Balneotherapy ( lat. Balneum , bath, bath, bathing + Greek therapéia , treatment [1] ) - section of physiotherapy and balneology [2] , treatment with mineral waters (local and common baths, washing in the pools). Balneotherapy includes various souls, as well as the use of mineral water for drinking, irrigation and intestinal lavage, for inhalation, etc.
Content
History
In the V century BC, the ancient Greek scientist Herodotus developed a method of use and indications for the appointment of mineral waters. In the writings of Hippocrates (V-IV centuries BC. E.) Mentions the healing properties of river, salt and sea water. Roman doctor Archigen (I century) first classified mineral waters. In the 15th century, Girolamo Savonarola published a treatise “On Italian Mineral Waters”, containing instructions on the use of mineral baths. In the 16th century, the lectures of the Italian doctor G. Fallopia “Seven books about warm waters” were published, in which the author tried to find out the chemical composition of mineral waters.
In the 16th century, practical experiments were carried out that proved the effectiveness of hydrotherapy for external (skin) injuries and diseases. But then for some time balneology went into the background. At the end of the XVIII century, thanks to the scientific work of the English doctor Currie, the water again entered the “circle of trust” of physicians. In the 1830s, the famous founder of modern hydrotherapy, the Austrian peasant Vincent Prisnitz (1790-1851), added credibility to hydrotherapy.
The scientific use of mineral waters was started by the works of the German scientist F. Hoffmann , who for the first time established the chemical composition of mineral waters and the presence in them of salts of carbonic acid , salt , magnesium sulphate and the like.
The Swedish chemist I. Ya. Bertselius made in 1822 accurate chemical analyzes of the mineral springs of Carlsbad (now Karlovy Vary in the Czech Republic ) and developed methods for determining the composition of mineral waters.
Balneology in Russia
In Russia, the first steps in the field of balneology were made during the reign of Peter I , who was personally convinced of the effectiveness of treatment with mineral waters. At the end of the 18th century, a systematic description of all Russian mineral waters in German appeared [3] . Later, more than modest attempts were made to study domestic waters, so for the entire XIX century there are only six to seven episodes (events and discoveries) related to mineral waters.
Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Lozinsky conducted the first experimental studies in Russia in the field of balneology, developed the theory of the balneotoxic action of mineral waters and mud treatment [4] .
See also
- Mineral waters (resorts)
- Hydrotherapy
- Thalassotherapy
Notes
- ↑ Soviet Encyclopedic Dictionary / Ch. ed. A.M. Prokhorov . - 4th ed. - M .: Soviet Encyclopedia, 1988. - 1600 p.
- ↑ Ulashchik, 2008 .
- ↑ Storozhev G. R. "Course of balneotherapy of a privat-docent of the imperial Moscow University". M., 1893. Pp. four.
- ↑ P. E. Zabludovsky. Lozinsky Alexander Alexandrovich / edited by B. B. Petrovsky. - Big medical encyclopedia. - T. 13.
Literature
- Ulashchik V.S. Balneo- // Physiotherapy. Universal medical encyclopedia. - Mn. : Book House, 2008. - p. 67-75. - 640 s.
- Balneotherapy // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron : in 86 tons (82 tons and 4 add.). - SPb. , 1890-1907.
- Balneology // Encyclopedic dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron : in 86 tons (82 tons and 4 extra). - SPb. , 1890-1907.
- Leisure, pleasure, and healing , Brill, 2007 (illustrated). ISBN 900415681X
- Carola Koenig, Specialized Hydro-, Balneo-and Medicinal Bath Therapy. Publisher: iUniverse, 2005. ISBN 0-595-36508-6
- Anne Williams, Spa bodywork: a guide for massage therapists. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2006. ISBN 0-7817-5578-6