Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1861-06-07

A cold bath is IS degrees and under; tenn.
perate, Is to So degrees; tepld, IS to IS do.
grees; warm, IS to 100 degrees; hot, 100
degrees nd over.
The temperature of the body in health is
SO degrees Fahrenheit. Fer purposes of
cleansing the skin, hot bath is the most
occasionally, and for very few minutes at
a time, as it rapidly exhausts the physical
powers. 1t opens the pores of the skin and
increases the activity Of the circulation tor
the moment; but if followed by an instar-
taneous cold shower bath an invigorating
effect is produced. A hot bath excites, a
warm bath soothes and tranquilzes it
makes the pulse slower, and causes more
equal breathing.
Avapor bath ia of steam in stead of wa ter,
and is applied inside as we'll as out; its first
effect is feeling of oppressi on, but soon
aspiration is induced, and deli ghtful SEN
sations ensue. To prevent taking cold, the
person should pass from the steam chamber
into tepid bath for a single moment, then
wipe dry briskly, dress and walk.
No kind of bath ought to be taken within
an hour before regular meal, nor sooner
than four hours after; sudden death has Of
ten resulted from inattention to the latter
The best time for bathing is Immediately af-
ter rising in the morn ng, as then there is
greater power of reaction, without which there
is no inauguration, no benefit.
The sponge bath is the application of
water to the surface of the body by means
of sponge. When persons are feeble, one
portioa Of the body should undergo the pro-
cess at a time, then quickly wiped and dried
and covered before another is exposed. There
are few persons indeed, who would not be
greatly benefited by the following procedure
every morning, winter and summer Wash
the hands first in small amount of water
with soap, for if but little used, tea cupful,
it is warmed by the hands, and thus becomes
more cleansing, without the trouble of pre-
pairing warm water; then rinse them well
afterwards wash the face in large basin of
cold water, just drawn or brought into the
room, for all cold water becomes filthy in an
hour or two, If kept standing in sleeping
or sitting apartment.
After the face has been wa shed plentifuly y,
throw the water up to the elbows, then lit
tie higher at every dash with the hand, un-
til the arms, neck, throat, behind the cars,
armpits, and upper portion of the chest, have
been deluged with water; next, Except wo-
men with long hair) wash the whole scalp
abundantly, rubbing the water into and
about the roots of the hair with the ends OF
the fingers, tn n wipe with towel, absorb
ing as much of the dampness from the hair
as possible, with an extra cloth, and dress,
leaving the arrangement of the hair till the
last, so as to give it an opportunity of dry ing
somewhat for if it is wringing wet, it will
not dress well, and b. sides will keep the
head cold by its evaporation In dressing
the hair after such washing of the head
the comb should be passed through it in the
gentlest manner, so as to take no strain up
on the roots, nor bre ak any hair in Olsen
tan Cling the tangles. The hair thus dressed
in the morning will remain so the whole day
or if not, can be easily re-dressed with the
advantage of perfect cleanliness, which can
not be said of the filthy practice of using
hair oil.-HalTs Journal Of Health.