The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-04-06

Two things are essential to obtain the
full benefit of q bath. These are .
warm, well ventilated room, and one
free from draughts. The temperature
should be high enough always to pre-.
vent anything more than the moment
airy chill caused by the sudden change
of circulation and the evaporation Of
the water from Tho body. This quickly
disappears and q reaction sets in bring.
ing healthy glow over the whole skin,
but should You continue to SILVER and
shake, to shrink in repulsion from the
water, the i'll effects will exceed the
good, and, persisted in, may prove
fatal. Be sure, then, to have . warn
room for bathing. str
1t should be well-ventilated, for the
respiration is quickened by the act 'oj
bathing, and therefore more oxygen il
required for the publication of the blood
thsn when quietly sitting in q normal
condition. OF course any one can read
lily understand why draughts should moi
be allowed upon the bather..
A person in good health with vigor.
Gus powers may find cold bath every
morning upon first getting up refresh
ing and stimulating. / have seen
those who could jump out of bed in .
cold room and get into tub of almost
freezing water, seeming to derive both
comfort and benefit from the process,
but the number who can do this with
out ill-effects is very small. If cold
baths are INDUCED in they should be
short, and the body must be rubbed
most vigorously in order to attract again
to the surface the blood which has been
sent back upon the internal organs. 1t
has also become lower in temperature,
and the necessity of vigOr and health to
raise it again, is the reason why cold baths
are harmful to persons of delicate con-
situations.
For the great majority of people
warm or hot baths are most beneficial.
The shock to the system in the first
place is much less. The combustion
going on in the body is increased as is
evident from the quickened breathing,
Just as it is in the cold bath, but the
| difference is that the latter stimulates
to the increase, while the former
facilitates or hastens that going on
naturally. The contrast between the
two in this respect has been compared
to the effect upon furnace by the hot
and cold blast. Both encourage COM
bustion and increase the heat of the
furnace, but the hot blast does the same
work by the expenditure of little more
than one-fourth as much fuel as the
cold. Both exhaust it and there must
be a fresh supply, but the hot blast is
far more economical than the cold. So
the hot bath uses up far less of the
powers of the body, and therefore re-
quires less yigor to obtain the healthy
reaction.
The best way to take the hot bath is
to lie in it few moments and let the
heat open the pores while the water
softens the dead tissues; then scrub soap
all over the body and remain few mo-
ments longer. gradually letting cold
water into the tub until the temperature
is reduced to that of the skin normally,
or considerably lower. Use the towel
briskly until perfectly dry. A very ex-
cellent thing to prevent stiffness of the
joints is to rub them after bath with
sweet oil. This must be very fine and
volatile, and it is, of course, much more
agreeable if perfumed. The old Ro-
mans and Greeks used to anoint the
whole body with oil after bathing, and
q very sensible custom it was, as it kept
the skin soft and flexible. Before dress
ing strike briskly with the palms of the
hands every part of the body, then put
on dry, well-aired clothes, and you will
feel delightful sense of comfort.
Now as to time and frequency. Oh
course, the most convenient season in
many ways is in the morning on first
rising. Many people, however, find
this difficult. The room is not warm
enough, the water not hot, or house
hold duties are so pressing that there is
not time. 1t is of no great Importance,
except that two rules are observed.
One is, never take bath Immediately
after eating. Let three hours elapse-
never less than two. You had better
90 dirty for once, or several times,
rather than risk the consequences of a
shorter interval. Why, do you ask? ]
will tell you, and want you to remem-
Der this if you forget all the rest, par
ticularly you who have the care OF
children. As soon as food is taken into
| oilC SpohitCu lHc piOCcSS VI uIScStlou Dc-
gins, calling the blood thither in larger
quantities than when empty. A warm
bath summons it instantly to the sur
face, thus lowering the temperature OF
the stomach and stopping the work
going on there. A cold bath, on the
contrary, sends it to that already well.
supplied organ in increased amount and
causes congestion which sometimes
proves fatal. 1t is dangerous thing
to do, either way. Children have been
thrown into commissions, and you have
all known of persons drowning by being
seized with cramp in the stomach upon
going in bathing too soon after meal.
If no worse effects follow than retard
digestion you may be thankful, but that
is certain consequent.-Cor. Toledo
| Blade.