hydropathy

hydropathy
hydropathic /huy'dreuh path"ik/, hydropathical, adj.hydropathist, hydropath, n.
/huy drop"euh thee/, n.
the curing of disease by the internal and external use of water.
[1835-45; HYDRO-1 + -PATHY]

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      therapeutic system that professes to cure all disease with water, either by bathing in it or by drinking it. Although water therapy is currently used to treat certain ailments, its effectiveness is generally accepted to be limited. Most authorities agree that many disease and injury conditions are indirectly improved by the relaxing effect of the patient's immersion in water. Hydropathy as a formal therapeutic system came into vogue during the 19th century through the efforts of Vinzenz Priessnitz (1799–1851), a Silesian farmer who believed in the medicinal value of water from the wells on his land. See also hydrotherapy; spa.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Hydropathy — Hy*drop a*thy, n. [Hydro , 1 + Gr. ?, ?, to suffer.] The water cure; a mode of treating diseases by the copious and frequent use of pure water, both internally and externally. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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  • hydropathy — [hī dräp′ə thē] n. [ HYDRO + PATHY] a method of treatment that attempts to cure all diseases by the use of water, including consumption of mineral water and hydrotherapy hydropathic [hī΄drə path′ik] adj. hydropathist n …   English World dictionary

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  • hydropathy — noun Etymology: International Scientific Vocabulary Date: 1843 a method of treating disease by copious and frequent use of water both externally and internally compare hydrotherapy • hydropathic adjective …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • hydropathy — noun The therapeutic use of water, either internal or external Syn: hydrotherapy …   Wiktionary

  • hydropathy — The obsolete use of water to treat and cure disease. * * * hy·drop·a·thy hī dräp ə thē n, pl thies a method of treating disease by copious and frequent use of water both externally and internally compare HYDROTHERAPY hy·dro·path·ic …   Medical dictionary

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  • hydropathy — study of treating diseases with water Sciences and Studies …   Phrontistery dictionary

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