Hydropathy

We hear every time that Water is very essential for human life, without it we can`t survive; And this is true 100%. Now I want to share with you some more use of water that surprised you.

Hydropathy, it is a term used for a system of treatment of the diseases by means of water. The proper use of water not only helps us to preserve our health but also to regain it when it is lost or impaired by eliminating all the impurities from our body. As we knew that, impurities in the body are the cause of all diseases. A healthy human body contains 70% of pure water. The body loses some water daily through the skin, lungs, urinary organs and bowels, and to continue to be healthy we must supply the same quantity of pure water to the body from the food and drink taken daily and Nature helps us in doing so if we observe her laws implicitly.

The water is a combination of two gases named Oxygen and Hydrogen. The formula of pure water is H₂O. But generally, water usually contains lime, magnesia, iron, chloride of sodium carbonic acid, silica, atmosphere air and organic substances. Water which contains mineral substances such as lime, may cause goitre, renal calculi, etc., water which contains magnesia may cause diarrhoea, water which contains iron may cause liver troubles, dyspepsia, etc. while water that contains vegetable or animal matter will cause malaria, typhoid fever, cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery, etc. Such impure water is distasteful to the tongue and unpleasant to the teeth and harmful to the stomach.

Cooler the water shorter must be its application. Cold water should not be used internally when the body gets cool, nor it is needed in anaemia, chlorosis, subnormal temperature, cyanosis and during the monthly periods of tender sex. While hot water should not be used internally or externally by weak persons who feel exhausted very easily or those who have a tendency to get fainted or those who are prone to get sunstroke or apoplexy. The sub-thermal water i.e. tepid or neutral, in most suited in the treatment of all diseases unless prescribed by any experienced hydropathic physician.

In short and simply, we use water through various methods and ways to cure disease in Hydropathy treatment.

Historical View

Historically, the treatment of diseases with water is one of the oldest methods adopted by the primitive races. They were led to try it from their natural instinct. In hindu vedas, in Ayurveda and among Europeans, all important religious book have text mentioning this theraphy in some way.

In Rigveda, the oldest religious book of the Aryans, verses are found in praise of water as the healer of diseases. These verses are repeated a day by day, by every orthodox Brahmin during his lifetime. Also daily ablutions in the Ganga river or taking a sip of the holy water, is a kind of Hydropathy mention is religious books.

Among the Spartans of Ancient Greece, cold bathing was made obligatory by law. The bath in various forms is also frequently referred to in Grecian mythology. Hippocrates evidently had an excellent understanding of the physiological properties of water both hot and cold which he employed in the treatment of fevers, ulcers, haemorrhages and a variety of maladies both medical and surgical. He understand the phenomena of reaction, since he records the observation that after a cold bath the body quickly recuperates its heat and remains warm, while a hot bath produces the opposite effect.

In 1826, Vincent Priessnitz built the first water cure establishment in Grafenberg. Hence he is known to be the founder of hydro-therapy. To quote his own words,

“In 1819, I had the misfortune of breaking my ribs by the upsetting of my carriage; the doctor (allopathic) who attended me declared that I could not recover. Hot compresses made from herb infusions were ordered but they so increased the pain that I tore them off in despair. Remembering that I had once cured a crushed finger by the application of cold water, I covered the affected parts with compresses of the same kind, the pain subsided a little and I felt into a deep sleep. After a few days I had recovered sufficiently to superintend the work of the farm. From that time forth and on every possible occasion, for ordinary illness as well as in the case of accidents I made use of cold water for myself and others with the best possible results. Every now and then neighbours came to me, and sick persons sent for me for the treatment. So I became known in the capacity of healer. The more sufferers I saw the more opportunities I had of making observations and of gaining experience.”

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