History of Salt Therapy
The therapeutic effect of microclimate of caves has been known since ancient times. 1839 The Stock Company founded by Doctor Feliks Boczkowski opens first bath facilities at the Wieliczka Salt mine, Poland.
In 1949, German physician, Dr. K.H.Spannahel proposed the creation of the cave Klyutert as inpatient department to conduct a systematic climatological and medical observations to confirm the effectiveness of speleotherapy. The results of these studies and teamwork of Dr. K.H.Spannahel and the Hungarian geologist, famous Dr. H. Kessler laid the founda;on of modern speleotherapy.
1958 Professor Mieczyslaw Skulimowski becomes the official physician of the "Wieliczka" Salt Mine and starts regular treatment of patients in the salt chambers, initiating a new field of medicine – subterraneotherapy, soon to be also called the Skulimowski method.
1964 Poland's and world's first facility of the kind, the underground "Kinga" Allergy Treatment Spa is created in the "Wieliczka" Salt Mine, than renamed the "Kinga" Health Resort Hospital. Professor Skulimowski becomes its first director and chief.
1968 the town Solotvyno (Ukraine) based on salt mine number 8, opened its first speleo-hospital.
1985 Odessa Institute of Balneology in collaboration of the the cavers of the Uzhgorod developed the first halotherapy device. Halotherapy was “born” in the medical environment, in Russia.
Halotherapy was first pioneered by the Russians. They developed a technology for replicating the conditions of the salt caves and mines. The first salt facilities were established in clinical segngs such as health facilities, hospitals, etc. Halotherapy soon emerged in more commercial settings outside of the USSR in the 1990’s throughout Eastern Europe.
In 1949, German physician, Dr. K.H.Spannahel proposed the creation of the cave Klyutert as inpatient department to conduct a systematic climatological and medical observations to confirm the effectiveness of speleotherapy. The results of these studies and teamwork of Dr. K.H.Spannahel and the Hungarian geologist, famous Dr. H. Kessler laid the founda;on of modern speleotherapy.
1958 Professor Mieczyslaw Skulimowski becomes the official physician of the "Wieliczka" Salt Mine and starts regular treatment of patients in the salt chambers, initiating a new field of medicine – subterraneotherapy, soon to be also called the Skulimowski method.
1964 Poland's and world's first facility of the kind, the underground "Kinga" Allergy Treatment Spa is created in the "Wieliczka" Salt Mine, than renamed the "Kinga" Health Resort Hospital. Professor Skulimowski becomes its first director and chief.
1968 the town Solotvyno (Ukraine) based on salt mine number 8, opened its first speleo-hospital.
1985 Odessa Institute of Balneology in collaboration of the the cavers of the Uzhgorod developed the first halotherapy device. Halotherapy was “born” in the medical environment, in Russia.
Halotherapy was first pioneered by the Russians. They developed a technology for replicating the conditions of the salt caves and mines. The first salt facilities were established in clinical segngs such as health facilities, hospitals, etc. Halotherapy soon emerged in more commercial settings outside of the USSR in the 1990’s throughout Eastern Europe.
