"Marina-Trinkkur" and a few more modern-time hydrotherapeutic myths from the Kvarner region of NW Croatia.
OBJECTIVE
The present paper tries to address the rise and decay of the sea-water "cult" in regional health tourism in NW Croatia, concentrating upon and analysing more thoroughly the example of Marina, chemically processed sea water, an invention of Dr Géza Fodor, the Hungarian physician practicing in that part of Croatia.


METHODS
The original documents and archived items related to the topic were examined. Furthermore, we investigated numerous communal bulletins and medical authorities' records of respective time.


RESULTS
Our research showed that the sea-water baths, introduced thanks to the influence of balneologists (like J. Glax), and "drinking cures" (advocated by M.-J. Ortel, for instance) were surprisingly popular not only among tourists of the time, but also among the physicians that used them extensively for therapeutical purposes. These baths and "drinking cures" enriched and completed the medical offer of the resorts regardless of their sometimes dubious effectiveness.


CONCLUSIONS
This simple distilled sea-water preparation, advertised as a real panacea, demonstrates a paradigm that elucidates the mentality of physicians, merchants, and patients/consumers of the time.
Muzur
Amir
A
Department of Medical History, Rijeka University School of Medicine, B.Branchetta 20, Rijeka, Croatia.
Skrobonja
Ante
A
Prunk
Adriana
A
Frković
Vedran
V
Azman
Josip
J
D001452:Balneology / Q000266:history*; D017523:Croatia; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans