Excitingspas

Some of the Bath treatment offered in spas.

Alkaline Sulphur Baths
Used mainly for skin diseases.

Saline Sulphur Baths
Used for gout, rheumatism and hepatic disorders.

Carbonic Acid (Nauheim) Baths
Both ’still’ and ’aerated’ baths used for heart disease.

Peat Baths
There were four kinds of peat baths:
· Mineral Peat Bath with the addition of Sulphur water.
· Brine Peat Bath
· Electric Peat Bath with a constant electric current
· Basic Peat Bath
These baths were used to treat muscular rheumatism, lumbago and sciatica.

Sulphur Foam Baths
Natural Sulphur water converted to foam by compressed air used to treat obesity, gout and arthritis.

Bergonie Treatment
The rhythmic and graduated exercise of muscles by stimulation used for obesity, insomnia and muscular and
nervous afflictions.

Thermo-Paraffin-Wax Baths
The patient was immersed in wax and afterwards massaged. Used to ease stiff and painful limbs.

Alkaline Sulphur Electric Baths
Constant, interrupted and sinusoidal currents used for muscle weakness and muscle atrophy.

Harrogate Massage Douche (Aix System)
The patient would be seated on a wooden stool or recline on a board, a continuous needle spray would be directed against their spine and a massage carried out under a warm douche in a flexible tube by the attendant. This treatment was used for gout, arthritis and lumbago.

Vichy Massage Douche
The patient would lie on a mattress while being massaged under a spray douche. This treatment was used for gout, arthritis and lumbago.

’Plombieres’ - Intestinal Lavage Treatment
This was a combined bath and sub-aqueous douche, used for constipation and mucous colitis.

Ionisation, Cataphoresis or Ionic Medication
A weak electric current would be applied to the skin through a pad to ease pain in rheumatic joints and muscles.