The survival of the ritualistic over the 'scientific' element of hydrotherapy in Greece

In this paper we present some elements of the history of 'scientific' psychiatric hydrotherapy and, moreover, of a particular form of the water purifying ritual - that is, foot washing - among the populations living in Greece and in Orthodox communities in the Balkans. We speculate on the reasons that caused the virtual disappearance of the former, while the latter still flourishes.