Splenic Massage

By: Gisbert Husemann, M.D. 
JAM Vol. 13(3), Fall 1996

Female patient X. Simmond, aged 26, suffered from frequent headaches in the past and severe headaches for the last year, with general debility, poor digestion, constipation and marked emaciation. Facies sallow, constantly complaining of tiredness, tending to be somewhat moody. She had consulted various physicians. Gynecological examination showed uterine retroflexion; the symptoms were ascribed to this and the condition surgically treated, but none of her symptoms, including back pain, responded. Having made all kinds of efforts for a year, the patient finally came to us.

Treatment consisted in the migraine medicine for her headaches and, because of emaciation and poor digestion, copper ointment massaged daily into the region of the spleen. Organic gastric changes had been excluded. To improve tone in general, she also had rub-downs with lukewarm saline (highly concentrated) at night. Diet was organized in such a way that she had frequent small meals.

Treatment was continued for 4 weeks, with excellent results. The headaches disappeared almost completely, with the young woman experiencing a very occasional reminder. Her appetite became exceedingly good, and the moods vanished. She gained weight, and the facial complexion was fresh. She was able to work again, where before it had not been possible to undertake strenuous work. Even the back pain was gone, and the impression was that her resistance was greatly enhanced. Thus, she coped easily with quite a severe attack of influenza, which also left no late symptoms, whereas the year before it had taken her a long time to throw off the consequences of a relatively mild attack.

Note: this case report, not recorded in Degenaar's papers, presumably came from a later period at the Institute of Clinical Medicine in Stuttgart. Concerning splenic stimulation by giving meals in a certain pattern (against the usual eating rhythms), see also Spiritual Science and Medicine (GA 312; 1920). Tr. not known. London: Rudolf Steiner Press 1975, and Lili Kolisko's Milzfunktion und Pixtt-chenfrage 1921.

Citation: Husemann, G. (1996). Splenic Massage (A. R. Meuss, Trans.). Journal of Anthroposophic Medicine, 13(3), 75.