Name:
Hydropathy
Hygieotherapy
Founder:
Name: Vincent Priessnitz
Born: 1799
Died: 1851
Profile:
Hydropathy was developed as a form of alternative medicine based upon the principle that
water is the most basic element and also the most important aspect to good health. Popular
during the 19th century throughout Europe and America, the basic therapy involved being
wrapped tightly in wet sheets for hours on end while laying down, soaking and sweating.
After enough sweating had occurred, the patient was removed and placed in a cold bath (or
shower) and made to drink as much water as possible. This process would be repeated over
and over through many days and even weeks. The basic purpose was to rid the body of
accumulated foul substances and rejuvinate it through the curative powers of nature.
Hydropathy would slowly change, eventually acquiring the new label Hygieotherapy, a therapeutic system based upon the principle of maintaining good hygeine. Good hygeine was, in turn, not simply a question of physical but also of moral and spiritual practice. The goal of Hygieotherapy was to purify the body and the spirit, something which was a good fit with the generally progressive political attitudes of the times. Hygieotherapy drew heavily upon the ideas of Sylvester Graham, creator of the alternative medicine system known as Grahamism.
Also Known As: none
Alternate Spellings: none
Common Misspellings: none
Related Resources:
What is Alternative Medicine?
There's an awful lot in the news and in society about "alternative medicines" these days. By some estimates, it's an industry doing between $15 and $20 billion annually - and growing! But what is alternative medicine - how does it differ from scientific medicine and why do people use it?Skepticism & Critical Thinking
This is the main index for issues dealing with skepticism, critical thinking, logic and arguments. The first section is Critical Thinking itself - how to think about claims and arguments you hear, how to critique arguments, and how to formulate your own arguments such that they are more likely to be sound and valid. The second section is about Skeptical Investigations - the practical application of the critical thinking skills covered in the first section. Here you will find critiques of things like astrology, alternative medicine, parapsychology, the New Age and more.
