Salt Mines and Caves
These natural deposits of mineral halite are derived from evaporated ancient lakes and seas. The unrefined rock salt, primarily sodium chloride, also includes varying concentrations of other mineral salts such as calcium and magnesium, manganese and sulfates which have additional therapeutic properties, depending on the source.
The special characteristics of the micro-climate of a salt mine include stable air temperature, humidity and lack of airborne pollutants such as pollens, and is unique to each mine. At depth the air pressure is also significantly higher than above ground which has been found to benefit sufferers of respiratory diseases in studies conducted at the Dead Sea which is below sea level.
There are records of improvements in the breathing of miners in Roman and medieval times. Dr Feliks Boczkowski — a physician at the Polish salt mine at Wieliczka — wrote in 1843 that the miners there did not suffer from lung diseases and his successor set up a spa based upon these observations. Modern use of this therapy started in Germany when Dr. Karl Hermann Spannagel noticed improvement in the health of his patients after they hid in the Kluterthöhle karst cave to escape heavy bombing. It is now practised in places such as Bystrianska in Slovakia, Wieliczka in Poland, Solotvyno in Ukraine and many other East European countries.
Read more about this topic: Salt Therapy
Famous quotes containing the words salt, mines and/or caves:
“Of all the flavors one eats, salt is indispensable; wherever one goes in the world, one’s mother is dearest.”
—Chinese proverb.
“Beautiful credit! The foundation of modern society. Who shall say that this is not the golden age of mutual trust, of unlimited reliance upon human promises? That is a peculiar condition of society which enables a whole nation to instantly recognize point and meaning in the familiar newspaper anecdote, which puts into the mouth of a distinguished speculator in lands and mines this remark:M”I wasn’t worth a cent two years ago, and now I owe two millions of dollars.””
—Mark Twain [Samuel Langhorne Clemens] (1835–1910)
“But the golden-rod is one of the fairy, magical flowers; it grows not up to seek human love amid the light of day, but to mark to the discerning what wealth lies hid in the secret caves of earth.”
—Margaret Fuller (1810–1850)