The Bath Department at Poland Spring

The restorative powers of the natural spring water at Poland Spring had been celebrated for many years, and a major attraction to the resort was the free use of the water for both consumption and ablutions. But perhaps due to the Mainer's natural skepticism of miracle cures, the hotel was never promoted as a spa or sanitarium of the European variety, but merely as a family resort with the added benefit of a fine natural spring.
First circular of Poland Water, published in 1860 (Illustrated History of Poland Spring, 1914)	"For while the fame of the Poland Spring has gone forth unto the earth, and more water is annually sold from it than any other spring in the world, and more than from all the springs at Saratoga combined; and while half a million people are living to-day who have reason to, and do, thank God for the curative properties of its waters, and hundreds come each year to drink of them, and are, by the drinking, cured of grievous troubles, nevertheless, the mammoth establishment on the crest of Ricker Hill has never been, and is not in appearance or fact, a Sanitarium. It is not kept by a M.D., or a groups of M.D.'s, regular or irregular; but by Poland boys and hotel men, and is run as a hotel in the interest of popular entertainment, recreation, and health." (History of Poland, H.A. & G.W. Poole, 1890, p. 39)
But the business savvy of the Ricker family and their overriding desire to provide the best and most attractive roster of services to their visitors eventually prompted them to construct a Bath and Treatment Department on the premises. Completed in 1914 and situated at the rear of the Mansion house, the Bath Department offered visitors a variety of hydrotherapeutic treatments, most of which sound like quackery to the modern ear, but which were all taken very seriously around the turn of the century, and were overseen by trained and respected physicians of the era.
Nauheim Bath (Pamphlet, Bath Department at Poland Spring, ME)	"The Hydropathic Department is complete in every detail and has the latest and most approved appliances procurable. The control table is specially built and possesses new features not found on other types. The various douche treatments, needles, sprays, steam, spout and other treatment, sitz baths, bidets, and other apparatus have been installed in this department. The Vichy massage douche, general and special massage, Swedish movements and mechanical treatments are given by experienced attendants. The very best equipment has been installed for giving the Nauheim, oxygen, pine, saline, alkaline, sulphur and the various medicated baths."
Electric Bath Department (Pamphlet, Bath Department at Poland Spring, ME)	"The Electrotherapy equipment, consists of electric light baths, radio-high frequency apparatus, vacuum electrode treatments, galvanic, faradic and sinusoidal currents, electric tub baths, electric vibratory treatments, phototherapy, blue light and other electrical treatments. The radio-high frequency electric light bath is a special bath at Poland Spring, and has the novelty of combining high frequency electric currents with the electric light bath. A special equipment has been installed for giving the Bergonie treatment for obesity, fatty heart, fatty liver, etc. This treatment is harmless, does not involve physical exertion, and is known to be one of the most modern and successful treatments for these conditions." (Pamphlet, Bath Department at Poland Spring, ME)