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13ENOTHERAPY-THE OLDEST AND LATEST INNOVATIVE METHOD OF MEDICAL
TOURISM
SH. V. VASHADZE
MD, PhD, ass. professor, Batumi State University after Shota Rustaveli. Batumi.Georgia
DATO KHIMSHIASHVILI.
Clinic medical center batumi. Georgia
MAIA SHAVADAZE .
Clinic Medical Center, Batumi. Georgia
NANA TSINTSANDZE
MD, PhD, ass. professor, Batumi State University after Shota Rustaveli. Batumi. Georgia
Abstract: According to data of National Agency of Tourism of Georgia, only 1 % of foreign tourists visited Georgian resorts with the purpose of treatment and recovery in 2010. There are 103 climatic and medical resorts in Georgia
Georgia has great potential in this regard. Implementation of the right strategy is of great importance for the development of tourism. We consider the development of alternative medicine as interesting. Alternative medicine is quite spread. Alternation is the treatment which does not belong to the sphere of ordinary medicine or contradicts to it. We think that it will be interesting to use enotherapy with the purpose of development of medical tourism.
The word medicine is linked with the name of Medea. Vine is also included in the list of forty curative plants by Medea (XIV century BC). Wine was considered as one of the oldest natural curative means in Georgia. Vine was also the source of Georgia's economic strength and that's why the enemies used to chop down vine in order to make the country weaker. Saint Nino preached Christianity to Georgian people with vine cross in her hand and according to one Georgian legend, God made the man from the ground mixed together with vine tears in order to take care of the vine. It is also known that in old civilized world wherever the culture of vine existed, the usage of wine for curative purposes has the oldest tradition.
Patients will receive and analyze the information about grape, about endemic species spread in Georgia, about curative features of grape and wine and about the connection of Georgian history and culture with Georgian vine, wine.
We think that the usage of enotherapy as a method of medical tourism will be an important novelty. In case of right state politics and strategy, there will be huge demand for this kind of treatment. It will gain serious profit to the country besides the popularity. The state is to contribute to the development of this field.
Key words: enotherapy, Georgian vine, tourism
"Global Ethic Code of tourism" (General Assembly of World Tourist Organization, Santiago, Chile, October 1, 1999y) considers tourism as a factor of individual and collective perfection, the sphere which uses cultural heritage of humanity and contributes to its enrichment; 3.4.5. According to Australian experts "expansion of tourist powers is possible only where the regional planning is binding and where any project is included in common plan of economic development".1.2.3.
According to data of National Agency of Tourism of Georgia, only 1 % of foreign tourists visited Georgian resorts with the purpose of treatment and recovery in 2010. There are 103 climatic and medical resorts in Georgia. Majority of tourist agencies of Georgia, despite the huge potential of the country, do not offer medical tours to tourists. According to experts, the main problem is poor infrastructure and non-existence of advertisement, which hinder the development of medical tourism in Georgia. Balneologic and climatic resorts are mainly located in high mountainous
regions, where the infrastructure is not developed. The government has to implement national strategy for infrastructure development in order to develop this sector. Georgia has great potential in this regard. Implementation of the right strategy is of great importance for the development of tourism. We consider the development of alternative medicine as interesting. Alternative medicine is quite spread. Alternation is the treatment which does not belong to the sphere of ordinary medicine or contradicts to it. We think that it will be interesting to use enotherapy with the purpose of development of medical tourism.
The word medicine is linked with the name of Medea. Vine is also included in the list of forty curative plants by Medea (XIV century BC). Wine was considered as one of the oldest natural curative means in Georgia. Vine was also the source of Georgia's economic strength and that's why the enemies used to chop down vine in order to make the country weaker. Saint Nino preached Christianity to Georgian people with vine cross in her hand and according to one Georgian legend, God made the man from the ground mixed together with vine tears in order to take care of the vine. It is also known that in old civilized world wherever the culture of vine existed, the usage of wine for curative purposes has the oldest tradition.
