Remedial treatment by bathing parts of the body. Balneology is the branch of medical science concerned with the therapeutic value of baths, especially those taken with natural mineral waters. Balneotherapy may involve hot or cold water, massage through moving water, relaxation or stimulation. Many mineral waters at spas are rich in particular minerals (silica, sulfur, selenium, radium) which can be absorbed through the skin. From "Deutsches Badewesen in vergangenen Tagen" by Alfred martin, 1906.