Thermalism in Spain
Modern thermalism in Spain began with the Royal Decree of Ferdinand VII of June 29, 1816, which created the Corpo de Médicos de Baños (Corpo de Médicos Directores de Baños), with administrative, investigative and clinical functions in the most frequented Spanish spas.[15].
In 1817 the Regulation of the mineral waters and baths of Spain was issued, which ordered that the Bath Doctors supervise the thermal facilities, attend to the bathers and prepare an annual report with clinical and analytical observations. Between 1816 and 1936, more than 100 springs of public utility were declared in Spain.
On February 23, 1877, the Spanish Society of Medical Hydrology (SEHM), one of the oldest medical-scientific societies in Spain, was founded, with Benigno Villafranca") as general secretary and José Salgado y Guillermo") as president.[16].
The second half of the century and the beginning of the century marked the golden age of Spanish thermalism. Spas such as Mondariz (declared Villa Termal in 1873, the only one with its own municipality), Archena, Panticosa, Cestona, Solares or Hervideros de Cofrentes (1902) became meeting centers for the European aristocracy and bourgeoisie.[17].
The large hotel complexes competed with the best European establishments: the Balneario de La Toja with its Gran Hotel (1907), Mondariz with its pioneering bottling plant (1874), Archena with its casino (1898), and Panticosa, which achieved international recognition. Royalty and intellectuals frequented these centers: Alfonso XIII in Betelu, Queen Victoria Eugenia in La Toja, while Santiago Ramón y Cajal, Emilia Pardo Bazán and Benito Pérez Galdós were regular visitors.
Spanish spa architecture of the period combines neoclassical, modernist and regionalist elements. Highlights include the modernist pavilion of the Vichy Catalán Spa (1901), the galleries of Cestona and Puente Viesgo, and the neo-Mudejar buildings of Alhama de Aragón. Many had theaters, casinos, chapels and gardens designed by architects such as Lluís Domènech i Montaner or later Miguel Fisac.
The architecture of the Spanish spas of the century combines neoclassical, modernist and regionalist elements. Ejemplos notables incluyen el pabellón modernista del Balneario Vichy Catalán (1901), la galería de baños del Balneario de Panticosa (1854), o el edificio neomudéjar del Balneario de Alhama de Aragón (1880). Many were designed by renowned architects such as Lluís Domènech i Montaner or Miguel Fisac.
On January 5, 1912, by Royal Decree, the Chair of Medical Hydrology was created at the Central University of Madrid (current Complutense University of Madrid), academically institutionalizing the discipline.[18] The chair continues to be active, being, together with the University of Santiago de Compostela, the only Spanish centers where this specialty is taught.
Since 1989, the Institute for the Elderly and Social Services (IMSERSO) has managed the Social Thermalism Program, which facilitates access to thermal treatments for people over 60 years of age and pensioners. This program, unique in Europe due to its extension, benefits more than 200,000 people annually and has been fundamental for the survival and modernization of the Spanish spa sector.[19].
The program includes treatments in more than 100 spas distributed throughout Spain, with special concentration in Galicia (21 spas), Catalonia (19), Aragon (13), Andalusia (11) and the Valencian Community (4).
In addition to the Complutense and Santiago universities, other Spanish institutions carry out research in medical hydrology. The Geological and Mining Institute of Spain (IGME) maintains an updated inventory of all mineral-medicinal waters in the country.[20] The National Association of Spas (ANBAL), founded in 1947, brings together more than 50 establishments and promotes scientific research.
Several Spanish spas are classified as Assets of Cultural Interest:.
France developed an important thermal administration since the 19th century. In 1605, Henry IV created the Charte des eaux minérales and the position of general superintendent of mineral waters. During the 19th century, cities such as Vichy, Bourbon-l'Archambault and Forges-les-Bains became important thermal centers. French thermalism influenced the development of the sector throughout Europe.
Following the interested advice of Jean de la Rivière,[21] Henry IV created the Charte des eaux minérales [Charter of mineral waters], the legal basis[22] of a regulation and a new thermal administration created by appointing at its head a general superintendent of the Mineral Waters of France, Jean de la Rivière himself (Edict of May 1605). This administration was primarily made up of mayors who managed water at the level of a province or a region. It then became customary to appoint an administrator for each major resort, and during the century for medium-sized resorts.
These mayors were doctors who specified the development and modalities of the cures, ensuring the quality of the water and the cleanliness of the bathrooms. The mayor directed other doctors, the bathers (personnel assigned to bathrooms) and the plumbers (personnel assigned to drinking water). The mayor had to present an annual management report to the general superintendent. During the 19th century, few stations saw real attendance: Bourbon-l'Archambault, Vichy, Forges, Barèges.[23].
The army contributed strongly to the development of certain spas such as Bourbonne-les-Bains (Haute-Marne), since Louis XV and given that this small town already had a thermal past in Roman times. Thus, a military hospital cared for wounded soldiers in that wine-growing town (350 hectares) which thus found an excellent outlet for its wines.
