title: [Priest Sebastian Kneipp and his hydrotherapeutic method. Point of view after over one hundred years].
abstract: Vincenz Priestnitz (1799-1851) and Wilhelm Winternitz (1835-1905) were creators of world hydrotherapy. Sebastian Kneipp (1821-1893), the priest at Worishofen, the owner of the hydro-therapeutic infirmary where are found precursors of many hydro-therapeutic methods. He was the author of several popular books based on his experience. The book "My water treatment" is best known. He was also a builder of the curative houses, such as: Sebastianeum, Kneip pianeum, Kinder-Asyl. About 25 thousand people from far-away lands yearly were Kneipp's patients. Pourning, wrapings, compresses, rinsing off, total-baths and partial-baths were used often. The aim of this paper is to present Kneipp's silhouette and his sometimes uncritical hydro-therapeutic methods.
authors.affiliation: Zakład Klinicznych Podstaw Fizjoterapii, Akademii Medycznej im. Piastów Slaskich we Wrocławiu.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kierzek
mesh_terms: D005858:Germany; D049672:History, 19th Century; D006801:Humans; D006875:Hydrotherapy / Q000266:history*; D008297:Male; D010810:Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine / Q000266:history; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D012068:Religion and Medicine