmless therapeutic agent. It can give relief instantly like an aspirin tablet and also it can cure many chronic diseases where other treatment have failed. It may be used in several states, ice, cold, warm or hot. Cold water is most useful. You will find that with some knowledge and application of mind, it can do wonders for yourself and your family.

This treatment is useful in the winter season. It look birth in West Germany a country that is cold throughout the year. Cold water treatment has become popular in many European countries and parts of U.S.A. Still today there is a small township in Bad Worishofen, West Germany, which has been made famous by the inventor of this type of treatment. Millions of patients are reported to be flocking to this place from all over the world every year. Depending upon the season, there you can find 15 to 30 thousand patients at any time of the year. Sebastian Kneipp’s fame spread as the effectiveness of his treatment was being talked about every-where. Meanwhile his book "My Water Cure", which was sold in mass circulation became a potent means to disseminate far an widen the knowledge about the beneficial effects of water.

In the beginning, water treatment became known only in German speaking countries. As time went by, it was persistently applied, developed, researched and adopted by other medical scientists of Kneipp movement. Through water applications were the base of his treatment, Kneipp advocated a more diverse philosophy of health and healing which included herbs, exercise, nutrition and self responsibility.

A word about Sebastian Kneipp who born in 1821 in Bavaria in a poor family of a weaver. During his studies for priesthood he contracted tuberculosis of the lungs, a fatal disease in those times. Ultimately, he himself tried his treatment for self cure and succeeded. His quality as healer came to be known in his little village. After being ordained as priest he was approached by many persons, physically and mentally sick. This made him decided to pursue his God-given as a healer.

Meanwhile, Kneipp was always willing to work side by side with the physicians of his time. The modern kneipp movement has the support of physicians and laymen. It has grown to mammoth proportions and an International Confederation of Kneipp Movement has been set up, comprising some 175,000 members form 25 countries. The Confederation’s main function is to educate people in the matters of health.

There are 27 Kneipp centres in West Germany alone and 900 physicians have taken graduate training exclusively in this method of medicine. Today Kneipp therapy is a rage and over three lakh patients are being treated in West Germany every year. There are 70 spas, 6000 hospitals and sanatoriums in Europe. It has been given due recognition by the medical authorities. These water applications are also known as minor or partial hydrotherapy applications. The treatment includes cold water, washings, baths, water treading, effusion, packs and compresses. They are more in the form of a short stimulus by cold water on a warm body to produce a stronger warm reaction. These application do not only increase the resistance of the body to disease but even cure them when accompanied by the right sort of diet and exercises.

This innocuous short application of water is apparently effective because of its temperature. The cold stimulus affects the skin and via nerve and blood channels it is transferred to the organs. The more than difference in the temperature of the body and the temperature of the water, the more will be the effect.


Physiology


The skin has two types of receptors. With the help of the cold sensing receptors we feel the cold and the warm sensing receptors gives us the feel of heat. Their number vary in different parts of the body. The cold sensing ones always outnumber the heat-sensing. They may be as much as 15 times more. The average ratio is 11.1:33 per square centimeter. On the trunk the ratio is 9.7:0.6 per square centimeter. these receptors or temperature corpuscles are nets of nerve tissues which develop action currents to the brain. As the number of cold sensing ones are more, so the action current developed by them is much stronger.

This action current reaches the hypothalamus, the part of the brain responsible for regulating the temperature of the body. When these cold water applications are done to the skin which is warm and well supplied with blood, the cold action current along with the cold blood reaches the hypothalamus, the body tries to stop any further cooling, in more than one way which are listed the surface.



  1. The skin gets tightened up to reduced the surface.


  2. Arterio-venous anastamosis is closed, to reduce the blood supply to the area.


  3. The blood vessels get constricted further, thus reducing the blood supply to the area.

This explains the generalised effect of cold water application, and it is called vascular training through partial hydrotherapy. When the cold stimuli has been removed there is a reaction which is slow, prolonged and much bigger than the action. the skin gradually gets warmed up, the circulation of the blood increases, not only to the skin which had the cold application but also to the internal organs of the corresponding side.

