29G 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[October, 
Fig. 1. — PUTTING INTO THE WET SHEET. 
The Treatment of Scarlet Fever. 
Those who read the Agriculturist need not be 
told of the caution which it exercises in regard to 
all medical matters, that while it frequently gives 
recommendations in regard to preserving health, 
it seldom publishes recipes for curing disease, and 
that it does not allow patent medicine advertisers to 
use its columns. It may be said by some that in 
publishing the present article it departs from its 
usual custom and has undertaken to teach its read- 
ers how to treat that most terrible disease — the 
scarlet fever — with a wet sheet. As will appear 
presently, the article is written with an entirely 
different object. Others may say that, as the arti- 
cle is on the use of water, we are converted to hy- 
dropathy. No, not to that nor to any other patlty. 
The distinction between the true physician and the 
quack is just here : the physician uses any curative 
agent that he thinks will help his patient, while 
the quack starts with some particular remedy or 
remedies, which he applies to all diseases, in all 
constitutions. No class of men have a monopoly 
of the use of any remedial agent, and water has 
always been recognized by physicians as one of 
these. Our object in publishing this article is this: 
Dr. E. W. Mathewson, of Durham, read before the 
regular meeting of the State Medical Society, of 
Connecticut, held at New Haven, May 25 — 6, a 
paper upon the treatment of Scarlet Fever. A 
portion of his practice was in the family of one 
of our frieuds and his success was very remark- 
able. The article was published in the transactions 
of the Society, with illustrations showiug the man- 
ner of treatment. As the subject seems to be one 
of great importance to the medical profession, 
Fig. 2. — IN THE sheet: enveloped in 
and as the volume in which Dr. Mathewson's arti- 
cle was published, has necessarily a very limited 
circulation, it was thought that there could be no 
more efficient means of reaching the whole body 
of the medical profession than to give an abstract 
of the article in the Agriculturist, as that goes into 
every neighborhood in the country, and will 
through the people reach the eye of almost every 
medical man. Here is a method of treating one of 
the most dreaded dis- 
eases, set forth by a regu- 
lar physician, who pub- 
lishes it in a periodical of 
acknowledged standing, 
and we merely wish to 
submit it to a wider circle 
of medical men than 
would otherwise meet 
with it. It is distinctly to 
be understood that this is 
not recommended by the 
Agriculturist as a domes- 
tic remedy, to be applied 
without advice. Scarlet 
Fever is too dangerous a 
malady to be tampered 
with, and under the best 
treatment, is too often 
fatal. What we wish the 
reader to do is to submit 
the article to his family 
physician, and to impli- 
citly follow his advice, and if it is decided to use 
the water treatment at all, it should only be 
done under his immediate supervision. The first 
part of Doctor M.'s article is occupied by quota- 
tions, from high medical authorities, upon the use 
of cold affusions in Scar- 
let Fever, and he had been 
accustomed to the use of 
cold lotions, compresses, 
etc., himself. A child in a 
family he attended was 
taken with Scarlet Fever. 
In his absence the child's- 
father, who had previously 
used the wet sheet in 
fevers, put the child into a 
wet sheet pack, which re- 
duced the pulse from ISO 
to 130. The following is 
almost exactly in the 
words of Dr. Mathewson : 
" I denounced the prac- 
tice, and warned the fa- 
ther of the sequences 
which would be likely to 
follow such treatment; 
in this I was, however, 
disappointed, and have 
since witnessed its effects 
in twelve cases, with the 
most satisfactory results. It acts as a universal fo- 
mentation, warmed by the heat of the patient. By its 
repelling effects on the surface, and consequent reac- 
tion, it relieves the congested capillaries, which con- 
stitutes the eruption, it opens the constricted and 
constipated pores of the skin, and, by keeping the 
cuticle in a moist state, favors absorption and ex- 
halation, aiding the eliminating efforts of the dis- 
ease to discharge the morbid matter, through na- 
ture's chosen surface for 
its expulsion from the 
system, thereby removing 
the cause of morbid ex- 
citement and local com- 
plications. — The earlier 
the pack is used in a case, 
so as rather to anticipate 
the criminative effects of 
the disease, the more 
marked the effect ; it may 
be used as soon as the 
heat and dryness of the 
skin and frequency and 
fullness of the pulse is 
above the natural, and 
with a freedom in pro- 
portion to the urgency of 
these symptoms. — I have 
usually applied the wet 
sheet during the evening 
exacerbation, while the 
excitement was near its 
hight ; its effects have 
been to reduce the frequency of the pulse 20 to 40 
beats a minute, to calm excitement and produce 
quiet sleep in from 10 to 15 minutes; some children, 
frightened by the first application, have kept awake 
half an hour. By the use of the wet sheet, we 
seem to have the frequency of the pulse, the arte- 
rial and nervous excitement, under control as with 
a damper. The luxury of the pack is a great con- 
sideration. I have known children cry for its repe- 
tition on a return of the fever. The effect of the 
pack on the nerves and vessels of 'the skin, while 
it changes it from the harshness of parchment 
to the softness of velvet, produces a sense of 
comfort hardly describable; in fact the patient 
in this changed condition hardly knows himself. 
