{"id":36168,"date":"2025-08-08T16:20:03","date_gmt":"2025-08-08T15:20:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/?p=36168"},"modified":"2025-10-08T19:45:36","modified_gmt":"2025-10-08T18:45:36","slug":"jachymov-ii-at-the-right-time-in-the-right-place","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/2025\/08\/jachymov-ii-at-the-right-time-in-the-right-place\/","title":{"rendered":"J\u00e1chymov II.: at the right time in the right place"},"content":{"rendered":"

The\u00a0town of J\u00e1chymov in the\u00a0Ore Mountains foothills is part of the\u00a0Karlovy Vary Region and is situated near the\u00a0border with Germany. As mentioned in this year\u2019s\u00a0April issue of VTEI [1], covering 51 km2<\/span> and with less than two and a\u00a0half thousand permanent inhabitants, it is the\u00a0smallest, and perhaps therefore sometimes neglected, member of the\u00a0West Bohemian spa\u00a0family. However, J\u00e1chymov offers a\u00a0very specific treatment; thanks to the\u00a0high concentration of radon in the\u00a0local natural mineral water, the\u00a0world\u2019s\u00a0first radon spa\u00a0was established here and is still operating successfully today.<\/span><\/p>\n\"\"<\/a>\n

Glimpses into J\u00e1chymov\u2019s History<\/h3>\n

The\u00a0story of the\u00a0J\u00e1chymov region, a\u00a0landscape lying beneath the\u00a0massive ridge of Kl\u00ednovec (Fig.\u00a01<\/span>), began hundreds of millions of years ago, when various ores and minerals flowed into rock fissures and were deposited there in the form of veins. The richness of some of these deposits led early 20th-century regional historians to simplify the past of the landscape into an age of silver and an age of uranium. The former also included the mining of lead, bismuth and cobalt, while the latter encompassed the era of radium<\/span> [2].<\/p>\n\"\"<\/a>\n

Fig. 1. Kl\u00ednovec TV transmitter<\/h6>\n

The\u00a0growing European market at the\u00a0end of the\u00a015th century, combined with a\u00a0shortage of gold coins in circulation, created a\u00a0kind of \u201chunger for large silver coinage\u201d. [2]. Its minting and entry into the\u00a0market depended on the\u00a0quality and quantity of raw material sources. Neighbouring Germany had long excelled in silver mining at that time, but as the\u00a0reserves of this precious metal were gradually depleted, a\u00a0\u201csilver rush\u201d began to grow on the\u00a0Bohemian side as well. The\u00a0first discoveries of silver in 1512 were almost incredible (the\u00a0ore veins were very close to the\u00a0surface and silver was even found in the\u00a0roots of uprooted trees) and testified to great wealth. At that time, the\u00a0owner of the\u00a0Ostrov estate, Count \u0160t\u011bp\u00e1n \u0160lik, took over the\u00a0mining business in the\u00a0J\u00e1chymov region. He demonstrated the\u00a0entrepreneurial and diplomatic skills of his ancestors by forming an association of like-minded feudal lords, establishing links with the\u00a0finance houses in Aug\u0161purk (now Augsburg, author\u2019s\u00a0note<\/span>) and Nuremberg, raising the\u00a0necessary capital and thus being able to buy the\u00a0land from the\u00a0previous owner to lay the\u00a0foundations for the\u00a0future mining district. He subsequently invited the\u00a0best mining experts, and from 1516 onwards, the\u00a0previously insignificant and unknown settlement of Konradsgr\u00fcn became a\u00a0mining town, with its original name gradually disappearing. As a\u00a0town of several thousand inhabitants, it was then given the\u00a0noble name Sankt Joachimsthal (St. Joachim\u2019s\u00a0Valley). The\u00a0explanations given by local chroniclers and historians for the\u00a0presence of Joachim\/J\u00e1chym in the\u00a0name are more than logical\u00a0\u2013 near the\u00a0border on the\u00a0German side, mining towns dedicated to Anna, Joseph, and Mary already existed, so this was essentially a\u00a0way to complete the\u00a0Holy Family.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mining and the\u00a0associated development of extraction technologies experienced unprecedented growth, which was even reflected in the\u00a0\u0160lik family coat of arms\u00a0(Fig.\u00a02<\/span><\/em>). It is estimated that between 1516 and 1554, more than 250,000 kg of silver was mined in J\u00e1chymov [3]. Mining activities were also associated with increased wood consumption, as well as the\u00a0development of industry and trade. When J\u00e1chymov was elevated to a\u00a0free mining town in 1520, its permanent population had already reached nearly 5,000. Thirteen years later, the\u00a0population had grown to 18,000, making Sankt Joachimsthal the\u00a0second-largest city in Bohemia\u00a0after Prague and one of the\u00a0most populous cities in Europe at the\u00a0time [3].<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\"\"<\/a>\n

