The movement cure in every chronic disease : a summary of its principles, processes, and results / by Geo. H. Taylor.

  • Taylor, Geo. H. (George Herbert), 1821-1896.
Date:
1861
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The movement cure in every chronic disease : a summary of its principles, processes, and results / by Geo. H. Taylor. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    ACTIVE MOVEMENTS Are those in which the patient is required to do something. Their peculiar curative effects are obtained by means of the qualities con- ferred upon the movement by localization; by the resistance or obsta- cles to the effort or action : and by the time in which it is performed. By Localization, is meant the confinement of the action to a particular region or perhaps organ of the body, while the remainder :s at rest. By this means, the acting part is made to receive whatever nervous and nutritive supply the action demands. The action itself tends to focalize, at a particular point, the available forces and materials of the system. It is a means of powerful control over the circulation of the blood, sending it, in increased amount toward the indicated point. Either of two important objects may be gained by the same action; it may supply the requirement of the part for more nutrition; or contiguous organs, suffering from congestion, may be relieved by sending the surplus away. Movements are generally so contrived as to secure both of these purposes. By means of Resistance to the action of a muscle, the effect of localization is greatly heightened; it causes a great (if necessary, the utmost) energy of the will to be thrown upon a particular point in the organism, and so all the nutritive changes at that point are neces- sarily greatly increased. In duplicated movements,* this resistance is supplied by the hand of the operator; and. as the effort or action is caused by and depends on the resistance, so it also appears that the quality of the power thus evoked depends greatly upon the quality of the resistance afforded. This is radically different from overcoming an inanimate obstacle. It is a wrestle instead of a dead lift. There is vital encouragement instead of * Dhplicated Movements, are such as require one or more assistants or operators for their performance. Single movements are performed by the patient himself. The former are almost unlimited in scope, variety and adaptation; the latter are very limited in all these particulars, and are useful only for persons -whose health is not seriously impaired.