Turkish Origins

The Doctor Fish were first popularly used in skin treatment in the Kangal area of Turkey, hence why they are often known as Kangal Fish.

The spring is 13km from Kangal in a tiny settlement, consisting of a hotel, some pensions, a camping area, a small restaurant, a market and four bathing pools, three of which are open-air. The springs were first noticed by people from neighbouring villages in the early 1800s. The pools were built in 1900, and were opened to the public in 1963.

The pools have concrete walls and floors paved with pebbles and drain into a stream which runs between the buildings.

The water, with a pH of about 7.2, is isothermal and maintains a temperature of about 35 ° C throughout the year. The presence of selenium (1.3ppm) has been emphasised for its biological and therapeutic aspects.

The water has been reported as being beneficial in rheumatic disease, neurologic disorders (neuralgia, neuritis, paralysis), orthopaedic and traumatological sequelae (fractures, joint trauma, and muscle disease), gynaecological problems (by lavage), skin diseases, urolithiasis (by drinking), and psychosomatic disorders. But psoriasis is the disease which has made the spring so popular as a therapeutic aid. Wide interest in the doctor fish encourages people with neurological and rheumatic diseases to visit the hotspring to immerse themselves in its pools.