In neither of the cases treated by me with the 
wet sheet, was there the slightest sequela- follow- 
ing, although in an epedemic wher» complications 
were frequent. In some cases the inflammation of 
the throat and glands disappeared immediately 
i pack without local treatment." 
after using the ^..^ itluiuul iuu>i 
The case of one woman, who was packed by 
her. friends, terminated fatally, and the Doctor 
remarks, " It is important to be sure of reactive 
power in the system before using the wet sheet." 
directions for packing. 
"Place upon a cot or mattress, one or two com- 
fortables and blankets, enough to make four in all, 
— the number of each can be varied according to 
the supply — then a linen or cotton sheet wrung out 
so as not to drip, in water at 70'' Fahrenheit. The 
thinner and dryer the sheet, the less the effects; 
the higher the temperature of the surface, and the 
quicker and fuller the pulse, the thicker and wetter 
the sheet may be. The sheet should extend below 
the feet about half a yard, and if too long it must 
be doubled down at the other end. 
The patient totally undressed, is laid upon the 
sheet iu all his length, with his arms close by his 
sides, and quickly enveloped in the sheet ; first the 
side towards the packer is carried over and tucked 
under the opposite side evenly and closely about 
the neck; next it is brought over the feet, and then 
the other half is brought over and tucked under in 
the same way; then each part of the first blanket 
is carried over in the same manner; then a bottle 
ni.AXKETS. 
use of the dripping sheet. 
of warm water is placed at the feet to insure reac- 
tion; then the other coverings are each applied in 
the same way, taking care so to apply them to the 
neck, that no heat can escape or air enter any 
part of the pack; now a cloth, dripping with cold 
water, is applied to the forehead, extending back to 
the pillow ; in this state the patient is to remain 
until he becomes restless from perspiration, which 
will be in about an hour. There is a slight rest- 
lessness when the perspiration is starting through 
the skin; he should not be removed at this time. 
* * * vyhgu taken from the pack, the patient is 
to be quickly wet with water at a temperature oi 
70°, by immersion, or by quickly throwing the wa- 
ter over the patient while standing in a tub, or 
what is better, a dripping sheet wet in the water 
and thrown over the patient while standing in the 
tub. (See cut.) The patient is to be rubbed brisk- 
ly through the sheet, then with the bare hand and 
lastly through a dry sheet thrown over him in the 
same way. He is then to be placed in bed, with a 
bottle of warm water at his feet, to assist reaction. 
The pack is to be repeated whenever the fever 
returns, usually the next evening, and as long as 
the fever continues, with the above precautions. 
This method of using the wet sheet, is the same 
as is used in other febrile diseases, pulmonary in- 
flammations, and cases requiring increased action 
of the surface. The dripping sheet with the sub- 
sequent treatment, as above described, without the 
pack, has the effect of a plunge or sponge bath, in 
cases where a quick impression is desired to excite 
action and equalize excitement. The entire sur- 
face being protected by the sheet during the fric- 
tions, the unpleasant chill from the evaporation, 
as in the other methods, is avoided. 
While using the wet sheet pack, I have given the 
Tincture of Chloride of Iron, as in other cases, • 
and a gargle of Chloride of Potash. 
I always insist upon the most thorough ventila- 
tion of the apartments, keeping windows open 
more or less according to circumstances, night and 
day; protecting the patient from drafts is very 
important for the good of patient and attendants." 
