Sources of Ancient Healing Thermalism

Caelius Aurelianus Chronicae passiones 3.4.54

Way of Transmission
Literature
Datation
5th century CE
Language
Latin
Literary Genre
Medicine
Canonical Reference
Cael. Aur. chron. 3.4.54

54tum alia mutatione resumendi aegrotantes adhibito usu aquarum naturalium atque natatione maritima et uaporatione locorum natura spirantium, quo etiam sudores moueantur, non ob uirium fatigationem, sed quo possit calida spiratione ac naturali ⟨re⟩corporatio fieri patientium partium.

54Then make another change and apply restorative measures, having the patient use natural springs and also swim in the sea. And let him make use of the vapors from places having natural emana­tions. These warm, natural emanations will induce sweating and will have the effect, not of fatiguing the patient, but of promot­ing the metasyncrisis of the affected parts.

Commentary

Tratamientos para los problemas del hígado y el bazo. Recomienda las aguas con propiedades naturales y vapores calientes procedentes de emanaciones naturales, entre otras cosas.

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Caelius Aurelianus Chronicae passiones 1.5.169

Uso de aguas con propiedades naturales, especialmente las nitrosasAguas termales nitrosas o alcalinas. Pero no deberían ser lo mismo. Hay que investigar a qué se refieren con el término “nitroso”

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Plinius Naturalis historia 31.4

Pliny the Elder indicates the importance of mineral and thermal springs were for humans, and how in some occassions, these springs caused the creation of some urbes because the value of these waters for health. In this case, he includes the examples of some of those cities: Puteolos (Puteoli, Italy), (Aquae) Statiellas (Acqui Terme, Italy) and (Aquae) Sextias (Aix-en-Provence, in France)

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