Sebastian Kneipp (1821-1897) and his sisters were grew up in great poverty living in a wet basement flat and that is why, as he was young (at the age of 25), he fell ill with tuberculosis, the dreaded disease of the era. Several doctors treated him along the years, but it was usuccesful. The doctor Siegmund Hahn’sbook entitled Lectures on the
Wonderful Healing Powers of Fresh Water gave Kneipp hope when it was published in 1743. The book summarized Hahn’s experiences in water treatment. Kneipp put this knowledge into practice via self-experimentation. He took a short bath twice or three times a week in the ice cold Danube. Kneipp hydrotherapywas basically established during
this time, whose essence is to warm the body up by overloading, and then after a short exposure to cold air, finally warming the body up immediately without drying via physical activity.In addition to the treatment, he ate dishes abundant in fibers and vitamins, and drank herbal teas that his mother introduced to him. The treatment proved to
be successful, his immune system strengthened, and he soon recuperated.
The German Catholic priest devoted his life to naturopathy aside from his pastoral calling. His method was and based on the healing effect of water and herbs, which made him famous in a short period of time.
Sebastian Kneippwas way ahead of his era when he established his methods. He believed people’s soul and body could be healed only in unison.His philosophy, treatment methods are topical to this days.
