Balneology, Mineral Water, and Spas in Historical Perspective
The use of water has been such an integral part of human existence that much of the history of its use has been forgotten or integrated into every- day routine. Morning toilet, washing before meals, or cleansing of the body are obvious uses for water and need no further discussion; however, certain aspects of its use have appeared throughout the centuries and are worthy of recall.
Religion and Water
Water is a part of the ritualistic purification found in the major religions. The Ganges has significance in the Hindu religion, just as the Jordan River has importance to Judaism and Christianity. Buddhists and Muslims also relate washing to religious purity. The ancient Egyptians, Sumerians, Babylonians, and Aztecs, like the Greeks and Romans of centuries ago, developed me- dicinal and religious rites associated with water.‘”
udaism
Talmudic law emphasizes the importance of cleanliness and the use of water to accomplish it. The mikvah, the ritual bath used by woman following menstruation, il- lustrates this concept. Several biblical references to water are readily appar- ent: consecration of the priests (Ex 29:4; Lv 8:6); “sprinkle them with the water of remission” (Nm 8:7); and “Aaron and his sons shall use it in washing their hands and feet” (Ex 30:18-19). The healing aspects of the Dead Sea were known.7 In fact, the Romans who learned about its use would im- port the salts known as Judean asphalt.‘,
Christianity
Water, particularly from the Jordan River, has been a significant part of religious history. Ablutions, christen- ings, and baptismal rites all employ water by immer- sion, pouring or sprinkling, accompanied by the recital of a form of words. On Holy Thursday, Christ’s example is followed and feet are washed (Jn 134-10). In the Mass, a little water is mixed with wine prior to the consecration in memory of the blood and water that flowed out of Jesus’ side when the soldier pierced him (Jn 1934). There is also the ceremonial washing of the sacred vessel (chalice) and of the priest’s thumb and forefinger after commu- nion. Lastly, water that has been blessed and sprinkled with salt is referred to as holy water and can be used as a purifying sacramental in the church and home.
Islam
Muslims are required to wash five times a day before each of the daily prayers. The face, neck, hands, and arms should be cleansed. Water from “Zamzam” is considered holy. As a re- sult, many believers use it for aiding in the curing of various diseases
Greco-Roman Influence
Bathing was an important part of the early Greek civi- lization. The Athenians had private baths at first, before converting to public baths, something established by the Lacedaemonians. Homer extolled the virtues of bathing in treating disease.” Hippocrates (460-370 BCE) included water, along with earth, air, and fire, as one of the elements of the four humors to be used in determining sickness and health. The baths could have a strong influence over the humors.” Asclepiades (c. 124 BCE) subsequently introduced general hydrotherapy for his patients and used drink- ing water as an important part of his therapeutic regi- men.” He recommended bathing both as a therapy and as a preventative. This was rapidly accepted by the Ro- mans, who were fascinated by the Grecian use of water and adapted their ideas. The original baths of Rome had mainly been cold water. In the reign of the Caesars, the number of baths was increasing rapidly, with both hot (tepidaria or cali- daria) and cold (frigidaria) water; there were the well- known thermae of Titus, Caracalla, and Constantine. Bathing places developed elsewhere, such as in Aix les Bains, Bagneres de Biogorre, and Thermoplylae. Pliny the Elder (23-79 CE) wrote about several differ- ent types of water and how they should be used. Sulfur springs could repair muscular weakness, whereas the alum springs were used for treating paralysis. Bitumen springs caused purging for the healing of interior de- fects, and the alkaline springs were similar but could also lessen scrofula. Sea bathing was found to be salu- brious. Water could be used for the treatment of gout, foot disease, sciatica, fever, psoriasis, and wounds, just to list a few of the conditions needing intervention.12 Galen (131-203) advocated using water first for the treatment of a variety of diseases. He favored cold wa- ter, a concept that would be adopted periodically throughout the next two millennia.” Water and baths became a part of European civiliza- tion, as might be expected from the influence of the Roman Empire. In the first century C.E., the Romans developed public baths in Bath and in nearby Bristol in what would become England.13 In Germany, public baths were accepted and steam baths were introduced for treatment,14 and, in Eastern Europe, the Turks and Russians adopted vapor baths.
The Dark Ages With the fall of the Roman Empire in 476 and the rise of Christianity, bathing began to be discouraged. The elaborate Roman baths that existed in the Empire were abandoned.5 No longer could the Romans use the baths and very hot water to renew their appetites and thirst after lengthy feasts so that they could return to the cu- linary orgies. The baths had become such centers of various sexual practices that there were special bath police to protect the population. In fact, the word bag- nio became synonymous with brotheLi The early Christian Church was appalled at the bath house practices and interdicted ceremonial baths. Many of the elaborate facilities fell into disrepair, with some being redeveloped as churches, whereas others sur- vived for the royalty, who seemed not to be affected by the church decrees.5 By the 10th century, many Arabian physicians were known to recommend water for the treatment of dis- ease. Rhazes of Ray (841-926) used cold water in the treatment of patients afflicted with smallpox or measles.” Avicenna (980-l 037) and Haly Abbas (?-994) also advocated water therapies.
Medieval Period
Before the Rennaisance, little attention was paid to wa- ter in England, where many of the clergy bathed only on Easter Monday.17 The Iberian peninsula benefitted from the Moorish influence, for spas began to appear, at least in the Cordova region. In Poland, the hot springs of Ladek-Zdorj were much sought after as early as 1137.
Italy
By the 16th century, several well-known Italian physi- cians began to direct their attention toward balneology. Taking the cure and imbibing the waters were well known, but the physicians had lost control of their use. To combat the problem, Andrea Bacci, in De Thermis (Venice, 15711, traced the use of water from the time of Galen and rediscovered old baths. He taught that the use of the waters was a sound discipline and not an empiric approach.” Ugolino from Montecatini was so influential that he was consulted by the Florentine authorities about the merits of Bagno a Morbo, a salubrious spring in Volt- erra. In his treatise De Balneis (1417), which did not become popular until the next century, he recom- mended the mineral waters in Montecatini for the treat- ment of skin disease, arthritis,and wormsi
E?IgllUld Over the next two hundred years, interest in water re- sumed in England, where such notable physicians as Edmund Deane (1632)‘ Edward Jorden (16311, and Sir John Floyer (1649-1734) recognized the value of mineral water for the treatment of a number of ailments.‘0,20 The Queen Wells, published in 1632 by Ludovic Rowzee of Ashford, includes a lengthy list of diseases that would benefit from mineral water. Among them are pimples and gonorrhea, as well as rheumatic diseases and ner- vous conditions.”
0 Comments