Fig. 2. Changes in the \u0160lik family coat of arms<\/h6>\n

With the\u00a0development of the\u00a0city, trade flourished, and so in 1520, the\u00a0aforementioned silver coins began to be officially minted here, thanks to Count \u0160t\u011bp\u00e1n \u0160lik. <\/span><\/p>\n

Since the\u00a0\u0160lik family was of German nationality, the\u00a0coin was given the\u00a0Upper German name \u2018joachimsthaler\u2019. The\u00a0name was shortened to thaler or taler (in\u00a0Czech \u2018tolar\u2019). Cross-border trade flourished in the\u00a0Middle Ages, with Czech tolars (Fig.\u00a03<\/span><\/em>) valued for their high silver content; they reached various parts of Europe and influenced the names of many other coins (e.g. in Poland, Hungary, Italy, and the Netherlands). From there, they made their way to America, where they became known as dollars. Today\u2019s American dollars are thus named not only after the Czech currency but directly after the silver tolars of J\u00e1chymov [3]<\/span><\/p>\n\"\"<\/a>\n

Fig. 3. J\u00e1chymov thalers<\/h6>\n

The\u00a0boom years of J\u00e1chymov in the\u00a016th century are still evidenced by the\u00a0town hall buildings (the\u00a0original \u0160lik Palace) and the\u00a0Mint in the\u00a0upper part of the\u00a0town (Figs. 4<\/em>, 5<\/em><\/span>). The\u00a0Royal Mint is now a\u00a0museum with a\u00a0permanent exhibition dedicated to the\u00a0history of silver mining and coin minting, the\u00a0city\u2019s\u00a0dark past linked to uranium mines and political prisoner camps in the\u00a01950s, up to the\u00a0present-day radon therapy. The\u00a0tour also includes extensive underground passages. Directly opposite the\u00a0town hall, on today\u2019s\u00a0N\u00e1m\u011bst\u00ed Republiky (Republic Square), stands the\u00a0still-functioning Kru\u0161nohorsk\u00e1 Apothecary, which continues the\u00a0tradition of the\u00a0original herbal pharmacy. It was founded in 1520 and became the\u00a0first pharmacy in Bohemia. To this day, it sells only purely natural handmade products from the\u00a0Ore Mountains (Fig.\u00a06<\/span><\/em>).<\/span><\/p>\n\"\"<\/a>\n

Fig. 4. Town hall and museum today<\/h6>\n\"\"<\/a>\n
Fig. 5. Emblem of the original Royal Mint<\/h6>\n\"\"<\/a>\n
Fig. 6. The first Czech pharmacy was established in J\u00e1chymov<\/h6>\n

The\u00a0deposits of silver-bearing ore in Konstantin mine (today\u2019s\u00a0Svornost mine, author\u2019s\u00a0note<\/span><\/em>) (Fig.\u00a07<\/span><\/em>) and in other mines gradually diminished, and extraction from ever greater depths became increasingly challenging both technically and financially. Demand for silver on European markets was also slowly declining. Mining activity waned, the\u00a0mines yielded diminishing returns, and miners began leaving in search of better deposits. The\u00a0population decreased, and J\u00e1chymov entered a\u00a0period of decline. It experienced a\u00a0modest revival in the\u00a018th century, when attention shifted from silver to other metals, especially cobalt, which was used in a\u00a0local factory to produce colours for glass and porcelain. The\u00a0town gradually began to come back to life. But the\u00a0best was yet to come.<\/span><\/p>\n\"\"<\/a>\n

