[Manuscript] Treatment diary and record book for an American massage therapist between 1905 - 1922

[Springfield, MA], 1905 - 1922. Original three quarter leather.. Good; backstrip abraded; binding solid; text clean. 4to, Indexed commercial notebook. Appx. 168 pp. (recto/verso) of entries. There is also an alphabetical index of patient names.

A treatment record book for an unidentified masseur. It includes both men and women, young and old. Most are identified by name, ailments, treatments, and results. In many cases there are years intervening in successive treatment. Serious ailments and injuries are addressed. They are mostly severe breaks or crushing injuries. Illnesses like polio are dealt with as are numerous cases identified only by the symptoms of the debility. Occasionally treatments are referred to as "manipulations". But no matter how they were named the aim appears to have been to relieve pain and to improve circulation to the affected area or limb. The amount of detail varies through the entries but does provide sufficient information to understand what is being attempted. The author often states the goal and how or if it was achieved.