The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-11-15
IN a u BATH.
Exhilarating Eject of the Imported Article
on a Reporter.
Cincinnati Times-star.

on a Reporter.
Cincinnati Times-Star.
80 you want a mud bathl'
YES, sir, that's what l want" replied a re-
porter to Superintendent McDougall, of the Gin
cinnatl Mud Bath Company. well, then, step
in. my friend, said he, as he led tho way into
the bath house.
This institution is a novelty in that city; in
fact, a novelty anywhere outside of Las Vegas,
N. NJ, of whose natural mud baths it is an exact
copy. The idea of establishing them here was
conceived by DR.. O. e. Davis.
While performing a surgical operation he had
the misfortune to make a slight cut in his hand
with the scalpel he was using. Blood poisoning
set III, and alter trying every available means Of
cure he determined to try the mud baths of Las
Vegas. They proved an entire success, saving
his life. de then conceived the idea of starting
a bath house here, and in furtherance of the
scheme he analysed the mud and determined the
medicants found in it.
Taking out a patent for the process of making
the baths, he at once started to complete the
present bath house. The reporter entered a
neat ~waiting-room while the bath was being pre-
pared. In a few moments he was ushered into
a dressing room, where he was told to divest
himself of his clothes. This was done. The at
tendant led the way into the bathroom, a large
room with a zinc covered floor, heated 10 a tenn
perature of eighty-five degrees. A number of
bath-tubs were arranged in the room, and were
filled with a substance that reminded the re-
porter OF thick molasseS. Mr.. McDougall seized
a flexible hose with a bent nozzle about three
feet long, and, giving a signal to an attendant,
who turned a cock admitting a flow of steam
into the hose. he inserted the pipe into the liquid
mud. With a sound like distant thunder, the
mud dubbed, and boiled, and leaped into the air
like mad.
A ready. sir; step in"
What, step into that and get sealdedF' de-
manded the scribe. ''Oh, 10. Get my clothes;
I've got enough.
But it amt very warm, = assured Mr.. McDou-
gall; seer and he plunged his arm into the
darkIooking mass ana stirred it around.
The reporter cast a dubious eye on the 'hot
m%olasses," and finally ventured in his foot and
then the other, and finished by lying down in
the tub, with the exception OF keeping his head
above water-or, rather, mud. The sensation
experienced was most pleasant, in fact, luxuri-
Gus. and to the scribe it felt as it did to the over
joyed stranger in Las Vegas, who, as he lay in
the mud, exclaimed:
ooh, Lordy, | feel as though I've got on a suit
of silk plush underwear. and the plush side
turned inland owned Deacon Green's farm.
and I'm chuck full of whisky, and I'm married
to zeke Whites Nancy, and, and-glory!
Whoopee! Let me die where l ann
A mirror was brought the reporter and a view
given of himself. Nothing would be a better
comparison than that of a fly caught IN the mo-
lasses pitcher. After remaining suspended in
the mire for over a half an hour-suspended, be-
cause the density of the mud does not cause the
body to sink much below the snrface-the repor-
ter was hauled out, looking like an African with
AONNf NN0 fNNNN
closet. The attendant seized a hose and turned
a stream of lukewarm water on him, followed
by a shower, thoroughly cleansing him of the
bath material. Then, without his knowledge or
consent, and decidedly against his will, he was
suddenly oused with cold water that caused him
to howl like a Comanche and to think Of the
suffering Greedy party.
Step this way" said the attendant, leading
the way to the drying room.
ugh, you villain, all right" answered the
s~hivering scribe as his teeth played a march.
The attendant seized a Turkish towel and
rubbed him until a lobster would look white
alongside of his skin. Wrapping a linen sheet
abount his manly form, he was laid on a cot for
a few minutes to prepare himself for the mass
age process. Sausage would be more fitting, for
a sausage machine, even in a deliriun, would
never have acted as did the massage operator.
He grasped the reporters arm and tied it into a
bow-knot, pulled it and united it, and then
formed a running moose and again pulled.
Selling him by the leg he dislocated his hip,
and reaching down did the same kind offices for
both his knees. He then twisted them back into
shape again.
Lie perfectly STILL" said he; ''after I get
through with your muscles I'll put EN- back
where | found them"
Cheerful intelligence. He then administered
a vigorous humping to the meek scribe, who
bore his castigation like a martyr, for the sake
of finding out how he did 1T. After this one
sided prize fight was over, the smiling brute
pleasantly said. "All over, SIR"
The much-abused reporter stepped to the floor
and found, to his establishment, that he only
weighed six ounces; at least that was his impress
sion. An insane desire to fly and soar above the
clouds entered what was left of his mind, and he
wanted to shout 'Hallelujah" so bad that he al
most burst a blood-vessel in trying to keep still.
Put on your clothes" said the attendant.
81 don't want any, replied the crazy pencil
pusher, who was finally induced to enter his gar
ments. 1t is certainly the most luxurious sensa-
ton that can be felt. Tongue or pen cannot de-
scribe it.
The mud used is alluvial earth, or, as it is
commonly called, black mud. 1t is obtained at
Madisonville, O., and brought to the bath-house,
where it undergoes a crushing ndkneading pro-
cess, after which it is indicated and kept in a
huge trough for further use. The temperature
of the baths vary from 1O2 to 115 degrees, the
bathroom air at s. to 80, the dryingroom 70 to
80, and the waiting room at only 70. The air in
the massage-room is kept at 275 Fahrenheit, at
least the scribe thought so.