Organon § 291

Organon – The Art of Healing

Baths of pure water prove themselves partly palliative, partly as homoeopathic serviceable aids in restoring health in acute diseases as well as in convalescence of cured chronic patients with proper consideration of the conditions of the convalescent and the temperature of the bath, its duration and repetition. But even if well applied, they may bring only physically beneficial changes in the sick body, in themselves they are no true medicine. The lukewarm baths at 25 to 27° serve to arouse the slumbering sensibility of fibre in the apparent dead (frozen, drowned, suffocated) which benumbed the sensation of the nerves. Though only palliative, still they often prove themselves sufficiently active, especially when given in conjunction with coffee and rubbing with the hands. They may give homoeopathic aid in cases where the irritability is very unevenly distributed and accumulated too unevenly in some organs as is the case in certain hysteric spasms and infantile convulsions. In the same way, cold baths 10 to 6° in persons cured medically of chronic diseases and with deficiency of vital heat, act as an homoeopathic aid. By instantaneous and later with repeated immersions they act as a palliative restorative of the tone of the exhausted fibre. For this purpose, such baths are to be used for more than momentary duration, rather for minutes and of gradually lowered temperature, they are a palliative, which, since it acts only physically has no connection with the disadvantage of a reverse action to be feared afterwards, as takes place with dynamic medicinal palliatives.

A bath in pure waters gives the patient some relief from the suffering and the same is the effect of homoeopathic treatment also. It helps restoration of health easily. It will be helpful during convalescence or treatment of acute or chronic diseases. It should be done depending on the state of the body of convalescing person. According to convenience and patient’s condition, the heat of the water and the period of bathing and the interval between two baths is to be decided. However, regulations may be followed in such cases, as the comfort that derived by it is only physical. There is no medical treatment whatsoever in it. In those, who appear to have died, the nervous activity gets mild. In order to rejuvenate the crippled activity of vital force, a little hot water bath is useful. Although it is purely a temporary relief, if coffee is given to the patient and a bath is given by massaging the body, a sharp activity is created in him. Although the vital activity is irregular in some places, these baths help in a homoeopathic way. Hysterical spasms, infantile convulsions can be relaxed. These are the advantages of warm water baths.

In the same way, cold water bath also is useful. Cold water bath of 10 to 16 degrees is useful to those taking treatment for chronic diseases. These cold water-baths help in creating the vital heat and work homoeopathically. Sudden cold water sprinkling and taking a dip in cold waters are useful to rebuild the lost tissues and increase their strength. If it is to be really useful, a few minutes of bathing is not enough. Taking bath in hot water in gradually decreasing heat or taking cold water bath for a few minutes only will not be of much use. Only temporary relief will come. However, one need not fear of any evil effects of these methods, like the effects of counter action of drugs, since these are only physical. 

Explanation

In the context of taking bath, there is a little difference between scientists of Ayurveda and Hahnemann. In the same way, there is difference wherever massages are mentioned. 

1. In the view of Hahnemann, bath is not an important criterion. Method of taking bath is also simple. In Ayurveda oil bath is an essential prerequisite for protection of health. It is a truth proved by experience that people taking oil bath daily are not prone to the diseases suffered by other people. Not only that, the functions of all the sense organs, eyes, nose, throat, ears, head, etc. are maintained in proper stead for a long time. Any diseases suffered by these people also vanish by the effect of oil bath. 
2. In Ayurveda, bath itself is an important item of treatment for acute fevers, etc. A good similarity is achieved in case of acute fevers, irrespective of the type of fever. If hot water bath is given to the patient after applying gingival oil to the body after giving a spoonful of consolidated ghee followed by drinking a glass of water, not only the fever is reduced but the entire disease will be cured. It is witnessed by us during our father’s treatment in Ayurveda (father of Kulapathi Ekkirala Krishnamacharya) and in thousands of cases, severe diseases like Typhoid, Pneumonia, etc. are cured by the method of oil bath.
3. Using medicine in the shape of oil, ghee for massages, baths, etc. is one of the special treatments in Ayurveda.
4. Bath, cleaning the teeth, application of oil, eyetex, etc. are all the aspects prescribed for daily routine of healthy persons in Ayurveda. It is tallying by experience that all the diseases from generation to generation are cured by following the routine in the prescribed way. Besides, it is observed till the last moment before death, no disease attacks those who follow these methods strictly. In homoeopathy, mankind is blessed with the method of curing diseases and mainly Psora, but there is no possibility in homoeopathy to ensure that Psora does not attack again. For this purpose, we have nothing but to follow Ayurveda. 

Photo: © Johannes Stasing, www.sta-fotografie.de