An animal bath or balneum animale is a medical treatment in which the skin or carcass of a freshly slaughtered animal is wrapped around the patient. The treatment's goal is transference of the animal's vitality to the patient, with the warmth of the treatment perhaps having a therapeutic effect. The treatment has been used since antiquity and was thought to be effective for lameness. The young Kaiser Wilhelm II had a left arm palsied from birth and was given this treatment.
Video Animal bath
History
Animal baths were used since antiquity as medical treatments. The skin or carcass of a freshly slaughtered animal is wrapped around the patient or a limb was inserted into blood or stomach of a living animal. The treatment was intended to transfer the animal's vitality to the patient, with the warmth of the treatment perhaps having a therapeutic effect.
Maps Animal bath
Indication and effectiveness
Animal baths were thought to be effective for lameness.
Recipients
The young Kaiser Wilhelm II--whose left arm was palsied from birth--was given this treatment; his arm was placed in the body of a freshly slaughtered hare for 30 minutes twice a week to encourage it to grow normally.
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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