Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1870-05-12
The Turkish Bath--what is 1T .

leTenl uegTceS Vi heat, ny tnoauS vi Slcdin
pipes; thou enabling US TO make an APP
plication Of heated air to tho surface of
the body, for sufficient period, and at
sufficient temperature, gradually in
creased, to produce profuse perspiration,
thereby cleansing the skin: equalizing the
circulation, purifying the blood, and re-
moving glandular distractions.
When the perspiration has been pro-
fuse enough for the purpose desired, the
bather is conducted to the shamEooing
room, where the dead skin, which has
accumulated upon the body, is removed,
sometimes in one almost continuous lay
er. This removal is followed by manip
ulation of the muscles, joints and deep
seated organs, securing freedom of mo
ton, fexibility, elasticity, and restoration
of all the secretions. The free applics.
ton of water succeeds this by means Of
the spray, douche, needle. and the show,
er bath, of graduated temperature, for
the purpose of removing the exuvia
which has been thrown out of the system
closing the pores, and tempering the
skin. SO that the bather can make his ex-
it to the world, without taking cold. Com
mencing just high enough to avoid chill
ing, the temperature is gradually lower
ed till that of spring water is reached.
The changes are agreeable. No shock
is necessary from the beginning to the
end of the bath. After heating the body
and the general manipulations which
follow, cold water becomes in the high
est degree grateful to many who could
never endure it before.
The surface is then dried by means of
towels, and the bather enveIoped in his
robe, is conducted to the cooling room,
where reposes for longer or shorter Pc
Rod on lounge, to make surs that the
perspiration has entirely ceased.
Those who would make the bath in
the highest degree luxurious, or gain the
highest tonic advantage, will 90 into
blankets and sleep half hour or So
They should therefore come without pres.
sing cares, and with time enough to CON-
pIete every stage of the bath, which
takes from forty minutes TO an honr and
a half, depending on the purposes aim
ed at.
When employed in tho treatment of
disease, it is susceptible of infinite mod
ifications in temperature, duration, fire
quency and general management.
The Turkish bath is different from the
warm or hot water bath, and the vapor
or Russian bath, in this-watei at Ito
degrees is scalding, and vapor cannot be
endured above 100 deg, because there
is no sweating in the parts covered, and
no evaporation to protect the skin, no
heat becomes latent as in the process Of
eyaporating the perspiration in the hot
air bath.
The Turkish bath is only comfortable
at 140 deg. and is used with perfect
safety at 240 deg. At l40 deg. it does
not accelerate the pulse four beats min,
ute, while the water bath at lilo deg,
and the Russian at 100 deg. will increase
the pulse from 40 to so beats.
Prolonged bathing in hot water, or
vapor, produces great debility, as it him
ders free perspiration, and robs the body
of its electricity. Hot air on the contra
~, forces free action of the skin, and
from its dryness, is highly electric; hence
the invigorating effect of the one and
the opposite effect of tie others.
In this bath the diseased body is treat
ed as the soiled sponge. When water is
first passed through. it is much discolor-
] ed, each washing shows less discoloration,
until at last the water becomes as clear
as before its introduction. So the per-
spiration which first shows itself is often
sive to the smell, acrid to the taste, and
singing to the eyes but when prolonged,
or repeated, its whole character becomes
changed, rendering it odorless, tasteless,
and as pure as water.
The celebrated DR.. Wilson gives the
following interesting description of the
process Of taking bath:
We enter the Frigidarium, aud divest
ourselves of our clothing, and dress for
the bath. The question of precedence
being settled, the doubled door is opened
and we enter the Calidarium. How de-
liciously the warm air seems to fold us
in its warm embrace. We look at the
thermometer; it is l35 deg. How very
nice! How very agreeable! are the ex
pressions we hear softly breathed around
US. The air is clear; no vapory mists.
1t is fresh; for there is free circulation
of air through the room; but how mar
vellously soothing! All care, all anxiety,
all trouble, all memory of the external
world and its miserable littleness is chas-
ed from the mind; our thoughts are abb
sorbed in rapturous contemplation of the
delights of the New World-the Para
disc into which we have just been admit
ted.
The tyrant, Pain, even loses bis mis-
creant power here; the toothache, where
is it gone? the headache gone too; the
spasm no longer abides; the grinding
! aches of craving appetite, the pangs of
neuralgia, of rheumatism, Of gout, all
are fled; for this is the region where the
suffering fad soothing relief from all their
torments; and over the door is it not
written-THIs IS THE CALIDARIUM;
PAIN ENTERS NOT HERE.
Ten minutes slip away in an enjoy
ment that seems to last lifetime; and
what is our condition now? The skin
! is warm. it is soft il is moist. for sensible