When his son Manilal had a severe attack of typhoid fever, Gandhi was in a fix. The doctor wanted to give him eggs and chicken broth, but Manilal being the son of a strict vegetarian was too conscientious to think of it. Manilal's condition was getting critical. Gandhi's anxiety was at its highest. "I cannot bear to see you in this agony" said Gandhi in a choking voice. "I know and have tried hydropathic treatment and believe in it. But I will not impose it upon you. I will call in a doctor if you wish."
"No" said Manilal "let me die in your hands rather than in a doctor's, I will not take eggs or meat. I do not wish to live at that price."
The water treatment was administered. It consisted of a damp bed sheet wrapped around Manilal's body, over which a dry blanket was spread. On the head was placed a wet towel. The child was very thirsty and so his temperature increased. He shivered from head to foot, but Gandhi was not discouraged. He prayed while the treatment went on, and to the very great surprise of all, the child was much better the next day. Manilal lived many years afterwards.
When Gandhi was at Sevagram, a leper called Parchure Sastry came to him. He was asked to stay in the ashram and for some years Gandhi attended on the leper. He dressed the Sastry's sores himself daily. When Smt. Sushila Nayyar objected to this saying that she herself would do it, Gandhi said "why should I leave off this happy work? Surely, this is worth much more than all my travelling. Enough work is being done in the spinning wheel, but by serving the leper, I serve God."
He had always a soft corner for the sick. When he was in Africa, he worked in a hospital dispensary, to give quick relief to the suffering patients. The superintendent of the hospital was pleased with his service to the patients. "The patients are happy to see you here" he would say.
Gandhi carried a first aid box wherever he went. This box contained castor oil, quinine and other common medicines. One day he felt a shooting pain in his ear. The ashram people were upset. He prayed silently and poured warm castor oil into his ear. In a few days, the ear was cured.
During one of his many visits to London, Gandhi was put in the same room as Charles Bradlaugh, when both were ill. Gandhi suffered from pleurisy. He did not want the doctors to attend on him. He wanted the power of nature to cure him. He treated himself with earth compresses and recovered.