Fig. 7. Svornost mine<\/h6>\n

Marie Curie-Sk\u0142odowska<\/h3>\n

Marie Curie-Sk\u0142odowska\u00a0(1867\u20131934), an extraordinarily gifted and intelligent woman who, despite adversity, attained a\u00a0university education and became a\u00a0world-renowned scientist, has become a\u00a0symbol of J\u00e1chymov\u2019s\u00a0modern history. She was born in Warsaw, which at the\u00a0time belonged to the\u00a0Russian part of Poland, as the\u00a0youngest of five children. She lost her mother at the\u00a0age of just 12. After finishing secondary school, she yearned for further education, which was, however, denied to women. That is why she attended the\u00a0so-called \u2018flying university\u2019 (Uniwersytet Latajacy), which, according to historian and J\u00e1chymov patriot Ing. Jaroslav Ochec, meant that the\u00a0students met in a\u00a0different apartment each time (Fig.\u00a08<\/span><\/em>) [4]. In 1891 she left Poland and moved to Paris, where she continued her studies at the Sorbonne. She was the first woman in history to earn doctorates in\u00a0<\/span>physics and chemistry there, later also in mathematics. Her research focused primarily on uranium and radioactivity, and during her work, she met her future husband Pierre, who was then a\u00a0doctoral student in Henri Becquerel\u2019s\u00a0laboratory, specializing in magnetism. They then worked together, resulting in the\u00a0discovery of polonium (July 1898), a\u00a0new element which Marie named after her native Poland. In December of the\u00a0same year, she discovered another element, the\u00a0highly radioactive radium. For this achievement, Marie, together with her husband Pierre and colleague Henri Becquerel, won the\u00a0Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903. And it did not end there. In 1911, the\u00a0Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded her the\u00a0Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the\u00a0isolation of pure radium. This time she received the\u00a0prize alone, as Pierre had died in 1906.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Fig. 8. Ing. Jaroslav Ochec after his\u00a0lecture<\/h6>\n

J\u00e1chymov pitchblende<\/h3>\n

But let us go back to J\u00e1chymov. The\u00a0year 1898, already noted for the\u00a0discovery of the\u00a0new elements polonium and radium, also marked the\u00a0first contact the\u00a0Curies had with the\u00a0Czech lands and with J\u00e1chymov. Both elements were isolated from waste material provided to Marie and Pierre by the\u00a0local uranium pigment factory. After four years of effort, the\u00a0couple succeeded in obtaining one-tenth of a\u00a0gram of the\u00a0newly discovered element, radium. With this historic achievement, they laid the\u00a0foundations for a\u00a0new era\u00a0of human knowledge, and brought the\u00a0name of the\u00a0town of J\u00e1chymov to wider attention [2].<\/span><\/p>\n

Any thoughts of limiting or even shutting down the\u00a0unprofitable J\u00e1chymov mines were immediately abandoned. As the\u00a0Curies continued their research, they required increasing amounts of mining waste\u00a0\u2013 first kilograms, then hundreds of kilos, and eventually tonnes. This valuable waste material was pitchblende (uraninite, or uranium oxide), a\u00a0black mineral that miners, even during the\u00a0silver rush, referred to simply as \u2018smolinec\u2019 (from the\u00a0Czech word \u2018sm\u016fla\u2019, meaning \u2018bad luck\u2019, translator\u2019s\u00a0note<\/span><\/em>). They believed that it was bad luck because, whenever they came across it in the\u00a0mines, it was clear that the\u00a0silver vein had ended and only pitchblende was to be found further down. So the\u00a0pitchblende had to wait more than 300 years for its moment of glory.<\/span><\/p>\n

