by
Dr Reinhard Bergel
  
Sebastian
Kneipp,
who developed
water treatment as a means of curing illness, was a
German priest who lived
from 1827-1897.
As a young man, the doctors pronounced
him terminally ill with a lung disease. But he wouldn’t
accept their prognosis. Sebastian Kneipp wanted to
live, and when he found, by chance, a booklet in
the Munich
library call Cold Water Treatments by Sigmund Hahn,
he decided
to try it.
The treatments worked. His health stabilized. He got well,
well enough that he in turn cured other people. Poor and
rich alike flocked to receive the water cure and advice
of the not too friendly, but warmhearted healer-priest
who never asked for any payment. When Father Kneipp first started giving his treatments
at the monastery in Woerishofen (near Munich), the town
was no more than a sleepy village. Over the years it grew
into a world famous spa city. Father Kneipp expanded on the original work of Sigmund
Hahn. To it he added his vast knowledge of herbs and natural
foods. An entire system, of water treatments, baths, steam
baths and wrappings, was developed. To pass on his knowledge
he wrote several books, My Water Cure, That’s How
They Shall Live and My Testament and Codicil are the most
well known of these. The man who was supposed to die at
an early age lived to a very fruitful 70. Today, over 100 years after his death, Father Kneipp’s
water cure is still respected and used by the medical profession
in Germany. In fact, the German medicare program will even
pay for your stay at a Kneipp Spa if it is prescribed by
a doctor. The government’s philosophy is that three
or four weeks of treatment acts as prevention and reduces
health costs in the long run. The International Kneipp Association, a non-profit organization
with its head office in Munich, has developed a network
of treatment sanitariums throughout Germany, Austria, Switzerland,
Luxembourg, France and Southwest Africa. Most of these
clinics are privately owned by medical doctors who have
taken special training in the Kneipp cure. When Father Kneipp first started, he used a water can
(this is now the symbol of the Kneipp Association). Later,
after he had more thoroughly developed his treatments,
he replaced the can with a hose, a little bigger in diameter
than a regular garden hose. Your patients can try the water treatments at home. When
using the hose, the water pressure should be such that
when the hose end is held up the distance between the nozzle
and the top of the arch of the water is about the width
of a hand. Such a pressure will allow a steady, even flow
of water around a leg, arm or hip. That the water coats
the body evenly, without splashing over the skin, is an
important aspect of Kneipp therapy. If you want to use your shower, take off the shower head
to create an even flow, or hold a wash cloth over the outlet. Alternate Footbath
This is one of the most widely prescribed treatments for
tired legs, circulation problems, headaches or insomnia.
Place two large pails, or medium sized garbage cans, side
by side. Fill one with warm water (approximately 39-40ºC)
and the other with cold water. Put your feet into the warm
water for five minutes first (the water level should go
about three quarters of the way up your legs.) Then change
into the cold water. Count 10 seconds and change back to
the warm water for another five minutes. Then cold for
10 seconds once more.
Dry your feet, put on socks and take a brisk walk for
10 minutes or go to bed right away. Under no circumstances
sit down and let your legs get cold again.
Alternate Armbath
Use two sinks side by side, and follow the same procedure
as for the footbath.
In Germany, this treatment is often used, under a doctor’s
supervision, to stabilize blood pressure, relieve headaches,
angina pectoris and nervous conditions. Knee Rinse
 This easy and health stabilizing treatment promote circulation.
Father Kneipp always reminded his patients that "circulation
is life and health." Start with the hose on the right little toe, move up along
the outside of the leg to about 10 cm (4 in.) above the
knee. Move the hose or shower handle back and forth to
evenly coat the leg with water. Move the hose down the inner side of the leg. Do the back
of the leg in the same fashion. If you have warm legs you can use cold water. If your
legs and feet are cold, then start with warm water and
alternate, The cold water rinse applied between warm water
and alternate. The cold water rinse applied between warm
water rinses acts as a "shock treatment." Through
the transmitting organ of the skin, the nerves respond
to this treatment by increasing the blood flow in that
area.
Hip Rinse
Again, start on the right foot, little toe side, move
up to slightly above the hip bone. Cover the whole leg
with a water coating. Avoid splashing. Hold this for approximately
10 seconds, thenmove the water down the inner side of the
leg. (Up the outside, down the inside.)
As with all treatments, start with the right side first.
The little right toe is the farthest spot from your heart – and
that’s where we start. This is to avoid any sudden
shock to the heart. The hip rinse is very often prescribed for women in menopause,
to increase vitality and for general improvement of health
and circulation. Arm Rinse
 This works well for relieving headaches. Start on the
right arm, little finger side, move the water along the
arm to the shoulder. At the shoulder, let the water coat
the entire arm and then move the water down the inner side.
Do the left arm in the same fashion.
Again, depending on your initial body temperature, use
cold water only or alternate between warm and cold.
Full Body Rinse
If your shower head is fixed to the wall you can still
use it for a full body rinse. Hold a wash cloth over the
shower head. Let the water cover your feet first, then
move slowly into the shower until the water coats you from
your shoulders down. No splashes though. And again, right
side first, then left.
Finish by rinsing the soles of your feet. Warm first,
cool after. I usually finish my shower with a cool or even
cold rinse. Water Stepping
To combat hot summer weather or the change of life flushes,
and just for overall invigoration, water stepping is the
most effective of the Kneipp treatments.
Many German health resort towns have built basins fed
by ice cold natural springs in the forest just for this
therapy. The wanderer or hiker can take off their shoes
and socks and easily refresh him/herself in these wading
pools. It is heart-warming to see not only the very old
but the very young doing this. Similar water basins at intervals along our highways (in
Canada and the US) would be wonderful health stops. Long
car trips are not good for the circulation and the treatment
of water stepping is very invigorating. But since we don’t have such facilities, your bath
tub is a good place to practice this. Fill the tub up to
calf level with cold water. (This treatment is never done
with warm water.) Walk back and forth in the tub, always
lifting one leg out of the water. Walk like a stork, one
leg high up out of the water. The alternation between air and water is what makes this
treatment effective. Ten to 15 seconds might be all you
need. By no means stay in the water longer than comfortable.
Or you can even try walking barefoot in the snow (high
stepping all the time). It’s very stimulating. Afterwards dry your legs, put warm socks on and take a
walk.
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Healing Power of Water 
