New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-07-16
PUBLIC BATHS.
THEIR USE AND EFFECTS-LIyERPOOL, LONDON
AND BOSTON BATIS-NECESslIY OF PUBLIC
BATHS ~ THIS CITY.

u
fact that about half the food eat and drink passes
through the pores of the skin in oily substance con-
sistng Of various salt and animal matters which, II not
washed away. become permanently injurious to health'
and I'm cases where they associate with certain FEVER
polsons for which they have strong affinity, he Is
directly endangered. The general temperature OF
adults in sound health ranges from 90 to 9o'
Fahrenheit IL many diseases the temperature OF
tho subject reaches 1869. A uniform and healthy
temperature OF the blood being intimately connected
with TespratOn the cleanliness OF the SKIM Wnlcn Is &
merely covering but one OF the most extensive
organs OF tho sensations becomes matter OF gIal1
portance II requires but lItlo 9srS t t ~
that in all large cities the stronghold OF levers es %
unwashed populations. There would seem 10 nave pton
among of the most enlightened nations OF tue CIV
nzed age long forgeulness OF theSe
aud even to-day apathy or ignorance OF their importance
leaves large populations especially IN inns county, III
ont the means profit by them, and exposed 10 the
misery OF those diseases consequent upon ther neglect
the people have been supplied with public baths hong3
not until after disease with an Its woiui %
In one city only OF the United states 10 VIC hnu Puon0
The Russians Of Siberia use tho bath as n means OF
curing disease and it has been seldom FOUND 10 IAN III re-
Knitting the pain OF feycrs and entirely removing the
severe colds TO which the Siberans are subject The
Russian bath generally constructed OF WOOL any Co
siss OF large hall in which is stove hled with heatGd
stones aud shot opposite which benches on when tc
bathers recne Apeturcs in the roof allow the light TO
enter and afford means Of egress for the supeInuouS
yapor i'm which the bathcr Is involved The Yap0r pro
duced by throwing water ON the heated stones ana
and the temperature OF the bath varies from II ~
Fahrenheit From quarter to alt an hOur III Ie D 10
tO the DanCr into prOuse pcfspIduOH
ne is then washed with soap and water and swltGhed
with small brOOms made for the purpose; aller "Iloss
inuring him to sudden transitions from heat to cold.
Turkish baths there two or three apartments Dut
baher undresses and having tied napkin around the
waist proceeds to the second room which Is moderately
third room where the temperature Is much hgher-some-
times reaching a. high as 1902 Here he feclnes on
marble slab while an attendant Tubs him with his hands
he then returns TO the second ROOM WheIe ne IL "sJ
with brush aud soap. Finally, having received cI h
no rafur tD
recnes awhile and partakes OF some refreshments
These baths heated by means OF hot arr produced
generally by The time taken to administer one Oh
these baths varies at the option OF the baher ~ Dcns
luxury some remain hours but the usual time Is one
hour The baths used by the Egyptians and Indians
differ little from those Of the Turks. ,,
only Of late years that the great cites OF Europe
have established baths for the working classes. The
wealthy, OF course, were always provided with them at
their homes but the mechanic or aborer was LEFT to tako
his chance for day the country when he might seize
the opportunity OF neghboring river to have plunge
Paris, IN this as In many other woIknge5 ENJOY ents
must be eonTefd in ed pPi4cipaiy alter the
Roman models have long since ceased to be luxury
These are Just necessary for Parsans food or light
wine or dominOes In Berlin there IL one OF the finest
swimming baths the world. In this bath the water Is
made undergo process by means OF the revolution OF
10 the p"hels s thi bpb BSru has many others Eng
land though moving in the right direction IN regard
10 bathing long belnnd-hand lt Is only recently
that baths were made sufficiently to allow her
workingmen TO know how great luxury they had so
long been deprived o. and how necessary the bath was
for them Tic baths in London, ana Liverpool &nG Some
other towns in England, have tho popularity OF
combining with them cheap wasl-hOusos, where
get tier clothing washed. The great adj.