Preparations for the\u00a0industrial production of radium and radium compounds near the\u00a0raw material source began in J\u00e1chymov relatively soon. The\u00a0first gram of pure radium was produced at the\u00a0J\u00e1chymov factory in 1907. Annual production eventually reached as much as five and a\u00a0half grams of radium, which at the\u00a0time accounted for a\u00a0significant portion of the\u00a0world\u2019s\u00a0supply [2]. Interest in radium grew alongside the\u00a0unfolding possibilities of its applications. Let us set aside for now the\u00a0somewhat mad era\u00a0of the\u00a0radon craze, when trade in the\u00a0element was booming and radon, admired for its fascinating radiation, was added to everyday consumer products\u00a0\u2013 such as soaps, perfumes, cigarettes, and ink\u00a0\u2013 long before its harmful effects were understood (see the\u00a0photo from the\u00a0international conference on the\u00a0100th anniversary of Marie Curie Sk\u0142odowska\u2019s\u00a0visit to J\u00e1chymov, taking place in J\u00e1chymov on 12\u201314 June; Fig.\u00a09<\/span>) [5], and instead turn our attention to its healing properties. These, after all, marked the\u00a0beginning of a\u00a0new chapter in the\u00a0town\u2019s\u00a0history.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\"\"<\/a>\n

Fig. 9. Objects preserved from the time of radon fever<\/h6>\n

The\u00a0valley of the\u00a0\u2018water of life\u2019<\/h3>\n

As early as at the\u00a0beginning of the\u00a016th century, miners were aware of the\u00a0healing effects of the\u00a0mining waters in J\u00e1chymov. After work, they would go into the\u00a0flooded parts of the\u00a0shafts not only to wash themselves but also to relax, and they soon realised that the\u00a0mine water had a\u00a0beneficial effect on their weary bodies and relieved their pain. This is also documented in the\u00a0writings of their physicians [3].<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u00a0first attempts to establish a\u00a0spa\u00a0in J\u00e1chymov were very modest. Initially, the\u00a0local baker Josef K\u00fchn provided bathing facilities in house No. 282 on the\u00a0square (now Republic Square, author\u2019s\u00a0note<\/span>), where the\u00a0district physician Dr. Leopold Gottlieb, who had his office in the\u00a0same house, set up two bathing cabins. Josef Prennig, a\u00a0retired miner, brought him healing water from the\u00a0springs discovered in the\u00a0Werner mine in a\u00a0covered wooden tub (Fig.\u00a010<\/span><\/em>). At that time, it was not yet clear exactly what the\u00a0bathing process did for these first patients, but the\u00a0healing power of the\u00a0\u2018water of life\u2019, as it came to be called, was already unquestionable.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\"\"<\/a>\n

Fig. 10. Model of Josef Prennig\u2019s back bucket<\/h6>\n

The\u00a0world\u2019s first<\/h3>\n

The\u00a0radioactivity of the\u00a0mine springs was not scientifically verified until 1905 thanks to the\u00a0research of the\u00a0Curies. After that, nothing stood in the\u00a0way of efforts to build a\u00a0spa\u00a0in J\u00e1chymov. In the\u00a0uranium pigment factory building, space was allocated for additional bathing cabins (Fig.\u00a011<\/span><\/em>), which among other things involved constructing a\u00a0four-kilometre-long pipeline to supply radioactive water to them. It can thus be said that Marie and Pierre Curie were at the\u00a0birth of the\u00a0local spa; the\u00a0official beginning is said to be in 1906. While Pierre tragically died under the\u00a0wheels of a\u00a0horse-drawn carriage in April that year, and Marie thus lost not only her colleague but also her husband and father of their two young daughters, Ir\u00e8ne and \u00c8ve, a\u00a0small private spa\u00a0wase established in J\u00e1chymov. And, thanks to the\u00a0truly unique mineral water enriched with radon, it became the\u00a0first radon spa\u00a0in the\u00a0world.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Fig. 11. Wooden tubs were used for bathing<\/h6>\n

As the\u00a0number of spa\u00a0guests grew, it became necessary to build respectable accommodation for them. The\u00a0first spa\u00a0building was the\u00a0Kurhaus in 1911 (today the\u00a0central part of the\u00a0Agricola\u00a0Spa\u00a0Centre<\/em>; Fig.\u00a012<\/span><\/em>). The\u00a0neoclassical building with <\/span>elements of Viennese Secession (a\u00a0form of Art Nouveau) was, at the\u00a0time, the\u00a0first spa\u00a0institute of its kind in history. Kurhaus had a\u00a0capacity of 40 bathing cabins, and a\u00a0spa\u00a0forest park was created around it, which to this day stands out for its meticulous landscaping and beautiful secluded spots (Fig.\u00a013<\/span><\/em>). Today, the\u00a0Agricola\u00a0building has been extended on both sides and serves as an aqua\u00a0centre and mine themed sauna\u00a0for the\u00a0public (Fig.\u00a014<\/span><\/em>).<\/span><\/p>\n\"\"<\/a>\n

