Hydrotherapy in Germany
The peasants of Germany had been using most of the water treatments employed by Priessnitz since before the middle of the eighteenth century. Priessnitz himself added little to these ideas, but he did combine them into a system. While that system would now be called crude and unscientific, yet, because of his keen observations of the effects of various applications upon each patient, Priessnitz was able to secure far better results than would most others who lacked as com¬pletely as he did any knowledge of such subjects as anatomy and physiology.And many with such knowledge have failed to secure such favorable results, because they have been con¬tent with a smattering of knowledge of hydrotherapy and have failed to adapt their measures as perfectly to each indi¬vidual requirement as did this German peasant. Priessnitz has been called the “Father of Water Cure,” but a much broader title has also been given to him, namely, “Father of Natural Healing Methods.”
To Wilhelm Winternitz, a Viennese physician and hydro-therapist (1835-1917), belongs the credit of placing hydro-therapy upon a really sound and scientific basis. Many others have done considerable work along the same lines, but in no case has it measured up to that of Winternitz. However, Dr.