TRADITION OF
BATH
As is known, cold and hot mineral waters preserve
their physical and chemical characteristics as
long as they are in their natural environments.
The environment where these natural
characteristics are at the highest level is the
spring point where the cold and hot waters come to
the surface or is the flow zone to this point.
Due to this, the use of healthy waters that are
used for bathing and drinking purposes at their
original place is taken as a basis. In other
words, bathing in the spring of thermal waters or
their flow is desired.
These demands create a "privilege" of benefiting
directly from natural environment and healthy
waters. Whereas this status of privilege could
only be exercised by the kings or rulers in the
history, bathing in the spring or flow of thermal
water is considered as a widespread and usual
tradition of the people in our country which has
thermal sources with high amounts of healthy
waters.
This fact indicates the level of the most
productive and? economic availability of natural
resources in the protection of public health and
the purity of our bathing and drinking culture.
Whereas the desire and privilege of having a bath
in the spring or flow of thermal waters are
exercised within monumental and splendid
structures in some countries and cities having
healthy water springs; in rural regions, only the
summer brings forward the outdoor thermal pcol and
mud facilities. For example, it is possible to see
this kind of buildings from the periods of empires
in countries like Germany, Austria, Hungary,
Czechoslovakia, France and Italy. Wiesbaden and
Bad Hamburg-Kaiser Bad in Germany, Carisbad in
Czech Republic form the most interesting examples
of this kind of monumental buildings. These
monumental and splendid buildings are observed
rather in Bursa in our country.
The two important buildings are the Old Spa built
in the period of Murat I and New Spa built in the
period of Suleyman by Mimar Sinan (1555-1557) as "ThermalTurkish
Baths". These monumental buildings are the most
splendid pieces of Ottoman-Turkish bath culture
(Old Spa is from Byzantine period. This old
building has been repaired and restored by the 3rd
Ottoman Sultan Murat I completely).
Currently, this kind of special bathing places are
observed in building units called "King's Room" in
luxury hotels and resorts. However, fresh water
instead of thermal water is used in these places.
In fact, in spa planning studies, "cure +
treatment units" are foreseen which are directly
connected to thermal spring well in spa centers
that have high spring water productivity. Similar
applications are observed in Sea Thermal centers.
However, thermal water supply to accommodation
facilities that are located in spa and sea thermal
centers is not desirable. Thermal cure and
treatment applications are observed only in basic
cure and treatment centers. However, when special
bath and treatment applications of this kind are
concerned, special accommodation units and
development of cure and bath units with thermal
water connection are taken into account as a
planning principle.
The desire and habit of bathing in the spring or
flow of thermal water is seen as a usual tradition
of rural areas in Turkey. Pamukkale, Gönen
mountain spa, Çeşme-Şifne spa, Köyceğiz-Dalyan
Rızaçavuş inlet, Adana-Haruniye, Erzurum-Köprüköy,
Bitlis-Güroymak, Siirt-Billoris, Ankara-Sey bath,
Samsun-Ladik spa are examples for such
applications.
Temperature loss is completely prevented in mud
bath. Increase in urination is
observed due to an improvement in kidney functions
during mud bath. Mud develops depending on mineral
waters, sea and lake waters and has organic
"live", inorganic "non-living" characteristics.
Depending on the physical and chemical conditions
of the environment, it acquires hot or cold
radioactive etc. characteristics. This kind of mud
is called "PELLOID". Except for natural
formations, FANGO-PARAFANGO etc. mud is obtained
through mixing paraffin with volcanic elements and
loess having sulfurous, clay and slity ingredients
under certain conditions.
GALVANIC BATH
It is used as local or general. It has technical
and electrical factor effect. This effect
regulates and improves local and general
circulation. Application of sm"oth galvanic
current to the person in the water is used for
multiple joint rheumatic problems, circulation
irregularities, coping with stress, cellulite
treatment and relaxation due to its regulatory
effect.
PARAFFIN BATH
It is effective in terms of its thermal
factor. Paraffin bath improves local
circulation. Only local application is made. It
is beneficial for rheumatism, rheumatoid
arthritis, calcification (osteoarthritis =
arthrosis) post-fracture and post-twist
diseases. Using its temperature, it is also
applied in chronic phases of rheumatic problems
and muscle and joint diseases. Indications:
To prepare the joint in distrophicsekellerm aches
after bone fractures
Poliomyelitis
At the end of cures each kind of rheumatic
diseases, calcification, sciatica, lumbago, wrist
aches, joint and muscle aches are treated.
MILK BATH
It provides the nutrition of the skin, improvement
of circulation, relaxation of the person.
Additionally, it is applied to provide a softer,
healthier and fresher skin and acquire eutroptic
benefit.