Fig. 12. Agricola spa centre<\/h6>\n\"\"<\/a>\n
Fig. 13. Forest park with a pond<\/h6>\n\"\"<\/a>\n
Fig. 14. Pool in Agricola<\/h6>\n

The\u00a0pride of town called Radium Kurhaus<\/h3>\n

Frenzied construction activity continued, and J\u00e1chymov began to transform into a\u00a0spa\u00a0town. Local entrepreneurs were also active, building additional guesthouses and hotels near the\u00a0first spa\u00a0building, the\u00a0most famous of which remains the\u00a0Astoria\u00a0Hotel (Fig.\u00a015<\/span><\/em>). At the\u00a0same time, a\u00a0joint-stock company was established in J\u00e1chymov, bringing together prominent figures from the\u00a0high aristocracy and Viennese industry, headed by Arno\u0161t Emanuel, Count Silva-Tarouca. In 1912, the\u00a0grand hotel and sanatorium Radium Kurhaus (now the\u00a0Radium Palace, author\u2019s\u00a0note; Fig.\u00a016<\/em><\/span>) was officially opened, offering patients everything under one roof\u00a0\u2013 accommodation, dining, and spa\u00a0treatments. With its refined architecture and sensitive integration into the\u00a0Ore Mountains landscape, it became the\u00a0pride and symbol of J\u00e1chymov and soon of the\u00a0entire Ore Mountains region. Equipped with the\u00a0most modern technical innovations of its time, it was from the\u00a0outset aimed primarily at wealthier clientele <\/span>and foreign guests (Fig.\u00a017<\/span><\/em>). The\u00a0very first seasons after its opening promised that the\u00a0return on investment would come within a\u00a0few years. In the\u00a01920s, the\u00a0area\u00a0in front of the\u00a0building was redesigned, and an ornately decorated terrace with a\u00a0colonnade and balustrades was added (Fig.\u00a018<\/span><\/em>). Nearby, tennis courts and a\u00a0woodland caf\u00e9 were established. Radium Kurhaus became one of the\u00a0most luxurious hotels in Europe, attracting numerous world-renowned personalities. Among its guests were British King Edward VIII, Egyptian King Fuad I, German composer and conductor Richard Strauss, and writer Karl May, the\u00a0creator of Winnetou. Notable Czechs who frequently stayed there included President T. G. Masaryk (after whom the\u00a0main spa\u00a0street is still named), Karel \u010capek, and later President V\u00e1clav Havel.<\/span><\/p>\n\"\"<\/a>\n

Fig. 15. Astoria Hotel<\/h6>\n\"\"<\/a>\n
Fig. 16. Radium Palace<\/h6>\n\"\"<\/a>\n
Fig. 17. Staircase on the hotel ground floor<\/h6>\n\"\"<\/a>\n
Fig. 18. Richly ornamented balustrades<\/h6>\n

However, one world visit is still remembered in J\u00e1chymov today. In June 1925, Marie Curie Sk\u0142odowska, who literally stood at the\u00a0cradle of radium, radioactivity and the\u00a0unique treatment here, visited the\u00a0town. After a\u00a0brief stop in Prague and L\u00e1ny, where she met President T. G. Masaryk, she arrived in J\u00e1chymov and stayed at the\u00a0Radium Palace Hotel (Fig.\u00a019<\/span><\/em>). She toured the\u00a0spa\u00a0and the\u00a0radiology centre, descended into Svornost mine, and also visited Kl\u00ednovec. <\/span><\/p>\n

