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The aim of this paper was to outline the evolution of the Spa of Split, known since the Roman period and actively operating for the last 175 years. It was carried out a study of the literature and other documents and photographs pertaining to the institution, as well as interviews with its retired former employees. The Spa of Split has evolved from the private bath of a Roman emperor into an academic department, part of a medical centre and a Medical School. This evolution is a unique phenomenon in countries of Central Eastern Europe and its outcome has advantages for patients, education of future health workers and for rehabilitation professionals.
Key words: Physical Therapy Techniques - Balneology -Baths - History of medicine.
Similarly to other countries of Central Eastern Europe (CEE) medical rehabilitation in Croatia has 2 main origins, namely orthopaedics and balneotherapy.1-3
Since the foundation of the first orthopaedic department in Europe (Switzerland 1780) the specialty assumed a rehabilitative approach: hospitals for children with physical disability in Munich in 1832, Stuttgart in I860, Copenhagen in 1872,4, 5 Budapest in 1903 l and Prague in 1913 2 provided education and vocational training in addition to surgical care. During the First World War physical and occupational therapy became important adjuncts in the treatment of orthopaedic military casualties.5 In 1908 the first department for orthopaedic surgery was established in Croatia, in Zagreb; from its beginnings the department was able to offer specialist diagnostic and therapeutic work-up including physiotherapy and provision of appliances.6 In 1914, when it started admitting war casualties, its founder (Bozidar Spisic) stated that it was not enough to heal the injuries of the wounded but that one should aim to restore function of the afflicted limb 7 and in 1915 an arrangement was found to provide also vocational rehabilitation in a nearby workshop.6 In 1961, within this department, but on another location, an institution for prosthetetic rehabilitation of persons following amputation of limbs was opened and is today the only national referral centre for this impairment in the country.8
Like other countries in GEE,2, 3 Croatia has several spas with springs of mineral water and favourable climatic factors.To complement natural factors, some modalities of physical therapy began to be provided in spas,...