A Charming Health Spa
By Awake! correspondent in Czechoslovakia
MANY hundreds of years ago, the so-called Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV and those with him were wearily plodding home after an unsuccessful hunt. Suddenly, a large stag bounded up in front of them. The dogs noisily chased after it, and the hunters, their tiredness forgotten, energetically followed. The stag eventually led them to the edge of a steep cliff and then boldly jumped into the valley below.
The hunters and their hounds took a longer and safer route down, and by the time they arrived at the bottom of the cliff, the stag had disappeared. Nevertheless, the hunters found something else—the glistening waters of a hot spring welling up from the ground. Solemnly, Charles IV declared that he would build a spa bearing his name on the spot. And that, according to legend, was how Karlovy Vary in western Bohemia, Czechoslovakia, came to be founded.
Hot Springs
Where do those hot springs come from? According to recent geological research, some of the rainwater that falls on nearby mountain slopes seeps into the ground and passes through countless fissures in the granite. As the water sinks deeper and deeper into the earth, it leaches minerals from the rocks.
Finally, at a depth of about a mile [a kilometer and a half], the now mineral-rich, carbonized water is heated by warm rocks. Pressure from water vapor and carbon dioxide coming from even deeper in the earth forces the mineral water upward. At the surface, it forms the famous hot springs.
There are 12 springs altogether, ranging in temperature from 106 to 162 degrees Fahrenheit [41-72° C.]. Each spring differs from the others in mineral content. Hence, the healing properties of each of them is thought to be different. It is calculated that together the waters bring about 40,000 pounds [18,000 kg] of mineral compounds to the surface each day.
The Springs Heal
People flock to the springs in the hope of curing all kinds of sicknesses, from ulcers, gallstones, food allergies, and diabetes to obesity and gout. The springs are said to have brought relief to patients who have recently undergone stomach or intestinal surgery or who suffer from such illnesses as infectious hepatitis.
The methods of treatment are complex, but their basis is the drinking of the water. A drink is taken of the appropriate springwater three times a day about half an hour before meals. Treatment may also include mineral baths, carbonic and oxygen baths, reflex massages, mud baths, and other procedures. A strict diet and physical exercise may also be part of the regimen.
In Czechoslovakia physicians and trade unions select patients to come to the spas for treatment. So many people want to come that there is a shortage of space. Recently a lot of spa houses were renovated, and some new ones were built. However, there is still a shortage of accommodations for all those who want to use the facilities. Visitors, therefore, wisely arrange for accommodations well ahead of time.
Touring the Town
The town of Karlovy Vary has a charming, relaxed atmosphere that visitors have long enjoyed. The white facades of the houses built into the wooded hillsides are truly delightful to see, appearing like layers of cake in a shop window.
On the riverbank, boys may be seen throwing pieces of bread to the trout in the Teplá River. A common sight in stores is that of customers lined up waiting to buy the famous spa wafers. Czech crystal glitters from shop windows. The Moser glassworks in Karlovy Vary exports cut-glass goblets to places all around the world.
As visitors to Karlovy Vary traverse the alleys of chestnut trees, rhododendrons, and white lilacs, the song of birds can be heard from the forests on the hills. This is where the German poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe used to walk with his notebook. He showed these sights to Ludwig van Beethoven, the famous composer, who composed his eighth symphony here.
Yes, since the 17th century, giants in the world of music have trodden the streets of the town. Besides Beethoven, other visitors have included Carl Maria von Weber, Niccolò Paganini, Frédéric Chopin, Franz Liszt, and Johannes Brahms. It was here that nine-year-old Robert Schumann listened enchanted to a concert by Ignaz Moscheles, an experience he never forgot.
It was Emperor Francis Joseph I of Austria who ordered that the Imperial Baths be built for him and his family more than a hundred years ago. Today patients enjoy bath treatments here in brass tubs, whereas the emperor used one of gold.
Sound Health for Everyone
The vices of civilization, including environmental pollution, overcrowding, alcohol abuse, smoking, immorality, and a sedentary life-style have contributed to a number of 20th-century sicknesses. Many look to spas such as those at Karlovy Vary for relief. Sadly, however, some who come for help do not stop their smoking or immoral life-styles even while they are here. This can cause distress for their fellow visitors.
There is another problem. The region around Karlovy Vary is blessed with natural mineral riches, such as coal and kaolin. The industries, however, that have been created to obtain these mineral riches have polluted this beautiful environment.
Nevertheless, many appear to find refreshment and relief from their physical ailments by visiting Karlovy Vary. Natural healing provisions are a blessing from the Creator, and perhaps they will continue to help inhabitants of the earth until the day comes when “no resident will say: ‘I am sick.’”—Isaiah 33:24.