This June marked exactly 100 years since that historic event, and to commemorate the\u00a0anniversary, the\u00a0aforementioned international conference was held in J\u00e1chymov [5]. Among the\u00a0speakers were, for example, Dr Dana\u00a0Dr\u00e1bov\u00e1, Chair of the\u00a0State Office for Nuclear Safety (Fig.\u00a020<\/span><\/em>), Ing. Martin P\u0159ibil, Head of Svornost mine (Fig.\u00a021<\/span><\/em>), MUDr. Jind\u0159ich Mar\u0161\u00edk, MBA, Chief Physician of the\u00a0J\u00e1chymov Spa\u00a0(Fig.\u00a022<\/span><\/em>), and many other distinguished guests. A\u00a0letter from H\u00e9l\u00e8ne Langevin-Joliot, the\u00a097-year-old granddaughter of Marie and Pierre Curie, was also read out during the\u00a0conference (Fig.\u00a023<\/span><\/em>). Later that evening, a\u00a0wooden bench engraved with Madame Curie\u2019s\u00a0name was ceremoniously installed in front of the\u00a0Radium Palace entrance, and two rose bushes bearing Marie\u2019s\u00a0name were planted in the\u00a0bed in front of the\u00a0bench. How fitting\u00a0\u2013 when she met President T. G. Masaryk in L\u00e1ny, the\u00a0media\u00a0described their meeting as being \u201cin the\u00a0right place at the\u00a0right time\u201d. It is as if, here in J\u00e1chymov and at the\u00a0Radium Palace hotel, the\u00a0two-time Nobel laureate still lives on.<\/span><\/p>\n\"\"<\/a>\n

Fig. 19. Photo of Marie Curie-Sklodowska, unpublished in Czech media, taken in June 1925 in front of the Radium Palace Hotel (a gift to the author from the archive of Ing. Jaroslav Ochec)<\/h6>\n\"\"<\/a>\n
Fig. 20. Dr. Dana Dr\u00e1bov\u00e1<\/h6>\n\"\"<\/a>\n
Fig. 21. Ing. Martin P\u0159ibil<\/h6>\n\"\"<\/a>\n
Fig. 22. MUDr. Jind\u0159ich Mar\u0161\u00edk, Chief Physician of J\u00e1chymov Spa<\/h6>\n\"\"<\/a>\n
Fig. 23. A letter from the Curies\u2018 granddaughter<\/h6>\n

New treatment houses<\/h3>\n

In October 1975 another treatment house was opened in J\u00e1chymov. It was named Academician B\u011bhounek Sanatorium (now B\u011bhounek, author\u2019s\u00a0note; Fig.\u00a024<\/em><\/span>) after Franti\u0161ek B\u011bhounek, a\u00a0prominent Czech physicist and chemist, who researched radiology and was Marie Curie-Sk\u0142odowska\u2019s\u00a0guide during her trip to J\u00e1chymov in June 1925. In July 1992, an institute bearing the\u00a0telling name Curie was officially opened, significantly transforming the\u00a0area\u00a0around the\u00a0spa\u00a0crossroads (Fig.\u00a025<\/span><\/em>). Both buildings are very modern and also offer their clients everything under one roof \u2013 accommodation, dining, and treatments. However, the popularity of the Radium Palace hotel endures, and its interiors (Fig.\u00a026<\/span><\/em>) as well as its surroundings still offer the\u00a0charm of the\u00a0\u2018good old days\u2019 (Fig.\u00a027<\/span><\/em>).<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/h6>\n
Fig. 24. B\u011bhounek spa house<\/h6>\n\"\"<\/a>\n
Fig. 25. Curie spa house<\/h6>\n\"\"<\/a>\n
Fig. 26. Radium Palace lobby<\/h6>\n\"\"<\/a>\n
Fig. 27. Part of the summer terrace floor is a chessboard<\/h6>\n

