Johann Bauhin and the German thermal baths
print this pageJohann Bauhin (1541-1613) was the physician of the Duke of Württemberg and in De aquis medicatis, he describes the thermal baths in the area, in Bad Boll, including a clinical diary of the patients’ stays and the therapeutic effects on them, from August to October 1596: healing of scabies by "Goergius Gerbeuser ex Donckelspiel... 38. annorum rusticus" or on relief by "Barbara Geyger ex Sveviae Munchingen... annorum 25. maritata" from "Tumorpedis cum ulceribus, & magnis doloribus" (p. 61), and so on. The diary includes a list of illnesses for which the thermal baths are recommended.
Various ways of using the thermal waters are illustrated, "balneo, potu, vapore, stillicidio, clystere, fotu, luto" (p. 88), accompanied by recommendations for eating and resting, for avoiding misuse and the damages which may ensue, illustrated in a chapter with instructions which also considers previous literature. Among the side effects: "dolore capitis, somno immodico o vigiliis superfluis, convulsione, vertigine, debilitate visus, tussi, appetentia immoderata, vomitu, sudore & calore totius corporis, ac etiam febri" as well as "animi defectu" (p. 150-177).
From a family of doctors and naturalists, Johann Bauhin was best known for his botanical skills: in the appendix of the work, also with beautiful illustrations, he describes fossils as well as varieties of apples grown in the Duke’s garden.