A primer of the art of massage for learners / by Stretch Dowse.

  • Dowse, Thomas Stretch.
Date:
1892
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A primer of the art of massage for learners / by Stretch Dowse. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    to the appearance of tlie masseuse ; it is a break to the monotony of the day's proceedings, it is a fresh face which in a measure relieves the weariness of the daily seclusion. Now, with some people, the first effects of massage are to irritate rather than compose and soothe, but in my experience this depends really more upon the masseuse than it does upon the patient. I cannot impress too strongly upon you—though I know I have done this over and over again—that when you first begin to manipulate a patient your movements should be very gentle, and quiet and slow in execution. You must, I am sure, see the necessity for this, for independent of the influence they have upon the sensibility of the patient, the textures will not bear rough handling. Remember you have to deal with wasted, exhausted, feeble, weak and irritable mus- cles, which, if roughly handled, become still more weak and irrita])le, and an induced irritabihty of muscle only leads