J\u00e1chymov radon therapy<\/h3>\n

What exactly does radon therapy involve? Shouldn\u2019t we be afraid of radon? According to the\u00a0chief physician of J\u00e1chymov Spa, MUDr. Jind\u0159ich Mar\u0161\u00edk, MBA\u00a0[6], the\u00a0most important factor is, of course, the\u00a0dose. While high doses of radiation can have fatal consequences for humans, small doses can actually be beneficial. After all, the\u00a0entire planet Earth and life on it originated under much higher levels of radiation than today. There are places, such as the\u00a0geological substratum beneath J\u00e1chymov, where the\u00a0natural radiation background is higher. However, clients of the\u00a0J\u00e1chymov spas are not at risk because they typically stay for around two to four weeks. During that time, they receive only a\u00a0very small dose of radiation, which has a\u00a0demonstrably positive effect on them. Of course, a\u00a0potential concern is for the\u00a0permanent residents of J\u00e1chymov and also for spa\u00a0workers. Therefore, a\u00a0very strict system of rules and regulations exists regarding high-quality air ventilation and other necessary measures that directly determine how much radiation dose a\u00a0person can receive per year. These are followed by radiation protection measures set by the\u00a0State Office for Nuclear Safety.<\/span><\/p>\n

In J\u00e1chymov, patients are irradiated only for non-cancerous conditions; cancerous diseases are, on the\u00a0contrary, a\u00a0contraindication here. As Chief Physician Mar\u0161\u00edk explains, \u201cIf I\u00a0were to compare the\u00a0doses of these two types of irradiation, <\/span>for cancer treatment the\u00a0goal is to destroy the\u00a0tumour tissue, not to cure it, so the\u00a0radiation doses are up to sixty times higher than those we use here. Regarding client safety, the\u00a0only form of radon water application is radon baths, and any negative effects from such small doses of radiation have never been proven. Only the\u00a0skin may become slightly more sensitive after the\u00a0baths, for example to sunlight exposure, but all of this disappears after the\u00a0patients return home.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

So how exactly does the\u00a0treatment work, and what are its positive effects? \u201cRegarding the\u00a0benefits of our radon baths, numerous studies have clinically confirmed that changes occur from the\u00a0molecular level to the\u00a0cellular level to a\u00a0systemic response in the\u00a0form of an anti-inflammatory reaction and modulation of the\u00a0immune response\u00a0\u2013 all the\u00a0way to the\u00a0clinical response, where symptoms of the\u00a0specific disease are alleviated. We now know that changes occur at the\u00a0molecular level in the\u00a0DNA, and that these changes are repairable, along with many other alterations that normally happen to DNA, for example, during inflammation or other metabolic processes. These common physiological processes, which we are often unaware of but are actually quite numerous, do not operate at full capacity. By supporting them, we increase their usable potential, and along with the\u00a0effects we induce, the\u00a0changes caused by inflammation begin to repair. This response is systemic because the\u00a0radiation in the\u00a0water is not localized to one specific tissue but affects the\u00a0whole body\u00a0\u2013 the\u00a0so-called open radiator is the\u00a0bath itself and the\u00a0water within it. Within this response, there is an effect on the\u00a0immune system, specifically involving T-lymphocytes and especially cytokines\u00a0\u2013 substances that trigger a\u00a0whole cascade of anti-inflammatory processes. One of these, frequently mentioned in connection with radon and shown to have increased activity, is TGF-\u03b2, which has a\u00a0strong anti-inflammatory effect. Clinical studies have shown that the\u00a0statistically significant effect persists for six to nine months after the\u00a0end of treatment, and this applies to all four groups of our patients\u00a0\u2013 including those with ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and clients with typical functional back pain. Simply put, our radon therapy has a\u00a0strong anti-inflammatory effect as well as an analgesic effect, since it simultaneously triggers the\u00a0release of endorphins,\u201d summarises Chief Physician Mar\u0161\u00edk [6].<\/span><\/p>\n

Clients at J\u00e1chymov spa\u00a0receive between 18 and 24 radon baths, with 24 being the\u00a0maximum allowed dose per year. The\u00a0first bath lasts 15 minutes, and all subsequent ones last 20 minutes. Baths are conducted from Monday to Saturday in standard bath tubs (Fig.\u00a028<\/span>), with radon present in the\u00a0form of gas dissolved in the\u00a0water. The\u00a0water is warmed to a\u00a0temperature of 36 \u00b0C and must be filled from the\u00a0bottom to prevent radon from escaping. The\u00a0radon concentration in each <\/span>bath is 4.5 kBq\/l. To enhance the\u00a0therapeutic effect, patients remain wrapped in a\u00a0blanket for 10 minutes after the\u00a0bath.<\/span><\/p>\n\"\"<\/a>\n

