Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1873-07-05
Sea-Bathing.

member how frequently he has desired
to see the heaving waters of the ocean,
to hear its tempestuOus roar and, on
visiting seabOard city for the first
time, he may not have been content to
look upon the waters of the bay, but
may have jOurneyed to some exposed
portion of the coast-line, where the
waves roll in from across the broad
waste of waters. To every one there
are majesty and beauty in the SEA.
The air at the seaside has apecnllar
freshness and life, that, as We breathe,
seems to penetrate every portion OF our
frame, and impart to rs new vitality.
And we shall not have breathed this air
long before We sfall experience keen
appetite, and, if vigorous, feel inclined
to athletic exercise. Exactly what it
is in the constitution of sea-air that
produces these effects has not been dis
covered. We, however, know that the
air is purer than that of the land, less
contaminated by miasma. by vegetable
exhalatiOrs and nOxiOus gases, though
i'll the component oxygen it differs but
little. The air of the ocean is always
highly charged with watery vapor,
bearing with it a perceptible amount OF
chloride of sodium. When We have
been exposed to the sea-air for long
time, we detect this in the salt taste
experienced when the tongue touches
the outer borders of the lips. Expert
ment has shown that this saline vapOr
is much more freely diffusel when the
ocean is agitated, and it is carried in
land for several miles. Besides con-
tanning chloride of sodium, it is quite
probable that the atmosphere of the
sea also contains a proportion of iodides
and bromides, conclusion, however,
which is not based ON direct exp RI
ment. And, although chemistry has
not revealed the minute differences be-
tween ocean air and that of land, still,
whoever is familiar with its OdOr can
recognize it miles inland from the sea-
shore. Many persons sOjourn at the
sea-shore more for the purpose Of
breathing the sea-air than for bathing
in the surf. Breathing sea-air affects
the organism by the change wrought in
the blood, and thus in the entire sys-
TEN. How quickly medical agents act
through the lungs is shown by the ra-
pidity with which an@sthesia may be
produced by chloroform.
Sea-air is deemed especially applica-
BILE to chronic bronchitis accompanied
with considerable expectoratiou. If the
patient, on the contrary, has dry cough
and great irritability of the lungs and
larynx, it will not prove beneficial. In
the chronic cough of old age-senile
bronchitis is also advantageous, if
the patient is not a suf5ererf from asthma
and emphysema. Phthisis in its early
stages is favorably influenced by a resi-
dence at the seaside, or repeated ocean
voyages. Indeed, the last-named RENE
DIV has been a favOrite in all ages.
Pliny, CELSIUS and Gaiena, have all tes.
titled to its virtues, Care, however, is
recommended that those cases only seek
the sea in which the cough is moist, and
there is very little tendency to h4m
Optysis. -,
The temperature of the sea, like that
of rivers, is never constant, varying ac'
cording to the seasons. At the seaside
resorts it ranges between 60 degrees and
20 degrees Fahr. during the season.
The sea bath is a cold bath, and its ef.
fects may almost all be deduced from
this fact. But it is cold bath under
the most favorable conditions. The
fascination OF the sea, the attraction OF
many bathers in the water at the same
time, the excitement attendant on the
rolling in of the waves, and the exeg.
else required in meeting them, cOrtrib.
ute to the salutary effect that is expe.
rienced. Here the person makes nc
conscious effort to exercise, but the en-
tire surroundings lead them to do so
and often so vigorous is this exercise
that reaction commences while in thu
water, to be followed by complete red
ness of the surface, and feeling of re
newed Nsfgy when he resries t.
the dressing-roOm and is thorough.
rubbed and dried. That the minera
constituents of the water have any par
in the result is exceedingly doubtful
for, on the one hand, the temperatur
of the water is SO low that the skin i
unprepared for absorption, and, on tn
other, the period of immersion is usual
" 40 short that, under the most favora
BILE conditions, little absorption cOul
: occur. However, it must be remen
, bered that, during the entire time, tn
r lungs are continually filled with tn
? aroma of the sea, and the blood muc
1 more highly charged with its medics
. properties than when at the hotel o
v the shore. The time passed in tn
e bath varies from five to twenty minutes
e and where the water is unusally warn
s it NAV he extended beyond these limit
D One bath day is sufficient, and tw
!, each day as many as shoulC be indulge
II nv the most vigorous In some instal
a ces reaction is not readily establishe
II on coming from the bath, and in suc
r cases. in addition to rubbing with tf
J. coarse towel, it will be advantageous
a immerse the feet in warm water. 1t
/, almost unnecessary to say that mOrnir
(. is the preferable time for the bath, an
x that the stomach should be empt
'e when it is taken.
Us The effect of a course of sea-bathin
z, according to Durand Furdel, is as fC
% lows: The first baths canse excitemen
- excessive fatigue, especially If the 81
u has been rough; sometimes the appeti
. is lost. But, in five or six days, the
y y conditions disappear, and feeling
!" bien-etre, of vigOr and loyousness, su
ceeds at the same time the appetite
increased, and the secretions are mo
!: active, especially those of the kidney
III III skin: and lungs. But, if the baths a
e. e. too long continued, after fifteen. twent
el or thirty days-accOrding to the in'
!s vidualHthe excitement, fatigue, Al
p, IN the pain reappear. and, if the baths a
Sn NOT discontinued. all the advantae