Father Kneipp's teething advice
How the water cure can spare your child much toothache
Fr. Kneipp (1821–1897), the famous German naturopath who after first healing himself of a desperate illness went on to heal thousands of people using a system of mostly cold water applications complemented by herbs and a simple diet[1], also has advice for easing or preventing teething pain in toddlers. And before you gasp at the idea of using cold water on babies, do "read him out"... :-)
The following are excerpts from his book "The Codicil To 'My Will' For The Healthy and The Sick".
Teething of Children.
The teeth come at different times and the first teeth cause the little ones trouble.
Why? I think I am not wrong if I say that the children who suffer much with their teeth are very weak and that obstructions exist in the blood and juices. The whole body is insufficiently developed and the teeth appear with difficulty.
Those who from their earliest hours have been dipped in cold water get through the time of teething with much less difficulty : indeed I know of no child who has been brought up under the water treatment who has had trouble in teething.
If a Mother, instead of putting her little treasure into a warm bath every morning, would dip it from its bed in cold water and again put it back to bed it would be saved much trouble and sickness. One would think that the thing a mother would most desire is the health of her child; If so she must act accordingly; she must accustom her pet to bracing and strengthening of its body and to wholesome food; thus she would show true motherly love.
The blind fondness with which many Mothers surround their children has no value whatever, on the contrary they may ruin them with their stupidity.
Medicines are of no use during the teething period. The best thing is cold water which brings the circulation of the blood into proper order and strengthens and maintains the whole organism.
The children who are braced from their earliest days remain free of many troubles which less favoured children are subject to.
Footnotes
1 Learn the background under Eliminating toxins with Sebastian Kneipp's "Water Cure": Mother Nature's half-forgotten treasure trove of remedies. Includes a list of Fr. Kneipp's books.
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