The 19th century hydropathy or the water cure craze had its critics. These cartoons were published in the satirical booklet, Pleasures of the Water Cure, by Thomas Onwhyn (1857). More serious critics reported deaths due to improper treatment, questioned its effectiveness, and accused hydropaths of being quacks.
To learn more about the history of medicine and questionable cures, see Discovering Quacks, Utopias, and Cemeteries