The history of medicine is full of strange tools and techniques of questionable effectiveness. In the past we explored the best examples of atomic quackery, tobacco 'recommended' by doctors, and the supposed benefits of masturbation in the treatment of 'female hysteria'... but photographic records are irresistible to us, and this time we came across sessions of 'galvanic baths' that combine electrotherapy and hydrotherapy. Although we should analyze the context, deep down a small voice shouts that mixing water and electricity is a bad idea....
A Brief History of Hydrotherapy
The concept of hydrotherapy is much older than we think. Egyptians, Greeks and Romans used it widely. Hippocrates prescribed baths to treat diseases, while in Asia hot springs were frequently used (and still are) to relieve certain conditions. But at the beginning of the 19th century the galvanic bath variant emerged, boosted by the efforts of Jennie Kidd Trout, the first licensed female doctor in Canada.
What Is a Galvanic Bath?
In essence, the galvanic bath can be whole body, or with the application of 'four cells' occupied by the limbs, which is an advantage for the patient since they remain seated and with clothes on. The circulating hypothesis suggests that combining water at a mild temperature (between 30 and 40 degrees Celsius) with very low intensity, properly insulated electric currents can treat degenerative diseases like arthritis and other joint problems.
Alternative Medicine and Its Popularity
The galvanic bath belongs to the category of alternative medicine (of which we already have too much), and apparently no modern study confirms or denies its benefits. However, at the beginning of the 20th century they were very popular, and photographic records of their sessions are abundant. Below, a small sample... but don't go away! We also have the case of the so-called 'light therapy' for you to see....