This happens due to increased metabolism of the skin due to cold application. A histamine-like substance is produced which ultimately dilate the blood vessels increasing the blood flow in the arterioles and capillaries. This is a reaction of the initial cold response. As reaction is always greater than action, it is more prolonged, the area along with its collateral area will have greater blood supply lasting for a longer time.

The internal organs of the body like the heart, kidney, brain, pharynx, lungs can also be affected by such treatment on the skin of the corresponding side. If we stimulate the left arm the coronary artery of heart will feel the effect. If we want to help the longs and the abdomen we have to make a cold water application to the feet. So it is possible to have a prolonged and increased blood circulation in any part of the body by hydrotherapy. Through water treatment it is possible to decongest the brain and the lungs by shifting the blood to the skin an thus relieving headaches and breathlessness.

It has been found that it is effective even among patients who are confined to bed, to reduce blood pressure in hypertensive patients and increases it in patients with low blood pressure. Even in cases of Burger’s diseases where the blood supply is markedly reduced to legs due to obliteration of blood vessels, it can be increased by progressive foot bath. The Kneipp treatment can increase body’s resistance to sore throat and tonsillitis. The use of airconditioners in summer or heaters in winter regularise the room temperature, and lower the reactivity of the skin. A person exposed to outdoor life, like a soldier or farm worker, gets physically tough and hardened and is less susceptible to diseases.

A simple experiment can be done to know if a person is hardened or not. The patient dips his legs in cold water at 150 C for 2 minutes. we may find that the mouth temperature falls. 5 to 2 0 C and remains so for several minutes. This person is not hardened. If similar test is done in the case of a sportsman or a person hardened by Kneipp’s treatment, there will either be no change in the mouth temperature and if it is there, it will be only for a few seconds.


Daily Cold water application


People are afraid of cold water, many of them tend to run away when Kneipp’s cold applications are mentioned. But there is nothing to be afraid of. This short cold stimulus on a warm body soon produces a stronger, thoroughly warm, reaction. Kneipp himself introduced the application of warm water along with cold water. This was found useful in the case of weak patients and for daily healthy care.

However one should not underestimate the effect of the innocent-looking cold water. Since it is the temperature of the water which is transferred to the skin, then to nerves and blood vessels, ultimately reaching the organs. the greater the difference between the temperature of the body and water, the stronger will be the effect. If we want to have water application in our day-to-day life the result will depend on a technically correct performance alone.


Essentials in all short-water applications


  1. Cold water should not be applied to a chilled body. if necessary, the body should be warmed up by a fast walk or simple exercises or by making use of the warmth of the bed. In case good body warmth is not reached in this way, it is better to give hot and cold application. If there is permanent lack of body warmth one should forego self-administration and consult a doctor familiar with water applications. They may use dry brushing or a sauna instead. The patient should not undress till just before the bath. The room temperature should be atleast 20 degrees Celsius.


  2. The body should regain warmth in 15-20 minutes after the application. This is why one should not stand or sit motionless. He should have a fast walk during which he should swing his arms vigorously. If the patient is weak he should be put back in bed and covered immediately.


  3. During effusion the patient should be relaxed and must not talk. He should breathe quietly. When a compress or packing has been put, he should not talk read or be other wide occupied listening to radio etc., the idea is that he should preferably remain silent.


  4. Except for the applications which benefit digestion (like the hot belly compress) one should not take water application until 1/2 an hour after breakfast or two hours after the main meal. it is recommended that effusion should be on an empty stomach.


  5. You must not smoke before or after the water application as it could nullify the benefits that would result from this treatment.


  6. The water application should not be repeated until 2-4 hours have passed.


  7. After effusion, water should not be rubbed from the part bathed. The surplus of water may be removed by hand. It is recommended to dry up, without rubbing, those parts which remains in direct immediately after the bath. The underwear must not be damp or sweaty. Also it should be porous: this is unfortunately not possible with modern synthetic fibres.


  8. During the menstrual period, women should carry out the application on the upper body only.


Kneipp’s applications are mostly localised, i.e. they are prescribed for specific parts of the body. There are about 160 different basic kneipp applications. Most of them do not concern daily health care but are used during illness. All of them cannot be done in basic facilities available in each household. For our purpose, we will restrict ourselves to the applications which can be done usefully at home through simple means which are sufficiently good for daily care.