Fig. 28. Bathtub for radon bath<\/h6>\n

In addition to radon baths, patients usually receive bubble or additive baths, dry carbon dioxide baths, pool exercises (Fig.\u00a029<\/span><\/em>) and many other treatments depending on the\u00a0type of illness. An integral part of the\u00a0therapy are physiotherapy and massage, which, along with radon baths, is one of the\u00a0finest treatments offered J\u00e1chymov Spa\u00a0has to offer (Fig.\u00a030<\/span><\/em>).<\/span><\/p>\n\"\"<\/a>\n

Fig. 29. Exercise in the pool<\/h6>\n\"\"<\/a>\n
Fig. 30. Masseur Samuel Kolman<\/h6>\n

Finally, it is necessary to mention another J\u00e1chymov unique feature, the\u00a0so-called J\u00e1chymov boxes, also known as brachytherapy (BRT). This involves irradiating the\u00a0affected area\u00a0(e.g., a\u00a0joint, part of the\u00a0spine, etc.) with ionizing radiation from close proximity. The\u00a0radiation source used is radium-226. The\u00a0treatment takes place in the\u00a0Radiology Pavilion and results in significant pain relief. This therapeutic effect lasts for half a\u00a0year to a\u00a0year. Brachytherapy is carried out in only one place in the\u00a0world\u00a0\u2013 J\u00e1chymov.<\/span><\/p>\n

Acknowledgements<\/h3>\n

I\u00a0would like to thank the\u00a0Chief Physician of the\u00a0J\u00e1chymov Spa, MUDr.\u00a0Jind\u0159ich\u00a0Mar\u0161\u00edk,\u00a0MBA, for his willingness to give me an interview about the\u00a0local radon treatment. I\u00a0must also thank MUDr. Radovan Kamenec, not only for his excellent care of my health, but also for his interest in my work. My great thanks go to the\u00a0historian from J\u00e1chymov, Ing. Jaroslav Ochec for his interesting lecture about Marie Curie-Skodowska\u00a0and for giving me her photo from her visit to J\u00e1chymov. I\u00a0am aware of its value and I\u00a0am very grateful for it. I\u00a0would also like to thank the\u00a0spa\u00a0media\u00a0representative, Jan Laufek, for his personal invitation to the\u00a0international conference on the\u00a0100th anniversary of Marie Curie-Sk\u0142odowska\u2019s\u00a0visit to J\u00e1chymov. It was a\u00a0great honour for me to participate in it. I\u00a0would like to thank Mr. Anton\u00edn Kreissl from the\u00a0J\u00e1chymov Spa\u00a0Visitor Information Centre for his help and support. Many thanks to Radovan P\u0159iklopil, the\u00a0receptionist at the\u00a0Radium Palace, to whom I\u00a0am extremely grateful for his support in writing this article and for the\u00a0book on the\u00a0history of J\u00e1chymov which he kindly gave me. Finally, I\u00a0would like to thank all the\u00a0spa\u00a0staff at the\u00a0Radium Palace Hotel who participated in my treatment. I\u00a0appreciate their work very much.<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

An informative article that is not subject to peer review.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The town of J\u00e1chymov in the Ore Mountains foothills is part of the Karlovy Vary Region and member of the West Bohemian spa family. However, J\u00e1chymov offers a very spe-cific treatment; thanks to the high concentration of radon in the local natural mineral water, the world\u2019s first radon spa was established here and is still operating successfully today.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":36099,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,86],"tags":[3738,3876,3877,3885,3884,3886],"coauthors":[2785],"class_list":["post-36168","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-from-the-world-of-water-management","category-hydraulics-hydrology-and-hydrogeology","tag-jachymov","tag-marie-curie-sklodowska","tag-pierre-curie","tag-pitchblende","tag-radon-treatment","tag-west-bohemian-spa"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36168","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36168"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36168\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36745,"href":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36168\/revisions\/36745"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36099"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36168"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36168"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36168"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=36168"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}