The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1882-02-18
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What Time of the Day to Battle.

There is no objection to bathing at any time OF
the day, except just after "A meal. The reason for
avoiding this is simply that the process Of di-
gestion requires and involves a iulness Of the
blood-yessels OF internal organs, as well az n Ger
tain amount Of nerve force. Hence any shock, ms
OF cold water applied to the surface, which liz
apt to determine the blood towards the interior
of the body, may readily induce an extreme con-
gestion there. Moreover, like any other active
exercise taken at such a time, bathing would
hinder digestion, or even put a stop to At alto
gether. The result is generally "A very great de-
gree Of discomfort; reaction takes place slowly,
and there is apt to be headache, gastric oppres-
sion, and perhaps serious illness. Life even may
be endangered by imprudence in this respect. As
10 bathing before breakfast, il 10 q fine habit for
robust people, and the gentlemen Of the family
who have, it may be, to catch an early train FOR
town, must often battle at that hour or not at all.
But to turn out Of bed and 90 shivering down 60
the beach Is not TO be recommended TO those
whose constitutions are in any way delicate.
The hour most to be recommended to those
fortunate individuals whose time is more or less
at their own disposal, is that Of midday. This
hour has a physiological advantage in the recog-
nlzed TACT that it ~ with most persons the period
Of greatest vital activity, 80 that the shock is
better borne then than at any other part OF the
day. Thus Braun says, speaking OF the daily
variation Of the amount Of natural heat alt
reaches its maximum between ten and twelve
O'Clock in the afternoon il falls again; and
reaches Its lowest point at two O'Clock in the
morning; between ten O'Clock in the morning
and five O'Clock in the evening the variation is
smallest, and between seven and nine o'clock in
the evening it is greatest. In children this
variation is greater than in adults. often amount
ing in them to more than sc degrees Fab; in
the latter il is less. " Tie correctness Of this
general statement may often be verified in case
of sickness, when the failure Of power is apt to DO
plainly noticeable in the early morning hours,
as well as It's increase in the middle Of the day.
The choice Of this hour il open 20 only two OBJ
jcctions the heat OF the sun, and occasionally,
where the beach shelves sharply. the state of the
tide. Sometimes the water, Ia the latter case,
deepens so abruptly and the waves arc 30 strong.
as to make it unsafe for any bat robust persons
to go in at all. AT such places it is necessary TO
change the bathing hour from day 20 day, 30 as
to take advantage Of a more favorable stage Of
the tide. After a day in town, il is n great
temptation 10 most persons To take an afternoon
bath, and there is no objection TO it for those in
good health. IL must be remembered, however,
that the already IatIgued body Is lees capable OF
withstanding the shock OF the cold water, and
hence that the bather should not stay in so long
as at midday. Imprudence ia tins respect may
give rise to serious discomfort, if not TO pcrma-
uent harm.