The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1839-05-22
From Buckingham's Lectures.
ORIENTAL SYSTEM OF BATHING


From Buckinghams Lectures
ORIENTAL SYSTEM OF BATHING.
Baths arc extremely numerous in Egypt;
and 50 great are the advantages which at
tend the use Of them, that il il greatly 10
be lamented thar they are not universal
They are so favorable both to health and
to pleasure, that ! could desire no private
house should be without its bath but il is
surprising to- think thai in many cities Of
England there is no bath at all or If there
may be one, it is in some obscure corner,
SO far off as to he of little general use.
Among the Mohammedans, buths arc as
numerous as their mosques. doubt if in.
their cities a single street can be found,
without one or more Of them. There 10 q
general conviction in the East, that person.
al cleanliness is favorable 10 morality:
while, on the other hand, vice and filth 60
naturally together. Baths are to be had
at all prices. For a single para (in value
about one fourth Of one Of your cents,) you
are furnished with II private apartment, hot
water, a towel and soup, and have liberty
to stay half an hour.
1t is common with the Mohnmmedans 10
practice nblutIon before prayer; and they
all battle once day at least. But while a
bath may be had for a quarter Of a cent,
they ascend in price, nccording to the scale
of accommodation, until, for some, you
must pny Eve dollars. Separate baths are
provided for the sexcs and the sanctity of
this separation IS such, that a man who
should violate it would bc in imminent huz-
ard Of being murdered on the spot
Catering into one of these costly baths,
for example before dinner, you fnd cham
Der, the windows Of which nre darkened
with colored glass and odoriferous plants.
The air is cooled by showers from ioun-
tain. Agreeable attendants are provided TO
smusc you with conversation. Some of
these ars improrisafori, who will off.hand'
invent for you an interesting tale, in prose
or verse or If you prefer music, they will
sing you m Arabic song, and accompany
it with the guitar. You are then conducted
into warm chamber, and thence into a.
mother yet warmer.
" Here, perhaps, you will find singing
birds and some books; but Of the latter, the
native balhcrs rarely make any use. Your
chamber grows warmer aud warmer, ill at
length you are glad to pull off your clothes
You are then laid out by your attendant
ou marble slab. They nre armed with
gloves made Of the Cashmere goat, which
is rough, but not sufficiently 90 10 give you
pain. They then commence the process
Of ehampooing you. They draw cut every
joint, and LEI it go ill it cracks like pistol.
They twist about your arms they bend
your elbows, and thence passing down tho
back, they proceed in similar manner
till you hear report from each ono of the
ycrtebrn.
Under process so unusual, a stranger
reposes his chief confidence in the fac, TINT
others have undergone it before him, aud
escaped injury. This loosening Of the
joints is said to give suppIeness to the frame;
under which persuasion il was prncliced, as
we know, by Athlete, the runners and the
wresrlcrs Of the Greeks.
Your prosecutors next proceed to a pro-
cess Of violent friction over your whole body,
and you are surprised to discover that by
means of these various operations, they
have actually brought off froE, your body
material substance to the weight Of pound,
or even two pounds. Medical men well
hUOW tV -
with deposite, which is the effect of insen-
sble perspIrntion and nny one will be-
Iieve them who has passed through the
manipulation have described.
After il is completed, tho skin feels like.
satin, and partially retains this delightful
smootbness for a day or two. ] am well
that half the diseases which pre-
vail amoHg vs. may be traced to obstruc-f
lions Of The skin and that the use Of the
bath, accompanied by severe friction, con.
duces in m eminent degree to health aud
long life.
After you have undergone this series Of
cracking and rubbing, they finish off BY
plum giog you into bath Of rose water. up
10 your neck. You are then furnished with
:ofiec, the ehabougss or long pipe, and with
'herbet, liquor compounded Of the juice
,f the pomegraniie, orange and citron, but
by no admixturs Of alcohol.
Such on indulgence may be censured as
sxtrsvagant, and to some persons il would
be so; but those who have
money will rse it for their gratiication and
e that 10 the object, know Of hardly any
way in which il may be more certainly Sc
cured. Il is the fashion in London and III
New Ysrk, for gentlemen to attend public