Background , dedicated to pastor Sebastian Kneipp for his 76th birthday In the 19th century, there was a popular revival in the application of
hydrotherapy, instigated around 1829 by
Vincent Priessnitz, a peasant farmer in
Gräfenberg, then part of the
Austrian Empire. In 1893, M. E. Bottey described Kneipp's water cures as "dangerous in most cases". Wörishofen became known as a place with a reputation for spiritual healing. After being ordained in 1852, he continued to experiment with water treatments in his parish. Kneipp began working with the cures developed by Vincenz Priessnitz but developed a more complex and gentle method. His gentle cures contrast the earlier water cures that he referred to as horse cures for their strenuous nature. Kneipp's treatment of patients also contrasted that of hospital medicine because it was personalized and took into account the patient's individual strengths and weaknesses. Kneipp's approach comes from his theory that all diseases originate in the circulatory system. This theory is similar to
humoral theory. Like those who believed in humoral theory, Kneipp asserted that breathing miasmatic or excessively hot air would lead to disease. While it may deal with one humor instead of four, his theory still asserts that an imbalance in the blood whether it be circulation or foreign matter is the root of disease. Under Kneipp's depiction of disease, water cures work by affecting the blood. They dissolve foreign matter, cleanse the blood of this matter, aid in circulation, and strengthen the body as a whole.
Lifestyle In addition to specific cures, Kneipp had prescriptions with regard to food, drink, and clothing. He believed that food should be dry and simple and should not be spicy. He also believed that people should drink primarily water but also allowed consumption of alcohol in moderation. As for clothing, Kneipp preferred self-spun clothing made of linen or hemp over wool.
Personal ideology Kneipp's approach to medicine was not independent of his Catholic faith. His focus on water and herbs stems from the idea that remedies are naturally provided by God. His emphasis on plain food, drink, and clothing comes from the theory that humans should live in accord with nature. He used scripture as well as references to Roman practice to support the reasoning behind his cure and admitted that his treatments did not fall in line with current scientific understanding. The fact that his treatments were not based in scientific theory did not bother Kneipp because they were seen as able to succeed where scientific medicine could not. Sebastian Kneipp had a particular dedication to helping the poor and those that physicians can't help. His suffering early in life caused Kneipp to develop a deep sympathy for those less fortunate than him. He turned down many patients that could feasibly recover on their own but claims to have never refused to treat a patient that is poor or untreatable by other methods.
Publications Kneipp's book
My Water Cure was published in 1886 with many subsequent editions, and translated into many languages. He also wrote "Thus Shalt Thou Live", "My Will", and
The Care of Children in Sickness and in Health. ==Legacy==