Eight miles from Munich lies the village of Heilbrunn (healing spring); tradition says it is the oldest medicinal spring in Bavaria. Near the spring was a monastery, said to have been destroyed and the well choked with the débris in 935 A.D. In 1509 the monks made some excavations, and the source of the spring was discovered; at the same time flames burst forth over it, the phenomena being of course attributed to a miracle. The reputation of the medicinal waters brought the Elector’s wife to the spot in 1659; she derived such benefit from the visit that the spring was named after the princess—Adelheid’s Quelle. It became famous amongst the country people for the cure of scrofulous and other diseases. In 1825 Dr. A. Vogel, of Munich, analysed the waters, and found them to contain iodine in important quantity. This led to the deepening and improvement of the spring, and in the course of the operations one of the workmen brought a lighted candle close to the surface of the water; the gas, escaping in bubbles, at once caught fire, and the miracle of 1509 was explained. The fact is that a considerable amount of carburetted hydrogen floats over the surface of the water, and will readily take fire when in contact with a light. Recent analysis of the water shows that it contains bromine, iodine, and chloride of sodium, sulphate of soda, carbonates of soda, lime, magnesia, and iron. It is altogether one of the most remarkable of the medicinal springs, and its composition explains its value in calming and soothing the mucous membrance of the stomach and other organs. Its curative effects have been proved in scrofula, glandular swellings, bronchial affections, mesenteric and female disorders.[933]
Baths impregnated with vegetable extracts and odours have long been in use. Pine-leaves are at present largely employed, and baths of conium, lavender, hyssop, etc., are still used as sedatives. Anciently baths of this kind were as complicated in character as the medicines administered internally.
Here is an ancient prescription for a medicinal bath:—
The Makyng of a Bathe Medicinable.[934]
“Holy hokke and yardehok peritory[935] and the broun fenelle,[936]
Walle wort[937] herbe John[938] Sentory[939] rybbewort[940] and cammamelle,
Hey hove[941] heyriff[942] herbe benet[943] brese wort[944] and small ache,[945]
Broke lempk[946] Scabiose[947] Bilgres wild flax is good for ache;
Wethy leves, grene otes boyld in fere fulle soft,
Cast them hote in to a vesselle and sett your soverayn alloft,