One must realise the fact hydrotherapy is not a specific but general treatment. It is given to anybody who wants to improve his health. It is quite safe. It is safe to begin by giving a light application only and then find out from the patient, after half an hour, how he feels. If he feels better, the treatment can be gradually made a little stronger depending on the strength and resistance of the body.

Kneipp’s Techniques

We distinguish the uses of water according to the degree of temperature as follows :


  • Cold-water temperature - (8-100C/46-500F)


  • Temperature - (10-200C/50-680F)


  • Warm - (35-370C/95-980F)


  • Hot - Water temperature above 370C/980 F)


There are, in addition, gradation temperatures. This means that warm water is used first and then gradually changed to hot. Similarly we can also use temperature changing gradually to cold. We must also distinguish between water applied as:


  1. Ablutions (Washings)
  2. Baths
  3. Effusion (Douches)
  4. Compresses and packings
  5. Steam
  6. Kneipp’s method for daily health care.


Washings


These are the simplest of all applications. The patient is soaked in cold water repeatedly and by a sweeping action, water is spread uniformly all over the body. It should be done in a warm room free from draughts. After washing, one should not dry himself and immediately get into bed to regain body warmth. It is done, at night, one should be sure not to get into a cold bed.Washings are an excellent means to increase blood circulation. It is most relaxing. It strengthens the body warmth, helps in the elimination of toxic substances in the blood and deposits in the limbs and prevents further accumulation.

The stimulating effect of washing, especially the blood supply to the skin, can be augmented by addition of vinegar to water - one part vinegar to two parts of water. Total washing should not take more than 30-40 seconds. Start with the little finger of the right hand to the outer border of the shoulder and back. Now wash the palm of hand, the inside of the arm till armpit and then go back to the palm.

Dip the cloth in water again and the same procedure is followed in the left arm. Quickly dip the cloth again and with 5-6 vertical strokes wash the sides of the trunk, then the chest , the abdomen and front of the legs. after one more dipping, wash the back by 5-6 vertical movements. Hold the two ends of the towel at your back and pull it up and down. Finish the total washing by quickly passing the cloth over the sole of the feet.

Total washing should be done quickly and without interruption. The cloth should remain flat, pressed against the skin. Partial washing of upper body is same as total washing but ends at the waist. This type of washing is suitable for beginners. It is suitable for invalids as it can be performed in bed. This is also suitable for women during their menstrual period. Partial washing of the abdomen is done in the evening and in a warm bed. Take a cold wet cloth and rub it clockwise, rotating 15-20 times cloth lightly pressed against the abdominal wall. The abdomen is allowed to become warm and dry in the warm bed.


Baths



Baths play useful role in daily health are specially partial baths. Full or three quarter baths are not taken daily. A bath can be cold, warm, hot, with increasing temperature and there are also baths to be had with changing temperature. The temperature of a cold bath should not be more than 10oC/50 oF. The temperature bath should not be more than 20 oC/68 oF depending upon the reaction of the blood vessels of the skin.

A cold or temperate application can be discontinued if the bathed area of the skin becomes pale, followed pale, followed by some reddening combined with a slight feeling of warmth. Sometimes the feeling of warmth is preceeded by a cold pain. This indicates that sufficient reaction has been reached and application can be discontinued.

The duration of a partial bath is a person measure. It depends upon the individual’s reactive power, the temperature of the body, the environment temperature and temperature of the water. However, the cold applications should never last for more than 30 seconds. If the skin becomes blue red immediately after the cold water application, that means blood circulation is having some difficulty. In such cases, the cold application should immediately be suspended.

If the skin becomes red and then blue-red, means that the cold water application has been prolonged for too long and, in future, to prevent this over-reaction there should be a shortening of the duration. Theses colour changes are more marked in the fair skinned persons. Warm baths (between 32 oC and 37 oC/90 oF and 98oF) and hot baths (above 37 o/98F) are taken as partial baths for a 5 to 10 minutes duration and half or three-quarter of full baths for 10 to 20 minutes.

