What is a brine graduation tower?
A graduation tower (occasionally referred to as a thorn house) is a structure used in the production of salt which removes water from a saline solution by evaporation, increasing its concentration of mineral salts. The tower consists of a wooden wall-like frame stuffed with bundles of brushwood (typically blackthorn) which have to be changed about every 5 to 10 years as they become encrusted with mineral deposits over time. The salt water runs down the tower and partly evaporates; at the same time some minerals from the solution are left behind on the brushwood twigs.
Graduation towers can be found in a number of spa towns, primarily in Germany but also Poland and Austria. The mineral-rich water droplets in the air are regarded as having beneficial health effects similar to that of breathing in sea air.
Source: https://sanatoria.medme.pl/poradnik/pora-na-relaks-teznie-solankowe
Brine graduation towers (Pol. Tężnia solankowa) – then and today
“Salt worth its weight in gold”, this saying is probably close to the inhabitants of Kujawy, which at the turn of the 2nd and 4th centuries were famous for extracting rock salt and … brine graduation towers. The remains of the oldest brine graduation towers in Europe, discovered three years ago in Inowrocław, come from this period. The graduation tower had an area of about 200 square meters and was built similarly to modern graduation towers: a platform, on it a special structure made of wood and birch, on which a brine solution is poured, which drains, evaporates and ends up into the nostrils of patients. The wooden elements of the structure of this oldest European graduation tower have not survived to this day, but the vessels in which the brine was transported have survived.
Brine graduation towers – in a sanatorium
The modern fashion for treatments in graduation towers dates back to the 19th century. The oldest and largest graduation tower in Poland is located in Ciechocinek . Every year, thousands and hundreds of patients visit graduation towers in Inowrocław , Grudziądz, Konstancin-Zdrój , Rabka-Zdrój , Busko-Zdrój and Białka Tatrzańska. Until recently, brine graduation towers could be found mainly in traditional health resorts. The current ones are increasingly found in the offer of holiday resorts and SPAs.
Brine graduation towers – how do they work?
Contemporary graduation towers are made of coniferous wood and thin twigs (usually birch). They are equipped with special pumps that distribute brine over the flagella, thanks to which an aerosol rich in valuable micronutrients such as iodine, bromine, calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and sodium is produced in the air.
During 1 hour of inhaling the brine aerosol, oneabsorbs as much iodine as during 3 days of sunbathing. How does iodine work on our body? First of all: it regulates the proper functioning of the thyroid gland. Inhalations with iodine are also recommended for people suffering from diseases of the upper respiratory system, because iodine causes thinning of the mucus.
Saline graduation towers – for what diseases?
By using the graduation tower, one can also relieve the work of one’skidneys and liver, and also contribute to the strengthening of the immune system. Magnesium and copper contained in the brine atmosphere improve metabolism, and selenium cleanses thebody of free radicals. The salts with which one comes into contact in the graduation tower also fight rheumatic pains, thus improving the overall health condition. Doctors recommend treatment in graduation towers also for people suffering from various allergies, including skin allergies.
Brine graduation towers – contraindications
Unfortunately, brine graduation towers are not for everyone. Contraindications include coronary heart failure, recent infarction, elevated temperature, neoplastic diseases and hypersensitivity to ions present in saline solution. Therefore, before you decide to undergo a treatment in the graduation tower, it is best to ask your GP for advice.
Additional information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graduation_tower
