Acratherms

ACRATHERMS (from Greek akratos - pure and therma - hot springs), therapeutic springs whose water emerges on the earth's surface possessing two distinctive properties: high temperature and very low content of mineral constituents. The conventional boundaries for acraterms are, on one side from fresh springs - temperature above 20°C, and on the other side from mineral springs in the narrow sense - content of dry residue up to 1 g per liter, absence of rare elements, radioactivity and gases (CO₂, H₂S). Practically, acraterms, or hot, chemically indifferent springs, are considered to be natural, hot, fresh springs. The high temperature of acraterms depends on the deep conditions of their emergence, namely - on the geothermal gradient or on the subterranean heat of magma. The principal acraterms are as follows: a) in the USSR - Bragunskie in the Caucasus (92°C), Goryachevodsk in the Caucasus (85°C), Kul'dur on the Amur (74°C), Issyk-Kul in Central Asia (50°C), Abas-Tuman in the ZSFSR (48°C), Rakhmanovskie in the Altai (42°C), Nilovskie in the Baikal region (40°C); b) in Europe - Plombière in the Pyrenees (70°C), Teplitz-Schäpa in Austria (47°C), Gastein in Austria (46°C), Wildbad in the Black Forest (36°C). - The water of acraterms must be cooled to the prescribed temperature for bathing. Baths are dosed by duration (from 8-10 to 15 and even up to 20 minutes), as well as by temperature (from 35 to 40°C). After the bath, rest is prescribed, sometimes sweating is recommended and one should beware of cooling. The physiological action of acraterms is very similar to that of fresh hot baths of the same temperature, but (apart from other considerations) surpasses them due to the climate, conditions and regime of the resort. - Indications for acraterms are as follows: chronic articular rheumatism, traumatic injuries of the motor apparatus, neuritis and neuralgia, chronic inflammatory infiltrates (especially of gynecological nature), late stages of syphilis with simultaneous specific treatment. - Contraindications: besides general resort contraindications (see Balneotherapy), - stomach ulcer, hemorrhoids, varicose veins, cardiac neurosis, bronchial asthma, emphysema, bronchiectasis, diabetes with exhaustion. During menstruation and pregnancy, caution is advised in using baths - under strict medical supervision. I. Bagashev.