Meanwhile, in 1685, a royal edict restricted the freedom to extract water for free, transport it and market it, in order to preserve its quality against fraud and counterfeiting. Throughout the century, the use of mineral waters became increasingly regularized (declaration of April 25, 1772, Council ruling of May 12, 1775, declaration of May 26, 1780...) inscribing mineral waters in a pharmaceutical and medical logic. Large cities established a "Bureau des eaux minérales" (Mineral Water Office) responsible for controlling the patents, quality and trade of waters: Paris (1716), Marseille (1739), Bordeaux (1745), Montpellier (1753), Toulouse (1762).
Thermal medicine was known by the consilia, in Latin, then by the consultations (consultations) in French, in writings from the century to the beginning of the century. These are collections handwritten or printed by thermal doctors during their practices. French doctors were mainly in the south of the country, centered on Montpellier. This thermalism only affected a small minority of wealthy patients with less severe pathological conditions or sequelae.
The doctrines did not refer to ancient or medieval authorities, they were based mainly on empirical habits of use and the personal experience of the doctor. The medical discourse was adapted according to the currents of the moment: to Galenism with "refreshing" and "moisturizing" waters against excesses of heat and dryness, then to the mechanism "Mechanism (philosophy)") with "diluting" and "fluidifying" waters against viscosities and obstructions, and finally to vitalism with "tonifying" waters against weakening. It would be a subjective and imaginary discourse to compare with a poetic context studied by Bachelard in L'eau et les rêves")[24] [Water and dreams]..
The development of medical thermalism in France was the work of the king's doctors. The very lucrative position of general superintendent of the baths, created in 1605, automatically fell to the king's first physician in 1709. According to J. Coste, medical thermalism was a route to social advancement towards nobility, the dream of many doctors under the Ancien Regime. The thermal administration was, therefore, a place of complicity, of links of interests and family strategies, an example of success being that of Théophile de Bordeu.[25].
The most famous spas in Central Europe were in the Principality of Liège - with Spa "Spa (Belgium)") notable for its cold waters -, in the Duchy of Nassau - with Schwalbach - for its mineral waters, Wiesbaden for its warm waters or Schlangenbad for its warm waters -, in the free city of Aachen, known for its very hot waters. In Switzerland, they were the resorts of Aargau, with Schintznach and Baden "Baden (Aargau)"), famous for its sulfur waters.
Those stations had open-air public baths, covered private baths, and stoves and steam baths. The waters were drunk directly from the source from dawn. The care provided by the Germans and Swiss was characterized by extensive use of suction cups. Most chronic diseases and the consequences of injuries were treated, with the exception of chest diseases.
During the century, a literary genre about baths (Amusements des eaux) developed in Germany, written in French, the international language of the time. They were above all advice guides, then tourist guides, travel stories, manuals of good manners, mixing gallant anecdotes between curists and erudite controversies about water.[26].
Germanic thermalism was thermal tourism for European elites, for nobles and bourgeois, based on the reputation of the waters, the quality of care and the enjoyment of the stay. The entertainment was numerous: walks, picnics, excursions, game rooms (billiards), games of chance (Pharaoh&action=edit&redlink=1 "Pharaoh (game) (not yet written)")), lotteries, dances, concerts and shows... The mundane life of the spa brought together both sexes in a more intimate way than in their usual meeting place, each being able to talk more easily about the other's body and health. According to a text from the time, "it seems that in Aix [Aix-la-Chapelle] being sick or being gallant are the same thing."[27]
This thermal pleasure for wealthy people gave rise to many professions, with beneficial effects on the local and regional economy of the thermal areas. It also attracted thieves and adventurers. According to E. Belmas, this thermalism represented the beginnings of a leisure industry, a luxury trade, and also that of counterfeits, souvenirs and trinkets.[26].
The most renowned station in England was Bath, followed by Tunbridge Wells, Buxton "Buxton (Derbyshire)"), Scarborough&action=edit&redlink=1 "Scarborough (Yorkshire du Nord) (not yet drafted)") and Cheltenham. As in Germany, these stations offered leisure and entertainment to aristocrats and gentry, generating important commercial activity. These stations were owned by individuals or private corporations, outside the guardianship of the Crown or the Church. Local businessmen freely exploited the growing taste of the English bourgeoisie for luxury and consumption, eager to buy health and leisure at the same time and in one place.[7].
Mineral waters were bottled: those rich in iron were used as purgatives; those of Bath to treat infertility. Doctors patented the waters as medicines, as Nehemiah Grew did for the salts of Epsom waters (rich in magnesium sulfates). This gave rise to a medical literature that was both a scientific study and a commercial prospectus.[7].
Portugal has a rich thermal tradition with more than 40 active thermal stations. Caldas da Rainha, founded by Queen Leonor of Viseu in 1485, was the first thermal hospital in the world. Other historical centers include Vidago, Caldas de Monchique") and the Termas de São Pedro do Sul").
Italy, direct heir to Roman tradition, maintains more than 380 thermal establishments. Montecatini Terme, Abano Terme and Salsomaggiore Terme are internationally recognized. The Tuscany region concentrates the largest number of natural thermal springs in Europe.