WorldWide Drilling Resource

49 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® JULY 2015 More than One Definition for Salt-of-the-Earth People Compiled by Bonnie Love, Editor WorldWide Drilling Resource ® Humans need salt to maintain fluid balance and for the transmission of nerve impulses, and it also helps the body regulate blood pressure. Did you know it could also improve lung function and skin conditions? Sal t cave therapy, also cal led speleotherapy, was first studied in the mid 1800s when a health official in Poland, Dr. Feliks Boczkowski, noticed salt mine workers rarely suffered from colds, respiratory problems, or lung dis- ease. An experimental clinical hospital for pulmonary patients was built in the Wieliczka salt mine in the province of Krakow. Dr. Boczkowski attributed the miners’ lack of respiratory issues to salt aerosol the miners were breathing on a daily basis.The Wieliczka salt mines have since been declared a World Heritage site, offering visitors tours throughout the historic mine. The National Speleotherapy Clinic, in Soligorsk in the Republic of Belarus, is one of many facilities in the world which continue to offer salt mine therapy today. Respiratory gymnastics, which teaches patients to breath properly, is one of the activities at the National Speleotherapy Clinic. Photos courtesy of www.belarus.by Located in a former mine tunnel nearly 1400 feet underground, the clinic uses the microclimate of the salt deposit to treat asthma, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), chronic bronchitis, and allergies among other things. Also, the antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of the mine’s atmosphere can help treat ear infections, psoriasis, der- matitis, acne, and eczema. Each year, more than 7000 children and adults receive treatment, with some experts claiming 70% of cases lead to remission lasting anywhere from 6 months to as long as 2½ years. The facility con- sists of rooms for patients and medical staff, exercise and therapy rooms, lounges, and even a gym. Salt mines are used for speleother- apy in Austria, Poland, Romania, Russia, and several other countries around the world. : '26+0) 4*' &2+..+0) +0&53429 3+0%' ; :"*'0 +4 %1/'3 41 < = 7' -017 4*' ; '6'049 +6' > #0& ? 3'#.'& $'#2+0) &2+.. $+43 #.. (12/#4+103 31/' .+-' 0'7 '# "'34 2#0-(124 ..+01+3 ! 1%#4+10 #8 ! 1.. 2'' /#+. 4'',#9 /+&7'34 0'4 0,2+ 675;,4 -57 5;,7 ',(78 /558, -753 +0--,7,49 35+,28 95 -09 >5:7 4,,+8 "(4.04. -753 36 95 36 4*2:+,8 %,/0*2, :36 #9(7904. (99,7> /(7.04. (4+ (4+ % 95 65<,7 &07,-,,+,78 0. (7708 "5(+ ,74+(2, ,< '571 $,2 (= &,) 809, <<< .,9,* *53 3(02 8(2,8 .,9,* *53 ',(78 5- =6,70,4*, 3(1, 9/08 204, 5- &,2+,78 (4 :43(9*/,+ !:(209> 75+:*9 04 95+(>?8 3(71,9 690548 04*2:+, 49,74(2 7,88:7, 536,48(904. 25< 549752 67,;,4904. (**0+,49(2 5;,786,,+ +(3(., 95 9/, &,2+,7 %,/0*2, :36 #9(7904. %5298 ( ,9,* ,=*2:80;, (99,7> /(7.04. %5298 (4+ % 95 65<,7 >5:7 0. :4 &07,-,,+ 589 536(*9 >+7(:20* &,2+,7 54 (71,9 (049,4(4*, 7,, ,80.4 0./9,89 >+7(:20* &,2+,7 54 (71,9 Some facilities of the clinic are locat- ed in the Starobin potash salts de- posit, which is a rare combination of sylvini te and halite.