The use of natural mineral spring water for the prevention and cure of disease dates back 5,000 years to the Bronze Age. Natural springs were also revered by indigineous peoples, including Maori who would regularly bath in them following battle. ‘Taking the Waters’ peaked in the late nineteenth century in Europe, the US, and colonial outposts. Today spas are experiencing a revival as an escape for relaxation and recuperation from our busy lifestyles. Nathaniel Altman is a medical writer and researcher who has written fifteen books on alternative healing.