vanagos these washhouses afford % the class for which
they are Intended cannot be appreciated without know
log what tie poor In London aud Liverpool aud how
dirty they might be- Tho hrst pubic batn IN Ehgi9nd
inauguated IN lhVerpon ia 1917 anu the seconu III
1877. Both well paronlzed In lsiJ the total mum
Der Of baths taken was loioyl Tue Iocrpls rom VIZ.
nearly equalrd the expenditures Ihls result was so en-
couriglng that the Liverpool Common Council ordered
the erection OF s!N at'''Tp h daoS @ G tha Mans
an expense Of $1,000 Ihe uimenslohS vI thsso D"els
vary from ~ by - feet to 80 by n Feet rcIhaPs an aV
crge of the accommodations Of these baths would be rs
washalls 10 hIscass private baths and ~ second ana
thirdclass. London was without public pathhg lnsu'
tuition until u or - ycars ago. when under Act oil IaI
mcut. the city authorities were authorized 10 c,'ct ~
baths public expense. These were erected AT an
expense Of about 5000 EACH and after trial OF one year
thew were found not only TO have been well patrOnzed
but even sufficiently romuneraye During the first year
nearly 100000 baths were taken. and nj the present tuo
over are annually taken the expense OF few
pencc each Under general act OF Parliament the Dor
ough and city authorities OF tho different towns In En-
gland authorized to erect baths at the public expense
and IN they were not sufficiently baronized or ind
frenty regarded blythe peopeare et ths power 10 smut
place where they were erected proved success.
Were the establishment Of public baths in our own
outlay Of large amount OF capital doubtless every city
In the Union would have been long since provided with
them The manner OF her usefulness is so simple Lhat
this fact IN itself may have had much to do with making
vrars So tLe ato Robert h. Mintufn with some philan
thropc associates made effort tho first ever made IN
New YORK, but a few years after tho bath had
been put In operation through some cause or other
-
was made until Boston successfully inaugurated her
baths in 1865 In that year the municipal authorities OF
the CITY Of Boston. taking into consideration the benefits
which would flow to their citizens from system OF free
public pa1E m pase 20 Sye
and the Of $4,000 was appropriated for the erection
Saib s sh IN T ane sce WAS hailed With delight by the
people Of Boston. AS evidence of tho sani-
the high appreciation in which they were held,
il enough to state that during the first month in which
In city out OF population OF 300 OO and about lO0
took baths ddG ag nS o1cInsycy yr ladies' and ali
sufficiently large aud commodious These IA bathing Ss.
Establishments patrOnized last Summer by nearly
100000 bathers and this IN city OF 22COOC inhabitants
not than 100000 Of whom destitute Of every bath
the fact least Of the working classes bathed
frequently last Summer, and reports inform us
Tho cost OF all this sanitary system did not exceed last
year $4,000 These baths are absolutely free Tho only
conditions required that each bather provides himself
with soap and towel females to furnish themselves with
cents each at the offices OF tie supcrnendens wherein
water looking glasses and other necessaries for public
convenience are kept Tho Boston baths are in many
respecs models for all wateTsde towns and Of
various dimensions. The bath at Cambrdgest Bridge is
"a feet long by 60 WIDE and consists OF public and private
tanks with dressing closets, &c, all proportion
atoly largo and commodous The bath at Icst south
Boston large aud affords accommodations Tor Dathers
by three panks running out into Dorchester Bay TEX
tends either side about 80 ieet Dy a. Ieet ~ Inches
Some, that at the Sectional Dock are divided into two
distinct establishments, for males and females All these
conducted according to tho steost rules
HewYork CITY, moro than any other in the Union
needs public baths 10 the most
approved plan, and conducted on the best principles
The therefore many and cOgent, and the
would 10 the masses from bathing must
be almost incacuabe. Yet tho Empire city, With It's
million inhabitants, boasts only Of three saltwater baths
and these are merely the result OF private enterprise de-
barring from their by the price fixed for admission
thousands OF those for whom bathing most necessary
One OF these located az the foot u Thirty ourthst ~
r. another at the Battery and the third on the East River
In the ghborhood OF JacksOnst There only fresh
water bath In the city, that at the OF sxthave
and Thrtethst which was erected last year by the pro-
prletors at cost OF about $4,000 This bath
structed principally after the model OF the Diana bath Of