Father Kneipp, Priessnitz, a Bavarian priest. Father Sebastian Kneipp, was a famous old German priest, who lived from 1821 to 1897. He was a Naturopath - one who advocates natural living and healing through the use of sunlight, baths, fresh air and cold water. Given these items are difficult to market, Father Kniepp never likely made money from his theories but he may have from his "Water Cure.". Supposedly, in 1842 Sebastian Kniepp after being rejected for priesthood due to tuberculosis cured himself with hydrotherapy techniques he discovered in the Vatican archives. After then being admitted, he began treating sick parishioners.

And further down the line herbal essences with alcohol for medical purposes, honey mead for medical purposes, medical juices, medical herbal juices, medicinal honey…
http://www.bottlebooks.com/FatherJohn/a_product_of_divine_inspiration.htm

This is a nice one too "Mead is good, increases the hunger, stimulates digestion, purifies and strengthens the stomach, frees of bad substances" wrote the healer Sebastian Kneipp.
http://www.alpenrose.it/mead_uk.htm

The fermented honey-water mixture is one of the oldest alcoholic drinks of mankind and is said to give strength, courage and power. So even Johann Sebastian Kneipp, an adversary of alcohol, advised to drink mead. Mead does the body good. It gives a good appetite and cleans and strengthens the stomach.
http://www.velmet.at/html/e_presse.htm

According to the abbot Sebastian Kneipp, a great phyto-terapist of the ninenteenth century, honey exponentially increases the therapeutic efficacy of the medicinal components of vinegar and increases their assimilation by the various organs. The quality of a vinegar is directly proportional to the quality of the starting raw material and to the production process. Mead (a fermented beverage made from honey that the vinegar in obtained from) is thought to be oldest alcohlic beverage, consequently honey vinegar is the oldest vinegar.
http://www.agriverde.it/vinegar.html

Here are some HP in German about the subject.
http://www.imker-schwaben.de/historisches/bienenbuechlein/baumgartem%20-%20biographie%20kneipp.pdf
http://www.imker-schwaben.de/historisches/imkeralbum/kneipp.htm
http://www.egopharm.de/kneipp/g15g31g.htm
http://www.kloster-arenberg.de/sebastian-kneipp.htm
http://www.kloster-arenberg.de/kneipp-lebensgeschichte.htm - With picture
http://www.kloster-arenberg.de/kneipp-regeln.htm
http://www.kloster-arenberg.de/sebastian-kneipp.htm

Father Kneipp was also known as the "Father of the Bees". He kept bees in his herb garden and used the mead to cure a lot of illnesses. He is maybe the most outspoken healer who praises the good effects of mead on the health as a cure for the young and the old. Put mead in a cup, add some white bread to soak and feed it to the feeble who can not take any other meal, and they will be better… He was way ahead of his time.
I think if you google a little you find more in english.
For today, that's all from me.

Yours cordially

Dr. med. Gabi Greve
Okayama, Japan

---