Cold baths at body temperature are relaxing. Hot baths are stimulating. Hot (half and full) baths are a serious burden on the heart and blood circulation. To counteract over-reaction there should be a cold effusion or total washing followed by half-an-hour rest. When taking a partial bath with changing temperature , one may stay 5 minutes at warm (37-38 oC/98 oF-100 oF) temperature. Then change to cold for 5 to 10 seconds. Return to warm for another 5 minutes and change once again to cold for 5 to 10 seconds. After becoming accustomed to this, one may repeat it for the third time.



  1. the cold arm bath, and arm bath at changing temperature.


Both arms are dipped into water upto the depth of the middle of the upper arm. The water receptacle or the basin should be at a comfortable height to avoid too much bending. Any basin of sufficient size is suitable. To refresh and invigorate and to help respiration and the heart this arm bath is recommended.

Arm baths of changing temperature have an effect similar to the cold arm bath. But it is given to a person whose skin does not have a good supply of blood, or to a person with cold hands/wet hands.

When taking an arm bath of changing temperature dip your hand in warm water (35-38oC/95-100 oC). following this the temperature can be raised by adding hot water. Keep 5 minutes in warm and then 10 seconds in cold water. This application should not cause a feeling of pressure in the chest. If this is the case a lower temperature should be chosen.



  1. the cold or temperature foot-bath.


For this bath a bigger bucket should be chosen where both feet can stand comfortably. The water should reach till the middle of the calf muscles. Cold foot baths have a diversionary effect. They eliminate blood congestion in the head and chest. They are restful after intense intellectual work. They eliminate tiredness of feet and regulate the intestines. They can also be used for kidney and bladder problem on doctor’s approval. ? water-treading stand in cold water in a bath tub, water reaching upto the middle of the calf, now lift each leg one by one, as if walking, at the same spot. At an even step, the leg is lifted out of water.

Lacking appropriate facility one can sit with one’s feet in a bucket and tread water. In the same manner one can walk on stand on dew or wet grass. The duration of water treading, snow or dew running again depends upon the reaction of the body. These application should be discontinued when the pain of cold is experienced. Even if it does not come to this there is no benefit in continuing water treading for more than 1 minute, snow running 1 to 3 minutes and dew running more than 3 minutes. In the case of kidney and bladder problem these treatments are not advised without doctor’s approval.


(d) The changing foot bath.


It is done in the same way as the cold foot bathe except that we need two buckets. One has to put both feet alternatively in hot and cold water. Five minutes in warm (37-380C/98-1000F) and then in cold (8-100C/46-500F) for 5 to 10 seconds, and then return to warm. Again for five minutes and then change once again to cold for 5 to 10 seconds. After becoming accustomed to this it may be repeated for a third time also. Always end up with cold water application. The changing foot bath is effective in chronic cold feet, blood congestion in the head, nervous headaches, restlessness, sleeplessness and for hardening.

(e) Foot bath with increasing temperature.

The progressive hot foot bath is used in Angina Pectoris with bradycardia and not in an attack. This is done at a temperature of 350C/950F and, gradually, the temperature of the water should be increased to 390C/1020F in 20 minutes by pouring hot water through a hose or adding it from a kettle or pot. A note of warning. Too hasty an addition of hot water may cause blood congestion in head and heart. In this case one should interrupt the bathe and be more cautious the next time. A slight sweating is of no consequence.

This bath is useful for daily health care. One begins with 350C/950F and increase the temperature increased to 40-420C/104-1080F. An increasing foot bath should follow a short cold knee effusion. This bath is indicated in common symptoms of cold, tired feet due to standing for long time, mild catarrh of nose throat and for a tendency of bronchial spasm and asthma. They can be used in a sensitive bladder. The approval from a doctor is needed, however in the case of varicose veins, phlebitis, legs with open sores and thrombosis.

(f) In the case of a patient with haemorrhoids a cold hip bath for 10 seconds or a contrast hip bath or progressively hop hip bath can be given.

