Hydrotherapy History

Question 1

How much water does the average person need to take in daily to stay healthy?

Answer 1

2.5 Liters a day

Question 2

What did Priessnitz observe about water?

Answer 2

He observed the wounded stag going to the water daily over time to heal its wounds.

Question 3

In Ayurvedic Medicine what does “Ether” govern?

Answer 3

Ether governs space both outside and within the body.

Question 4

In Ayurvedic Medicine what does “Air” govern?

Answer 4

Air governs movement within the body.

Question 5

In Ayurvedic Medicine what does “Fire” govern?

Answer 5

Fire governs the metabolic fire and metabolism.

Question 6

In Ayurvedic Medicine what does “Water” govern?

Answer 6

Water governs bodily fluids.

Question 7

In Ayurvedic Medicine what does “Earth” govern?

Answer 7

Earth governs the bones, hair, nails, teeth, and solid waste.

Question 8

What are the two similarities with water practice in cultures across the planet?

Answer 8

Cultures across the planet have used water to cleanse the body and to renew the spirit.

Question 9

What is the large Hindu ritual of Kumbh Mela?

Answer 9

This water ritual meets every 12 years in 4 separate rivers to bathe for spiritual cleansing and renewal.

Question 10

What is the Islamic tradition of water and prayer?

Answer 10

The tradition speaks of cleansing before prayer and as such bathing houses were located near Mosques.

Question 11

What role does water have in Buddhist traditions?

Answer 11

Traditional Buddhist temples had separate buildings with bathing facilities used in purification rites for the monks.

Question 12

What role does water have in American Indian culture?

Answer 12

Sweat lodges are an important part of spiritual practice, medical practice, as well as rite of passage.

Question 13

What role does water pay in the Judeo-Christian Tradition?

Answer 13

The ritual of bathing the feet of others as an act of humility and purification. Baptism as a ritual of rebirth and cleansing of sin. Healing waters within the bible. Holy water used by priests to heal and sanctify.

Question 14

Who created the most elaborate bath houses, that eventually aided to the fall of the empire through the spread of disease?

Answer 14

The Romans build massive elaborate bath houses that eventually spread disease. As well as lead poisoning.

Question 15

When did the Hydrotherapy resurgence happen and why?

Answer 15

In the late 1700’s and early 1800’s for a method used to decrease the spread of disease.

Question 16

Who was Vincent Priessnitz (1696-1733)?

Answer 16

Born in Graefenberg, Silesia now part of the Czech Republic. He was raised on the family farm and without formal schooling. He learned from observing the animals and how they healed quickly with cold water applications.

Question 17

How did Vincent Priessnitz use hydrotherapy the further health?

Answer 17

He used the priessnitz cold compress to heal himself through an injury of the wrist. He used this Priessnitz compress to heal farm animals, workers, and neighbors. He established quite a reputation that drew people from afar. So much so that the Austrian government build roads so that people could reach him. He treated acute and chronic illness including small pox.

Question 18

What were Vincent Priessnitz’s hydrotherapy applications and remedies?

Answer 18

His treatments consisted mostly of cold water applications and cold water drinking – with sweating treatments between cold water applications and plenty of exercise to improve the circulation. He also included a simple diet, exposure to fresh air and rest.

Question 19

Who was Father Sebastian Kneipp (1821-1897)?

Answer 19

As a child he suffered from Tuberculosis. He wanted deeply to become a priest, but his family lacked the money for his education. He found a small book about the curative powers of hydrotherapy (Johann Sigmund Hahn’s Lectures on the Wonderful Healing Power of Fresh Water) and began giving himself water treatments.

Question 20

How did Father Sebastian Kneipp use hydrotherapy to further health?

Answer 20

His mother was an herbalist who taught Kneipp about herbs as a child. He added his knowledge of herbs to the water cure to great effect.

Question 21

What were Father Sebastian Kneipp’s hydrotherapy applications and remedies?

Answer 21

He finally made the priesthood, but couldn’t keep himself from helping the sick with his cold water cures.

Question 22

Who was Benedict Lust (18772-1943)?

Answer 22

Born in Germany, he contracted TB after travelling to various parts of the world. He returned to Germany to die, but ended up becoming a patient of Fr. Kneipp. His health improved rapidly under Kneipp’s care and he fully regained his health.

