The Nervous System
In order to gauge the situation accurately it is necessary to regard fever, not as a
disease, but as what it really is in essence: a symptom which accompanies the
greatest variety of the processes of disease,—symptom of the most variable
significance in various cases. It must be fought like other symptoms, such as
vomiting, coughing, pains and diarrhoea; namely, in a general way—provided only
that it is not a manifestation of the healing tendency of the organism.
In decreasing the fever, we moderate the excitement of the nerves, remove the
numbness, secure calmness, refreshment and sleep, and defend the patient against
threatening manifestations of disease.
Very often it is not a case of treating the fever, but of dealing with the disease
which causes the fever. We must consequently not be guided by the thermometer
but by the condition of the nervous system.
Two conditions must be observed in treating fever according to the rules of
biology.
In the first place, the treatment of febrile disease must not be carried on in
accordance with general principles, but individually, according to the nature of the
disease in each particular case.
In the second place, it is necessary that the antipyretic treatment, to reduce the
fever, should not be foreign to the organism and should not be such as is not
measurable in degrees as to its effects, or has any unpleasant accompanying effects
or after-effects.
Only the biological system of healing responds to these demands. Only cognate
physical forces, in affinity with the human organism according to biological laws,
can influence vital occurrences with the hope of success and without the danger of
unfavorable accompanying effects and consequences.
Only physical remedies and treatments permit of adequate gradations such as will
appeal to the power of reaction of the organism.
In the appropriate application of certain, influences of nature, especially in the
diversified applications of water, we possess a mode of procedure which, assisted
by an appropriate dietetic regime adapted to the principles of biological healing and
to the conditions of life in health and disease, offers advantages which no other
treatment affords and benefits the patient to an extent which cannot be too highly
estimated.
In the treatment of fever we must, in the first place, follow the impulses of
instinct—harmonized, however, with the fundamental laws and methods of
biological treatment—if success is to be obtained. Instinctively, in the case of a hot
forehead, we turn to the application of cold compresses; for cold feet, the use of
such appliances as will bring about heat. Tormenting thirst is assuaged by a
mouthful of cooling water. But the instinct of impulse alone might also lead one
burning with high fever to seek relief by immersion in cooling water; thus, in order
to discover the rational course we must be guided by the fundamental laws of the
biological system of healing.
(B) TREATMENT.
To these biological explanations of what fever is, it will be interesting to add some
general description and explanation of its treatment, such as may serve in an
emergency as an indication of the proper course to be pursued and by the most
simple means, pending the attendance of an hygienic physician.
I must again call special attention to the importance of not clinging too literally to
the letter of the law,—of every rule laid down,—but rather to study by the light of
such laws and with alert intelligence the special features of the case at issue.
Of all hygienic treatments of fever, which have come under my notice in the course
of many years, there is none more clearly, simply and intelligibly described than
that which Dr. C. Sturm, has published in his book, "Die natur liche
Heilmethode" (The Natural Method of Healing). I will, therefore, employ it in my
explanations, (as translated from the German) adding to it my advanced methods,
especially the hydropathic and dietetic treatments which are more in accordance
with the demands of modern biological therapy
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