Here the patient sits in a bath tub where the water height is such that water reaches upto umbilicus (navel) and upto the middle of the thigh. This bath is a great favourite among the practitioners of Indian Hydrotherapy. The patient is given small handkerchief and asked to rub the abdomen slowly sitting in this bath ranging for 3 to 10 minutes depending upon the temperature of water and the temperature of atmosphere. This is good for all digestive ailments. After this bath they are asked to take a brisk walk for half to one hour.

(g) The half bath

When taking a half-bath, the lower of the body is submerged upto the waist. The duration of a cold half-bath should be 5 to 10 seconds, according to one’s reaction. The upper part of the body should remain clothed. It is important that one gets into a warm bed immediately after, to get warm and dry. The bath is an excellent strengthening agent against catarrhal conditions, flatulence, constipation, sexual diminution, blood congestion in head and improving blood circulation. It is also a good treatment for correction the sleep problem.

Affusion (Douche’s)


When douching, the body should be in a warm condition. Kneipp defined affusion as washing the limb without pressure so that water covers like a coat. Without splashing , partial affusion is originally given. Watering can now be done through the use of a hose 2 to 2.5 meter long with a caliber of 1 to 2cm. The pressure of water is so adjusted that it spins to 10cm when turned on.

This treatment was developed in West Germany, a country with a cold to very cold climate. We in India can use this treatment only in winter. Cooler the atmosphere, more effective will be the treatment. In parts of India where the temperature does not cool down enough in winter, we can use iced water and may even prolong the duration of the treatment.

When douching one should adapt a regular rhythm of breathing and not be hasty. If there is a sensation of pressure, breathlessness or dizziness it is an indication that the procedure has been too hasty and that the breathing procedure has been incorrect. Also one should not stand in pool of water. A small wooden elevated band should be placed in the bath tub to stand on.

a) Arm Affusion

Arm affusion is done for 40 seconds. The patient leans forward over the tub or on the protective wall. One starts douching the right hand. The stream is guided from the back of the hand, upto the arm to the shoulder. Here you must pause to allow the water to flow over the arm. Then quickly return the stream down the same route, to the back of the hand. The procedure is repeated for the left arm. Now the inner arm is turned outwards and the same procedure is repeated for both the arms, from finger tips upto the inner side of arm to the shoulder and return after a short pause at the shoulder.

If this method is not convenient, one may carry out an affusion under a tap, provided sufficient space is available to manoeuvre the arm. In this case the stream will not guided along the arm, but the arm is guided under the water in the same sequence. After the patient is hardened, this can be repeated twice during a session. After wiping out the water by hand the patient wears immediately a full arm dry shirt and walks and moves his arm vigorously for 10 minutes.

The cold am affusion has refreshing and stimulating effect and at the same time it has mild but lasting effect on the activity of heart, helping to regulate blood pressure and stimulate breathing.

b) Chest Affusion

The body is bent more in the case of chest, affusion than for the arm affusion, to allow the water to drain off. The entire upper part of the body must remain bare and with no restrictive clothing around the abdomen.

One starts in the same way as for arm affusion for the right hand and douches the inner side of the right hand to the shoulder and return immediately to the back of the hand. Then the left arm is douched in the same way. On reaching the shoulder one douche off the chest from side to side in a pattern until there is skin reaction of blood vessels. Then one quickly must go on guiding the stream down the outer side of left arm to the back of the hand.

c) Face Affusion

For the face affusion one rests the neck on a towel and bends slightly forward. With a decreased water flow one begins by slowly circling around the face from the right side below the temple, then back and forth, from one side of the face to the other side. Then guiding the stream, beginning at the left, several times over the face form top downwards, circle the whole face once more.

For this no help is necessary. However if applied to another person, one should be careful to allow him to get sufficient breathing opportunity. After the face affusion the face is dried slightly, not by rubbing but by dabbing. The face affusion with good reason is rightly called "the beauty douche".

By stimulating the blood supply, the flabby skin regains tightness and freshness. A premature ageing of the facial skin is prevented, a feeling of tiredness is eliminated and it is also good for failing nerve and migraine.

d) Knee Affusion

Affusion is done from the toe to just above the knee. Since rolling of the trousers is too constrictive, the trousers should better be removed. One begins the affusion from the right foot and guide the stream from the toes over the outer side of the foot to heel, and then slowly upto the calf to the hollow of the knee, lingering slightly above it and paying attention that water is spread equally over the calf. Then one guides the stream along the inner side to the lower thigh to the heel.

