Patients: 15 patients (2 males) with bronchial asthma diagnosed based on the standard criteria (6) were included in the study. Their ages ranged from 19 to 42 years (group average±SD., 31.1±4.6 years). None of the patients were on medication during the study. Both seasonal and perennial asthmatics were included.
Assessments: The Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR) was recorded using the Wright peak flow meter (Airmed Clement Clarkes  International,  England)  as  per  the standard method of Wright and Mckerrow [8]. The subjects were instructed to take  a  maximal inspiration and blow into the mouth piece of the  device  rapidly  and forcefully, while standing. The values of PEFR achieved in 3 successive attempts were recorded and the  highest  of  3 values was taken for analysis. Symptom scores were recorded depending upon the presence of (I) breathlessness, (ii) cough with expectoration and (iii) wheezing. The  three  symptoms  were  scored   as  ‘1  =  present’  or ‘0 = absent’. In  addition  to the baseline record, the PEFR was also  recorded  before, during  and  immediately  after a cold chest pack applied once daily from Day 1 to Day 21.
Design of the study: Assessments were done on the first day (Day 1) and on the last day (Day 21) of a 21 day naturopathy treatment, at a nature cure hospital in South India. Also, the PEFR was recorded before, during and immediately after a cold chest pack daily.
Specific intervention: The chest pack, consisted of a cotton cloth, approximately 2.5 m long and 0.5 m wide, which was soaked in water at room temperature and wrung out completely. It was then applied over the chest, covering both front and back, followed by a wrapping of woolen flannel of the same dimensions  as  the cotton cloth [9]. The pack was removed after 30 min.
Other treatments: Apart from a chest pack, various other naturopathy treatments were given such as hydrotherapy [steam bath, arm bath, foot bath, enema, spinal bath and hip bath (90 min)], fasting (3 days with fruit juices) and diet therapy (controlled vegetarian diet twice a day), magnet and color  therapy  (60  min),  acupuncture  (15  min), mud packs (90 min) and massage therapy (45 min), along with yoga therapy [yoga postures, voluntarily regulated breathing, cleansing  practices and meditation (120 min)] for all the patients during the 21 days of treatment.
Data analysis: The data were analyzed using (I) the two factor analysis of variance (ANOVA), for the PEFR readings made before, during and after the chest pack, where Factor A = Day 1 versus Day 21 and Factor B = the 3 assessments (before, during and after the chest pack) and (ii) the t-test for paired data was done for Day 21 versus Day 1 comparisons of PEFR values and symptom scores.