Kapronczay Károly szerk.: Orvostörténeti Közlemények 188-189. (Budapest, 2004)

KÖZLEMÉNYEK - COMMUNICATIONS - Koltay Erika: History of alternative medicine in Hungary in 19th and early 20th century. - Az alternatív orvoslás története Magyarországon a 19. és a korai 20. században

widespread throughout the Habsburg Monarchy during the 19th century. Three names must be mentioned in connection with hydrotherapy: Vinzenz Priessnitz (1799-1851), a Silesian peasant, Johann Schroth (1800-1856), a carter in Lindweise and Sebastian Kneipp (18211897), the parson of Wörishofen. In their practice cold water formed the basis of the therapy, supplemented by a certain diet, physical exercises, sunbathing and fresh air. This trend included all means which, among the methods of alternative healing, suited the best the change of approach experienced in the attitudes towards nature. Vinzenz Priessnitz, a Silesian smallholder established a curative institute in Gräfenberg to utilise the wonderful curing power of clear water. Patients were attracted from all parts of Europe, mainly from the nobility, well-to-do army officers and officials. Gräfenberg enjoyed great popularity in Hungary as well, as it can be detected in the list of patients. Based on these lists, the proportion of Hungarians attending the curative institute between 1839-1853 was 10 percent of the total number of visitors. (Csorna 2002:78-79) The Hungarian visitors left lasting marks behind: they established a hotel, they built wells, promenades, a casino and a fencing hall. "The fact that the strict curing institute could become a high standard spa enjoying world fame by the end of the 1840s and it could cope with other great spas of the Monarchy, was the result of major changes in developing the town and making it more attractive: these activities were initiated and supported by Baron Miklós Wesselényi ofZsibó." In addition to Wesselényi, other famous personalities can also be mentioned among the visitors of the spa: Mihály Tompa, Miklós Barabás, members of the Széchenyi, Zichy and Andrássy families. (Csorna 2002:81) Besides the above, it was the personality of Priessnitz itself that added to the popularity of Gräfenberg. He personally looked after his patients, developed specific therapies for them, and it was actually this relationship between the patients and the healer which made Gräfenberg unique among the spas. According to the basic principle of Priessnitz "it is not cold water itself that cures one but the heat induced by cold water". (Csoma 2001:32) Besides the cold water showers and baths, other important elements of the cure included water cure and regular exercises. Priessnitz achieved the best results with neurotics, and "the best proof of that is the fact that one of his famous successors, Josef Reinhold spa physician being in practice from 1913, altered the hydrotherapeutic institute into one of neuro-physiology, which has been operating as such until the present day." (Csoma 2001:38) After the death of Priessnitz in 1851, the popularity of Gräfenberg regularly decreased, and "it was not developed into a world-spa, as it happened with the spas in western Bohemia, like Karlsbad, Marienbad or Franzensbad." (Kósa 1999:24) Another reason for this phenomenon was that cold water therapy did not require any specific equipment, thus it could be applied without any difficulty in other spas as well. The enterprise of Johann Schroth, a carter, nearly coincided with the operation of the institute in Gräfenberg, considering both its site and the period of its operation. Schroth used Priessnitz's therapeutic method which was useful against all types of diseases, except for "cancer and similar new formations, progressive tuberculosis, organic heart diseases and the absence of parts of the nervous system." (Schroth 1911:18) Schroth thought that the healer of Gräfenberg did not pay proper attention to dieting, therefore, he prescribed a specific diet for his patients: in the starting phase patients could only have dry rolls and light, natural, clean wine for the first three days. (Schroth 1911:7) Schroth was wrong in