Question 23

How did Benedict Lust use hydrotherapy to further health?

Answer 23

Having lost and regained his health made him determined to share the benefits of this cure with others.In 1896 Kneipp sanctioned Lust with the task of taking his Nature Cure to the United States.

Question 24

What were Benedict Lust’s hydrotherapy applications and remedies?

Answer 24

Eventually he opened a sanatorium, started a magazine (the Kneipp Water Cure Monthly – which he later named The Naturopath), and founded a college. Applications included water gushing.

Question 25

Who was Henry Lindlahr, MD (1862-1924)?

Answer 25

He was a successful businessman who was diagnosed with Diabetes mellitus and not expected to live. He travelled to Europe to find the best doctor he could and ended up seeing Fr. Kneipp. Within a year he had reversed his Diabetes and under the new routine lost weight and gained vitality.

Question 26

How did Henry Lindlahr use hydrotherapy to further health?

Answer 26

He opened Dr. Lindlahr’s Sanitarium for Nature Cure and Osteopathy in Chicago in 1913. He advocated a Return to Nature – primarily concerned with diet. He emphasized vegetarianism, although didn’t preach it. His “foundation diet” was the precursor to our ‘elimination diet’ for finding offending foods.

Question 27

What were Henry Lindlahr’s hydrotherapy applications and remedies?

Answer 27

Elementary remedies – air, water, light, electricity, cold water hydrotherapy, fever baths, air baths, sunbathing, chromotherapy.

Chemical remedies – herbs and homeopathy

Mechanical remedies – “Neurotherapy” which was a combination of osteopathy, chiropractic, napropathy, neuropathy, Swedish movement and massage

Mental/Spiritual remedies – strong proponent of New Thought which taught about the power of the mind to combat disease and promote wellness.

Question 28

What is the modern nature cure lineage in the west post Benedict Lust?

Answer 28

O.G. Carroll (1879-1962)

Harold Dick, ND (1921-1994)

Leo Scott, ND

Dr. Letitia Dick ( Dr. Letitia Watrous)

Question 29

Who was O.G. Carroll (1879-1962)?

Answer 29

As a young man stricken with arthritis and healed from his affliction under the guidance of Dr. LeDoux, who had studied with Father Kneipp, he in turn studied with Dr. LeDoux and Dr. Lindlahr in Chicago. He then moved to Spokane, Washington, where he became licensed as a sanipractor.

Question 30

How did O.G. Carroll contribute to health?

Answer 30

Based on his interest in electrotherapy he decided to combine the applications of hot and cold packs with electrical stimulation and called it Constitutional Hydrotherapy.

Question 31

What were O.G. Carroll’s applications and remedies?

Answer 31

Constitutional hydrotherapy. According to Dr. Carroll, the constitutional hydrotherapy was twice as effective in a much shorter time than the standard hydrotherapy of the day.

Question 32

Who was Harold Dick, ND (1921-1994)?

Answer 32

He was working as an auto mechanic in Boise, Idaho when he took his chronically ill brother to see Dr. O.G. Carroll.

Studied naturopathic medicine after his brother was cured by Dr. Carroll so he could practice hydrotherapy and natural medicine.

Question 33

How did Harold Dick contribute to health?

Answer 33

5 things have the power to create a cure:
 
Diet
 
Hydrotherapy
 
 Homeopathy
 
 Acupuncture
 
 Protomorphogens

Question 34

What were Harold Dick’s applications and remedies?

Answer 34

Used Constitutional Hydrotherapy as the basis of his treatments

Utilized cell salts and protomorphogens to remedy nutritional deficiencies

Had all patients avoid their food intolerances through the use of the Carroll Test

Used the Kneipp herbal formulas

Question 35

Who is Letitia Dick , ND?

Answer 35

She learned Naturopathy growing up – learning from observing her father

In 1990 she graduated from NCNM and returned to practice under her father until he died in 1994.

Question 36

How does Letitia Dick continue to contribute to health?

Answer 36

Each new patient is evaluated with:
Bolen blood test
Chapman’s reflex points
 Iridology
Acoustic cardiograph
Carroll food intolerance test 
Any relevant lab tests

Question 37

What are Letitia Dick ‘s applications and remedies?

Answer 37

Currently she uses the Constitutional Hydrotherapy system of cure to treat acute and chronic disease in the same clinic her father built in Spokane, Washington.