After the pack, the patient is placed in an empty bathing or wash-tub, and cold water (of 65°-60° Fahr., only with very young and delicate children a little higher, with adults rather lower) is thrown over him in quick succession by means of a dipper, whilst he is well rubbed all over his body, especially the extremities. Not too much water should be poured over the head; however, the head should be always wetted first. This process should not last longer than a minute or two, except the patient continue very warm during it, in which case it should be prolonged, as the perfect cooling of the body is necessary to prevent the fever from coming on soon after and the patient continuing weak. After the bath, he should be rubbed dry, first with the bare hands of the attendants, and then with a dry sheet, and put to bed again, or, if he feel inclined to stay up, dressed warmly and be induced to walk about as long as he can.
84. ICE-WATER AND SNOW-BATH IN MALIGNANT CASES.
If no rash appear during the first pack, which will scarcely fail, the proceeding should be repeated, and the patient stay longer in the pack than the first time. In very bad cases, when the patient fails at once under the action of the poison (malignant scarlet-fever) iced water or snow may be resorted too. I know several instances of patients, having been given up by their physicians, reviving again under the influence of a snow-bath, which produced a healthy reaction, when nothing else was of avail. I have never had occasion myself to resort to such extremes, cold water having always answered my purposes; but I would not hesitate a minute to use snow and ice in a case where I could think it useful and necessary. Such proceedings _look_ cruel; but it _is_ decidedly more cruel to let the patient's life be destroyed from want of timely assistance. I distinctly remember a case, which occurred in Cassel, when the physician objected to "tormenting the poor boy," and wanted the father to "let him die in peace." But the father,[33] who had some knowledge of, and a great deal of confidence in hydriatics, put the little patient, a boy of 8 or 9 years, into a bathing-tub filled for the greater part with snow, covered him over with the cold material, and left him there till he became conscious; then he was rubbed all over, placed in a dry pack (without a sheet), and left to perspire, which ensued and brought out the rash. The patient was out of danger in four hours' time, and Dr. S., on calling again in the evening, was quite astounded at seeing him alive, out of bed, and covered with a tolerably bright eruption.