Järnbad

Järnbad (literally "iron bath" in Swedish) is a term used in both historical health-spa contexts and in technical metallurgy to denote bathing or immersion processes involving iron or iron-rich solutions. The meaning varies by context and time period.

In a spa and folk-medicine context, järnbad historically referred to baths taken in iron-rich mineral springs or in baths to which iron salts had been added. Such treatments were part of 18th–19th century European spa practices and were promoted for a variety of ailments, including fatigue and certain skin conditions. Claims about therapeutic effects were a feature of period health culture, and modern medical assessment of such treatments depends on specific conditions and water composition.

In industrial and technical usage, järnbad can denote aqueous solutions used in metalworking, electroplating or surface treatment processes that contain dissolved iron or iron compounds. These baths serve roles in plating, pickling, or as intermediate steps in manufacturing and are governed by technical standards and safety procedures.

Today the term appears mainly in historical descriptions of spa culture or in specialised industrial terminology. Safety and environmental considerations are important in any use of iron-containing baths: consumer health claims require scientific evaluation, and industrial operations are subject to regulations on handling, waste management and worker protection.