Homer mentions two warrior doctors in "Iliad"--Makhaon and Paladir, who gave wine to wounded people and also treated the wounds with wine. Roman doctor Clavdius Galena used the diapers soaked in wine for treatment of Gladiators. Hippocrates (371-287yy BC) uses wine as a compress for healing wounds and rheumatic pains etc. Christianity contributes for popularization of enotherapy. Wine, according to Christian tradition, is not only the source of gayety, life and peace but also an apostle of godly and human union. Wine is mentioned in Bible for 450 times and is discussed as one the most effective curative means in Babylonian Talmud. A lot of medicines are described in Georgian medicinal book "Ustsoro Karabadini" (X-XI c) prepared on wine. It was used as prophylactic, stimulating and therapeutic means for treatment of many other deceases. Wine was given to people in case of weakness and loss of appetite in small portions. The oldest written reference to usage of wine as biogenic stimulator is V century literary work -"Torture of Shushaniki" . Jakob Khutsesi asks Shushaniki to eat the bread soaked in wine. According to Panaskertel-Cicishvili's medical book wine was used for treatment of different deceases according to different ways: "knead with wine" (e.g. ointment), in Folk Medicine pure wine, mixed with water, its steam-inhalation, medicine kneaded in wine is used for treatment. Some deceases e.g. traumatic (wound, fracture, burn etc.) were treated with alcoholic wine and some (pediatric, gynecologic, therapeutic) were treated with "boiled wine". Such wine loses strength (alcohol) and maintains useful features. Folk medicine gives preference to black wine, more useful features were ascribed to it.
In treatment of traumatic injures wine was used in natural (alcoholic) form. Vinegar is also widely met as curative mean in both folk and traditional (medical books) medicine. For example, the wound, if it was inflamed (infected) was treated by vinegar or the medicine prepared on it so called "kneaded medicine" besides wine, burn was also treated with this medicine. Medicine is prepared by cold kneading- vinegar was added to certain curative means (folk doctors kept in secret) in small portions and kneaded. Wound was covered with wine or vinegar diapers (compress): the usage of wine for treatment of wounds is met in Bible. e.g Christ's parable of "Kind Samaritan" when he helped a dying person "he bathed his wounds with oil and wine and bandaged" ( Luka's Gospel)
Alcohol (spirits) is main ingredient of antiseptic liquids for treatment of wounds in modern medicine. Wine and vinegar is extremely widespread in treatment of burns as a substance for septic treatment and as a medicine.
Wine had a wide range of usage in both folk and traditional medicine and still has nowadays. It has bactericidal and anti-toxic, stimulating qualities and that's why it's one of the best preventive tools.
The usage of wine for curative purposes is an important issue. It's necessary to found enotherapeutic centers, where the patients will be treated with ancient Georgian recipes, wine baths, wine and honey compresses, wine masks, ointments, ground grape pips.
Patients will receive and analyze the information about grape, about endemic species spread in Georgia, about curative features of grape and wine and about the connection of Georgian history and culture with Georgian vine, wine.
We think that the usage of enotherapy as a method of medical tourism will be an important novelty. In case of right state politics and strategy, there will be huge demand for this kind of treatment. It will gain serious profit to the country besides the popularity. The state is to contribute to the development of this field.
1. Ellsworth, Amy (18 July 2012). "7,000 Year-old Wine Jar". The Penn Musium..
2. Spilling, Michael; Wong, Winnie (2008). Cultures of The World Georgia. p. 128. ISBN 9780-7614-3033-9.
3. T. Pellechia Wine: The 8,000-Year-Old Story of the Wine Trade pg XI-XII Running Press, London 2006 ISBN 1-56025-871-3
4. Maria Rosa Guasch-Jane, Cristina Andres-Lacueva, Olga Jauregui and Rosa M. Lamuela-Raventos, The origin of the ancient Egyptian drink Shedeh revealed using LC/MS/MS, Journal of Archaeological Science, Vol 33, Iss 1, Jan. 2006, pp. 98-101.
5. Keys, David (2003-12-28). "Now that's what you call a real vintage: professor unearths 8,000-year-old wine". The Independent. Retrieved 2011-03-20.
6. Spilling, Michael; Wong, Winnie (2008). Cultures of The World Georgia. p. 128. ISBN 9780-7614-3033-9.
7. T. Pellechia Wine: The 8,000-Year-Old Story of the Wine Trade pg XI-XII Running Press, London 2006 ISBN 1-56025-871-3
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