Antall József szerk.: Pictures from the Past of the Healing Arts / Orvostörténeti Közlemények – Supplementum 5. (Budapest, 1972)

Pictures from the Past of the Healing Arts (Guide for the Exhibition)

VII. BALNEOLOGY IN OLD HUNGARY Similar to the pharmacy jars, balneology is also presented as a separate unit and not within the general chronological order. Water cure is one of the oldest methods of healing. Hungary has always been rich in health resorts and spa as Aquincum, the "capital" of Pannónia was famous for its baths which refers to the fact that the Romans knew the thermal springs well. According to the records, the medical orders under the Kings of the House of Árpád, founded baths next to their monasteries. The first public bath in Hungary was founded by St. Stephen (1001-1038) in 1005 next to the xenodochium at Pécsvárad. It had four nurses and six servants. During the Turkish occupation balneology flourished in Hungary. (Hungarian soaps were reputed already in the 16th century). The first book on balneology was published in Basle in 1549 entitled "Hypomnemation, de admirandis Hungáriáé Aquis" ("A short review on the wonderful waters of Hungary") written by György Wernĥer, constable of Sáros county (now Saris in Czechoslovakia). The life of the European health resorts from the 15th century onwards is represented in the engravings exhibited. In the middle of the 17th century Tamás Jordan (1539-1585) gave an analysis on the medicinal waters of Trencsény (Trencin, Czechoslovakia). This first attempt was followed by several works rendering a chemical analysis of the thermal waters. The most significant ones are presented in the show-cases of the exhibition. From the beginning of the 19th century onwards the health resorts of the Monarchy became more and more fashionable among the Hungarian nobility, gradually assuming the features of a middle class. The Bohemian glass industry, famous for its refined taste and excellent technique, supplied the visitors with beautiful spa glasses. (Plate XIII.) (Water cure can be traced back to the 16th century.) In the first show-case referring to balneology we present spa glasses mostly of Bohemian origin, while in the second one the execution of which is perhaps somewhat simpler but their shaping preserves the best traditions of Hungarian glass making... Books on balneology, coins and plaques complete the material on show. Coloured prints from the last century mark the end of this part of the exhibition.