724 THE POPULAR SCIEXCE MONTHLY. 



efforts have been made by physicians, who are thoroughly familiar 

 with massage, to instruct intelligent nurses and others how to apply 

 it, and at the training-schools for nurses the pupils receive some gen- 

 eral instruction in the matter. In this way something has been ac- 

 coinplished to bring massage within the rules and regulations of com- 

 mon sense and rational therapeutics. But still there is great room for 

 improvement even in this direction, for it is but too often the case that 

 after one or two persons are specially trained to do massage they are 

 requested to give instruction to some of the pupils at the schools for 

 nurses, and to others, a few of whom, after having received some gen- 

 eral desultory lessons, are in turn delegated or relegated to teach others. 

 and so on, until, by the time massage reaches the needy patients, there 

 is often little left of it but the name. Hence it is not to be wondered 

 at that many a shrewd, superannuated auntie, and others who are out 

 of a job, having learned the meaning of the word massage, immediately 

 have it printed on their cards, and keep on with their "rubbin' n just 

 as thev alwavs have done. 



The vaguest generalities exist as to the manner of doing massage, 

 even among the best authors on the subject, and, after having studied 

 and tried the methods of all, the writer proposes to briefly formulate, 

 as much as space will permit of, what he has found to be of value, 

 without having adopted the methods of any in particular. By so do- 

 ing it is hoped that some will be able to judge whether those employed 

 to do massage know anvthing about it or not, or whether it would not 

 be as well to employ one of their own domestics for ordinary rubbing, 

 the advantages of which are not to be despised. At any rate, from 

 the description which follows, I trust that not a few intelligent friends 

 of chronic invalids, who are beyond the reach of the professional ma- 

 nipulator, will be enabled to apply massage so as to afford even greater 

 relief and comfort than can be gained from many of those whom 

 the ignorance of the community on this subject alone tolerates as 

 experts. 



The multiform subdivisions under which the various procedures 

 of massage have been described can all be grouped under four differ- 

 ent heads, viz., friction, percussion, pressure, and movement. Malaxa- 

 tion, manipulation, deep-rubbing, kneading, or massage, properly so 

 called, is to be considered as a combination of the last two. Each and 

 all of these may be gentle, moderate, or vigorous, according to the 

 requirements of the case and the physical qualities of the operators. 

 Some general remarks here will save repetition : 1. All of the single 

 or combined procedures should be begun moderately, gradually in- 

 creased in force and frequency to their fullest extent desirable, and 

 should end gradually as begun. 2. The greatest extent of surface of 

 the fingers and hands of the operator consistent with ease and efficacy 

 of movement should be adapted to the surface worked upon, in order 

 that no' time be lost bv working with the ends of the fingers or one 



