Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-07-26
Alefanorla 0azettc
THURSDAY EVENING, JULY IS.
,Ene Influence Of water ol the Skin.

Al able physician whom We used to kuow
Mas woD! to groy quito eloquent over what he
called the incorporate use Of tic bath.tuu.
| Hc admit d that bathing had its uses aud al
vantages, bu. believed that to indulge in it a.
| frequently rs many DO, vas rot cniy waste of
water ard lime, cut positive Injury to the
| skin and to the system generally. We sec Il At
60 eminent all authority rs Prof! lIcbra, /,
Vienna, has recently been expressing some.
what similar views. lie considers that in both
popular aud scientific literature, much is said
! concerning tno influence Of water, which is 5oi
Justified By theory or observation. We give,
| ia abridged form, some portions Of his paper
on the subject, as translated 10 the "LOndon
Medical Times and Gazette -
"As to tho influence Of water on tho healthy
skin, it is tho general opinion that frequent
cold end warm baths, and washing the akin
With cold water, followed by friction, arc con
ducivc to health and do no harm. This con
clusion cannot be admitted; for, on the one
hand, millions Of men take nc baths Of any
kind, and at most only slightly wash their face
and hands once a week, and yet live to old age
in the enjoyment OF good health; while on the
other hand no one is able to prove that the Va
rious forms Of bath ward off disease, or that
washing 10 cold water furnishes any protcr
tive power against cataTrh, rheumatism, etc.,
diseases supposed ID arise from catchiDE
cold. A comparison OF the frequency o.
disease in towns where baths arc irc
quenty rcscrted to, an! in tho country
where they rarely can be got, says tut
little for their rrophyiatic power. Ard al
though it cannot be said that t;lCr frequent Oh!
ployment in towns is cause Of the greater RIOT
tality therein, neither can it be said that hatim.
ard especially washing the BODY ali over VIII!
cold water, Is any protection against disease.
As long as this water manipulation Is accom-
panied by IN agreeable genera! sensation, and
no eruption nu the surface ot the skiu results,
it may be pursug! as pas!lmH or amusement;
bat IS soon as the skin reacts against the rc
pcatcd irritation, aud great itching or crytncnl",
urtcarla, cczalua, etc., arc produced, tho bath.
ug washing should at once be stopped. if We
DO not wish 10 induce skin diseases. which may
require months or years for their cure, and
cause the subjects of them Immense IucOnvcui
cncc. Much vii! dcpcnd upOu the nature Of
the water used, and the mode 81 lis employ
ment, es simple warhl and cold baths do not III
ducc the 7c1na irritation Of the skin as when
they arc accompanied! hy friction, douchcs, cc.,
or when the action Of the vap0r path IS rcudrr
cd still more intense by shamp0O!Dg, Brushing,
etc. The Consequences Of such irritation soun
CT OF later show thcm:clvcs in tho shape Of per.
manoDt rclncss, q sensation Of burning or itch
ing, eud the production o; noduIcs and the fur.
unclcs which prcccdc Che formation OF pustulea
and assesses. These appearances, which tjrm
crly were regarded Is critical and OF good omen,
should be attributed al they orc really due, to
the mschicvous effects o! the water.
Prof lic6ra then goes on to argue that II
this trco use CT water Is bad for tie healthy
then norc intense; '!t ahtd tbs q when 1t ii IN
whether the water il cGli OF Warnl. LyHchh"r&
Dolly Ne1cs.
FRIGHTENED SoLDlERs-Air. il. Is. Cod,
FREY, OF Godfrey & Clark, merchants at 30
Liberty street, pi'tsburc, quit that city on Sat
uriay evening. Attached 70 the train on nwheh
&c came was = d1.kcDcI car, in which, he says
warc hudlcG atou: thrly p'cmb2T5 OF the l''acK
lIussar regiment, who had escaped from th'
round house ut Twenty eighth street. Many
were wounded. The train in passing tarouEh
tho city slowed at every switch, and soldiers
who were il hiding jumped on. ihGSe men
yora tlrir panta0ons inside out and had thrown
ao,av everything else except their shirts. They
were 10 great terror, Nlr Godfrey says, expect
iL- tho train would bc stopped by rioters. On"
cogari set down by woman and asked her to
nrotcct him. She threw shaw! over hi; hcad'
aod he crcuehcd down in s corner. 4: I"ent}-
eighth street the train was stOppcG hy the
strikers "Iiavo you any Of tiiJSa phlladciijiii'
men aboard - was asked. Tie conductor ie
Piled in the negative. a gang Of strikers, passed
through tho cars, hut did not discover TIC con
cealcd soldiers. Ecaching the last car wh'rn
was dark and seemed dcscrtcG they were tot"
Tbcv I did not attempt to enter. The train was
started again, but tho soldiers we're IN state
or wild tcrrcr. They expected to be etonpch
| by telegraph at Derry. Mr.. Godfrey think
this vas Intended, for large number OF s'1lk
! crs were gathered there, but the train dashed
| ,brc-yh without stopping. The samo lear was
shown st by the soldiers on the approach toJohns o;
town; but the train was not stopped. j, inc :, sci
dicrs were thoroughly panic stricken, Mr"od
frey says and it Was not till Altoona y wa I"S''''
| that they became rcas:ufcd.-H. 1. o"".
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