One repeats in the left leg, but on reaching the hollow of the knee one changes over to the right knee hollow for a few moments and return to the left knee hollow and calf and back to the left heel. The douching of the front side also begins at the toes and continues to above the knee cap. Here also one begins from the right leg and then shifts to the left leg after reaching the back of the heel of right foot. When reaching above the left knee cap one also shifts to the right knee for a few moments, return to the left knee and down to left to the heel. But avoid directly douching the shin bone.

The knee affusion eliminates the feeling of tiredness of the legs. So it stiffens the skin and the connective tissue and prevents varicose vein. It helps in thrombophlebitis and varicose ulcer also. By eliminating congestion in the head, it eliminates headaches and migraines, symptoms of cold in the throat and the nose, stimulates blood circulation and lightens the workload on the hear.

Cold Packs


According to Kneipp packs and compresses are extremely important for a day-to-day care of the sick. The pack can be full or partial. They must be given in bed for a duration of half an hour. They should envelop the limbs completely. They are given to bring down high fever, for a general increase, in blood circulation, relaxation and sedation. they induce sweating in fever patients. They help in the losing of weight in obese patients when applied for one to two hours. It consists of 3 layers.



  1. Innermost - thin wet linen moderately squeezed


  2. Intermediate dry linen to cover the wet linen completely. It acts to sponge up perspiration.


  3. Outermost woollen blanket to keep the body warm.


The most important partial packs are for the neck, limbs, chest, loin and abdomen, leg, calf and foot packs. Last three are used for varicose veins. Cold packs to abdomen are applied for relaxation and sedation in the evening and may remain on during the sleep until the morning.

The wet compress around the lower legs


A cold wet cloth, well wrung, is wrapped around the lower leg between the knee and the ankles. Then it is wrapped with a dry cloth overlapping the wet cloth by 2 inches both at the top and the bottom of the compress. Then put a woollen or flannel cloth on top. The woolen cloth should extend over the compress leaving the margin of one inch above and below for hygienic reasons.

This compress is good for tired legs, removes the feeling of tiredness. It induces sleep and is recommended for varicose veins. A person who stands the whole day long should put it on while going to bed. Another type of wet compress around the lower leg is Kneipp’s wet socks which cover the feet as well. Dip a pair of cotton or linen socks in cold water, wring them out well, put them on. Then put on a pair of dry socks which are not thin, about a hand breadth longer. They are excellent against splay feet and for promoting sleep. They have a temperature reducing effect.


Cold Compress of Chest


For this a linen or cotton cloth about 10 cms. wide and 1 1/2 mtr. Long is dipped in cold water and wrung well. It is then wrapped as moderately tight bandage, around the chest, covering the shoulder and upto the lower part of the ribs. A woollen bandage of almost an equal length and width is wrapped on the top of the cotton bandage to cover it well. This is kept for 45 minutes. It helps in cases asthma, bronchitis and all chest ailments.

Whole Body Pack


Spread 2-3 blankets on a bad, depending upon the season. Spread one thin bedsheet dipped in cold water and wring it well before spreading. The patient is made to lie on this bed with no clothes on. Below his head, the entire body is well covered by the wet sheet taking care that it covers well around the arms and legs as well as the trunk. The entire body is then covered with 2 or 3 blankets pinning them well with safety pins.

Within 5-10 minutes the patient feels warm and starts perspiring in about 20-25 minutes. This treatment is continued for 45 minutes. Then the patient leaves the bed and is given a cold shower. If the patient is weak, friction rub the body with a cold towel and put him in a warm bed. We may also have a full pack covering upto the neck. There quarter pack upto axilla or short pack (mid thigh to axilla). Before applying a cold pack the area to which it is applied should be warm. If not warm, it should be applied.

They are quite safe, but it is always safer in the beginning to give alight application and ask, half an hour to two hours later, how he feels. If he feels better, the treatment is right and agrees with him.

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