Richard Barter (physician) facts for kids

Richard Barter (born 1802 – died 3 October 1870) was an Irish doctor. He was a big supporter of a type of treatment called hydropathy, which uses water to help people feel better.

He worked with a person named David Urquhart to bring Turkish baths to places like Ireland and the United Kingdom. Richard Barter also started St Ann's Hydro, which was Ireland's very first place for hydropathy treatments. It was located near Cork, at a spot called St Ann's Hill.

Who Was Richard Barter?

Richard Barter was born in 1802 in a place called Cooldaniel in County Cork, Ireland. His parents were Richard and Elizabeth Barter. He grew up with six brothers and sisters.

He studied to become a doctor in London, England. In 1828, he became a member of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. After finishing his studies, he came back to Ireland. He started working as a doctor in Inniscarra, County Cork.

His Family Life

In 1836, Richard Barter married Mary Newman. Her father was John Newman from Dromore, County Cork. Richard and Mary had a large family with four daughters and seven sons.

Two of their sons, Richard and Ulick, later became very important people and were given the title of "Sir" (knighted). Richard Barter passed away on 3 October 1870 in Blarney.

What Was His Career Like?

Richard Barter became very interested in hydropathy, which is a way of treating illnesses using water. He saw how helpful it could be during a serious sickness outbreak called the cholera epidemic in 1832.

Because of this, he decided to open Ireland's first steam baths. This happened in 1843 at the St Anne's Hydrotherapy Establishment in Blarney, County Cork.

Bringing Turkish Baths to Ireland

Richard Barter was inspired by the work of David Urquhart. He later asked Urquhart to help build the first Turkish bath in Great Britain and Ireland. The building for this bath started on 7 June 1856 in Blarney.

Barter then made some changes to the design. He created a hot-air system that was more like ancient Roman baths than traditional Turkish ones. This special building had beautiful stained-glass windows and shiny marble floors.

Later, an extra part was added to the baths. This allowed pets to use the facilities, and it also offered free treatments for people who couldn't afford them. These baths became known as some of the best hydropathy centers in Europe.

Spreading His Ideas

Richard Barter built more baths in other parts of Ireland, including one in Dublin at Lincoln Place. He also traveled a lot, giving talks about his special bath system. He believed his system could prevent and even cure diseases.

He also helped to edit a book called The Turkish bath, with a view to its introduction into the British dominions in 1856. Besides his medical work, Barter was also a founder and secretary of the County of Cork Agricultural Society.