Join me, Dr Julia Martins, as I explore the fascinating world of Renaissance bathing and medicine. From ancient Egypt to 16th-century Italy, discover how therapeutic waters shaped medical practice and social life throughout history.

In this video, I examine historical therapeutic bathing with a focus on Renaissance hydrotherapy. Learn about the strange "bath that makes women pregnant" mentioned by Leonardo Fioravanti in 1561 and the curious proverb that advised men to "send their lady to the baths and not go along." I uncover what these mysterious references actually meant!

I look at how bathing fit into Renaissance medicine, when doctors were caught between respecting ancient authorities like Galen while facing new evidence from popular healing springs. Watch as I examine the clash between traditional humoral theory and the radical chemical approaches of Paracelsus, who prescribed extreme treatments like 12-hour baths!

This video also covers the social aspects of Renaissance spa culture, where medical treatments overlapped with leisure, socialising, and potentially romantic encounters. From nobility hosting balls to commoners making pilgrimages to healing waters, these baths served multiple purposes in society.

Learn about bizarre treatments, like sulphurous waters that smelled of rotten eggs, patients being lowered down cliffs in baskets to reach thermal pools, and healing springs supposedly discovered by a sick cow! I trace how these practices evolved into modern hydrotherapy and physiotherapy.

Whether you're interested in medical history, Renaissance culture, ancient healing methods, or the origins of modern spa treatments, this video connects the dots between water and wellness across the centuries. Find out why humans have consistently turned to water for health and pleasure throughout history.